Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Toast

As I sit here, I am little more than a week away from easily one of the biggest speeches I will ever have to make aka.

My MOH Speech.

Que that eery music. More like panic music. No, actually more of a jubilant chorus song.

I seriously can't wait for this wedding and I am so happy I get to make this very special speech. But I am also a little bit the nervous one as public speaking is not my forte. Not only that, it is quite the important speech that people will remember and I have to get it right.

Let's go back to the panic music...


I have been researching for months and months on the best tips and these are some of the best I have found...and love.


Number 1- Plan ahead.

If you are like me, this is very beneficial. I can't just wing it. I would be a bundle of nerves if I came up with my speech the day or night before. The mirror will be my best practicing friend.

When you don't prepare, a lot of times it just ends up jumbled and back and forth and not something you would want remember by 150 of the couple's closest friends and family. And possibly on video. Preparing ahead also allows you to jot your notes down on note cards so you don't forget any important parts of your speech.

Number 2- Do Not Embarrass the Bride.

Well, there goes half of my speech. No, not really. You guys are so gullible ;)

But I am thinking this is an obvious tip. Why on the most important day of her life would you want to bring up when she was wasted out of her mind and fell face first into the grass? So best to keep out the very private, secret, embarrassing stories her great grandma wouldn't want to hear.

Instead stick to majority sentimental, cute thoughts. What is the bride's best attribute and why the groom fell in love with her. The goal is to make them feel the warm fuzzy feelings you feel about your best friend and her new hubby. Let them feel why you are standing up there giving this special speech.

But this also doesn't mean bore them. Throw in a mild, humorous story to break it up. Like how she mixed up the ingredients for the recipe she followed the first time she made him dinner. For exampleeeee.

Number 3-Address Both the Bride and Groom.

Everyone always jokes about how it's the brides day and whatever she wants goes. The groom just gets to show up and say I Do. But when you are giving that speech, you are toasting to their marriage and their love, not just that day.

So you want to make sure to include the groom in your speech; as easy as it would be just to talk all about the bride and how gorgeous she looks. You can even throw in how lucky the groom is to have such a beautiful new wife and what he can do to keep her.

Just a thought.

Number 4-Be Yourself.

There is nothing that makes you more nervous than you already are, is being put out of your element. Same goes for your speech. Why crack joke after joke if you know you aren't that funny? (harsh but might be true)
Or if being sentimental makes you uncomfortable but jokes flow from your lips, go with that. It is all about your personality and what will make your speech flow. Don't want to hear crickets. Or at least that's my biggest fear.

My nerves will be jumbling so I know I do not want to make it worse. And let me tell you, funny isn't quite my thing so sentimental is my route. Maybe crack a joke here and there. We will see.

Number 5-Wrap it up

At the end of your speech, you want to make sure the guests now it's the end. So make sure you wrap it up in style instead of just saying OK, yea, now let's toast.

End on a positive note and wish all the health, happiness and love in the future to the bride and groom. And how you can't wait to be there through the ride. I just might have made my closer...

And here's a tip I don't fully agree with..

Do not drink too much champagne before your speech.

And let me tell you why. Champagne calms nerves and gives you a tiny confidence boost to stand up in front of all of those people. I'm not saying get sloshed, just a little happy. And maybe picture them in their underwear. Age old trick.

In the end, we have to remember to have fun. And to speak from the heart to honor the  bride and groom. They chose us for a reason and will love hearing whatever speech we prepare. 



Now, if you'll excuse me I have a speech to perfect and practice!