Readings and Speeches

Readings are one of the easiest ways to personalise your wedding ceremony and what type you choose will depend on your venue – religious readings and hymns, for example, are not permitted in a civil ceremony location.

Having readings at your ceremony is also a great way of including a special friend or relative in the day, especially if you haven’t been able to choose them as a member of the main bridal party.

Any public speaking can be daunting, but this handy section will guide you through and give you top tips on how to deliver a speech or reading to remember.

Simply choose from our ‘Wedding Readings and Speeches’ posts below to start planning your wedding like a pro.

6 Questions Grooms Ask About Their Wedding Speech

Wedding speech expert Lawrence Bernstein has answered every speech-related question under the sun from anxious grooms. Here are the answers to six frequently asked...

The 5 Worst Wedding Speech Mistakes To Avoid On Your Wedding...

5 Of The Worst Wedding Speech Mistakes To Avoid On Your Wedding Day Exes on the guest list. Calorie counting on your wedding day. The...
wedding speech tips to wow your guests

6 Types Of Best Man Speech And What To Expect

One of the groom's tasks is to choose their best man for the wedding, and there's a lot to consider before making that decision....

The Best Man Speech: 5 Things To Avoid!

The Best Man Speech: 5 Things To Avoid... Let's be honest, if you had to pick the most challenging of wedding speeches, it would have...

Why a Toastmaster could prevent all stress on the big day…

If you have decided to rope in the help of a planner to organise everything in the lead up to your big day, brides...
Can children give speeches at weddings? Older children might embrace the moment to raise a glass and say a few words, but for littler ones, try these ideas

Can children give speeches at weddings?

Wedding breakfasts are characterised by a slew of speeches, traditionally given by the groom, the father of the bride and the best man. But,...

What to do if you don’t want to give a speech

Speeches may be traditional, but they’re not for everyone. We’re here to help you plan your dream wedding – speeches or no speeches, so...

Two men, One speech – and how to smash it!

The joint best man speech is the trickiest in the book. Done badly, it can come across like a dodgy variety act. Do it...
7 things not to do in your groom's speech to write a winning wedding speech that will have your guests and - importantly - your new wife gushing!

7 things NOT to do in your groom’s speech

While many brides are now stepping up to say a few words at their weddings, the groom’s speech is a tradition that isn’t going...

What we’ve learnt from this summer’s speech season!

As the evenings draw in and the leaves start to fall, most people mourn the end of summer. Not us. At Great Speech Writing...
Want the BEST bridesmaid speech EVER? Step aside boys, the girls are here! With guidance usually geared to guys, here's the lowdown on how your girls can nail their bridesmaid speech

Girl talk! How to nail the bridesmaid speech

More and more brides and bridesmaids aren’t leaving it all to the boys, they want their extra few minutes in the limelight, too! Here...

5 top tips for delivering the best wedding speech

You know if the father of the bride starts his speech with, ‘I won’t talk for too long,’ you are doomed. Children fall asleep...

Visual aids to entertain during your speech!

A wedding speech should be just less than ten minutes. That doesn’t sound long but actually, unless you have really great material, watching someone speak...

We’re talking wedding traditions! – Where are they headed?

Weddings are as unique as the couple making a commitment to one another - a fact that, if you’ve spent any time reading bridal...

9 wedding speech rules from Speechy!

Etiquette guides just don’t cut it these days. Do we really need Debrett’s to tell us who to thank or who to toast? Surely we...

5 speech stories to inspire the best speech!

5 speech stories to inspire the best speech!   It’s always good to hear real wedding speech stories for a little inspiration before the big day!...
angelsmithphotography.com.au 774

The ultimate guide to giving a wedding speech

Like a free bar stocked with craft beers and Bollinger, giving a speech at your wedding is a sure-fire way of impressing not only...
wedding-speech-expert-albertpalmerphotography.com Danielle & Jordan Colour-619

A quick and easy guide to the best wedding speech ever

You don’t need to feel that sinking feeling, the cold panic just before you are about to stand up and face a huge crowd....
brilliant-best-man-bigeyephotography.co.uk Rusty and Lucy's Wedding (536)

6 things that make a BRILLIANT best man’s speech

Public speaking isn't everyone's forté, but anyone can learn the qualities that every great public speaker has, according to speaking expert, Sarah Lloyd-Hughes. Sarah has...

How to overcome nerves if you’re giving wedding reading or speech

Wedding readings and speeches are probably the most worried-about element of the big day – whether it's the bride or groom, a parent or...