{"id":6938,"date":"2013-07-03T08:31:33","date_gmt":"2013-07-03T13:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/?p=6938"},"modified":"2014-08-14T13:32:11","modified_gmt":"2014-08-14T17:32:11","slug":"ten-speech-tips-for-a-stress-free-wedding-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.topweddingsites.com\/wedding-blog\/wedding-speeches-and-toasts\/ten-speech-tips-for-a-stress-free-wedding-day","title":{"rendered":"Ten Speech Tips for a Stress Free Wedding Day"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The speech season is upon us.\u00a0 Grooms, fathers-of-the-brides and best men are getting twitchy at the thought of their impending wedding speeches.\u00a0 They know that a great speech can make a wedding. \u00a0And a bad one can be remembered for all the wrong <\/i>reasons.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to check out our\u00a0Ultimate Guide to Wedding Speeches<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>See example\u00a0groom speeches here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To help anyone speaking at a wedding this summer, speech writer Lawrence Bernstein<\/a> has provided some top tips to ensure they set off in the right direction.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Preparation is everything.<\/b> \u00a0Like anything in life that you want to make a success of, it\u2019s essential you leave ample time for preparation. It is highly unlikely that you\u2019ll be able to rustle-up a cracking speech the night before the big day.\u00a0 Instead, start thinking about the speech several months in advance. What do you want to say? What do you want included? How do you want it to come across? Start gathering thoughts, information, key facts and writing out several speech drafts in preparation.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Call on others<\/b>. A great speech will include material from other people. So contact friends, parents, god-parents, cousins, work colleagues \u2013 anyone who may have known the person at different times in their life. This way you\u2019ll get a different perspective on their personality. You will also ensure your speech is for everyone <\/i>in the room, and not just those who know you.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Chat to the other speakers.<\/b> You may be one of three or even four speakers. There is a big risk, therefore, that your content will overlap with theirs, particularly if you are speaking last. It is essential you consult with them and ensure there is no frustrating overlap.<\/p>\n

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  1. Include a theme.<\/b> Stories, observations and facts are important elements of many speeches. On their own they can be funny, insightful and heart-warming. But if they don\u2019t link together naturally, they can often fall flat and you won\u2019t get the response you were hoping for. If you pick a theme that joins everything together, you can ensure all these anecdotes flow together. A successful theme is often the difference between a good speech and a great one.<\/li>\n
  2. Limit the <\/b>Length. <\/b>I recommend you cap your wedding speech at ten minutes. Going beyond this can create a less-forgiving atmosphere in the room.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never forget the forty minute monologue we were forced to sit through at a wedding in Sweden! Length is something you can measure when writing your speech. Delivered at the right pace you should speak in public at around 120 words per minute. On that basis, if your speech is more than 1,300 words long, you probably need to start cutting it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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