Why a speech template is a no go.

If a speech template is tried and tested it must work for everyone right?

Unfortunately when it comes to writing speeches, the mistake of using a speech template has been made time and time again.

The internet is littered with best man speech templates, father of the bride templates and groom speech templates, giving you a rigid structure so you can just, well, fill in the gaps. Although they can be used to give you an idea of areas to cover and who should be mentioned and thanked, they should never go further than that. You have to remember that guests at weddings, political events and corporate functions have been to countless events before and are extremely familiar with the process. That joke you found from the first page of google has probably been heard before, a few times. A lot of people who ask me to write a speech for them have already got some words down on paper. Some content I love and include in my final draft, but I must admit I do see the same 20 or so jokes circulating around from time to time. I’ve even heard them at weddings I’ve attended personally!

The bride and groom, the election candidate, the CEO and whoever else is the subject of a public speech has got to this point in life in a completely unique and personal way. The structure of your speech should reflect this with personalised and tailor-made content.

Of course when you’re speaking at a wedding as a best man you will mention bridesmaids, the bride, the venue and various other necessities. These are non negotiable to a certain extent. How you express and project this however, is completely up to you. Having the freedom to create a message that resonates with your audience will ensure authenticity and success with the speech you deliver. Using a template speech and just changing the words around is like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.