Wedding Speech Toast – Make it Perfect!

It may not sound right to say it but the wedding ceremony is usually a boring event. Of course, all the family, relatives and friends of the bride and groom are very happy and looking forward to seeing them exchange vows but it cannot be denied that throughout the ceremony, there would be a lot of people yawning or even sleeping. Not only may the priest’s voice be boring and serious, but the ceremony itself is a formal proceeding. This is why many look forward to the reception. Aside from the delectable dishes to be served, the reception is the primary opportunity to dance, socialize with other guests, and listen to a few who will give their speeches and toasts.

This is also why pressure is on those who will be speaking. Everyone is looking forward to hearing what they have to say and they expect to be entertained and touched at the same time. Here are some tips to follow and things to avoid when giving a wedding speech toast:

1. First, remember that preparation is vital. Before you even begin writing down your speech, decide how to deliver your toast. Will you have a copy and read it word for word? Will you have notes to glance at for reference? Or will you just wing it? I would not recommend for you to wing it. Do not get me wrong though, because there are many cases wherein a wedding speech toast sounded totally spontaneous yet turned out to be great. However, such cases usually involve naturally-gifted speakers. Furthermore, chances are these speakers have made and practiced rehearsing mental notes as well. Bottom line is that you should prepare for your speech and practice it well.

2. Second, decide how you will write your toast. If you are gifted with writing and speaking skills, then big words will not sound as if you are “trying hard” to impress if you can read them well with conviction. Just try not to sound old-fashioned and prim. You are making a toast, do not forget and not reading a book report.

3. Entertain! As I have mentioned, the wedding ceremony is the chance to get informal. Crack some jokes and funny remarks about the couple. Be sincere and charming at the same time.

Wedding Speech Toast: A Guide for the Maid of Honor

Place yourself in the shoes of this girl. At first, you are very excited when your sister or best friend told you that she chose you as her maid of honor. You say yes immediately and tell her that you are more than willing to help out in the preparations for the wedding. You are so eager for the wedding day to arrive so you can put your hair up, get yourself a makeover, and look beautiful in a stunning dress.

Then you remember that maids of honor have to make a wedding speech toast during the reception. All of a sudden, you feel your knees shaking and your heartbeat racing. Panic grips you and you begin to have thoughts of backing out as the maid of honor. Speaking in public was never an ability of yours, and you do not want to choke on your speech during the big day. You do not want to embarrass yourself and disappoint the bride. You find yourself in a major predicament. If this is the situation, what will you do next?

Quite frankly, you should not worry about anything. No matter how inexperienced you are in public speaking, you can be able to make a wonderful wedding speech toast by remembering three letters: A, B and C.

The letter A is for anecdote. Aside from the usual formal greetings and message of thanks, relate a story or two about a funny or an unforgettable experience you had with the bride. Include jokes and funny remarks, and reveal some of the bride’s secrets or embarrassing encounters. Doing so will warm up the audience and provide the trigger for laughter.

The letter B is for bride, obviously. You must concentrate on her in every aspect of your toast. Be sure that what you will include in your speech before proposing the toast are things which the bride will like. Being chosen as the maid of honor, it probably means that you are very close to the bride. Thus, even if she does not tell you directly, you will know what she wants.

The letter C is for confidence. This may seem like the difficult part but it is not. If you make it a point to practice your speech days before the actual wedding, your nerves will be at ease. It is also advisable to research the names of particular guests to thank, if there are any. You may quote some famous sayings which are applicable. Just remember to plan ahead and keep on practicing so that on the wedding day, you are confident enough to speak and make your girl proud.