How to Start a Wedding Speech

"Hi, I'm Alex, and I've been James's best friend since university." That's all you need. The MC has already introduced you. The room knows why you're standing up. Get through the preamble quickly so you can get to the good stuff.

Start with a story. Jump straight into a specific moment: "The first time I met Sarah, she was arguing with a vending machine in the office kitchen." This hooks the room immediately.

Start with an observation. Something warm and true: "I've known James for twenty years, and I've never seen him smile the way he does when Sarah walks into a room."

Start with a thank you. Brief and genuine: "Thank you for trusting me with this. It means more than you know." Then move on.

• "Webster's dictionary defines marriage as..." Please don't.
• "I'm not very good at public speaking." The room doesn't need to know you're nervous. You'll be fine.
• Long preambles thanking every person in the room individually.
• Reading a quote from the internet that you found this morning.

The first 30 seconds set the tone. Make them count by being yourself, not performing.

When you generate a speech, the AI creates an opening based on your role and the details you shared. If you don't love it, you can edit it directly or use the regenerate option to try a different approach.

Many users generate the speech, then spend a minute or two tweaking just the opening, because getting the start right makes the rest feel easy.