Planning a wedding can be a stressful time for everyone, but especially for those involved. As a member of the bridal party, the tasks can be slow at times, but once the big day arrives, there’s little time to take a breath. This is a day that’s been planned for months, even years at times. If you’re planning on giving a toast, it’s best to come prepared. Giving a speech can feel especially nerve-wracking if you have a stutter. To help, you can use things like flashcards, a notebook, or one of SpeechEasy’s electronic fluency devices if needed. Here are some other tips and tricks you can use to give the best speech of the night.
Preparing Your Speech
Your speech should be meaningful, but not too long. Three to five minutes is the sweet spot for the perfect toast. If you don’t plan on writing it down, practice what you’re going to say as much as you can. You can practice in the car on the way to work, in the shower, or getting ready in the morning. You can also practice parts of your speech if you’re using words that you aren’t as comfortable saying. Your speech should:
- Include congratulations for the newlyweds
- Explain your relationship to the couple
- Address both partners
At the reception, it’s important to acknowledge both partners, even if you don’t know one of them well. You can also tell the story of how you met the couple or partner you met last (if partner A brought partner B to trivia night and they killed it, you met in class or work, partner A introduced you to partner B, etc.).
Practicing articulating your words can help a lot when giving a speech when you have a stutter. It can help make your speech more clear and give you confidence with your words. SpeechEasy devices can also help you with a stutter. They are proven to work and can help you deliver the greatest speech of the wedding!
Contents of the Speech
Every speech is different, just like weddings. Finding the sequence can make your speech make more sense and can help with the flow. Here’s a sequence that would wow at any wedding.
- Choose a good time (if there isn’t one scheduled) and get the crowd’s attention. You can jump on stage and speak into the microphone during downtime and kindly ask for everyone’s attention. If there isn’t a time dedicated to toasts, while people are eating or just after is a good time. People are eating/have already eaten and are most likely sitting down.
- Introduce yourself. It’s a small chance that everyone at the wedding knows who you are, so give a brief description of who you are, your role in the wedding, and your relationship with the couple and/or partner. You can also practice this part of the speech to avoid stuttering or tripping over words.
- Tell a story that makes sense with the speech. Make sure that it’s appropriate (no exes, embarrassing stories, breaking the law, or things that certain people at the wedding don’t know about or would be offended by). You can run your idea by the couple, and then practice how you’re going to tell it!
- Conclude with something kind to both partners. You can talk about how excited you are to watch them grow as a couple, how happy/blessed you feel that they invited you to be by their sides on their special day, and/or congratulate them a final time. Don’t forget to raise your glass and toast to the couple!
SpeechEasy – Electronic Fluency Devices
SpeechEasy devices are built to help people overcome their stutter. They increase the wearer’s ability to communicate effectively. Our team is made up of professionals dedicated to helping you feel more confident when you speak. We have four different electronic fluency devices that can decrease the amount that the wearer stutters by the use of the “choral effect.” Contact us via phone, email, or live chat to learn more about how we can help you find the device that is right for you.