Speaking of Empowerment

Not many fathers have received training in public speaking but a lot of them have stage fright in anticipation for their deliver of the father of the groom speeches. To add to the problem, many also expect themselves to deliver a flawless speech. As the father of the groom, there is, generally, not much elbowroom for you to commit mistakes. To help you present yourself and your speech well, take the following pointers with a grain of salt:

Make your speech sound natural – When writing the speech, write only about subjects that are naturally close to your heart. This will let you stick with your natural self, without a need for pretentions. Don’t push yourself too hard to be romantic, funny or sentimental if these are not you personality. Because you see, even the grouch can make people laugh. Show off your unique persona in your speech no matter how much you hate yourself.

Make it humorous and light-hearted – There really are no particular when it comes to the father of the groom speech. But somehow, some conventions apply such as keeping the speech funny and light-hearted.

Have a good opening – It is in the introduction that you get the attention of your listeners. Oftentimes, this is where you catch or lose your audience’s attention. To be able to hold the attention of the audience, most fathers of the groom use funny one liners and quotes. It will also do you good if you can refrain from using very lengthy, clichéd introductions.

Involve your son – No one is better qualified to talk about his son than the father. This speech allows you the opportunity to address your son. It has become a traditional part in any father of the groom speech to address his son by incorporating a recollection of anecdotes in the speech. The audience would also appreciate if you can talk about your son’s new wife. Talk about her warmly and assure her that your family welcomes her.

Include in your speech some memorable anecdotes – Mention a few short anecdotes about your son, this would let the audience know him better.

Advise your son and daughter-in-law – It is expected for the father of the groom to give the newly married couple some valuable advices. As someone who has ‘been there and done that’, you are a good resource for valuable information about married life. But if you don’t feel good talking about it, bless the newlyweds instead.

Express your confidence about the ceremony – Let the couple know how happy you are about the marriage. This would help them become more assured about the relationship and would bring them closer to you.

father of the groom speeches are not typically delivered at weddings, but whenever they get to be a part of the wedding party, expectations are usually high. Exceed the audience’s expectations and follow the tips above.