Have you ever spoken at a wedding? Did you feel nervous during the ceremony, knowing the speech was to come?
Whether you're the father of the bride, the best man, bridesmaid, bride or groom, nerves about an upcoming speech can distract attention from the real focus of a wedding - the ceremony itself.
Earlier this year I went to a lovely wedding which took a novel approach. It was held in the garden of an historic house, and after the couple and attendants assembled on the steps, the celebrant invited friends and family to make short speeches.
We heard from the Father of the Bride, Attendants, Bride, Groom and various family members, who all had the chance to talk about the Bride and Groom - what they were like as children, how they met, and events leading up to the wedding, plus their hopes for what was to come. Some had a reading or a story.
Buoyed by the love and good wishes expressed by their friends and family, the couple then went on to make their vows.
I thought this was a great way to organise the day. Any nerves on the part of the speakers were overcome early, leaving everyone to celebrate the marriage. And guests got to know something about the bride and groom and attendants too.
It's worth remembering that sometimes, the traditional way of doing things may not be the only or best way.
I'm trying something new too especially for people who have to speak at a wedding. Whether you're a Father of the Bride, BestMan, Bridesmaid, Bride or Groom, you'll get something out of the "Making a Wedding Speech Seem Easy " teleclasses series. It will run over four weeks, for half an hour at a time, and will help you plan, write and practice a great speech for an upcoming wedding. If you're interested (or know someone who is), then let me know. The time will be arranged to suit participants - probably a Monday evening or Saturday morning. Cost for the first series is $50, including GST for four sessions and a written tip-sheet. E-mail me at rachel@helpforspeakers.com or phone or text 021 0275 9023 for more information.
I also hold a FREE Help for Speakers Q and A session every Wednesday from 1.00-1.30pm NZT (that's 11.00-11.30). Ring in if you have a question, need inspiration or ideas for an upcoming presentation.
How to join the Q and A
Ring the freephone line for your country (below)
Enter the guest code 5405 2101#
From New Zealand call at 1pm Wednesday- 0800 449 288.
From Australia call at 11am Australian EST on 1800 036 0901,
From the US call in Tuesdays at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern on 1866 814 5210.
For more speaker tips and ideas visit www.HelpforSpeakers.com or the Archive of Speaking Tips
E-mail Rachel@HelpforSpeakers.com or phone +64 ((0)21 0275 9023
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