Wedding Favor

Eliminate Wedding Speech Jitters

Over a beer last night, your best friend told you his wonderful news; he will be getting married to the girl of his dreams in a few months’ time. You never thought you’d live long enough to see that happen, for him to take the plunge and settle down.

The idea of being a best man is very appealing. There’s nothing you would rather do for your best bud on his wedding day than dazzle wedding guests with a superb wedding toast and share heartfelt sentiments, but public speaking and you, well those words were never meant to be in the same sentence.

You feel honored to be asked but also so far out of your comfort zone that you can’t even picture your old security blankie! But you’re a take-charge kind of guy who always steps up to the mark. Where do you start when making a wedding toast?

Here are a few words to the wise to make your wedding toast top-notch.

- You can’t get started too early. It’s absolutely essential to do your homework if you want to give a successful wedding speech. Do your research. Search out books and articles on the web and in the local library on giving wedding toasts. Talk to other “best men” about their experiences.

- Face the fear and use it. It’s only energy after all! When making a wedding toast, it can be very valuable to have extra energy at hand that you can use to captivate your audience and make your wedding toast memorable. A speech without the energy of performance anxiety is lacklustre and totally lacking in passion.

- Write, edit, relax and don’t look at the wedding toast for a few days. Then repeat the process as often as necessary until you just know you have done the best job you can. Look at this as a journey and try to enjoy the whole thing, otherwise it will just seem like a chore that you want to get out of the way.

- Use humor gently. Don’t use off-color remarks, or embarrassing stories that are better told at a stag than at a reception where people of all ages and backgrounds will hear your wedding toast.

- Share how you met the groom, how long you have known each other and one or two of your exploits. Talk about when he introduced you to his bride, how beautiful and talented and perfect for him she is and how you believe their marriage is bound to be wonderful. Make your wedding toast remarks tasteful and sincere.

- Shorter is better. Try for three to five minutes for your wedding speech.

- Face time! Practice delivering your wedding toast in front of a full-length mirror, complete with props and features. Time it too.

- Grab the mike. Not literally! Try to find a few moments and stand exactly where you will be giving the wedding toast. It will help you feel more comfortable when you take the mike for real.

- Raise a glass. This is the actual toast of the wedding toast. Make eye contact with the bride and groom when you toast them. Lift your arm from the shoulder, toast with a full glass. This takes place at the very end of your wedding speech.

- Move to the bride and groom and hug them when your wedding toast is complete. Then it’s back to your seat amidst well-earned applause.