Have you ever had to give a wedding speech? As the groom or best man?
Do you remember that feeling? A knot in the stomach, sweaty palms and a panic attack!
Not a very pleasant experience. And yet, I'm sure your wedding speech has the potential to be a great success because 90 % of a typical audience want the speaker to succeed.
Yet according to the Book of Lists, speaking in public is one of our greatest fears.
Much of this anxiety is due to a lack of confidence in writing and preparing a speech rather than in the delivery.
What are the secrets of giving a great wedding speech?
Here are 10 tips for giving a great wedding speech:
1. Have a plan and set some objectives & outcomes. There is nothing worse than not knowing what you want to achieve. Do you want to be funny, thank the caterers or touch the emotions of your guests? Before anything work out what you want to achieve.
2. Have a formal structure - beginning, middle and end. Audiences love structure and the best speeches stick to this tried and true rule. Have a welcome (especially acknowledging those who have travelled a long way to be at the wedding), have three personal stories (eg how you met your wife) in the middle and an end (eg thanking and toasting the bridesmaids).
For Example:
? Greeting/Welcome (acknowledge special guests)
? Personal Story #1 ? how we met
? Personal Story #2 ? most memorable moment together and why
? Personal Story #3 ? funny habits and why I love her
? Something nice about the future
? Call to action: Toast Bridesmaids
3. Avoid having too much to say. Hands up those that are guilty of this sin. I know I am. Keep your speech short at a wedding, between 5 and 7 minutes.
4. Keep it Positive. Keep the content of your speech positive, avoid negative comments about previous wives or girlfriends or other 'black sheep' family members. Remember it is a celebration.
5. Research your speech using personal stories. Personal stories help connect with an audience. From your deep well of life reflect on three events that demonstrate how much your care for and love your wife.
6. Keep the personal stories short. Keep these very short and use them to demonstrate a point. Try and take people to that moment in time by describing the place, situation and even what time of day and what the weather was like. Paint the picture and take people back to that moment.
7. Have a strong opening and closing. People remember the opening - first impressions count! The closing is important as it should reinforce the key message you want the audience to go away with in their head after they have heard the presentation. Ending with a 'call to action' can be a powerful way to get your audience to act on your message. In the wedding speech the call to action is easy, ask people to stand, then charge their glasses and toast the bridesmaids.
8. Avoid alcohol until after the speech. You need to be on the ball. Save the celebrations until after your speech.
9. Keep eye contact and use simple notes. Use hand cards with key points. Avoid reading a speech and keep eye contact with your audience.
10.Practice and Rehearse. Practice the speech or at least get some feedback from someone you trust. Recording and listening back to a presentation is the fastest way to improve your skills.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.com.
scheduled cleaning services Northbrook ..Have you ever heard the expression, "The Urge to Merge"?It... Read More
Bridal showers are one of many pre-wedding parties and are... Read More
The most enjoyable part of the wedding reception is the... Read More
Is it to be a summer wedding or winter wedding?... Read More
What best way can a bride think of rising to... Read More
Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but modern man... Read More
We've all been through times in our lives when it... Read More
These guidelines will help you avoid the three most common... Read More
You've been engaged for months, you've made it through planning... Read More
Vital tips on making your own wedding invitations - by... Read More
"Las Vegas theme weddings are the envy of the world.... Read More
Providing chocolate as a wedding favor has been a time... Read More
Wedding receptions are not as formal as they once were,... Read More
Healthy marriages require time, attention, energy, and vigilance. It's not... Read More
Just like weddings, receptions are often theme based as well.... Read More
When your marriage is in trouble and you're fighting to... Read More
The design of the traditional wedding cake has varied greatly... Read More
Think your bridal gown is the most important garment you'll... Read More
When it comes to choosing your wedding decorations, you must... Read More
When two people - destined for each other, come together,... Read More
As most of you know the evening festivities for a... Read More
You've probably heard about Save the Dates since they have... Read More
WHAT ARE THE TOP FIVE WEDDING FAVORS AND WHY?At most... Read More
'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.' This is... Read More
Just because you don't have a lot of money doesn't... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..Honor your Emerald Isle heritage with traditions that are romantic,... Read More
Weddings are momentous occasions to all people involved; especially the... Read More
The beginning of the journey of two souls begins with... Read More
Save a substantial amount of money on invitations, without sacrificing... Read More
If you have met the person or the couple several... Read More
If you are at all familiar with Las Vegas, you... Read More
Bless the bride... and God help the video maker. True.... Read More
A wedding is one of life's major rites of passage.... Read More
The Cancun honeymoon vacation comes with its bagage of sweet... Read More
A 2005 mother of bride dress tends to have a... Read More
All brides want to be beautiful on their wedding day,... Read More
Simply put, intimacy is more than sex or making love.... Read More
Being apologetic doesn't come easily for me. Unfortunately, being inconsiderate... Read More
You hear them at champagne-flowing parties. You hear them in... Read More
The more realistic you are as you prepare for marriage,... Read More
Increasing numbers of American brides are thinking about doing the... Read More
Your wedding flowers usually tie to your wedding theme. When... Read More
Your big day is now over all the stress of... Read More
Recently, I stumbled across something on the internet. A particular... Read More
The wedding gown is most important choice for a bride... Read More
Hearing that your cheating spouse is "in love" with someone... Read More
Have you ever heard the expression, "The Urge to Merge"?It... Read More
One of the most memorable days in our lives is... Read More
The extravagance of weddings is a popular topic. We blame... Read More
Are you a Bride-to-Be? Wonderful! Congratulations! But what's that enormous... Read More
Marriage & Wedding |