Delivering bridegroom speeches-Great Tips

When Delivering your bridegroom speeches, or any speech at a wedding keep these great tips in mind always.

• Avoid using a microphone if you possibly can.  Speaking into a mike can be distracting if you are not used to it, and it’s more difficult than it looks.  Many couples rely on their DJ to supply a mike for the speeches which makes matters even worse - DJ mikes are specially designed not to cause feedback and have to be held very close to the mouth.  The best bet is to forget mikes and concentrate on your delivery.  Speak loudly and clearly and address the back of the room.  If need be, visit the venue in advance and check out the acoustics for yourself.  Get your fiancee to stand on one side of the room while you stand on the other side.  Have a conversation.  Take note of how loudly you need to speak in order to be heard.

• Make sure you have a table in front of you when you deliver your speech.  In most cases this is easy to arrange because you will be giving speeches either immediately before or immediately after the meal.  However, don’t be tempted to deliver your speech from a location where you are “naked” before the audience.  Even experienced politicians dislike doing this, which is why they use podiums.  Stand behind something - you will feel a lot calmer.
   
• Put your notes on small cards, not a big sheet of paper.  Even if you don’t get nervous when delivering your speech, the adrenaline will probably be flowing and this can make your hands shake.  If you are holding a big sheet of paper, this shaking will be very noticeable and distracting for your audience. Write your notes on index cards, and punch a hole in the top left corner. Then tie them all together with a treasury tag.  This means there is no chance of them being out of order when you come to deliver your speech.  It also means that if you drop the cards (and grooms have done this before) they won’t spill across the floor.  If you want to save yourself a bit of effort, Confetti.com sell ready-made speech cards which are held together in the corner with a metal ring.
   
• Before you stand up to deliver your speech, make sure you have a glass of water to hand in case you need to clear your throat.  You also need to have a glass of champagne to hand, because most groom’s speeches involve a toast to the bridesmaids.  A lot of wedding speakers get to the toast and then find they’ve got nothing to toast with.  Check before you start.
   
• To propose a toast, just say “Ladies and Gentleman, will you please be upstanding and raise your glasses…” then pause, wait for everyone to stand up, raise your glass and say “…to the bridesmaids”.  Make the last bit as loud as you can because there will still be the odd scraping chair from people who are slow to rise.  The audience repeats “the bridesmaids”, takes a sip, and then sits down.  You can then carry on.
   

Remember, wishing you will do well.  Enjoy it.