Archive for September, 2010

Wedding Speeches – Groom Speeches

There is no need to panic about making your wedding speech. It is natural to be nervous, as this happens to the best of speakers, but that does not mean you will make a bad speech. There are steps you can take to minimize your fear. The most important step is for you to decide you are going to do the best you can by thorough preparation.

Preparation is the Key

Nothing replaces preparation. Your speech will be as good as the time you spend on it. Write, rewrite it and polish it. You should know it thoroughly by the time you have to deliver it. The more you think about it, the more the phrases and structure will be imbedded in your mind. This will help you to stay on track. You can call on a phrase or two keep going. You will know it is not exactly what you meant to say but no one else will. To keep you on track use notes with headings.

Relax

Easier said than done, I know, but you can slow down your breathing and mentally let any tension go. Do not act in a nervous way. Pretend to be calm and you will be calm. The atmosphere helps, because by the time you have to make your speech, the rest of the room are enjoying themselves. It is a happy occasion so most people are ready to listen in an amused, uncritical way. You can pick up on this feeling of goodwill and relaxation to help put you in the same mood. Decide to have fun and you will enjoy yourself.

Be Sincere

This is no time for complete frivolity. You have to be sincere when you toast your bride and do it to the best of your ability. You surely have to be sincere when you toast your parents and your bride’s parents. Of course, you can be light-hearted and talk about funny incidents that highlight what you want to say but be careful about trying to be too funny – particularly at another’s expense. You could live to regret it in the years to come.

Say What You Have to Say

Do not get up and ramble on. Stay on track and stick to your subject. People get bored very quickly. They want to get on with enjoying themselves. If you are sincere and to the point, they will be on your side and applaud enthusiastically. They will consider you have made a good speech and will compliment you. If you have fumbled about, rambled on and generally gone nowhere, they will simply not mention your speech or feel they have to come up with half-hearted compliments.

There is no reason to make a bad speech at your wedding. You owe it to everyone present to make the best speech you can. Your efforts will be well rewarded by a proud bride and parents and by grateful guests. When you look back in later years you will feel good about the whole day and your contribution.

William Burnell has been a groom, a best man, father of the bride 4 times and a wedding MC. He knows speaking in front of an audience can be daunting, that is why he recommends using the professionally written speeches and speaking tips that you will find at http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-a-wedding-speech

Article Source: wedding speeches – groom speeches

The Perfect Wedding Reception Speech – Tips to Give a Proper Toast

A wedding speech, or any other speech for that matter, will be as good as the time you spend on its preparation.There are no short cuts to a good speech. There would have been a great deal of planning put into the wedding to make the day a success. It is reasonable to expect the same attention is given to your speech. This means writing it down and rewriting it until you know it thoroughly. The more time you spend on it the better you will remember it and the better you will deliver it.

Do Your Homework

Find about the person or the people you are toasting, particularly if you do not know them well. What are their interests? What is their background? Are there any stories you can tell about them to help the audience know them better? If you are toasting the bride and groom, talk about their blossoming relationship or talk about the prospect of a wonderful life together or the family environment they have come from, which should stand them in good stead for the future.

Humor is Good

It is a happy occasion so everyone is ready listen to your wedding toast and to be entertained. It is not hard to get people to laugh. This means you do not have to try to be overly funny. People respond to warm, humorous stories. Many people present will know each other and will know amusing stories within the family or their own circle. You can use these stories to connect to the audience. Make sure any jokes are tasteful and do not embarrass anyone. While humor helps relax the audience and get their attention, when it comes to the actual toast, your comments should be serious and sincere.

Personal Presentation

Present yourself well. Make sure you have not had too much to drink. If you are chewing gum, get rid of it. Before you stand to talk, take a few deep breaths and calm yourself. Try not to move around nervously, as this makes others nervous. Have notes of you speech handy to act as reminders. If you do need to read your notes, do not read into them – use them as reminders then put your head up and talk directly to the audience. Do some practice before the day to help your confidence.

Not Too Long

No not drag it out. If you cannot say it in 3 or 4 minutes, then you are probably saying too much. Do not ramble aimlessly as you will soon lose your audience. How you present your wedding toast, the content and its length will be up to you. This means you will be totally responsible for how it turns out. If you are having trouble preparing it then get some help. Say it out to someone who can help you.

In the end, your contribution will help make the day successful if you have spent time on preparing your wedding toast and delivered it to the best of your ability.

As an experienced speaker, William Burnell believes we need all the help we can get when we have to speak in public. You can get this help by adapting speeches written by professionals at http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-a-wedding-speech

Article Source: The Perfect Wedding Reception Speech – Tips to Give a Proper Toast

Best Man Wedding Speeches

The whole tone of the day can be influenced by the best man’s speech, as it is usually the first one.If his speech is obviously ill-prepared and sloppy, the audience will be disappointed and embarrassed, depending on how bad it is. People will forgive nervousness, but they find it hard to forgive someone who has not taken the time to to prepare his speech. It shows a lack of support for the couple and a lack of respect for the guests. If a man takes on the job the least he can do is to try to deliver a good, appropriate speech.

Use the KISS formula

In this case it means two things – Keep it Simple Stupid and Keep it Short Stupid. Your speech is to offer a toast to the bride and groom and to the bridesmaids. It is not a long, rambling, going-nowhere speech that bores and sometimes embarrasses everyone. It is certainly not helped if fueled by too much alcohol. Any longer than about 3 minutes is probably too long, unless you are an experienced speaker and you know what you are doing.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

There is no substitute for preparation. Sure, any of us can be called on to make an impromptu speech on occasions, but this is not one of those occasions. There would have been plenty of time to prepare and everyone knows that. The best way to do this is to write down what you are going to say, then go over it until you are satisfied. Try to remember as much as you can – writing it yourself will help you remember it. It is normal to be nervous when speaking in front of an audience but knowing your subject well will give you confidence.

Practice, Practice, Practice

This is part of the preparation but an important part. Practice in front of the mirror or practice in front of another person. If you are not used to public speaking, hearing yourself say the words out loud will build you confidence. It will build your confidence even more if you deliver it to another person. If you think you might have trouble speaking without notes, then make some headings and talk to those. Read you speech if you find you are suffering from nerves, but do not keep your head down and read into your notes. Use your notes as a reminder and then look up at the audience to deliver your speech.

With a little work on your part and maybe some help from others, there is no reason why your best man speech cannot be a great success.

William Burnell has been a groom, a best man, father of the bride 4 times and a wedding MC. He has delivered many other speeches over the years and he knows how daunting speaking in front of an audience can be. You will find all the help you need and a wide choice of professionally written wedding speeches that you can make your own at http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-a-wedding-speech

Article Source: Best Man wedding speeches