Wedding Speech Technique

Witnessing a wedding ceremony is exciting in itself. Celebrating the momentous event is even more anticipated. Besides the heartwarming traditions done by the bride and groom during the celebration, there is the delicious meal shared by the newlyweds and the guests who have witnessed the wedding. But the wedding celebration is not all about the fun activities and food. It is also about the solemnity of wedding speeches, which are prepared by special people important to their lives to welcome them into the amazing union they have both willingly entered together.

Who Gives Wedding Speeches?

The time for giving wedding speeches is an intimate moment shared by the bride, groom, families, friends, and guests. The bride and groom specifically choose who will be giving the wedding speeches. The honor of giving the wedding speeches is usually given only to those really close to the couple. These usually include the parents, maid of honor and best man. There really is no standard to be followed as to how the speeches will be given. But as a general unwritten rule, the father of the bride goes first. After her father, her mother may follow then the parents of the groom. Subsequently, the best man would deliver his speech and toast followed by the maid of honor. Special friends not notified to make a speech are most likely welcome to give one if they wanted to.

Preparing Your Wedding Speech

Wedding speeches should not be a challenge for anyone assigned to deliver one. It can even take less than a minute. Avoid making wedding speeches that are more than three to five minutes in length. You would not want to bore the newlyweds and the guests with all your incessant talking. It should be short but simple and remarkable.

Wedding speeches should be heartfelt messages or advices. You can insert a few jokes or unforgettable experiences with the bride or groom, but wedding speeches should never make the couple or the guests present uncomfortable. Of course, it should be respectful and in honor of the bride and groom.

Practice makes perfect as well. If you should ever be faced with the task of delivering a wedding speech, it will not hurt you to prepare as much as you can. You could list a number of all the things you want to say in the delivery of the wedding speech. Later on, you can narrow it down to the most essential and interesting things only. Making an outline and drafting it first before making the final wedding speech is very helpful.

If you are shy in making speeches in front of people, it will help if you practice in front of a mirror as frequently as you can. It would also help if you ask someone to help you out by pretending to be an audience at the wedding reception.

But the most important thing in making wedding speeches is that it should be sincere and interesting. It should show how much you care for the couple. The bride and groom will definitely appreciate genuine wedding speeches than speeches taken from books, magazines and the Internet.
By Eric Hartwell

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Wedding Speeches: A Quick Outline

Wedding speeches are reserved for the most important members of the wedding party and closest family and friends.

If you are one of the ones expected or asked to do a wedding speech, then preparing is a must. Winging it just won’t cut it especially when your wedding speech will be on video from now until eternity.

Wedding speeches should not last more than three or four minutes. It reminds me of that famous quote by John F. Kennedy,

“Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.”

It’s actually much harder to do a short wedding speech than a long one which reminds me of another quote,

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” --Mark Twain

You have to have an opening and closing. You probably want to throw in a story and at least one piece of humor. And it all has to make sense. Please, please, please don’t apologize for how bad you are as soon as you stand up, which reminds me of yet another quote by Kin Hubbard,

“Why doesn't the fellow who says, "I'm no speechmaker," let it go at that instead of giving a demonstration?” hahaha I love that one.

Here’s a quick outline for a wedding speech: Note: each one of the bullet points below could have many variations

· Opening – Could be comments about the lovely affair
· Comments about the bride and groom
· Story about your interactions with the bride, groom or both.
· Humor- Pick something that applies to them and is appropriate
· Closing – Something touching
· Toast – Brief and touching or funny

You’ll rarely be the hit of a wedding because of your wedding speech and rightfully so. The bride and groom are the stars. But poor preparation of your wedding speech certainly could make you the laughing stock.

Remember, you are going to perform your wedding speech live, but you’ll be on video forever. Take the time to prepare.
By Tom Antion

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The Wedding Speeches

The 3 most common wedding speeches fall under the headings of the bride's father's speech, the bridegroom's speech, and, last of all, the best man's speech.

The toastmaster should call upon the bride's father to propose a blessing of "health and happiness to the bride and groom." Try to make it heartfelt and genuine because crudeness is inappropriate. A little humor, however, is fitting. The toastmaster is often the best man but could also be someone that has been especially employed for the position. Professional toastmasters are available for an appropriate fee and can take a lot of the pressure off the occasion. . The bride's father will have his blessing preceded by welcome messages to the groom's parents, all relatives, and all the guests. Finally, he'll utter some words off in appreciation and admiration of his precious daughter and bless her and her new husband their future marriage.

The groom will typically reply with a speech of thanksgiving to his own parents for their contributions to his character, health, and current success. He will gives thanks to the gift-bearers and mention those that couldn't attend due to illness. In other words, he'll be conciliatory and considerate to all members of the group. He could even toast the bridesmaids and thank them with a small gift as a token of thanksgiving.

The best man will then arise, usually on behalf of the bridesmaids, to give a heartfelt, funny, and light-hearted speech about the groom. This is a familiar scene in movies whereupon the best jokes, anecdotes, and stories are brought up. This is a critical point in the selection of a best man.

Obviously, giving a speech at a wedding is prefaced with an acknowledgement of your role and the person or people you'll be giving the speech to ... here are some good tips for preparing and delivering an excellent speech to a lot of people for the first time ...

* Write down your notes a week and half ahead of time.
* Rehearse for at least a week so that you won't need to fully rely on your notes.
* Thank the parents for donating time and gifts for the wedding arrangements.
* Relax.
* Leave them wanting a little more.
* Be brief, frank, honest, and nice.
* Compliment the whole group. Compliments always win smiles.
* Keep your toast less than 5 minutes to avoid lots of yawning.
* Leave out racy, inappropriate, crude, vulgar, or embarrassing jokes unless no one would be offended or annoyed.
* Let your guard down and be natural.
* Practice your speech in front of others.
* Let your personality grab the attention of those in the audience. Be yourself and let it just flow out.
* Interject quotes and jokes from books or the internet to complement your speech.
* Sincerity is better than anything. Even if you mess up a line, your sincerity will more than compensate.
* This is a not a test, essay, or exam – enjoy it.
* Focus on friends in the room and deliver your speech to them personally. That will make it easier than reaching out to the whole audience.
* Alcohol will probably make you less capable, off-center, or a little tipsy, and it might disrupt the speech's content. Stay sober.

Follow the instructions outlined above if you have to learn how to make a speech at a wedding. And try to make sure that someone gets it on video at least.
By Eric Hartwell

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Wedding Toasts And Tips You Need To Know

Wedding toasts and tips that you need to know. So you have been asked to give the wedding toast at your best friends wedding. You say you don't know what to do. There are 4 Key elements to giving a Wedding toast. Once you know what they are and how to apply them, then you are on your way to to giving that memorable wedding toast.

The 4 key elements are

1. First you need to have a wedding toast, you can write the toast yourself, or have someone write it for you. There is also the option of getting a wedding toast book that is full of several types of toasts.

Picking out the right type of wedding toast and now you need to practice the toast so that you wont be struggling along trying to deliver it.

2. Next you need to know when to give a toast at the reception. You need to check with the bride & groom on this to define the right moment. Most of the time the toast is given just after the blessing and before the meal.

3. Knowing how to get everyones complete attention at the time of the toast is important. You don't want to start talking while everyone else is talking. Usually tapping a piece of silverware on the side of your glass will get everyone quieting down. Then announce "can I please have your attention."

Then once everyone is quiet then raise your glass.

4. Knowing what to say and how to say it. Your wedding toast has been practiced to prepare you for this part so just take a couple of deep breathes. Be sure and keep a smile on your face to set the mood and start your toast. Try not to have long pauses or repetitive ums or you knows. Look at the bride and groom as you give them their special memorable toast. there you have it now you will be on your way to giving that memorable wedding toast at your best friends wedding.

I'm a motivational speaker, internet marketer and country recording artist known for my signature song and music video Hills of Pennsylvania. I have entertained at hundreds of weddings and believe me when I say there is nothing more embarrassing then to see someone unprepared get up to give a wedding toast and they stumble around looking for the right words to say. You just plain feel sorry for them.
By Sunny James

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Wedding Toasts 101 - the Basics & Tips

What would a wedding reception be without the traditional wedding toast? It’s like having a wedding cake without the icing. The wedding toast is a profoundly moving gesture, as it conveys to the bride and groom the heartfelt wishes of everyone who attended the wedding.

Sequence of the Toasts

The wedding toast is usually given first by the best man, then the father, the groom and the bride, and then followed by those who would like to give a toast. Versions may vary, however.

Other traditional sequences of wedding toasts also follow the best man as the first one to give the toast, followed by the groom who says a few words to his bride, parents, family, and members of the wedding party. After which, the groom is then followed by other people such as family members or friends who also want to give a toast, and then lastly, the father of the bride who thanks everyone for attending the wedding.

On the other hand, a nontraditional manner of the sequence of wedding toasts starts off with the emcee toasting the bride and groom. This is followed by the groom saying a few words to the guests and his bride, followed by the bride giving a little speech to her parents and in-laws, and finally, the father of the bride thanking everyone who shared this special day with them.

The Actual Toast

Ever since a monk named Dom Perignon invented champagne, it has since become the number one drink during wedding toasts. So before performing the wedding toast, make sure that your own glass as well as the glasses of other people (most especially the bride and groom’s) are also filled with drink.

Stand next to the bride and groom when giving your toast, and using a spoon, tap your own glass in order to get people’s attention. Raise your glass using your right hand held straight from your shoulder, and then you can begin the wedding toast.

Wedding Toast Tips

Preparing the Speech: Practice!

Giving a wedding toast, albeit a short one, in front of so many people can be quite a nerve-wracking experience. However, it doesn’t really have to be, not as long as you come prepared. Write your speech down so you would know exactly what to say. Let it come straight from your heart, so that you would be able to convey the sentiments you want to impart to the couple you are toasting. You can also try showing it to someone for comment so that you can get feedback in improving on your speech. Remember to keep on practicing until you feel confident and comfortable enough to deliver it in front of a crowd.

K.I.S.S.

Keep your wedding toast brief and straight to the point, since you wouldn’t want to divert attention away from the happy couple. Nobody wants to listen to an extremely long speech, so remember this word—K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short and Simple). A good measurement of a wedding toast is around 3 minutes.

Giving the Speech

In giving the wedding toast, speak loudly and clearly especially if you don’t have a microphone, so that people would understand what you’re going to say. Talking loudly gives you a certain presence, and now that you have the audience’s undivided attention, it’s important to hold it by not mumbling your words. So remember to talk slowly, because this is not a race to get you to finish your speech as fast as you can. Remember, people actually want to hear what you have to say.

Make Eye Contact & Smile!

Having your speech or cue cards printed out is indeed a great help in giving a wedding toast, but remember not to read it straight out from beginning to end. Make eye contact with the audience, so that they would feel that you really are speaking to them. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the most important detail of all: Smile! This is a joyous event, and your smile should actually say so!
By Antoinette Boulay

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Wedding Toasts To The Bride

If you have a wedding to attend in the near future and need to prepare a toast to the bride, then you need to know what it takes to do a good job. Successful toasts seem so easy to do, but you won't realize what it takes to make a public performance until you put the toast together.

You'll have to prepare, practice, and overcome nerves to do a great job. In the end, it's all about being sincere, relaxed and having fun. A wedding is something to celebrate - and this is your chance to add to the party.

You might be a friend or you might be a family member - as long as you're close to the bride, you'll most likely have a lot to share with others in your toast. A toast might be an intimidating task if you're not a great writer or speaker, but preparation will easily allow you to accomplish the job well.

A toast can last anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. If you are very close to the bride, then you might want to take a bit more time to reflect on the past before transitioning to the future. On the other hand, sometimes the best toasts are short and sweet.

For a long toast, all you need to do is follow these steps:

1. Choose Your Tone: Before you start writing your toast out, figure on whether you want the toast to be serious, humorous, or sentimental. How do you choose which is right? You'll have to consider your personality as well as what kind of relationship you have with the bride. If you're a funny person but don't have a close relationship with the bride then humour might not be fully understood by guests. If you're going to do an extremely sentimental toast, then make sure that it is something the bride and perhaps a few others will understand as a touching speech.

2. Choose Your Topic: Think about your relationship with the bride and pick something to talk about that is important to you. When people try to cover too many emotions or events in a toast, it can cause the minds of guests to drift. By focusing on one attribute or another, your toast will be easier to understand and much more effective.

3. Include Stories: If there is a story that works with what you're saying, then you should include it in your toast. Stories add a depth that is difficult to match in any other way. By recalling a favourite story of the bride, it will help others see how special of a relationship you had with her and show a side of the woman that others might not have known before.

4. Add Some Memories: Memories in point form can also be an effective way of building the bond between you and the bride, shining a light on her personality. When you bring memories up, keep it short and sweet so that you don't make others feel out of the loop.

5. Describe Your Hopes for Her: This is a very important part of the toast. It is here that you'll transition from the past to the future. By telling the bride your hopes for her future, you will show that you really care about her well being.

6. List Special Attributes: By listing a few attributes that make the bride a good wife, you'll make her feel special, flatter the groom and convey a sense of confidence in her abilities.

7. Wish the Bride and Groom Good Luck: No toast is complete without wishing the couple the best of luck for their future.

If you're planning a shorter toast, you might want to focus more on the future alone. Try not to be too cliché or general. If you can make your toast specific, it will be much more meaningful to all. Some topics that work well include love, happiness, growing up, marriage, and laughter.

When giving your toast, it's important to speak clearly and use notes if needed. If you want to get your message across effectively, then be confident about the words that you are saying. Some people are natural public speakers and others get nervous - just make sure that you practice your speech often so that it flows comfortably during your performance without any nervous pauses (ex. ummm, ahhh, etc).

Things to Avoid:

* Stories about Old Relationships: By telling stories about past relationships, all you're going to do is make people uncomfortable or upset. Don't mention old relationships at all. Focus on the relationship that matters.

* Humiliating Stories: There's a difference between funny stories and humiliating ones. Always make sure that your story won't embarrass anybody or draw any unwanted reactions.

* Drinking Too Much: Drinking might loosen you up a bit, but drinking too much will make you slur your words - and make a fool of yourself.

* Don't Read The Whole Thing: While you might to look down to refer to your notes, don't read everything word for word. Instead, try focusing on the bride to make the message more personal.

* Don't Panic: If you get lost for words and don't know what to do, don't panic. Just finish off with a simple and honest "congratulations." There's nothing wrong with ending simply.

If you're not sure how your toast sounds to others, be open to getting a friend's opinion and perspective. Read your toast over with somebody else present or have them read it and offer a critique. It's always tough to know how your toast might be received by others; it's good to get a second opinion.

The toast to the bride is a very special moment. Make sure to keep the bride as the focus of your story and always highlight her in your toast before congratulating her and wishing her well. If you are sincere about what you have to say, then it's impossible to go wrong.

Lastly, make sure that you have fun giving your toast. Your expressions will always impact the way your speech is received by others. Good luck!
By David Beart

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Wedding Toasts Keep Traditions Alive

When the wedding ceremony has concluded and the reception is moving from the reception line to the dinner, this is the time when the well-wishers have a chance to make wedding toasts. The wedding speeches and toasts are a very long-standing tradition in weddings that help celebrate the special day, while raising a glass in honor of the couple.

Wedding toasts can be formally prepared before the event or they can be a spontaneous expression of support and encouragement for the new couple. Giving one is a time to express admiration, add an element of humor or laughter, express sentiments and even provide special insights into the courtship and future of the couple.

It is usually the best man who will deliver the primary marriage speech. Once this formality has concluded, then the rest of the wedding toasts can start. This is one of the best opportunities for the other guests, who are not part of the formal marriage party, to participate in the special day as well. The time for toasting is also a good way to transition from the formal part of the event, being the ceremony, to a time that is designed to be more relaxed and informal.

Wedding toasts are generally proposed once all the champagne glasses have been properly filled. Toasts carry with them some tradition, whether the marriage reception is a formal or a casual affair.

Toasting should be done by raising the glass with the right hand and by holding the glass straight out from the shoulder. This practice harkens back to the days of concealing weapons, such as a dagger, in one's clothing. Therefore, extending the glass in such a way provides proof of good intentions.

Another element of traditional wedding toasts that goes back many centuries is the loudness of the merrymaking for the purpose of warding off evil spirits. The sound created by the clinking of the champagne glasses at the end of each marriage toast makes a sound somewhat akin to the ringing of a bell. This is another ancient belief in keeping the evil spirits away from the celebration.

The term "toasting" actually got its roots from a French custom in which a piece of bread was placed in the bottom of each wine glass to absorb the sediment. Someone who was considered to be a good toaster would then drink all the way "down to the toast." Over time, this practice evolved into the current custom of drinking to someone's prosperity, health or happiness. Nowadays, they are offered to wish congratulations and good luck to the newlyweds.

Many people are not aware that during them, the bride and groom should not raise their glasses. Since they are the ones being honored, everyone else is to raise their glass to them, leaving the couple to simply sip from their glasses at the conclusion of each marriage toast.

Traditionally, wedding toasts are given either during the rehearsal dinner, the marriage reception, or on both occasions. In any event, the toasting usually follows the meal or is done just after the ceremony of cutting the cake.
By Mike Selvon

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