Recently I attended my stepson’s wedding and when the best man stood to speak, it was obvious that he did not know his material. Stuttering and stammering, this unprepared young man made a fool of himself. He knew it; we knew it; and, we all suffered. It was embarrassing for him and for those of us in the audience as well. If it is your responsibility to toast the bride or the groom, then it is your responsibility to prepare yourself in advance. Obviously you are familiar with the person getting married – very familiar. So you know your topic well; however, that does not mean you know your script. Jot down the points you want to cover and then build your speech around those ideas. You need an opening statement that grabs your listeners. Remember that the toast should be enlightening as well as entertaining. Try starting your speech with a joke or a humorous anecdote – relevant to the individual you are toasting – because it will immediately bring your audience into the fold. Your following development is the heart of your speech and should contain 2 to 5 subtopics in which you describe the bride or the groom from a positive point of view. While humor is important in your speech, it is not advisable to ridicule or embarrass either party. As comical as your speech may be, humiliation is in poor taste. Watch your language as well. Most weddings consist of people from various walks of life and various ages. While questionable or objectionable language may be more common among today’s younger generation, it probably would not be appropriate for your parents’ or your grandparents’ generation. The point of a closing in any speech or presentation is to solidify that which you have already said. When toasting the bride or groom, do not belabor your ending. It should only be two or three sentences in length; and, it should cast a very favorable light on the person about whom you have been speaking. It is your blessing or your best wishes on their marriage and their life together. While being asked to speak at your best friend’s wedding may be a new and possibly frightening experience for you, if you keep your talk under 5 minutes, create a memorable script, and then practice it out loud several times, you will find it that much easier to deliver successfully. The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. To see how voice training can improve your life, both professionally and personally, visit Voice Dynamic or watch a brief video as The Voice Lady describes Dynamic Public Speaking.
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