Wedding Planning

Wedding toasts and speeches at dinners and receptions are an important part of the wedding ritual. They present an opportunity for the couple to thank and acknowledge all who had worked so hard to make the ceremony proceed smoothly.  Here are some talking points you might want to consider:

- There are no hard and fast rules about who will address the wedding guests. Usually, the groom, the best man and fathers of the bride and groom will present a speech and make a toast. However, in these days of equality, even the bride and the bride’s mum may have their say.

- Avoid ready-made speeches. It sounds too rehearsed and insincere. Write down notes, pointers and anecdotes on a palm-sized card and improvise or ad lib from there. This usually takes away the hard edge of speech-making.

- Do not rely on “Dutch courage”. Try to stay sober and not worry about making a great speech. Guests generally do not expect a grand oration. Taking too much alcohol could prove disastrous and embarrassing.

- Never test your audience’s attention by rambling on for too long. Two to three minutes is ideal. Also, try to moderate the speed at which you are speaking. Guests would not be able to take in your speech delivered at break-neck speed.

- It is often acceptable to make jokes at the expense of the groom and even the bride so long as they are in good taste. Avoid references to the couple’s past experiences with the opposite sex and stick to safe topics.

- Be sincere, not sloppy or sentimental. Any other fault can be forgiven if the words you say come from the heart. The best advice is: Be yourself.

- Lastly, don’t forget to thank all those ‘important’ people.