Some brides want to give the perfect bride speech after their wedding reception, and it’s a great time to really pour out the feelings they have been bottling up over the past few months. There are a lot of things brides can talk about on their big day. While it should definitely be from the heart, having an idea of what to say will help brides communicate their complex feelings much better.
Whether it’s to share your emotions with your loved ones, thank them all for coming, or just give everyone a laugh after the emotional vows, here are a few things you could talk about in your bridal speech, and how to deliver it.
#1. Write a Basic Layout
Start jotting down all the most iconic memories you’ve had with your spouse throughout the years. There’s no need to be super organized at this point yet, just let the words flow.
Look through all those anecdotes and pick the traits you love most about your spouse. Take note of these because they will develop the backbone of the perfect bride speech for you. Once you have that diamond ring on your finger, the memories will probably come much easier.
#2. Start Building a “Story”
String all of your memories into a story that best describes your relationship with your significant other. Every story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end. Your speech as a bride should be no different.
For your story’s beginning, start with a shocking story or interesting question to capture your audience’s imagination. Flesh out your intro with a fun string of stories in between. Finally, end with an answer to your question or a way to make your “shocking” statement suddenly heartwarming.
#3. Thank Your Guests After Your Introduction
Thanking the audience you’re talking to is another great way to segue into talking about them as well. Thank them for any gifts they give, like appliances, copper vessels, or cutlery. Most of all, thank them for coming in the first place.
Your guests are important to your journey too, especially if they’re present during one of the best days of your life. On your wedding day, the guests are also a special memory, and they’ll be happy to know they were part of that.
Talk About Your Most Emotional Moments
#4. Talk About Your Most Emotional Moments
Pulling on your audience’s heartstrings is a surefire way to get both yourself and your guests tearing up and making a mess of your makeup. There are a lot of moments you could choose, but picking something that you’re comfortable sharing but most of your guests don’t know would be best.
Don’t worry too much about what people think of you, because the people you invite should be the type to understand why you’re so emotional. Focus on the good feelings from that moment and just talk from the heart.
#5. Add Funny Anecdotes
A laugh is always going to hit with audiences, especially after you hit them with your emotional stories. Being funny during your bridal speech is a great way to ease not only the audience but yourself. Perhaps talk about the fact that wearing period underwear on the best day of your life seems like pretty bad timing, all things considered.
Of course, it’s important to read your audience and see if they’re going to be comfortable with your jokes. Then again, it’s your day. You do what makes you feel happy because any guests you have should be the ones who understand you most, humor or not.
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#6. Keep Things Short
Don’t take too long with your speech. It’s great to share your stories, but remember to keep things on schedule. Not to mention, a longwinded speech might tire you and the audience out, so the best length should be around three to five minutes. Concise speeches are always the most memorable to people. Just look at Elizabeth the First’s speech to see how iconic a woman’s speech can be in less than five minutes.
# General Tips
Don’t Drink Before The Speech
Liquid courage might be tempting before a big speech, but don’t reach for the liquor just yet. Alcohol might get you slurring your speech and forget key moments to talk about in your speech. You can calm your nerves after the speech when it’s other people’s turn to be nervous. If you do want to feel a bit more relaxed, limit yourself to one small glass.
Play Into Your Nervousness
Being nervous is totally natural. If anything, acknowledging how nervous you are will make you much more relatable to the audience and get them more interested to listen to you. These are your friends and family of course, so it’s their natural urge to start supporting you with their attention.
Rehearse The Major Talking Points
Prepare yourself by practicing the major beats of your speech a week before the wedding. A week before is best because it’s fresh in your mind, but won’t stress you out for long enough to let you stumble. Make eye contact with whoever you practice in front of, and if you have any notes, make the note reading subtle.
We hope you enjoyed our best tips for bridal speeches. For more planning tips check out our Top Tips for wedding planning. And don’t forget to contact us for our amazing destination wedding resorts worldwide to start your dream destination wedding.