Your wedding — one of the single most important days of your life. It’s that time to stand up and take responsibility for another person’s happiness.
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It’s also the time to throw away any fears and jump right into the unknown. And that starts from the very first moment when you have to get up in front of all your closest friends and families and give the all important groom’s speech. But no worries we’ve got you covered with a few helpful tips to keep your nerves at bay.
1. Thank the importanty people, but don’t turn it into an Oscar acceptance speech
Of course you wouldn’t forget to thank anyone, but really, don’t forget to thank anyone. Just cover the most important ones; your parents, the brides parents, the bridesmaids, your groomsmen, and any other relevant figures in your lives. And don’t you dare forget to thank your beautiful bride.
2. Have a drink for confidence, not a few too many
It might feel like a regular Saturday arvo’ session when you and your groomsmen are getting ready for the big day but maybe wait until after the speeches to crack the 25 year old whiskey your father bought you. Have a beer or two for some liquid courage and then once you’ve killed the speech and have everyone laughing or in tears, then you can celebrate.
3. Tears or laughter? Both are winners
You know you need to strike that perfect balance between a funny and heartfelt but its often so hard to do. Make a joke but only at yours or your best man’s expense. Reminisce about how nervous you were at the start of the relationship or how you badly messed up that romantic surprise to get some hoots going. And then the easy way to get some tears flowing is an honest statement of how you see your bride on this special day
4. Get some honest advice from the Best Man
Your best man is your secret ally in all this. His job is to get the crowd going by regaling all your embarrassing stories but he’s also there for any helpul hints on your own speech. Use him as your sounding board and he might be able to spot any problems before your standing up there in the spotlight. And he’s with you from start to finish on the day so he’s always around.
4. Bring on the tears
It’s time to break out the Kleenex. This is the one day where it’s definitely socially acceptable for a guy to break out his most heartfelt sentiments, Your bride should be the focus, praise her beauty, her desires, her hard work to get the wedding organised, and her patience for putting up with your ass. But you could also get a few tears from thanking your parents and how much they’ve helped you in life.
5. Watch the clock
Wedding speeches have a tendency to drag on. Make it your one job to let everyone giving speeches know there’s a time limit. 5-7 minutes each at most. That way when it gets to yours, half the room isn’t asleep. Get stuck in but don’t talk so fast that no one can understand your ramblings. Focus on the main points, speak clearly, and stand proud because this is your time to take control and show everyone the man you’ve become.
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This article originally appeared on Love and List.
Photo credit: dion gillard/flickr