A guest article by Nathan, Dorset wedding photographer at Libra Photographic
Letβs start with a note here that jokes are absolutely not just for the best man. Anyone at a wedding can make a speech; you may have a βBest Personβ instead, or the bridesmaids / bridesmen might team up and give a cracking speech which has the room in stitches. Traditionally, the (best manβs) funny speech is the one people are really looking forward to, so we thought it would be fab to share some real life favourites with you – and with fab photos by English Wedding member Nathan at Libra Photographic. Grab a cuppa, and have a chuckle (or a groan) at these golden moments!
Some books really do stay with you. Today I want to tell you about one of them.
This is a paid blog post (sort of), but the content is 100% genuine and from the heart. (Read my note at the end!)
I loved reading this. I’d spoken to the author and JP’s voice and gentle, considered way of talking won me over from the start.
This book is full of his personality – and unlike many “how to make a wedding speech” books, its pages are softly spoken and thoughtful. They guide you gently through how it feels to prepare and make a speech, without being in any way bossy or prescriptive.
The wedding speech is a big honour and a big part of wedding tradition but it can also be something peppered with fear and confusion (who should speak, how long for, in what order and when?).Β Thereβs no shying away from the fact that a good speech is a highlight of the wedding meal, it can bring tears (of the happy and sentimentally variety) and fill the room with belly laughs of fun.Β Butβ¦ done badly the speech can be remembered for all the wrong reasons.Β I donβt know about you but I certainly have βthatβ speech memory that makes me feel slightly uneasy.
By James Evans, Public Speaking Coach & Stand-Up Comedian
Picture the scene: A close friend calls you up. βHi, how you doing? Look, I know itβs not really your thing, but would you mind doing ten minutes of stand-up comedy in front of a room half full of friends and half full of total strangers? Itβd mean a lot to me.β You want to put the phone down but you canβt. Theyβve just asked you to be their best man and give a brilliantly funny speech at their wedding.