Toast to Mr. and Mrs.

Your speech is ultimately yours. You want to create an outline that is the best for you and makes you the most comfortable speaking in front of the wedding guests. Whether you are the best friend or father of the bride, save some time writing your speech by following this simple guide below.

Introduce yourself. Say your name and how you are connected to the couple. Remember to congratulate the newlyweds as well!

Open with a startling statement or question. This is the go to move for any speech, wedding or not. You want to captivate your audience right from the start. Also, focusing on how you want the couple and the audience to feel will take the focus away from your own nerves.

Tell a story, but don’t get carried away with inside jokes. Try to prepare one to three stories and keep them clear and to the point. You should not have more than three because the audience will start to lose focus and become restless. We want to keep the speeches flowing and the audience entertained.

Address both partners. Because there are two sides in every wedding, it is best to include both partners in the speech so everyone can connect with you. If you are a sibling, mention them as a new addition to the family. If you are a parent, mention what it means to you to have a new son- or daughter-in-law. If you are a best friend, you can talk about how happy you are for both of them, how they are a good fit together, or what your first impression of their significant other was.

End with a toast. The end of your speech should be clearly recognized. The best gesture to mark your conclusion is to grab your glass and say a simple toast to the couple. This way everyone is aware that you are finished, and the mic can be passed to the next person.

Things to Remember

The speech is about the couple. You should connect each of your points to the couple in some way.

Keep in mind who is in the audience. You want to make sure the stories are appropriate for all age levels.

Breathe. This isn’t a race. Slow down so your audience can understand you and enjoy your stories. If the crowd makes you nervous, turn to the couple and pretend you are simply having a casual conversation with them.

Practice, practice, practice! Don’t feel like you have to memorize your speech, but it should have a nice flow to it. Using notes, whether from your phone or on paper, can be helpful to keep you on track. Speak from your heart, but try not to get carried away from the main points to avoid having a drawn-out speech. //