Giving a wedding speech is one of the most dreaded assignments most people avoid. But it should be an honor to be asked to take part of that special moment of such a memorable occasion. If you know how to deliver a great wedding speech then this should not be a problem. Here are some tips of doing it.
Call attention at the opening –a great wedding speech is one which people listen to and the most important time to catch people's attention is during the opening. Introduce yourself first – who you are in the couple's life and why in the world they gave you the honor to talk at their wedding. You may begin with a joke, an anecdote, or a memorable experience with the bride and groom. To deliver a great wedding speech you may start with anything that could catch the audience's attention so that they can focus on you as the speaker.
Look at your audience – to command the respect of your audience, look at them in the eye. You can call their attention by glancing at them, or panning through them to signal that you are about to deliver a great wedding speech in front of them. Smile! The audience would not want to listen to a snobbish-looking person.
Be quick but concise – the key to good communication is brevity. People have very short attention spans these days and you should be able to deliver a great wedding speech into that short time. When telling stories, get straight to the point and avoid making redundant explanations. Deliver your message right after the story. This way, you would be able to communicate everything and make yourself understood effectively.
Return the attention to the couple at closing – most wedding speeches end with your wishes for the couple and the toast. You can end it in different ways but the important thing is you return the spotlight to them, after all this is their moment. You should not hog all the attention to yourself, but you should not pass the limelight too son just to get over with your speech.
Practice makes awesome speeches – to deliver a great wedding speech, it is important to rehearse your speech five to seven times before the wedding. Practice in front of the mirror or a friend so that you can easily be corrected for mishaps. Write down just the keywords of your speech in an index card and practice saying your speech again for two or three times, taking cues from the card. On the morning of the wedding practice your speech again, this time without the cue card, and see yourself go with it in a breeze.
Stand firm to calm those knees – if you have shaky knees, you may lean to a table for support and stability but never, ever sit down to deliver a great wedding speech. By standing, you are commanding the guests for their attention, and at the same time you are showing the couple your respect.
Grasp to calm those hands –if you have shaky hands, you can calm them down by holding on to something, a hanky or the wine glass perhaps – just so your hands are busy doing something to keep it distracted. Once you start to deliver a great wedding speech, your hand could easily forget its urge to keep shaking.
Speeches should not be scary. If you know how to deliver a great wedding speech, you need not to fear weddings anymore.