‘Steer clear’ cry wedding experts as they reveal TEN ‘pitfall’ mistakes that could ruin speeches
IT’S not a typical British wedding without a cheeky speech from the best man, a tearful toast from the mother of the bride or impromptu spiel from a relative who’s had one too many.
It’s all in good fun to have a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour in your wedding speech but things can quickly turn sour if the tone isn’t quite right or you’ve made one too many innapropriate jokes.
But wedding experts at Breezit have revealed the top ten mistakes to avoid when making an all important wedding speech to save you from disaster.
A spokesperson from Breezit said: “It’s so important to tick the right boxes when giving a wedding speech, but it can be an extremely daunting task.
“Everyone has different boundaries and it can be easy to overstep the mark, so it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
“Talk of previous romantic partners and personal jabs are common pitfalls when it comes to wedding speech so definitely steer clear of these.
“Happy and genuine memories of the newlyweds alway add authenticity to a speech. So, with a little preparation and consideration anyone can deliver a memorable moment for the newlyweds and the guests too.”
DON’T make it all about you
It may be your speech but just like the rest of the day, it’s all about the happy couple. It’s important to make sure not to turn your tribute to the newlyweds into a personal monologue.
So it’s definitely not the time to make any personal announcements, pregnancy news or announcing your own engagement are huge no-no’s.
DON’T make inappropriate jokes
Crude or inappropriate jokes might to be to some people’s taste but they’re not for everyone.
Breezit’s wedding experts advice is to try to steer clear from making jokes that are sexual or offensive, especially when it comes to talking about the bride and groom.
DON’T mention their exes
Mentioning the newlyweds exes should be considered a no-go area. Romantic history can be an awkward subject and even the most subtle mention could cause tension during the big day so it’s best to avoid mentioning.
The last thing you want to do is dredge up memories of old flames on what is supposed to be the happiest day of the couple’s life.
AVOID planting doubt
No matter your own personal luck with love, your wedding speech is far from the ideal place to air your own opinions about relationships.
Avoid sewing seeds of doubt, it drastically dampen the vibes and leave the rest of the night feeling a little awkward.
DON’T tell obscure stories
It’s an easy mistake to make by wanting to fill your speech to the brim with funny stories and in-jokes but telling them during your speech can isolate the rest of the guests who aren’t in on the joke.
It’s best to avoid any obscure anecdotes altogether to make sure your toast is lighthearted and relatable for everyone.
AVOID drinking too much
It’s natural to feel nervous when faced with the daunting task of public speaking, especially if it doesn’t come naturally to us.
Calming those nerves with a bit of liquid courage might seem like a good idea at the time, but drinking too much before a speech can lead to slurred words and forgotten lines.
The wedding pro’s recommend keeping the drinks to a minimum until after the speech and then you’re free to let loose and get the party started with the other guests.
DON’T compare the day to other weddings
Nobody wants their big day compared with others, and it’s not the most flattering thing to draw parallels between the day that many a couple have dreamed of for years.
The Breezit wedding wizzes warn against making comparisons in your speech, each relationship and wedding is unique to the couple and nobody likes to hear how much their special day reminds you of someone elses.
AVOID airing sensitive information
A wedding toast isn’t the place to air out your dirty laundry. Family secrets, money matters and sensitive information should be left outside when making your big speech.
Spilling the tea on someone’s big day is one way to get yourself left off their Christmas card list so it’s best to avoid at all costs.
5 ways to save £10k on your wedding
Josie Griffiths, Deputy Digital Fabulous editor and bride-to-be shares her tips to cut the cost on your big day.
Josie Griffiths said: “There’s no getting around it, weddings are expensive, but there’s some easy ways to strip back the cost without your guests noticing.”
Ditch pricey invites
We made our designs for free on Canva, and then sent them out on email or WhatsApp. If you want to post invites to important people, VistaPrint is brilliant and cost us less than 30p per guest to sort. SAVING: £600
Cut back on flowers
I was pretty stunned that lots of wedding florists quote £3k-£5k as a MINIMUM spend. Your wedding flowers will be dead within days, save your cash and invest it in pics and video instead, as these actually last. Keep shopping round until you find someone reasonably priced, or speak to your local florist two months out to arrange bouquets. SAVING: £4.5k
Ditch wedding favours
They don’t fit in people’s handbags and were cleared away by catering staff at half the weddings I’ve been to as a guest. The best way to save cash here is just not to bother. SAVING: £300-£700
Be ruthless with your guest list
No one’s ‘entitled’ to a plus one and the groom’s second cousin doesn’t need to come. Your true friends won’t kick off and if anyone chooses not to come over guest list dramas, that just means you’ve saved twice. SAVING: £150 PER HEAD
Do your own booze
Make finding a venue where you can do your own bar a priority, ideally with no corkage or a £500 max cost. Aldi’s £22 Champagne beat Veuve Clicquot in a Which? blind taste test and they have tasty wines for less than a fiver, you won’t do better on a paid bar. SAVING: £2k
DON’T improvise too much
There’s no harm in improvising some of your speech, but this can lead to rambling tangents and losing your sense of direction totally derailing your speech.
It might seem too stiff and structured but sometimes it’s best to just stick to the script, it’ll show you’ve thought ahead and came prepared with a thoughtful and pre planned tribute to the newlyweds on their special day.
AVOID long speeches
The wedding experts recommend keeping your speech short, sweet and to the point to make sure that guests aren’t falling asleep by the end.
Long, rambling toasts can throw a spanner in the works for the rest of the day as most nuptials are set to a tightly packed schedule, you don’t want to disrupt the flow of the day so keep it short and to the point so guests aren’t left bored and the celebrations can continue.