6 Wedding Speech Mistakes you need to Avoid
Sometimes the maid of honour and best man has the very important duty of giving a wedding speech. And while the spirits are high and the feeling of joy surrounding the wedding event permeates the air, it is this speech that can give the person quite a lot of stress. After all, to deliver a heartfelt message that reaches every single member of the family and friends in the event is no easy task. One of the most important things is to familiarise yourself with the major mistakes in giving a wedding speech, according to wedding planners, and avoid them.
Mistake 1: You think a toast and a speech are all the same
While there are many definitions of what each of these two is and what they aren’t, you can follow a very simple rule: the length of a toast is short, whereas a speech is much longer and elaborate. So, you should focus your efforts on giving a speech at the welcome dinner, as that is when friends and family members are present. On the other hand, you can give a toast that is sweet and lovely at the reception.
Mistake 2: You don’t invest any time in practice
If you don’t believe that ‘practice makes perfect’, you may be setting yourself for failure during the speech. It is a good idea to practice well before the speech, and not just by yourself, but in front of others. That way, you will get a chance to hear from them what your speech lacks and what it does well. If you cannot practice with people, try filming yourself.
Mistake 3: Reading off a phone or something else
If you wish to show everyone at the event that you are unprepared, then you can go on and recite the speech while reading from the screen of your phone or something else. But that is just not the way to go. The wedding you are attending is probably one of the most important events in your friend’s life. The least you can do is honour them well by taking the time to craft your speech and learn it so that it comes out as a heartfelt message and not something you put down minutes before the event.
Mistake 4: You think the speech is a stand-up routine
The only way you want to speak to your couple is such that makes them smile. It is never a good idea to treat the speech like it is your stand-up routine, even less so a roast. Don’t ever mention anything unflattering, because such topics have no place at a formal event like this. Crude jokes are best at the bachelorette/bachelor party, but not at the wedding, as they can easily make people cringe.
Mistake 5: Telling inside jokes
When telling a speech, you need to ensure people are on the same page. While personal jokes may seem witty, they can alienate you from many of the visitors there. If you are going to tell a story, make sure it is relatable, like sharing how you met the couple, why you think they are great for each other, or something like that.
Mistake 6: Dragging the speech for too long
A wedding speech should take you no more than 4 minutes. There is hardly anything interesting you will say after this mark. Besides, the goal of the speech is to bring about some smiles, not have people learn of life events that are not even remotely interesting.
Now that you know about these mistakes, you can better plan how to make the most of the time when you need to raise your glass and speak out.
