You can’t remember the last time you wrote something longer than a Tweet and now you’re expected to come up with an entire speech? Don’t panic, we asked the writers at Speechy for their pro tips on crafting a groom speech that’s charming, not cheesy.
Make the most of memories
Nostalgia sets the tone for weddings this year. Everyone’s feeling flummoxed after a year of uncertainty, so infuse your speech with feelgood anecdotes that’ll boost those much-needed endorphins.
We’re not talking about the proposal story or anything obvious; it’s the funny, individual and quirky memories that add real depth to your speech.
Look way back to that first game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ where you bonded over your shared aversion to skinny dipping. Or reminisce about simpler times when you could actually lose her in the crowd at Glasto and spot her crowd-surfing her way to the front of the Pyramid stage.
A successful relationship is built on shared memories so bring together your greatest hits in 1,000 words or less.
Avoid cliches
Those generic speech templates you find on the internet aren’t fit for a modern wedding. It’s not enough to say your bride is ‘gorgeous, kind, and funny’ – it turns out every bride is! So, prove, don’t tell.
Perhaps it’s the cute way she manages to pull off a boilersuit, how she caringly plates up a roast dinner for your elderly neighbour or tells jokes that would make Frankie Boyle blush.
Don’t be afraid to send up your bride. It shows you ‘get her’ if you notice her eccentricities.
Try to
think of original ways to compliment her. Instead of simply describing her as
‘beautiful’, try something like ‘she has the beauty of Audrey Hepburn, the brains
of Sheryl Sandberg and the liver of Lindsey Lohan’. It’s a lot more memorable.
List your likes
Sometimes ‘like’ is more powerful than the overused ‘love’. Complimenting your bride should make up the bulk of your speech, and what bigger compliment is there than being told you’re likeable?
Don’t assume she knows the things you like about her – say them out loud in a grand reveal, a la Harry Met Sally.
Maybe it’s her energy when she’s talking about a topic she’s passionate about, be it microbiology or the latest Killing Eve plotline. Or perhaps you like the way she mixes up her metaphors but somehow makes them work – i.e. she can read you like the back of her book.
More than…
Come on, a heartfelt ‘more than’ declaration is key to all good love stories…
Do you love her more than your Gibson Les Paul / the new DualSense PS5 controller / West Brom…? This is vital information that she and your audience need to know.
Use quotes
Not everyone has the gift of the gab, and no one is expecting your speech to enter the Western canon! If you’re struggling to find words significant enough for the big feelings you have about this moment, feel free to borrow from the work of literary greats.
Stand out poets and authors have a unique talent for communicating something profound in just a few words. Inserting a quote or two into your speech will
Go all out romantic with F. Scott Fitzgerald:
‘I love her, and that’s the beginning and end of everything’
Even Homer Simpson comes out with the odd nugget of romance gold:
‘From now on, I’ll never leave the room without saying how much I love you, and – this takes a long time. Maybe a pat on your butt will do.’
Bonus points if the quotes you use mean something special to her or to you as a couple – think about the songs or films you like, or the books she loves.
Share the love
Make everyone in the room feel a little bit more loved. Yes, that includes your in-laws and the misbehaving Rugby lads!
Your wedding day is a chance to celebrate, not only your bride, but all your best mates and loved ones too. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to drop a massive love-bomb on all the people you love the most.
Don’t let platitudes or old fashioned wedding etiquette get in the way of being genuinely meaningful. Don’t thank your in-laws for merely ‘bringing up such a fabulous daughter’, thank them for feeding you the best Yorkshire Puddings every Sunday and having such a fine line of malt whiskies in the cupboard.
Be specific. Thank your parents for buying you that Star Wars Death Star when you were twelve and thank your mates for giving you such brutal advice when you first set up your Tinder profile.
Of course, if you’re getting married mid-pandemic, chances are you and your partner have had to forego epic stag and hen weekends. Feel free to include your wedding party in some of your stories, from the maid of honour who warned you, Godfather style, not to hurt her friend, to the best man who took ownership of the dodgy bathroom smell the first time she visited your flat unannounced.
Now, that’s true romance for you.
Speechy is a team of TV-trained scriptwriters who create amazing wedding speeches for grooms around the world. From groom speech templates to a speech edit service, and even their 5* reviewed bespoke speech writing service.
