FROM THE HEART

MAKING A SPEECH NEEDN’T BE DAUNTING – IT’S SIMPLY A MATTER OF CURBING THOSE BUTTERFLIES AND KEEPING IT REAL.

Speeches are one part of the wedding a bride can’t plan to perfection. Who knows what the best man might come up with or how nervous the groom will be?

A good speech can set the tone for the rest of the celebration, helping people torelax and getting strangers chatting. On the other hand, a bad one can be anything from toe-curlingly embarrassing to just plain dull. So to make sure the speeches at your event are well-delivered, suggest everyone reads the following words of advice from professional speech writer Brian Morris.

BE PREPARED

‘Don’t even think about winging it on the day,’ says Brian. ‘That has disaster written all over it.’ He suggests writing out your entire speech. Then, if you’re a confident speaker, you can edit it down to bullet points that will prompt you to thank the appropriate people and remind you which anecdotes to tell.

A speech that’s delivered with expression rather than simply read out is always going to be more impressive. But if you’re really nervous, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with reading the whole speech from notes. ‘The important thing is that it’s given from the heart,’ says Brian.

DON’T OVERDO IT

‘Remember, it’s a speech, not a show,’ advises Brian. It may seem like a brilliant idea to host a Powerpoint presentation or a slide show of photographs, but if the technology doesn’t work on the day, you’ll be left with nothing.

Jokes can work well, but they’re not obligatory. The key is that the tone of the speech should fit with the people getting married and their guests, and last for between three and 10 minutes.

One glass of bubbles to take the edge off before you speak is fine, but avoid drinking any more than that until after you’ve finished. Speeches are generally held after dessert while guests are having coffee, but some couples choose to hold them before dinner so everyone can enjoy a few toasts without fear of drunken slurring.

EXPECT TO BE NERVOUS

Nerves are a normal part of performing and even the most assured speakers get them.

‘People who perform on stage talk about “concert pitch”,’ explains Brian. ‘It happens at that point where they’re ready to go on and they’re a bit nervous. Remember, this should be fun. Everyone there wants you to succeed.’

IT’S OK TO GET HELP

If you’ve never done any public speaking it’s a great idea to get some practice in. Toastmasters is an organisation set up to help people learn the techniques of speech making. There are clubs all over the country; visit toastmasters.org.nz to locate one in your area.

If even the thought of writing a wedding speech is stressful, Brian has a solution. He’s written an e-book that contains templates of speeches for the best man and groom that can be personalised with humorous anecdotes. Download it for $10 from www.ebookofknowledge.com. 

WHO TRADITIONALLY SPEAKS?

1. The father of the bride welcomes his new son-in-law.
2. The groom thanks family and those who made the day a success.
3. The best man tells humorous anecdotes about the groom.
4. The bride or bridesmaid speech is an increasingly popular finale.