Wedding planning has been a minefield this summer. Thankfully, the 30-person limit is now lifted for ceremonies in England, but dance floors remain closed by law.
Without the usual evening revelry, speeches will be centred as entertainment. So it’s worth investing some time into yours! We asked Speechy how they keep audiences amused. No dancing? No problem!
Get Everyone Involved
There’s a unique energy to be found on any dancefloor – and especially one at a wedding. Everyone grinning at one another, uninhibited and having pure, daft fun…
Channel this inclusive vibe into your speech by asking your guests to send you their unique marriage advice ahead of the big day, then read aloud a selection of their contributions before the toasts.
Invite the crowd to match the person to the piece of advice, or ask guests to stand up and confess to their pearls of wisdom – a real opportunity for comedy, especially when you see their partners’ reactions.
Some people will give heartfelt guidance, which will be genuinely romantic. Feel free to keep the giggles flowing by asking if they practice what they preach in real life…
Bring the Belly Laughs
No dancing is a hard pill to swallow. It’s sad to miss out on the best man’s ‘Carlton’ and the bridesmaids’ Beyonce but there are still opportunities to show your guests a great time.
Like dancing, laughter is a great bonding juice, so make sure your jokes are fresh, funny and bespoke – no Googling allowed!
It’s actually way easier than it might seem to create your own humour. Telling the truth is always a good place to start, but take inspiration from professional stand-ups and exaggerate your stories for comic effect.
Imagine you and your partner are characters in a romcom. Look for the amusing ironies in your personality types. Highlight your bad habits, common quirks, and guilty pleasures. Bring your personalities to life with anecdotes that illustrate traits your guests will instantly recognise in each of you.
Choreograph Your Speeches
With guests spending much more time than usual with bums on seats, it makes sense to add an element of movement to your toasts by inviting those not on the traditional line-up others to say a few words.
Why not ask grandparents who’ve been together for a lifetime to tell a sweet story about marriage? Or invite any children in attendance to offer their unique insights on love? Guaranteed to add an unexpected and sweet perspective!
Having a longer sit-down celebration lends itself to Scandinavian-style speeches, where all guests are welcome to share anecdotes, advice or well wishes to the happy couple. Appoint a friend as ‘master of ceremonies’ or hire a professional toastmaster to coordinate everyone who fancies giving a toast.
The Newlyweds Quiz
With guests strictly seated and unable to mingle, a quiz is one way of encouraging Covid-safe interaction. As the table service is doing its thing and keeping everyone nicely refreshed, pit table teams against one another for a pop quiz about the happy couple.
Ask multiple-choice or funny leading questions about which celebrity couple the newlyweds are most like or which actors would play them in a movie about their lives.
Ask your showman dad or ballsy maid of honour to play host. It’ll ensure everyone gets everyone involved, and the competitive element is inherently bonding! Don’t forget to add a music round.
Hands in the Air
So flailing your arms about on the dancefloor isn’t allowed, but nothing says guests can’t put their hands up to cast votes at their tables…
Get everyone involved in a good-natured debate by putting classic marriage dilemmas to the vote. Alternatively, a marriage-themed game of 'Never Have I Ever' should help everyone get to know each other nicely.
This may be best at a child-free reception, but a PG version also works. Just warn the groom’s rugby mates to keep it clean and hope there are no spicy revelations. On second thoughts, maybe don’t play it!
Socially Distanced Dancing
So, a disco may be off the cards, but no one’s ruled out having a wedding DJ nonetheless. Enjoy your guests’ moves remotely by asking the bravest among them to send a clip of them dancing around their living rooms in their glad rags.
Set up a big screen at the venue and project everyone’s clips on a loop as a hilarious backdrop to the evening – that’s the entertainment sorted!
Get Sentimental
After a year of not nearly enough hugs and missing our mates – not to mention our nans – everyone’s gonna be up for a few public displays of emotion, especially after you’ve warmed your audience up with some comedy.
Your wedding speech is a unique opportunity to tell your story – done well, this will craft a truly memorable moment for your guests. A great wedding photographer will capture the priceless reactions of the bride and groom as well as friends and family.
This moment is so special – everyone you love in one room, taking a moment to laugh together. Looking back over these shots years later will make you glad you decorated your wedding with words.
Speechy is a team of BBC-trained writers who’ve created comedy for shows such as Mock The Week and Shooting Stars. They’re offering an exclusive 10% off all their products and services throughout June and July. Visit speechy.com and use Guides4Brides10 at checkout.
For more speech tips, listen to our podcast episode all about writing a cracking wedding speech featuring Heidi from the Speechy team.
