10 tips for a great wedding speech
By Lawrence | June 21, 2009
It is summer. Wedding bells are ringing and men of all shapes and sizes are desperately surfing the internet hoping to find an instant cure for the speech they have been dreading since the date was set.
Here are ten quick tips to help you get started:
- It’s not just you. Many men worry that their speech will ruin their wedding day. And that goes for grooms, best men and fathers of the bride around the country.
- Beating the nerves is all about preparation in two areas: Writing the speech and giving it.
- It’s worth contacting friends and family who have known the bride and groom at different stages of their lives to gather unusual anecdotes and insights.
- What will your audience want to hear? There is nothing worse for Grandma than a best man’s speech focusing exclusively on the Stag’s drinking exploits in Amsterdam dressed as Spiderman. Try to include something for everyone.
- Try to map out a framework for the speech that combines a sensible balance between sincerity and humour. An over-sentimental speech can be dull. But a stand-up comedy routine can miss the point entirely.
- There is no ‘perfect’ shape or style for a speech. You may want to take a thematic or chronological approach. But the key is brevity. Avoid rambling paragraphs in favour of short, punchy, deliverable sentences.
- This punchy style means you’ll be able to give the speech much more confidently. Practise it out loud over and over again, reading very slowly and emphasising key words.
- Get to know your speech so well that you only need to glance at your notes to remember what comes next. The slow pace will make this easy and allow you to make eye contact with your audience.
- Find out where you’ll be standing, whether there will be a microphone, and if there will be somewhere to rest your notes. This will avoid nasty surprises that might keep you awake the night before.
- If you are still worried, please call me. I’d love to help you write something truly original, memorable and easy to deliver.
Topics: Speechwriting | 51 Comments »
51 Responses to “10 tips for a great wedding speech”
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Hi Lawrence,
I am Father of the Bride to be, -18th of September 2009 to be exact and am just staring to address the subject of my speech. I would like to know a little more about your speech writing and of course the fees you charge.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Regards,
Ken Erwood
Ken
I have emailed you a response, but the best bet would be to have a chat.
I’m available this evening if you get a chance to speak.
Best wishes
Lawrence
Hello Lawrence,
My daughter is getting married on 31-8-09.
I’ve spent hours writing my speech and I just can not get it right! Would it be possible to e-mail to you what I’ve got so far and for you to fix it!?
hope you can help
best regards
Paul
Paul, please do! I’ve sent you an email too.
Looking forward to reading it.
Lawrence
Lawrence
I’ve got to give short talk/reading during the wedding part. There are, of course, the traditional bible readings but I’m looking for something a bit more modern with a hint of humour and a serious message about love, future, happiness etc
Can you advise me in any way?
Jon
Jon – I have sent you an email .
Best wishes
Lawrence
Hi,
Wierdly I have to do a daughter of the groom speech, can you help? I have some ideas but cant assemble it.
Thankyou
Lesley
Im alway scared of calling upon to make or write a speach, my friend is getting married Nov. ‘09 and i know what it means……pls help.
Hi Awwal
I’d be delighted to help. The best place to start would to be to have a chat. Please feel free tocall me on my landline and we can go from there.
Looking forward to speaking with you.
Lawrence
Lesley – it sounds like a magnificent challenge! Please give me a call on 020 7681 8247 and we can take it from there.
L
Hi! My dad is getting married in November and I want to say something nice to them at the reception. Can you email me with tips and how I should start out the speech and how to keep it short and sweet?
Thanks!
Gday,
I have to give a best man speech at my Brother’s wedding in September and a few laughs would be nice. I have some snippets of things i would like to say but i need help to tie it together.
Cheers,
Andrew
Hi Andrew
It would be best if you could email through what you have done so far and I’ll get back to you with some ideas (and any potential costs).
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Lawrence
Hi Hannah
I’m afraid I don’t supply ’stock’ speeches; everything I write is written around you and your audience.
I’d be delighted to chat about how I could help you.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Lawrence
Help! 40th wedding anniversarry coming up.
Need short speech with a bit of humour?one liner.
Any suggestions to help
BOB
Hi Bob – best bet would be to have a chat – I’m on 020 7681 8247 and would love to help.
Look forward to speaking to you.
Lawrence
hi, im getting married on 23oct this year and im worrying about my speech. Can you help me?
Sergio – please call me on 020 76818 247 – I would love to help.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Lawrence
Hi
I have to make a speech in the Great Hall at Hever Castle on 3rd July.
The groom is English, the bride German. The guests roughly 50:50
I would like to be able to address the guests variously in both English and German. I speak a little Deutsch and can read it!
The groom has a great sense of humour (his third wedding!), he has taken over the whole castle, is putting up all the guests in the castle, dress code is black, red and white, short dresses for ladies with good legs, and good humoured stereotypical references to getting towels down early in the morning etc in the wedding invitation package.
He is no oaf! He is a virtuoso guitar, violin and piano player (concert standard), a gifted artist, and he was on Master Chef a couple of years ago!
Enough already! Can you help me please?
JOhn
Hi Lawrence,
I’ve just picked up an excellent booklet of yours on how to write a Best Man’s Speech. Do you have anything similar about how to write a Groom’s Speech? Top Tips?
Michael
Hi Michael – that booklet is still work in progress I’m afraid; delighted to chat if you’d like to discuss your groom speech! Best wishes, L
Hey webmaster can I use some of the information from this post if I provide a link back to your site?
Yes of course; please drop me a link to the page you publish it on. Thanks, Lawrence
hi ya my mom n dad are getting married for the second time after a 13 yr split,an im best women,ive tryed to write my speech but carnt think how to approch it at all,plz help lol
kind regards
Hi Nichola – I’d be delighted to help. Please give me a call and we can decide on the best way forward. Thanks, Lawrence
Hi Lawrence
I could do with some help on my best man speech that i have to deliver on Saturday 4th September.
Please email me and lets get this finished together
Many thanks
Lee
hi i am trying to wtite a best man speech for my brother wedding in september but i don’t no how to start it can u please help me !!!!!!!!
yours m. kelly
can u help me write a best mans speech its a small do only 20 close friends i no wot i want to say but carnt write it down in a speech please help
Hi Anthony – I’d love to help; please just give me a shout on 020 8245 8999.
Thanks
L
Hi Lawrence,
i am trying to put together two speeches, one is for my wedding and the other as a joint best man. I have any idea of how I want them to come across and roughly what I want to say but am struggling to put pen to paper so to speak. Was wondering if you could help and what your fees will be.
Many thanks,
Steve
Steve – I have emailed you.
Thanks
L
Hi,
I have written the body of a speech for my daughter’s wedding later this year but I need some advice about how to bring it all together and making it sound right.
Please could you mail me with prices etc
thanks
Amanda
Hi Lawrence,
I am about to get married – 30th April and I’ve arrange most things but as I’m mailing, obviously one thing has not been given as much attention as it should. I’m a groom needing a speech that covers all aspects as I’ll be the only one speaking. I’d like to deliver something special so would like your help.
If you could get back to me I’d really appreciate it.
Many Thanks
Andrew
Thanks Andrew – I have just sent you an email
Hi,
Iv got a best mans speech soon.need help.If i emailed you could you take a look at it and put it into soom sort of order,Kind regards
Do you work with people in the US?
Yes; I have a number of clients in the States. Writing a speech for one this week!
Hi Lawrence, Im geting married in 12 days and ive been doing my speech for about 1 month now and im just wondering if you will be able to read through it to see if its ok. I will email it to you later on.
Many thanks.
Craig
best man for my cousins wedding next month.i am not a shy person and wont have a problem delivering a great speech.now that is the problem,the speech,you might be able to help,
martin
Hi Martin – I have sent you an email.
Hi Lawrence,
I am getting married on the 13th of August this year and having a few problems with my speech. I have an idea of what i want to say but am struggling to get anything written down.
I would really appreciate if you could give me some advice or be able to help me put what i want to say into some sort of order.
Regards
Gavin
Hi Lawrence,
Im getting married at the end of Aug and would like some basic, tips, pointers, what i should say, what i should’nt say – just need some kind of guidance – im not very confident in public speaking.
The Speech will be delivered to approx 50 people.
Would appreciate your help.
Best Regards
Simon
I need some help with my speech can you help? My wedding is 1st week in September.
Please get back to me
Thanks
Hi Lawrence
I’m best man for my friends wedding and I have a speech but it needs a bit of attention. Would you have a look at it and tell me how much it would cost to get it sounding great?
Regards
Ed
Hi Lawrence, I reside in Ohio, U.S.A. I am a brother to the bride for a wedding to be held next month (December) and I am not sure how to construct my wedding speech. I was told to give a 5-7 minutes speech but I am not sure how to start. Can you help me?
Hi Lawrence,
I have been helping my father write his father-of-the-bride speech for my sister’s wedding. I’d really love it to be a memorable speech for everyone. At the moment I think it sounds good but not great! If I email what we’ve got so far, could you please let me know how much it would cost to make it a really great speech?
Many thanks,
Kelly
Hi Kelly – I have emailed you directly.
Hi Lawrence,
I have best man speech to write and hoping you can offer some help. I’ve got a few themes I would like to run past you and also a copy of my draft if you’re able to review and provide comments that would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bayard
Hi Lawrence,
Im the best man and MC for my friends wedding this month. Would really like some help putting a speech together and maybe some tips on the MC part of it. He’s a working colleague of mine whom i’ve known for about 12 years. I’ve been an MC before but first best man…
Cheers!
Neil
Hi Neil – I have emailed you.
Hi Lawrence,
I’m getting married this summer and although we’ve not planned for me to do a speech, I would really like to do a surprise reading for my groom during the ceremony, perhaps a poem or similar. Is this something you are able to help with and if so at what cost?
Many thanks,
Lisa