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How to Write a Great Wedding Speech

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A person's wedding day is one of the biggest moments of their life, and when it comes to choosing someone to give a speech, they're going to pick someone who means a lot to them. It may be the best man or maid of honor, or it may be another loved one who's in attendance. Either way, if you're the chosen one, you have a big task ahead of you. But writing a wedding speech doesn't have to be hard when you follow these tips:

Start by Brainstorming.

Most people are honored when the future bride and groom ask them to give a speech at the wedding, but they may not know where to start. If you're not sure what you want to stay, brainstorming can help. Write down a list of personality traits, funny stories, touching memories and anything else you can think of that shines a positive light on the couple. Consider asking others who know them well for ideas to add to your list. Once you've completed your list, you'll have several options on what to include.

Introduce Yourself and Thank the Couple.

Even once you have your brainstormed list together, it be difficult to know how to open the speech. The safest thing to do is to introduce yourself and explain how you know the bride and/or groom. During this introduction, you can also thank the couple for inviting you and the other guests to share in this big moment. If their parents or other relatives helped throw the wedding, it's also appropriate to thank them for having you.

Share a Personal Story.

Now, it's time to add a personal touch. This is where your list of brainstormed ideas can come come into play. A funny or touching story about how the bride and groom met is always a good idea. If you're the bride's sister — and you often played wedding during your childhood — you can touch on that. If you're the groom's roommate — and you watched him frantically clean up your apartment before his future bride came over for the first time — you can share that. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that will make the audience laugh, cry or relate to the sentiment.

Consider Using a Relevant Quote.

Something else you may consider adding to your speech is a famous quote about love and marriage from a historic figure, a piece of literature, from the bride and groom's religious faith or anything else that may seem relevant. Just be careful that it fits in with the the speech and doesn't seem awkward. For example, if your entire speech is packed with jokes or has a lighthearted tone, it may feel odd to throw a poignant quote about love from the Bible or Shakespeare into the mix.

Give Some Words of Encouragement.

Once you've shared some personal stories about the bride and groom, it's time to start wrapping it up. You can transition into an ending by offering some words of encouragement to the happy couple. Tell them you knew from the moment they met that they were perfect for each other, or tell them what you wish for their future. If you're single, tell them you hope to one day find a love like they share, and if you're married, consider some fun advice for their own married years.

Avoid Making a Faux Pas.

Now that you have the bulk of the speech written, look it over to make sure you haven't included something you shouldn't. Avoid anything negative about the bride, groom or their loved ones, including insults. Don't bring up old boyfriends and girlfriends or ex spouses. Do not be crude, use curse words or use explicit sexual material. Remember, their parents, grandparents and coworkers may be in the audience. Finally, avoid copying a speech from the Internet or a book, and don't be too generic.

End With a Toast to the Couple.

Now that you've written your speech and gone over it to make sure the material is appropriate, end it with a toast. Ask the audience to raise their glasses to the bride and groom. Make it short and sweet.

Practice in Front of Others

Finally, practice the speech in front of other people before the big day. This not only gives you practice delivering the speech in front of an audience, it allows you to get some feedback from others. Perhaps the speech is too long or too silly. Maybe you're not speaking loud or enough or looking at the audience enough. Ask your practice audience for any constructive feedback so you're ready to do it right on day of the wedding.