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- Know when to speak. There's typically a set time for people to speak. Before the wedding, go over the schedule with the DJ. If you're not someone who typically gives a toast, such as the mother of the ide, discuss the specifics with the ide and groom prior to the wedding. This ensures you'll be prepared and ready to take the microphone versus being caught off-guard and stuttering.
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- Drink with caution before the speech. When you've had a few glasses of champagne, who knows what will slip out of your mouth? Keep the ad-libs at bay by staying sober through the giving of the toasts. After that, go ahead and cut loose.
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- Start by thanking the guests. Even if you're not the host, you can pay proper thanks to cele ating the day with you alongside the ide and groom. Feel free to give special thanks by name to those who went above and beyond their call of duty, such as the ide's aunt who baked the wedding cake or the cousin that managed a wedding-day crisis.
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- Avoid a blubber-fest. While it's natural for you to tear up during a speech, try not to include so many heartfelt, emotional stories that either you or the ide are sobbing. It's awkward for the guests, and you won't look your best afterward.
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- Relate your personal advice or experience. If you're currently in a happy marriage, give the couple a few words of wisdom, whether it's what to do when you're having a big fight or how to make sure you keep the romance alive through the years. If you're not the pillar of wisdom when it comes to happy marriages, stealing (er, borrowing) advice from the great writers such as William Shakespeare is perfectly acceptable.
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- Welcome the ide or groom into the family. It might be tempting to focus solely on the person you have the closest relationship with, don't forget about the other half of the new couple. Include them in your speech so they know you are looking forward to enjoying their company in the future.
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- Struggling for topics? Avoid telling embarrassing stories about when the ide was little, even if you think everyone will get a kick out of it. (If there's a story you're just dying to share, run it by the ide first. Sure, it won't be a surprise to her, but that might be a good thing.) Instead, stick to telling a story of when she made you a proud parent/friend or when you met her future groom (provided that's a happy memory). You want her to be crying tears of joy, not those of humiliation.
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- Don't forget to cheers. As always, at the end of your speech, raise your glass to the crowd and with a big smile on your face, end it with "Best wishes, I love you two. To the happy couple!"
