Keep their attention
with Supporting Materials
What exactly are supporting materials?
They are speech tools that add interest and clarity to your wedding speech. When used well, they turn a lukewarm speech into one that is much more personable and relatable to the audience.
Here are some 5 types that can enhance wedding speeches:
1. Stories
People love good stories. If you are a good story teller, this is a wonderful supporting material to help you make your point.
Guidelines:
1. Build some suspense into your story. Suspense keeps the audience's attention.
2. Make the story short. Otherwise the guests will probably stop listening to you.
2. Explanations
These tools help the audience better understand "why?" or "how"
For example:
How is Sean much more passionate about his work than the average chiropractor? While his colleagues have left the office, Sean gets in touch with his ill patients and sends cards to those patients celebrating special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries.
Guidelines:
1. Make the explanation brief. If it is too wordy, the guests won't see the point of your explanation.
2. Be careful not to exaggerate. Otherwise, the audience might not believe you.
3. Examples
Specific items that make an idea more understandable to the audience.
For example:
Sean is a loyal member of the Chiropractic Association in many ways. For example, he has not missed a monthly meeting since joining the association 8 years ago.
Guidelines:
1. Make sure your idea immediately and clearly leads into the example.
2. Make the example brief. Otherwise, the guests might not feel like listening to you.
4. Descriptions
How somebody or something feels, sounds, or looks.
For example:
When Sean proposed and Jennifer said yes, Sean was beyond excited. He felt like he won the lottery and all of his favorite sports teams won championships at the same time!
Guidelines:
1. Make the description brief and easy to follow.
2. Be careful not to exaggerate. Otherwise, the audience might have a hard time believing your description.
5. Quotations
The words of others that support the idea that you are sharing with the audience.
For example:
A key to any successful marriage is communication. This can be very hard at the beginning of a marriage, but keep in mind the words of John Powell, Film Score Composer, "Communication works for those who work at it."
Guidelines
1. Say the name of the person you are quoting--it is a much more touch than starting your quote with somebody once said
2. Make sure your quote is no more than two sentences. You don't want the audience to get lost in the middle of your quote.
I invite you to add supporting materials to any part of your wedding speech that you would like to liven up or clarify.
Where should you go from here?
Using Visual Aids? This can be tricky and fall apart if you are not prepared. Visit the Visual Aids Guide or Visual Aids Plan for the do's and don'ts before going down this path.
Visit the Speech Outline Page and Speech Writing Page. These will help you to quickly organize your speech.
Go to Visual Aids Page
Go to Speech Outline Page
Go to Speech Writing Page
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