Four Steps to Writing the Perfect Wedding Speech and Amaze Your Audience [Step-By-Step Guide]

Voicing a speech isn’t easy. Even if it’s the wedding of your BFF, be sure to experience moments of total stress. But worry not; even the most experienced speechwriters can’t entirely suppress the feeling of stress and anxiety. Public speaking is pure art, especially when it comes to a wedding. 

You might know to whom you address the speech, on the one hand. Perhaps, you are as thick as thieves and share the most cringy and simultaneously the best moments of your lives.

On the other hand, though, you are not going to deliver a speech to the couple only but to a banquet hall filled with distant relatives, guests, and other family friends. And suffice it to say that some moments can’t be revealed. So what can you tell, and overall, how can you come up with a top-notch speech? Professionals from the writing service point out a step-by-step guide to help you deliver the most outstanding and moving wedding speech of all time.

Start by Analyzing The Audience

Believe it or not, but a single speech can negatively influence the entire wedding. What the couple might find funny and what can be irrelevant and obscure for the audience. Therefore, ensure analyzing the listeners and learn as much information about them as possible in the first place. Try to find out their age, interests, and occupations. How close are they to the couple? Perhaps, you can recall what the couple told you about particular individuals? Gathering such data will help you adjust to the audience and develop a speech pertinent to every listener.

Recall Some Memories of The Couple

Once you know topics available to revolve around, start reminiscing recollections that led you through to the wedding day. Note down such moments and analyze whether they are relevant and would not embarrass the couple once declared. Your relationships with the bride and groom as separate personalities would also matter, so analyze the story you want to include into your wedding speech from the scope of each of them. Make sure that the stories you would tell would make them smile instead of sad. You need to be aware that other guests may also participate in the stories and memories you will include in the speech. You have to be patient as memories from the wedding last forever, and each detail matters to the couple and guests. The best choice would be to recall friendly, easy, funny moments with the bride and groom and generate exciting ideas on how to expose them to the audience in the best way.

Brainstorm Ideas

When you decide on the memories, it’s time to develop ideas for the speech and toast. Creating them might be daunting at times, but by no means is it a formidable task. Of course, there is no place for run-of-the-mill ideas. And without a shade of a doubt, you want to stand out and deliver a fascinating and memorable speech. 

When brainstorming, limit your focus to the wedding per se. Delving into brainstorming is an excellent way to develop unique concepts. It allows you to generate a list of ideas and narrow them down until you come up with one-of-a-kind concepts. You can apply different techniques, such as mind mapping, freewriting, and listing, to develop ideas for the talk.

Structure Your Speech

A correct structure is an integral part of a successful wedding speech. When working on a draft, make sure you have a distinct opening, body, and ending. Not only will it make your address coherent, but it will also keep the listeners on the edge of their seats, resulting in a standing ovation afterward. 

For best results, kick off your talk with an opening. A hook will draw the listeners’ attention and entice them to keep following your story. You can make such an opening in the form of a memory or joke. But before including it, remember about the audience and your research on it.

Then slowly move to provide some background on how you met the couple and how your relationship evolved. Once you do that, proceed to the body part where you tell unforgettable stories. 

In conclusion, wrap up key elements you have described and congratulate the couple on such an occasion. Also, thank everybody for listening to your speech and raise the toast wishing all the best to the couple. 

Short Tips

You can come up with a superb speech just by following the mentioned steps. However, some may still face difficulties, so here is a batch of quick tips to developing a thrilling talk:

Abstain From The Booze Before Voicing a Speech:

Indubitably, it is weird not to drink alcohol when your friend/sibling/child is getting married. However, it would be best to lay off drinks at least an hour before announcing a speech. Sobriety will increase your confidence. You have to be concentrated, especially if you want to crack some jokes. 

Record Yourself Beforehand:

The fear of sounding awkward can intrude in your mind, making you think that your speech is nothing but lame. That’s why try to record your talk and check what should be replaced to improve its quality. It would be best to make your speech recorded on the video to see your facial expressions and work on them.

Think Over Your Outfit:

Being confident is easier when you know that you look great. Dedicate enough time before the wedding to think over your look and make sure you like the style you choose. Moreover, weddings usually have a specific dress code, so if you are among the guests to give a speech, you must follow the requirements to style and colour your outfit. 

Be Careful With Jokes:

As mentioned above, you have to be patient when you recall shared memories with the bride and groom. It would be best if you were especially careful when it comes to jokes. First, you must be sure that you would not harm anybody’s feelings with your jokes and be sure everybody would find them funny. Second, being funny in a good way is among the most complicated things related to public speaking. 

Let Someone Hear Your Speech:

When your speech is ready, ask a friend or a family member to listen to how you perform it and give you his or her honest feedback. It would be better to engage in this rehearsal with a person who would not attend the wedding. You can master your speech and memorize all the important details in that way.

When Drawing a Blank – Improvise:

Many recommend having note cards and glancing at them if needed. We believe that such notes aren’t helpful. Nor do they portray the person’s sincerity. If you forgot what to say, start improvising until you remember what was on the tip of your tongue. The main idea in terms of improvisation is, to be honest, and open to audience feedback.

Get Some Lessons With a Speaking Coach:

Many professional mentors teach other people the art of public speaking. If you feel that your speech at the wedding makes you stressed, as you are not confident in your speaking skills, take some lessons. A coach would help you figure out how to structure your speech, take care of worrying, and work with your voice and breathing to make your address sound better.

Arrange Your Speech With The Wedding Planner:

If the couple has a wedding planner, you will get a coordinator of your speech who would help you with more tips and let you know when it is better to pronounce it. Knowing when your turn is can help you get ready and do away with stress. Set the time for your speech with the wedding planner. Or talk with the couple if they organize the wedding themselves.

Don’t Stall – Keep Your Speech Short:

We bet you have a lot to tell in your speech, and you want to share with an audience a lot of funny and touching details. However, we suggest shrinking your talk to seven minutes, at most. Longer speeches will tire the audience, regardless of how stunning they might be. Remember that it is better to say fewer but meaningful words. 

Take Care of Translation:

If the wedding is international, some guests might speak a different language than others. If you want to make your speech remarkable and catch the attention, you have to take care of the translation. If there is enough technical support at the event, you can use plasma screens by showing your speech translated while taking it. 

Working on a wedding speech is always demanding, as it requires taking plenty of actions to deliver a great talk. We hope you found the above guide, along with the tips, helpful. Following them will point you in the right direction and help you develop a splendid speech. Don’t hesitate and stay honest, the best things are said from the bottom of your heart. We believe that the speech you would deliver at the wedding would be remarkable and impress everybody in a good way.