Deliver a Wedding Speech Without Nervousness

Delivering a speech can be a daunting experience. Delivering a speech at a wedding reception can add a few moments of anxiety. Do not fear! You are just a few tips away on how to tackle your nerves for that very special day. The key is to control your nervousness, not to make it all disappear.

Prepare in advance

Prepare your speech as soon as you can. It will give you time to work on your speech and perfect it so it becomes second nature when you deliver it. Leaving your speech preparation for the last minute will cause you more anxiety. Lack of preparation is often the root of nervousness.

Keep it simple

Speak from your heart. Don't speak too long. It's a speech not a lecture! Don't write your speech word for word, the best suggestion I can give you is to write down only the main points of your speech. This will help you to deliver your speech in a natural way and have great contact with your audience. Remember you want to convey to your audience your thoughts and not only words. People won't remember if you said splendiferous or great.

Practice

Practice makes perfect. Good preparation allows you to be more confident. Being more confident alleviates anxiety. Ask a friend to rehearse with you. Practice in front of a mirror out loud. Record your speech and listen to it on your IPod daily. Did I mention to practice? Practice, practice, practice and practice.

Be yourself

People in the audience are already your friends. They like you for who you are. No need to impress or show off. They are looking forward to listen to your speech. Giving a sincere speech will capture your audience.

Break the ice

One secret to shake off the nerves is to break the ice at the beginning of your speech.

As I mentioned before, you can never go wrong when speaking from your heart. Some find relating a humorous anecdote about the married couple or telling a joke reduces their nervousness. However, make sure it is a tasteful anecdote that honors your guests. Remembering that the focus should be on those getting married and not you can actually make the nervousness vanish. Find out what works for you!

Check your body

Most wedding reception speeches are given standing. If that is the case, remember to stand with a good posture. If you have a piece of paper with your main points, you may glance at it but make sure you have your chin up when speaking. Reading with the head down will cause your words to slur and your voice will be unclear.

Kind Reminders

Have a good night sleep before the big day.

Don't drink alcohol before your speech. It will dull your senses!

Don't drink coffee before your speech. It will make you jumpy!

Don't eat too much. (Some have found that nervousness combined with overeating can cause unwanted flatulence)

Mingle with guests before giving your speech, you will feel more comfortable with your audience.

Enjoy yourself! It's a joyous day!