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1- Don’t just wing it. It’s ok to look like you’re winging it, cool and calm with no notes, but if you insist on not having notes, take the time to write something down before the event. Nothing worse than an audience and a moment of blankness.
2- Introduce yourself – Remember your intro sentence without notes, it will come across well.
3- Don’t be all heartfelt with no funny and don’t be all funny with no heartfelt.
FUNNY >> HEARTFELT>>UPBEAT/ JOVIAL.>>TOAST… is a good formula.
4- Run your joke section past someone who you respect and is a good judge of character.
5- Don’t finish on sad/heartfelt. There’s not enough gin and tissues at any party for that.
6- I’ve come across a few drunk dads that have spoken ill of their ex partner during a speech, this is a BIG NO NO!
7- If they’re in the room, do mention the parents and gesture to them. Unless you are one.
8- Don’t drink 25 margaritas before your speech.
9- Do mention the bride, always mention the bride.
10- Talk about how the bride and groom met and why they are good together. There’s usually a funny story in there to be told.
11- Don’t talk about the bride and grooms partners from the past.
12- Do give yourself a time limit, 1 drink = 3 minutes 2 drinks = 5 minutes, find somewhere in the middle.
13- If you have no idea where to start, try a timeline of how you met, then red pen all the boring bits. This rule pretty much applies to all wedding speeches.
14– If there’s ever a time to exaggerate greatness, it’s right now.
15– Wrap it up with a toast to the bride and groom!
HOT TIP * Many receptions are dimly lit for ambience, especially in tropical climates. If you are reading off a printed page, use a font 2 or 3 sizes bigger than normal, print on white paper and make sure you have a small light source, a charged iPhone will do. 🙂
Pic cred Sass.