Should a Bride Speak on her Wedding Day?

14/04/2014
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    They say that the only two people that should speak at a wedding is the Father of the Bride and the Groom. These two people can cover all the \’Thank You\’s\’ and mention everyone that needs to be mentioned in any way.
    It is rarely that you will see these two people speak only; they are normally preceded or proceeded by the Father of the Groom, Bestman, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen…in no particular order.
    Not mentioned above is the Bride. This is the person who usually arranges most of the wedding, with a lot of help from her family and some from her husband-to-be. But let\’s be honest about it, she makes all of the decisions for the wedding herself and she is trusted to do so.
    The most important person at a wedding is indeed the Bride, which everyone sees, but rarely hears. I encourage every Bride to speak at her wedding, as many who don\’t very often regret it afterwards.
    So, what should a Bride say at her wedding that hasn\’t already been said or is about to be said?
    Consider some of the following to build unique, tailored content and structure that will impress your audience:
    1. Address dignitaries i.e. , Reverend. Fathers, Sisters, Ladies and Gentlemen and any special guests
    2. Say how happy you are and the thoughts going through your mind right now as you stand with your husband in front of who are your old friends
    3. Tell them how you met your husband
    4. How he proposed
    5. Talk about everything you love about him and what makes him unique and special
    6. Talk about your husband’s family
    7. Talk about your own parents / guardians
    8. Thank your family for welcoming your husband into your family
    9. Thank your husband’s family for welcoming you into his family
    10. Talk about your brothers and sisters
    11. Thank your Bridesmaids
    12. Thank your Groomsmen
    13. Thank Flower-girls and Page-boys
    14. Mention grandparents
    15. Thank person who made the cake (if in audience)
    16. Mention co-workers (if in the audience)
    17. End by mentioning your husband again

    The above can be shared too between you and your husband\’s speeches. Your speech should be no longer than 5-7 minutes. Speakers before and after you will have similar duration speeches and you don\’t want to keep your guests too long between courses or waiting to speak with each other again. When the speeches are on, people can\’t speak to each other, so it is important that we stay mindful of this.It is perfectly fine to have it all on paper and read it out, many audiences expect this. It shows that you have planned and prepared it, and that you won\’t keep them too long.Stand up if possible, hold the microphone at the front of your chin and speak from the heart. Allow the audience to take in what you are saying by pausing after a sentence and don\’t speak when they applaud you. It is your day, it will never happen again so do consider giving a speech at your wedding…you may be nervous about it, but when you have done it, you\’ll be so glad that you did…!  

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