← Back to Blog

Terrified of public speaking? How to deliver a wedding speech with confidence

Public speaking is the number one fear in the world. More common than fear of death — which means, as the joke goes, most people at a funeral would rather be in the coffin than giving the eulogy. You are not alone in this. And it is survivable.

The week before

• Write your speech and print it in a large, easy-to-read font. Size 16 minimum.
• Read it aloud once a day, every day. Familiarity kills nerves.
• Time yourself. Knowing exactly how long it is removes one source of anxiety completely.
• Record yourself on your phone once. Watch it back. Yes, it is uncomfortable. Do it anyway.

The day of

When you are up there

• Speak slower than feels natural. Nerves speed everything up. If it feels slow to you, it sounds perfect to the room.
• Look at the couple, not the crowd. They are your anchor. Speaking to two people you love is infinitely easier than speaking to 150 strangers.
• If you lose your place — pause. The room will think you are being dramatic. Find your line. Continue. Nobody knows where you were.
• Hold the paper or cards steady by resting them on the table or podium if possible. Shaking hands are visible. Resting paper is not.

The secret nobody tells you

The audience wants you to succeed. Every single person in that room is rooting for you. They are not waiting for you to fail — they are hoping you say something wonderful. Walk up there knowing that.