Brides relax after the ceremony. The change in mood is obvious. All that's left to come is the reception, the party.
Grooms semi-relax. The problem is that there's still one nerve-wracking moment in their future, and there might even be a physical reminder in the form of uncomfortable folds of paper in their pocket.
They've still got to deliver the speech.
Now, one side I can't help you with. I can't help you with the fact that you're about to make yourself emotionally naked before a room full of people, many of whom you might not know. That's on you.
But I can help you with the writing of it. Here's some tips:
Tip 1: ChatGPT is your best friend.
Five years ago, Google was the best men's best friend. They could simply search up a template for "best man speech", then fill in the blanks. But now everyone has AI, which is even better.
Tip 2: It's mostly thankyous, and then has an "I love you" at the end. Most of the groom speech is easy -- just write down everyone you want to thank and why, and then add a disclaimer to cover people you forgot to thank.
Best men and chief bridesmaid speeches are trickier.
Tip 3: Use dot points.
The best speeches I've heard were semi-impromptu and natural. As long as you have the reminder of what you want to say from a bullet point, then it's easy to just put it in your own words and say it.
Extra points for actually looking at the person you want to thank, and speaking to them directly.
But if you go word-for-word from a script, the words can land flat.
Tip 4: Schedule it for later in the evening.
This is a secret many comedians know: it's not ideal to play to a dry room. As long as people have had a bit of time to use up your bar tab, then you're golden. A bit of alcohol, both for you and your audience, can go a long way.
Tip 5: This is the best audience you'll ever get.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what you say. You'll never get a more generous and appreciative audience, and people will love whatever you say.
