Impress the audience in 3-steps...
Your Speech Outline
If you follow this speech outline, I promise that your audience will be able to admire your wedding speech.
On this page, I'll explain the format of this speech outline to you. I will then show you how to organize your own speech on the Speech Writing Page.
All you need to do is follow a 3-Step formula called The 3 Tell Thems. This stands for:
Step 1: Tell Them What You'll Tell Them (Introduction)
Step 2: Tell Them (Body)
Step 3: Tell Them What You've Told Them (Conclusion and Toast)
Here's a little more detail about the 3 Tell Thems Formula:
Step 1: Tell Them What You'll Tell Them (Introduction-About 10 Percent of Your Speech)
*Say your Name and part in the wedding (Best Man, Maid of Honor, etc.).
*Say your relationship with the bride/groom (brother, friend, etc.)
*Thank the guests for attending
*Thank the host(s) of the event
*Bride and Groom only: Thank the members of your wedding party.
*Parents of the bride/groom only: Welcome the in-laws to the family and make a warm comment about the person who will marry your son/daughter.
*Finally, say the main points that you will discuss during the speech body.
Sample Introduction
Here is the speech opening that a Best Man, Dan, prepared for a groom named Sean:
"Hello, I'm Dan Robertson, Sean's Best Man. Sean and I have known each other since our first day of college 15 years ago.
Thank you all for being here to celebrate Sean and Jennifer's Wedding and a special thank you to Jennifer's parents, Scott and Elaine Mitchell, for hosting this beautiful reception.
When I think of Sean, the first things that come to mind are his love for sports, our alma mater, Chiropractic University, and the Chiropractic Profession."
Step 2: Tell Them (Body-About 80 Percent of Your Speech)
*Explain the two or three ideas that you previewed in the introduction (college stories, three positive qualities, etc.).
Sample Speech Body
Here is the sample speech body that Dan created for Sean:
Main point 1: Sports
*Atlanta Braves Fan
*Paintball League
Main Point 2: College
*Student Government Fundraising Party
Main Point 3: Chiropractic Profession
*Met Jennifer, who originally Sean's Patient.
*His love for helping patients
This is just one example of how Dan's favorite ideas can quickly form his Speech Body.
You probably noticed that that the speech body is not written out word-for-word.
As you'll see on the Speech Writing Page, I strongly recommend that you AVOID writing every word of your speech body.
If you write every word, it will be very tempting to read your entire speech. This probably will bore your audience. You'll be a much better speaker by sharing your ideas while looking at the guests.
You're almost there. Here is the last part of the speech outline:
Step 3: Tell Them What You've Told Them (Conclusion and Toast-About 10 Percent of Your Speech)
*Repeat Your Main Points. This is a signal to the audience that your speech is coming to an end.
*Ask everybody to please raise their glasses for a toast to the couple.
*Give your toast
*Say Cheers! and expect a similar response from the guests.
Sample Conclusion
Here is the conclusion and toast that Dan prepared for Sean:
"Now you know more about Sean's love for sports, Chiropractic University, the Chiropractic Profession, and of course, his biggest love, Jennifer.
Please raise your glasses for a toast to Jennifer and Sean.
To Jennifer and Sean, may you have a life together that is full of health, happiness, fun, and the best that life has to offer. Cheers!"
Follow this speech outline and your audience will love you for it!
Where should you go from here?
Want to see the entire Sample Speech? Visit this page now.
The Speech Writing Page is a must. Learn how to quickly and painlessly create your speech.
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