Wedding statistics show that the average wedding has 175 guests in attendance. If you're like most people, you don't participate in public speaking on a regular basis. In fact, there's a good chance that you've never spoken in front of more than a hundred people in your entire life.
When it's time for you to recite your wedding vows, you'll be put on the spot to speak in front of a large group of family and friends. Ready or not, all eyes will be on you, and your speaking skills will be put to the test. If you haven't thought about this part of your ceremony, you'll feel nervous and unprepared when it's time for you to say your "I do's."
But, instead of getting anxious about your speaking debut, you can put a little thought into your wedding vows and make it much easier for you to get through them on the big day. With a few simple tricks, you can say your vows like a pro and impress everyone with your speaking ability.
Here are the top strategies for reciting your wedding vows like a pro:
Practice Makes Perfect
If you've taken careful time and consideration in selecting your vows, you certainly don't want to look as if you are saying them for the first time when you need to recite your vows in public. Practice your vows many times before you actually have to say them. If you don't have much time, even practicing for just ten or fifteen minutes will be a huge help in making you familiar and comfortable with saying your wedding vows.
Speak Slowly and Clearly
When you say your vows, it's important that you speak slowly and clearly. Many people talk faster when they are nervous, if you do this, take special notice and try to speak very slowly. You want to be sure that your fiancé clearly hears everything that you're saying and you also want to make sure that the other people present can understand you.
Visualize Your Vows
Go over the activity of saying your wedding vows in your head several times and picture a successful outcome. Imagine saying your vows perfectly and looking into your partners eyes. Think about your family and friends coming up to you after the ceremony and congratulating you on your beautiful words. Visualizing your success will give you confidence and will prepare you for the big day.
Hear it Out Loud
Once your vows are written, rehearse them out loud several times. Going over your vows by actually saying them out loud will help with the flow of your vows. Once you're happy with how your vows sound, repeat them a few times in front of a close friend or family member. Doing so will give you more confidence about reciting your vows in front of a crowd.
Take a Deep Breath and Relax
If you are nervous or have wedding jitters, take a deep breath and calm your mind. Yes, you are saying these words in front of a group of people, but the main person that you're saying them to loves you and is not judging you in any way. And, if you say something a little different than your actual written vows or if you skip over part of what you planned to say, don't worry. Remember, nobody knows what you're going to say except you!
You may be nervous about other parts of your wedding, but now saying your wedding vows is going to be one of the easiest things you do on your big day. Using these strategies, you'll turn one of the most nerve-wracking parts of your wedding into a piece of (wedding) cake.
Elizabeth Reuth became an expert on wedding vows after spending hours working on the vows for her wedding and then helping friends write their own personal wedding vows
She introduced a system that all couples could use to create romantic wedding vows quickly and easily. For tips on creating unique wedding vows to wow your fiance and wedding guests, visit http://www.perfect-wedding-vows.com
