18 Oct How To Write A Great Bridal Party Speech
Writing a speech is no easy task, especially when you’re writing it for one of your best friends, siblings or cousins and will be heard by everyone at a wedding! While the writing process is different for everyone, we have included some tips for you to get started on this speech of a lifetime!
- Introduce yourself! Always start with introducing yourself, not everyone at the wedding may know who you are or how you know married couple. This helps to fill the guests in on your background with the couple, how well you know them and in what capacity.
- Make a list of personal stories & memories From here, mark out the key stories or memories you have and would like to share with the crowd. Don’t forget to keep it relevant and remember Grandma may be in the audience! Try to include stories that involve both the brides/s and groom/s where possible, as the day is about them and not about you! For example, if you’re the Groomsman, you may include the story of how you first met your friend’s new partner or make a joke about the one partner and their habits before and then after meeting their new partner. From here, choose your favourites and write a little more about each.
- Add Humour But only if you can! If you’re not comfortable adding humor then just sharing some great stories is enough. Humour helps to engage the audience, it also lifts the whole mood of the wedding reception and gives it a lively vibe. However, it is best to avoid swearing or inappropriate jokes and stories as it does not suit the occasion. If you are a little uncertain about whether a story is inappropriate for the occasion, you can ask yourself a couple of questions. Are there people who will feel uncomfortable with what you say? Would you be upset it if a similar story about you was shared during your wedding ceremony? If you find yourself saying no to these questions, then you are ready to take the liberty to have a little fun with your wedding speech!
- Engage the audience (and test it) It is no secret that a lot of us have shorter attention spans than we used to and we tend to find ourselves engaging more with visual content than voice. A great way to make your speech more engaging is to include physical props, photos or videos. Some bridal party speeches even include games these days! If you have prepared some visual content to go with your speech, it is still important to make the speech itself engaging for the audience. If you are stuck on how to create an engaging speech, a tip would be to record yourself reading out a draft of the speech. Monitor this video and check whether you feel engaged as an audience. Does the speech cater for all ages? Is it too long? Are there any parts that you find yourself zoning out? Answering these questions will help you draft an engaging wedding speech that will be remembered by the guests for many years to come.
- Add emotion People tend to finish with a statement based on their friendship with the Bride or/and Groom to leave the audience with a warm-and-fuzzy feeling. If you are a little stuck on how to add a personal element to your speech, think about what the person means to you. What is one of the best memories you have with them? Why do you value them as a friend so much? How much does standing beside them on their big day mean to you?
- Closing To close, always finish with a toast to the married couple and wish them all the best for their future.
Enjoy the process
Wedding speeches are that special kind of speech that brings the guests both tears of laughter and tears of joy. However, this speech is more than the words you tell your loved ones on their wedding day, it is a process. Beyond the writing aspect, this process is a chance to remember the great memories with your friend, sibling or cousin as they start a new chapter of their life. It reminds us of how much they mean to us and our commitment to them as they start their new chapter in life with their partner. We wish you all the best in writing your own unforgettable wedding speech for this extraordinary day.
Remember to practice! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook to share your process of writing your wedding speech!