Love them or not, speeches play an important role in a wedding of any size.
As the couple getting married…
Give your speaker(s) at least 2 months notice, if possible.
Ask the guest/parent/friend/sibling if they would like to speak.
Keep in mind that some people are not comfortable public speaking no matter how much you mean to them.Share this blog with your speakers!
Open Mic Speeches
*WARNING* I’m not saying you shouldn’t have an open mic for speeches, however you must consider the crowd and weigh out the risks and possible consequences. Ultimately, you have no control over what that person might say and how clear their judgement might be. An open mic speech hasn't been thoughtfully prepared and the guest will not have read this article to have learned all these super tips!
Speech Writing
Keep speeches to a maximum of 5 minutes long. My experience suggests keeping it to 2-3 minutes.
If you are the first one to speak on your “side”, take a moment to welcome and thank the other partner’s family and friends
Do not mention ex’s or past relationships
This is not the time to talk about that awkward thing that happened at prom 17 years ago!
Stick to one or two inside jokes
Speak from your heart
Share your speech with the wedding planner so they can have a back-up copy!