Wedding Speeches: Bride's Side: 16 Done For You Speeches: 4 - Maid of Honor, 4 - Father of the Bride, 4 - Mother of the Bride, 4 - Bride & Personalization Tips

By Paul James

Weddings are joyous occasions, but they can also be stressful. There's the flower arrangements, the food planning; and of course, the speeches. Do you wish you had a ready-made speech on hand? Now you do. Inside you will find an array of ready-made speeches that you can use as they are or more likely personalize and tweak to fit your own special oc

• Language: English
• Publisher: Walking Crow
• Release date: Jul 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9780993864889

Paul James

Paul James is Director of the Globalism Institute and Professor of Globalism and Cultural Diversity at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He has written and edited several books including Global Matrix (Pluto, 2005).

Book preview

Introduction

Congratulations!

A wedding day is something many women have spent their lives dreaming about. Many have vivid ideas of how they imagine it will all unfold from an early age.

The flowers. The music. The cake.

There is a lot that goes into getting ready the big day, - enough to produce some stress for even the most laid back among us. There is the planning and the coordination of all the amenities. There are the interpersonal communications and relations skills that go into coordinating a large event full of family members, old friends, and acquaintances from all walks of life.

And then, of course, there are the speeches.

If you’ve picked out this book, you are likely slotted to give remarks at a friend or loved one’s wedding - or you may even be picking up the microphone yourself on your own special day.

Take some time to enjoy this moment. Marriage is surely one of life’s greatest journeys - and the wedding day will likely be one of the most memorable occasions of your life, whether you are the one getting hitched or looking on with pride as a loved one ties the knot.

It is okay to feel a little bit queasy about the prospect of giving remarks at the reception. If you are a professional comedian or a politician, you might be accustomed to making impromptu remarks in front of hundreds of people at the drop of the hat. But for the rest of us, public speaking may be something that we have not had to endure since high school. All of a sudden, what should be a joyous occasion can turn into one of potential stress and anxiety. Some surveys have indicated that more Americans are afraid of public speaking than death. As Jerry Seinfeld famously joked, That means that if you are at a funeral, most of us would prefer to be in the casket than giving the eulogy.

Delivering a quality speech on one of life’s most mysterious topics - love - in front of a large crowd is enough to rattle even the smoothest of talkers. Luckily you don’t have to face this task alone. Many, many others have stood in your shoes before - and lived to tell the tale (and eat the wedding cake). This book distills the wisdom of those who have tackled this ritual into an accessible resource. Whether you are a bride, maid of honor, or parent of the bride, this guide can help. Inside you will find tips, best practices, and sample speeches that you can modify and elaborate upon to use for the big day.

General Tips and Best Practices

Even though the circumstances of the wedding may differ depending on the venue and on your specific role, there are some universal truths that will generally apply to anyone making a wedding toast. Keep these handy hints in mind when you are preparing and delivering your remarks.

Practice makes perfect.

Don’t wing it on the big day. Carve some time out of your schedule to practice in front of a mirror - or even better, a supportive friend or two who can give you constructive feedback. You may also want to record yourself on your phone or camera. You will be amazed at how differently you sound when watching yourself. Practicing will also allow you to not need to refer to notes throughout your toast rather than making eye contact with those in the audience.

Give yourself enough time to prepare.

There will surely be a lot of responsibilities to handle in preparation for the big day. Resist the temptation