how to write a ceremonial speech

How to deliver a ceremonial speech? A Full Guide

• Filed under: Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speaking tips , Speech delivery

There are certain times in your life that are going to involve ceremony, whether it is getting sworn into a local office, as a school board member, being named head of the PTA or perhaps officiating someone’s wedding. All these occasions are marked by certain ceremonial speeches.

So, how to make a good ceremonial speech? A ceremonial speech is not about you. Usually it focuses on and celebrates someone’s values and accomplishments and gives the audience hope for the future. Therefore, take the spotlight off of you and put it on the celebrated person, event or occasion.

A ceremonial speech is not the time to start telling stories or all the other normal things of stagecraft. It is the time to honor someone or something, so stick to the script. Easier said than done. Therefore, this post is going to show you how to prepare a good commemorative speech.

So, let’s hop in now.

As a side note: there’s a lot more to public speaking you should know so I wrote a guide about best public speaking books to read. Check out these books here .

Table of Contents

What is a ceremonial speech?

A ceremonial speech is by definition a formal speech. I get nervous when people use the phrase “formal speech,” because typically what the average speaker means is that they want to have license to do a boring data dump to enumerate everything they’ve done in the last quarter.

It may feel formal because you’re in a stuffy boardroom and the people to whom you’re talking are important. But if you make it formal in the sense of “I’m going to be stiff and straight and read for 20 minutes,” then that’s not a formal speech – that’s an awful speech.

Put the spotlight back on the occasion

Ceremonial presentations are different. You’re not trying to come up with new concepts and you’re not trying to dazzle people with your cleverness or with your original ideas.

In fact, this is a time to take the spotlight off of you and put the spotlight on a person, event, office or occasion – whether it’s the wedding or whether it’s the funeral.

Your main goal is to praise or pay tribute

The main goal of the ceremonial speech is to praise (or pay a tribute to) a person, an institution, an event or an idea.

Focus on the values

A ceremonial speech is not an informative or persuasive speech . Usually it focuses on and celebrates someone’s values and accomplishments, and if it is well done, it gives the audience hope for the future.

It’s a way of getting people to reflect on larger and eternal values – things that are not new and things that are not associated with your ideas.

So that’s what’s different about ceremonial speeches. In some ways it does make it easier. You don’t have to go out of your way to juice it up or to make it more invigorating or exciting.

You’re not trying to put your personal stamp on a ceremonial speech.

So please keep in mind that this is the one time when you’re giving a presentation where your personality shouldn’t overwhelm your message.

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

What is the difference between a ceremonial speech and a commemorative speech?

Basically, they are synonyms and there is no difference between a ceremonial speech and a commemorative speech. Sometimes you may also hear that someone says something about an “epideictic speech” and this is also a synonym for a ceremonial speech.

All these speeches have to highlight the main reasons of the event and, if possible, inspire your audience.

What are the types of ceremonial speeches?

Here are some types of the ceremonial speeches:

• Wedding toast
• Farewell speech
• Acceptance speech
• Nomination speech
• Goodwill speech
• Dedication speech
• Presentation speech
• Introductory speech
• Retirement speech
• Graduation speech
• Tribute speech

Why are ceremonial speeches important?

First of all, I want to commend you for taking the whole concept of ceremonial speeches seriously.

Too many people say, “Well, you know… it’s just uttering a few words; it’s just procedures, really. No big deal. ” And then they get up, they’re nervous, they’re uncomfortable and maybe there are tears in their eyes. All sorts of things can go wrong when you’re giving a short ceremonial speech.

Here’s the thing though: for many people in the audience – and these days people watching on YouTube – if you get it wrong that could be your legacy. That could be what people talk about – your mistakes.

So, you don’t want to get it wrong.

You want to prepare, but I must tell you that it’s a different sort of preparation . It’s not like preparing a 60-minute keynote speech. Also, it doesn’t involve PowerPoint . A ceremonial speech seems deceptively simple but it can still be easy to screw up if you trip over words.

Look no further than Barack Obama’s inaugural address in 2012 where Chief Justice Roberts kind of messed it up. And believe it or not, there was even some frivolous lawsuits saying that Barack Obama wasn’t legally entitled to hold office because he got one of the words wrong with his oath of office.

The point is: you’ve got to take it seriously. If you don’t get it just right it can cause all sorts of headaches and that’s why it does take some preparation, thought and planning.

How to prepare for a commemorative speech?

If you are at some sort swearing in ceremony where you have to use official wording, then my biggest tip for you is:

• Make it fill your sheet by using a huge font

Make your notes big

If the text is really long (and by long, I mean more than 35 words) then you can also do it, although ideally it fits on a single sheet of paper. That way you’re not fumbling with glasses. You can simply glance down, scoop up a few words and keep going.

This keeps you on track.

Useful reading: “How to Use a Teleprompter During your Speech? A Complete Guide”

Your cheat sheet needs to be usable

The problem most people have if they type the speech in normal font size is that they have to hold the script close to their face and sometimes lean on the paper.

So, what happens is people sometimes squint and that’s the reason they get a word or phrase wrong or they start with the wrong sentence. Then they have to go back, repeat or correct.

Don’t set yourself up for failure. Have your speech ready with nice gigantic text so you don’t have to memorize anything.

And the pressure’s off.

Useful reading: “How to Outline a Presentation: A Complete Guide From a Pro”

• Focus on the task at hand

When you’re giving a ceremonial speech, focus on the task and moment at hand. That means it’s not all about “me-me-me.”

At the beginning of the ceremonial speech, I wouldn’t talk about, “Oh gosh! This is such a big honor. Well I’m so honored.”

There may be a point later on when you do have free reign to speak about the event and what’s going on. But for the official ceremonial part, don’t talk about what an honor it is for you.

Also, don’t talk about how nervous you are. “Oh my gosh, I’m so nervous! I hope I don’t mess up the oath of office.”

It’s not about you. It’s about what is actually going on and the institutions involved. So, don’t make everything about you – just deliver the presentation.

Useful reading: “10 great tips on how to give a killer speech without notes?”

Don’t memorize your speech

If you are speaking at an event where someone has to repeat your words, then reading from one sheet of paper will be a lot easier for them, too. And it just takes all the pressure off things, because the thing about ceremonies is there’s lots of emotion.

For example, it may be the crowning achievement of your life to be sworn in as president of the American Bar Association and therefore you may be incredibly happy.

But when you’re feeling all these emotions, that’s the worst possible time to put extra pressure on your brain to recall information. So, don’t put that extra pressure on yourself.

And if you need to the just glance down at the words and read – there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever for a ceremonial speech.

But, if you still decide to memorize your speech, then take a look at this article here: “How to memorize a speech in less than an hour?”

You need good volume

All of a sudden, you’re standing in front of more people than you’ve ever stood in front of in your life. Now you have stage fright and you’re nervous. You shrink up, your vocal cords tighten and you are whispering.

It is normal to be nervous during your speech. Sometimes it happens that you’re so nervous and quiet that people can’t understand you. It’s a common problem.

I’m not suggesting that you be bombastic and yelling at people, but you need good volume because what’s the point of the ceremony and people gathering if they literally can’t hear you?

So, if you practice your commemorative speech at home, make sure that you’re loud enough.

Useful reading: “How to Use Your Voice Effectively in a Presentation?”

The next thing I want to point out is if you’re nervous you can lose perspective of your speed, resulting in speaking too quickly. But if you’re rushing, you’re going to look scared. You’re going to look nervous.

You’re going to look uncomfortable and people are going to stop focusing on the ceremony and instead start focusing on you.

And as you’ve heard me say – the focus shouldn’t be on you, whether you’re comfortable, uncomfortable, nervous or any of that.

The focus should be on the ceremonial aspects of what’s going on. That’s why it’s critically important you don’t rush.

Videotape yourself

The best way to practice your speech is by recording yourself. So, take a camera and capture yourself giving a ceremonial speech. Now, take a look at the video you made and write down everything you liked about it and everything you didn’t like about it.

After that, repeat taping as many times as needed until you’re feeling comfortable and happy. If you do that, I guarantee you’re going to be in great shape.

Final thoughts: How to give a ceremonial speech?

If after reading this article you think that this is a large bite to swallow, just remember some of the basics:

• Have a cheat sheet
• Don’t memorize, don’t rush
• Think about speed and volume

Usually this is probably a day of celebration. Of course, there are exceptions; funerals, obviously.

But if it is a day of celebration, let that smile come across your face when you’re speaking. If it’s a certain honor, or if you’re being sworn into a major office, let the honor exude and just come out of your pores and let it shine through your voice.

Do that and you will be in great shape for your ceremonial presentation and all the other presentations you give.

Related questions

How long should a ceremonial speech be? Usually the length of the speech is up to five minutes but this is not a rule of thumb. Mostly it depends on the event; therefore, you should ask from the organizer how much time they expect you to speak. Be aware, though, that less is always more.

What is the purpose of an acceptance speech? During the acceptance speech, you have an opportunity to show your honest appreciation for the award given and thank the people who helped you along the way. Like a ceremonial speech, an acceptance speech is not about you.

How do you greet the audience in a speech? Keep your greeting short and simple. Grab the attention of the audience, get the members of the audience involved and start with the introduction of your speech.

Recommended books on how to write a ceremonial speech

"It Gives Me Great Pleasure...": A Guide to Writing Ceremonial Speeches

Alan Perlman

Lend Me Your Ears: All You Need to Know about Making Speeches and Presentations

Max Atkinson

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Ceremonial Speech

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say the word ceremony? Normally, people would assume weddings, graduations, and recognition ceremonies. And they are not wrong. But there are different types of ceremonies for many different types of occasions, not only limited to the aforementioned events above. You may also see introduction speech .

• Narrative Speech Examples
• Business Speech Examples

What is a Ceremonial Speech?

According to Michael Gamble, one of the proponents of the book Public Speaking in the Age of Diversity , he points out that ceremonial speaking stresses the sharing of identities and values that unite people into communities. It can be said that all societies hold certain values central to human existence: beauty, loyalty, wisdom, kindness, tradition, success, innocence, experience, courage, perseverance, kindness, for instance. You may also see thank you speech .

Just like commemorative speeches, this kind of speech is “epideictic”. Events such as the eulogy, the speech of nomination, the speech of goodwill, the wedding toast, and the award acceptance speech are considered special occasions on which we celebrate and reinforce common aims, benefits, and aspirations. You may also see welcome speech .

“In many ways, special occasions are the punctuation marks of life. They are the rituals that draw us together in celebration of some person or event” Gamble (p. 385)

People gain appreciation of themselves through appreciation of their common heritage. Ceremonial speeches are not simply informative, they are the the reason on why we celebrate these events in the first place. Think of it as a thank you note in a very formal way. You may also see how to write an appreciation speech .

Types of Ceremonial Speeches

Ceremonial speeches are not only limited to weddings and graduations. There are in fact a numerous kinds of ceremonial speeches. Here are some of them listed below based on the book  Public Speaking in the Age of Diversit y:

1. The Speeches of Introduction

Yes, even introduction speeches can act as a form of ceremonial speech. But the goal of of the introductory speech must be kept brief and concise as this is not about you, but about the speaker and the topic he or she is going to be delivering. To do so, you must first establish the nature of the occasion followed by enhancing the speaker’s credibility by giving the audience a bit of a background check and finally, it is important to persuade the members of the audience to focus on the speech’s content. You may also see speech examples .

2. The Speech of Presentation

This kind of speech is normally done before the person or team accepts the award. In the annual Academy Awards, there are at least 24 awards in total ranging from Best Director to Best Actor or Actress, or from Best Sound Editing to Best Original Screenplay. Before the host or hostess awards the person or team, he or she summarizes the purpose of the award, and discusses the accomplishments of the person or team being honored. You may also see special occasion speech .

3. The Speech of Acceptance of an Award

Every winner of an Oscar has something different to say as they accept their speech. When Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his in 2016, he had already written a speech beforehand anticipating that he was going to win. The moment you walk up on that stage to receive your award, it is important to thank, recognize and give credit to those who have helped you perform your best and who have raised you up to the person you are today. You may also see tribute speech .

As you accept the award graciously with humility, try to ponder on the values represented by the award and explain how much it means to you, to be standing there on the stage with a golden statuette on your hand. Mahersala Ali, the winner of Best Supporting Actor for the movie Moonlight last year, became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar in the history of the Academy Awards. He drafted his speech that was not about him, but about the real-life characters portrayed in Barry Jenkins’ drama. You may also see self introduction speech .

“And one thing that they consistently told me is – [his teachers] Oliver Chandler, Ron Van Lieu, Ken Washington – is that it wasn’t about you. It’s not about you. It’s about these characters. You’re in service to these stories, to these characters. I’m so blessed to have had an opportunity. It was about Juan. It was about Chiron. It was about Paula,” Mahersala Ali

4. The Commencement Address

Whether it will be the valedictorian or the school chairman delivering the address, it is always important to praise and congratulate the graduating class. You then begin to acknowledge on how the graduates and members of the audience (e.g. parents, teachers, friends) have become a huge factor to where they are today. It is important that you encourage the graduates to hold their heads up high and look towards the bright future they are about to carve for themselves. You may also see farewell speech .

5. The Keynote Address

In delivering the keynote address, try your best to allow the audience to focus on the common goals you would like for them to achieve. In doing so, communicate the central focus of those gathered there by setting a tone that arouses interest and encourage commitment. You may also see wedding speech .

6. The Speech of Tribute

Tribute Speeches are just like eulogies, except the person who you are talking about is not dead. He or she is very much alive and well. People would usually decide to say their true feelings about the person when they are gone, and not alive. If you have seen the movie The Fault In Our Stars , Hazel Grace Lancaster decides to give a “eulogy” to her very much alive boyfriend at a church, together with his blind friend Isaac. And when he was already six feet below the ground, her speech was not that heartfelt when he was alive. You may also see motivational speech .

Describe what makes the subject of the speech worthy of praise and special recognition. Explain what the subject actually accomplished. Persuade the audience to let the past accomplishments of the person inspire them to adopt the values being recognized to become a better version of themselves. You may also see award speech .

7. The Eulogy (Special Form of Speech of Tribute)

If you had just one final chance to say anything to the person before he or she passed away, what would you have said? By the time, you have said your piece, it would have already been too late. In a eulogy, it is important that you learn to acknowledge the death of the person.You may also see presentation speech .

Make sure that you have said everything that you wanted to say to the person while he was still alive. Even though funerals are often a sad occasion, try to celebrate the life of the deceased by acknowledging the legacy and his achievements to society. Make use of illustrations to underline the uniqueness of subject, bring the group together, and ease the sense of loss. You may also see graduation speech .

8. The After-Dinner Speech

This kind of speech is generally designed to be entertaining and delivered in a lighthearted manner. After-dinner speeches takes a good-natured, sometimes humorous, whimsical, or mildly satirical look at a topic of interest or relevance to audience. Not only must it be easy to digest, but it should establish a mood, convey the message and carry a theme to make the event worthwhile. You may also see orientation speech .

Ceremonial Speeches Example

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Techniques of Ceremonial Speeches

Michael Osborn, a proponent of the book Public Speaking 2nd editio n, suggested two techniques basic to all forms of ceremonial speeches: Identification and Magnification.

A. Identification

Through identification, this refers to the phenomenon where the speakers develop close feelings between the audience members, and vice versa. There are at least three ways to go about it: 1. Narrative. 2. Recognition of heroes 3. Renewal of group commitment

B. Magnification

By taking a closer look at the person’s significance or perhaps the event itself, we can emphasize certain values on what the event commemorates or perhaps what the person has achieved during his or her life. You may also see leadership speech .

(a) Great obstacles (b) Accomplishments that are unusual (c) Performances that are superior (d) Pure motives (e) Accomplishments that benefit society

2. Tools of language:

(a) Metaphors (b) Similes (c) Anaphora, repeating keywords in a certain order

Tribute Speech Example

Tips on Ceremonial Speechwriting

In the process of writing your speech, make sure that you have a temporary audience to rate you and critique on your work in order to help you draft your speech better. Delivering a speech can be tricky especially when you accidentally eat your own words as they are caught between tears of sadness. So make sure every word is accounted for. Ask for advice from your editors, teachers, and fellow classmates in terms of structuring, word selection, punctuation, pausing on important points and others. You may also see informative speech .

Think about the person, place, or other thing that is being praised through your speech.

• Can you balance tradition and formality with personal touches within your speech?
• Make sure that your words are respectful: Lots of people will hear this speech, and some might judge you based upon the stories you share and the speech elements you include. You may also see youth speech .
• Write from the heart. It is obvious when you are speaking about something you care very little about.

If you lack the inspiration to write a ceremonial speech, remember to tell yourself this: This is not for me, but this is for my audience or the person I care about. You may also see launch speech examples .

Closing Ceremony Speech Example

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We hope you found our article on ceremonial speeches to be informative as well as helpful when you will be writing your own ceremonial speech. You may also see declamation speech .

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1.11: Ceremonial Speaking- Identification, Magnification, Narration

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Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. – Dr. Mardy Grothe psychologist and author

The category of speeches that you are most likely to have to give is ceremonial speeches. Ceremonial speaking, originally called epideictic oratory, includes graduation speeches, wedding speeches, eulogy speeches, after-dinner speeches, award speeches, toast speeches, and tribute speeches. The biggest thing that these have in common is that they have a heavy emphasis on pathos-emotion. When listening to a ceremonial speech, an audience expects to feel something and to feel a part of something. To achieve that, a good ceremonial speech will include identification, narration, and magnification.

In many ways, special occasions are the punctuation marks of life. They are the rituals that draw us together in celebration of some person or event Teri and Michael Gamble communication scholars

This chapter will look at identification, magnification, and narration and how they function in ceremonial speeches to help you prepare to construct a speech of your own.

Types of Ceremonial Speeches

• Speech of Introduction
• Award Speech
• Acceptance Speech
• Graduation Speech
• Tribute Speech (Can be to a person, occasion, or monument)
• Eulogy Speech
• After Dinner Speech
• Toast Speech

Identification

In all speeches, the audience should feel like you are considering their needs, this is especially true in a ceremonial speech. In a ceremonial speech, your audience in some way becomes part of the speech. To achieve this, you should use a lot of phrases like “we” and “our.” In the graduation speech by Matthew McConaughey, he uses “we,” and “you” words over 400 times–that is a lot of identification!

Matthew McConaughey Graduation Speech, A Lesson in Identification

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He uses “you” nearly 250 times and “we” 170 times in a 45-minute speech

• You guys and girls, and young men and women are the reason I’m here.
• I’m really looking forward to talking with you all tonight.
• You heard my dad played football here.
• I thought about what you would want, I thought about what you might need.
• I also thought about what I want to say and what I need to say. Hopefully, we’re both going to be happy on both
• It means you got an education. It means you have more knowledge in a specific subject, vocation. It means you may have more expertise in what your degree is in. But what’s it worth in the job market out there today?
• So, while we’re here, and they’re going to run across the jumbotron, let’s make it a place where we break a sweat. Where we believe, where we enjoy the process of succeeding in the places in ways that we are fashioned to.

Fun fact: Matthew McConaughey is a professor of practice at the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. https://moody.utexas.edu/faculty/matthew-mcconaughey

More Examples of Identification

Here are a few ways that my students used identification in their speeches.

The Survivor Tree, an Elm, still stands as a witness of that day as a symbol of our resilience. The same kind of resilience all Americans have when faced with a tough obstacle to overcome. Tribute to OK City Memorial My grandpa Jack is like the wind. We can’t see him but we can feel him. He is always with us . Lily, Tribute to Grandpa Jack Today, we gather here to honor a famous, and beloved man, Stanley Martin Lieber. W e all knew him as Stan Lee He brought us together He may be gone but we will not forget what for he did for us . David Lester, Tribute to Stan Lee

Tip for Identification

When I do one-on-one speech consultations. I pull up two or three empty chairs and then I ask the person who I am coaching to tell me who is sitting in the chair and listening to their speech. I ask them to show me how that person is included in the speech. I read parts of their speech out loud with them thinking about people in those chairs and then we talk about how we can reword some things to make sure those folks feel included.

Magnification

In addition to identification, ceremonial speeches should contain magnification. Magnification is where you take an attribute of a person, and you magnify it and make it seem larger than life. It is where you highlight a positive attribute of a person or group. This works best if you tap into values that the audience share.

These are the most common magnification themes:

• Triumph over obstacles
• Unusual accomplishment
• Superior performance
• Unselfish motive
• Benefit to society
• The greatness of a simple thing
• Celebrate heroic acts and deeds

It is easiest to understand how these work in a speech by way of example. Watch the following speeches to understand how magnification can be achieved.

Oprah Winfrey's Eulogy to Rosa Parks, A Lesson in Magnification: Triumph Over Obstacle

Magnification is where you make an action larger than life. Notice how Oprah Winfrey elaborates on the action of Rosa Parks and makes it large and heroic.

I grew up in the South, and Rosa Parks was a hero to me long before I recognized and understood the power and impact that her life embodied. I remember my father telling me about this colored woman who had refused to give up her seat. And in my child’s mind, I thought, “She must be really big.” I thought she must be at least a hundred feet tall. I imagined her being stalwart and strong and carrying a shield to hold back the white folks.

…So I thank you again, Sister Rosa, for not only confronting the one white man who[se] seat you took, not only confronting the bus driver, not only for confronting the law, but for confronting history, a history that for 400 years said that you were not even worthy of a glance, certainly no consideration. I thank you for not moving.

And in that moment when you resolved to stay in that seat, you reclaimed your humanity, and you gave us all back a piece of our own.

Bill Clinton’s Eulogy for Muhammad Ali, A Lesson in Magnification: The Greatness of a Simple Thing

Before Mohammad Ali passed, he struggled with tremors. In this eulogy speech, Former President Clinton describes watching him light the Olympic flame. The mere act of walking was a simple thing that was made great by the circumstances.

• Finally after all the years that we have been friends, my enduring image of him is like a little reel in three shots: the boxer I thrilled to as a boy, the man I watched take the last steps to light the Olympic Flame when I was president, and I’ll never forget it, I was sitting there in Atlanta, by then we knew each other, by then I felt that I had some sense of what he was living with, and I was still weeping like a baby, seeing his hands shake and his legs shake and knowing by God he was gonna make those last few steps, no matter what it took. T he flame would be lit. The fight would be won. The spirit would be affirmed. I knew it would happen.

A Lesson in Magnification: Superior Performance

Narration- Tell a Story

In addition to identification and magnification, ceremonial speeches should include stories.

This example is from a University of Arkansas student speech and he is telling the story of picking out his first dog. Notice how the small details help to draw us in and help us to see the event unfold. I left this sample in speech format so you could see how it was written on his manuscript to have a feeling for the rhythm of the speech. (/// slanted lines, signal a pause…the more lines, the longer the pause)

It was a nice day and I can still picture you running towards me when I really try that is

As we approach the house,///

three little girls

accompanied by their father

open a shed door to the side of the property

I rode my Heelys /// down a small

//concrete sidewalk

Excited to see the little balls of fluff

My parents said to pick a good one

So I picked you /// because you bit my shoe.

Bryan Stevenson Tells a Story in an Award Acceptance Speech

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption gave this acceptance speech when winning the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and NonFiction. Notice how his use of narration makes us feel something about his grandmother and then we carry those feelings as he talks about racial justice.

I had a very close relationship with my grandmother. My grandmother was the daughter of people who were enslaved. Her parents were born into slavery in Virginia in the 1840s. She was born in the 1880s, and the only thing that my grandmother insisted that I know about her enslaved father is that he learned to read before emancipation, and that reading is a pathway to survival and success. So I learned to read. I put books and words in my head and in my heart, so that I could get to the places that she needed me to go.

I’m thinking about my grandmother tonight, because she had these qualities about her. She was like lots of African American matriarchs. She was the real force in our family. She was the end of every argument. She was also the beginning of a lot of arguments! She was tough, and she was strong but she was also kind and loving. When I was a little boy, she’d give me these hugs, she’d squeeze me so tightly I could barely breathe. And then she’d see me an hour later and she’d say, “Bryan, do you still feel me hugging you?” And if I said no, she would assault me again!

Did you notice the magnification (the greatness of a simple thing) in learning to read and in hugging?

Did you notice his use of identification by saying, “She was like lots of African American matriarchs?”

Speaking of identification, check out how he uses “we”

We need to change the narrative in this country about race, and poverty. We’re a country that has a difficult time dealing with our shame, our mistakes. We don’t do shame very well in America, and because of that we allow a lot of horrific things to go unaddressed.

Read the whole speech here: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

You can use identification, magnification, and narration in all your speeches, but these three elements are especially important in ceremonial type speeches. Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• Identification means to relate to your audience.
• Magnification means to find traits about the person you are talking about and magnify them.
• Narration means to tell a story to help your audience feel something.
• Ceremonial speeches should always include identification, magnification, and narration.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas

I want to hear from you.

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

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Albanese, A. (2015). Is this the greatest book award acceptance speech ever? Publisher’s Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

Clinton, B. ( 2020). Bill Clinton’s eulogy for Muhammad Ali. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feGjy5bKMb0 Standard YouTube License.

Gamble, T. & Gamble, M.W. (1998). Public Speaking in the Age of Diversity. Allyn and Bacon.

Justis, T. (2019). Photo of graduation speaker, Anna Francis Chandler.

Lester, D. Tribute to Stan Lee. University of Arkansas.

McConaughey, M. (2016). Matthew McConaughey University of Houston Speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmCTQ_mkzHU

Rigsby, R. (2017). The most inspiring speech: The wisdom of a third-grade dropout will change your life. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g Standard YouTube License.

Samovar, L. A., & McDaniel, E. R. (2007). Public speaking in a multicultural society . Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury.

Saylor Academy (2012) . Stand up speak out: The practice and ethics of public speaking. Saylor Academy.

Snippe, E. (2016). 101 quotes to inspire speakers. Angelou, M. Quote. https://speakerhub.com/blog/101-quotes

Thibodeau, P.H and Boroditsky, L. (2011). Metaphors we think with: The role of metaphor in reasoning. Stanford University.

Winfrey, O. (2010). Oprah eulogy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfhtfNfIPE&t=1s Standard YouTube License.

Media Attributions

• Anna-Frances at University of Arkansas Graduation © Tuesdae Justis is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• kelly-miller-BL6XQLZeXpg-unsplash © Kelly Miller is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• mia-anderson-xzE4-0gSYuo-unsplash © Mia Anderson is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license

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14 Ceremonial Speaking

Learning objectives.

• Understand the different types of ceremonial speeches.
• Explain how to deliver a strong ceremonial speech in different contexts.

There are many occasions in which one may be called to speak that do not focus on informing or persuading an audience in the ways we’ve already discussed. Special occasions mark life events, celebrate milestones, and commemorate people and situations. The speeches delivered at these types of events provide perspective on the occasion, help the audience make sense of its significance, and can become a lasting part of the memories formed from the event. Whether you are standing up to give an award speech, a wedding toast, or a eulogy, knowing how to deliver speeches in a variety of different contexts is an important skill of public speaking. In this chapter, we will explore the functions of special occasion speeches, as well as several specific types of special occasion speeches, and four key items to remember when you are asked to deliver one these speeches at an event.

Functions of Special Occasion Speeches

Chris Hill – Chris Hoy – Acceptance Speech – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Entertain and Celebrate

While speeches intended to entertain an audience may be either informative or persuasive, the rhetorical situation often provides a clear indication of when a speech falls into the special occasion category. Consider roasts and toasts; both entertain and celebrate, albeit in different ways. An awards banquet and weddings are examples of special occasions that call for a speaker to present an upbeat, light speech designed to amuse the audience while celebrating a person, event, or situation.

Commemorate

When we think of a speech crafted to commemorate something or someone, perhaps a eulogy is the first type to come to mind. That is likely because a commemorative speech is one of tribute, and often remembrance, such as a eulogy or when a speaker recalls an anniversary or a milestone event. Speeches of commemoration can also include building or monument dedications that are designed to honor the memory of the person or situation that inspired the site.

Often the rhetorical situation calls for a speaker to present words of wisdom and guidance based upon their personal experiences or what they’ve learned through shared experiences of the audience they are addressing. Examples of this kind of inspirational speaking include one you’ve all likely already witnessed, the commencement speech. Another example is a keynote address at a conference or convention. An inaugural address is another type of speech designed to inspire audiences through the promise of the speaker’s vision for the future.

This textbook is dedicated to encouraging students to stand up and speak out and this type of special occasion speech encompasses the speeches in which individuals do just that. Speeches of advocacy focus on goals and values. They are often cause-oriented or crafted to impact policy-setting or change in some way. Speakers present advocacy speeches at special occasions such as fundraisers, campaign rallies, and even protests or marches.

Types of Special Occasion Speeches

If we consider the functions of special occasion speeches we’ve just reviewed, chances are we could come up with a myriad of different types of speeches that could be included in this section. For our purposes, we are going to focus on several special occasion speeches that you are likely to encounter in your academic, professional, and personal lives. By looking at common types of speeches, we hope to enable you with the tools to stand up and speak out in events and situations in which you may find yourselves given a platform to deliver a speech.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of speech is called the speech of introduction. A speech of introduction is a short speech that introduces another speaker. There are two main goals of an introduction speech: to provide a bit of context, including who the speaker is and why that speaker will be giving a speech at the particular event, and to entice the audience to pay attention to what the speaker has to say.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The information should be delivered as concisely but informative as possible. For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three body points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. You may only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. Remember, your role is to be concise and to the point. The speaker is the one who will elaborate on the topic. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible speaker on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Think about what you’ve learned about building ethos and do that for the speaker. Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech.

The final part of a good introduction speech is the conclusion. The conclusion is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the lectern. Many introduction speeches will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Joe Smith’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Mr. Joe Smith.” We’ve known some presenters who will even add a notation to their notes to “start clapping,”  “shake the speaker’s hand,” or “give the speaker a hug” depending on the circumstances of the speech.

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of ceremonial speech is the speech of presentation. A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. A speech of presentation could be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Schuman Public Speaking prize is Wilhelmina Jeffers,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award.

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a political race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight their work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from the winner (as Kanye West did to Taylor Swift during the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards ( https://vimeo.com/173170491 ), you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance. The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. For example, in the above video clip from the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, Taylor Swift starts by expressing her appreciation, gets interrupted by Kanye West, and ends by saying, “I would like to thank the fans and MTV, thank you.” While not a traditional acceptance speech because of the interruption, she did manage to get in the important parts.

There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: thank the givers of the award or honor, thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and put the award or honor into perspective.

First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the academy and all of the academy voters.” Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on their own. We all have families, friends, and/or colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life. A speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you.

Speeches of Dedication

The fourth ceremonial speech is the speech of dedication. A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and those to whom the project has been dedicated.

When preparing the speech of dedication, start by explaining your connection to the project and why you’ve been asked to speak. Next, you want to explain what is being dedicated and who was involved with the project, who made it possible. If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a preexisting structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. You also want to explain why the structure is important and the impact it may have on the local community. For instance, if the dedication is for a new store, you could talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, you could talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

It is likely that if you haven’t yourself given a toast at this point in your life, you’ve witnessed one at a social event. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. Toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something they’ve done. We also toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished. Think about a time when you may have heard someone exclaim “let’s raise our glass!” in honor of someone who may or may not be present at that moment.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given in the course of some festivity (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from the festivity for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being celebrated—not on the speaker. As such, while you are speaking you need to focus your attention on the people you are toasting, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Joan for her achievement.” While that will verbally signal the conclusion of the toast, some occasions may also call for you to physically raise your glass in the direction of the honoree. This action will invite the audience to join in the toast.

A roast is an interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly poke fun at a person being honored. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has created a series of celebrity roasts which showcases public figures jokingly insulting other well-known figures in front of a live audience.

In this clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSE_saVX_2A#action=share ), watch as Stephen Colbert, television host of The Colbert Report, roasts President George W. Bush.

How does one prepare for a roast? You want to think about the person who is being roasted. Do they have any strange habits or amusing stories in their past that you can discuss? When you think through these things, you want to make sure that you cross anything off your list that is truly private information or will really hurt the person. The goal of a roast is to poke fun at them, not embarrass them or tarnish their reputation. When selecting which aspects to highlight in your roast, you want to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes as these are intended to create a fun atmosphere for all. It is up to the speaker to ensure neither the individual being roasted or the audience, is left feeling uncomfortable. Always remember the point of a roast is to honor someone. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate them.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died. If you are asked to deliver a eulogy, it’s important to understand the expectations of this type of speech and ensure you are prepared. You need to be prepared both for the sake of the audience as well as your own. Watch the following clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRsH92sJCr4&feature=youtu.be ) of then-Senator Barack Obama delivering a eulogy at the funeral of civil rights activist Rosa Parks in November of 2005.

In this eulogy, Senator Obama delivers the eulogy by recalling Rosa Park’s importance and her legacy in American history. When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know as much information about the deceased as possible. The more information you have about the person, the more personal you can make the eulogy. While you can rely on your own knowledge if you were close to the deceased, it is always a good idea to ask friends and relatives of the deceased for their memories. Other people’s input may add important facets that may not have occurred to you. Of course, if you were not very close to the deceased, you will need to ask friends and family for information.

Second, although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion of a funeral or memorial service for the deceased, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral will expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing. While eulogies are not roasts, one goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion.

Lastly, remember to tell the deceased’s story. Tell the audience about who this person was and what the person stood for in life. The more personal you can make a eulogy, the more touching it will be for the deceased’s friends and families. The eulogy should remind the audience to celebrate the person’s life as well as mourn their death.

Speeches of Farewell

A speech of farewell allows someone to say goodbye to one part of their life as they move on to the next part of life. Maybe you’ve accepted a new job and are leaving your current job, or you’re graduating from college and entering the workforce. Whatever the case may be, periods of transition are often marked by speeches of farewell. Watch the following clip ( https://youtu.be/HJrlTpQm0to ) of Derek Jeter’s 2008 speech saying farewell to Yankee Stadium, built in 1923, before the New York Yankees moved to the new stadium that opened in 2009.

In this speech, Derek Jeter is not only saying goodbye to Yankee Stadium but also thanking the fans for their continued support. When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank people and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next role in life. In Derek Jeter’s speech, he starts by talking about the history of the 1923 Yankee Stadium and then thanks the fans for their support. You will also want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you.

A farewell speech is a time to commemorate and think about the good times you’ve had, not recount any less pleasant aspects. It’s a good idea to end on a high note. Derek Jeter concludes his speech by saying, “On behalf of this entire organization, we just want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world!” At this point, Jeter and the other players take off their ball caps and hold them up toward the audience.

Inspirational Speaking

The goal of an inspirational speech  is to elicit or arouse an emotional state within an audience. Although other speeches we’ve already explored can incorporate inspirational messages, we will now look at two specific types of inspirational speeches: goodwill and speeches of commencement.

Speeches to Ensure Goodwill

Goodwill is an intangible asset that is made up of the favor or reputation of an individual or organization. Speeches of goodwill are often given in an attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. Although speeches of goodwill are persuasive, they try not to be obvious about the persuasive intent. They are often delivered as information-giving speeches that focus on an individual or organization’s positive attributes.

Speeches for Commencements

The second type of inspirational speech is the speech of commencement, which is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives.  Perhaps you just finished high school and earned your degree, or you recently attended a commencement for a sibling or other family member. If you have not yet attended a commencement ceremony, you will soon as you work toward earning your college degree. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. One famous commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck ).

J.K. Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

• If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is not a specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
• Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
• Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
• Be brief! Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas, and their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
• Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
• Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better. 
Overall, it’s important to make sure that you have fun when delivering a commencement speech. Remember, it’s a tremendous honor and responsibility to be asked to deliver a commencement speech. Take the time to really think through and prepare your speech.

Keynote Speaking

Acumen_ – Keynote Speech – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The last type of special occasion speech we will examine is the keynote speech. A keynote speech is delivered to set the underlying tone and summarize the core message of an event. People who deliver keynote speeches are typically experts in a given area who are invited to speak at a conference, convention, banquet, meeting, or other kinds of events with the purpose of setting a specific tone for the occasion. As mentioned, keynote speeches often are meant to inspire an audience. This inspiration can anything from motivating staff at a sales convention to discussing organizational values and imparting wisdom on a group with a shared goal or purpose.

Some keynote speakers will work for a speakers bureau, an agency that represents celebrity and professional speakers. One important organization for all aspiring keynote speakers is the National Speaker’s Association, or NSA. ( http://www.nsaspeaker.org ). In the world of professional public speaking, there are two common types of keynotes: after-dinner speeches and motivational speeches. Let’s look at each of these unique speeches.

After-Dinner Speeches

Ironically, an after-dinner speech does not have to occur after a formal dinner, though it does get its name from the idea that these speeches historically followed a meal of some kind. After-dinner speakers are generally asked (or hired) to speak because they have the ability both to effectively convey a message and to make people laugh. This characteristic does not mean its only goal is to entertain. The after-dinner speech could serve any of the functions previously detailed in this chapter, and all the basic conventions of public speaking discussed in this text apply to after-dinner speeches. However, the overarching goal of these speeches is to entertain and create a light-hearted, jovial atmosphere.

After-dinner speaking is a challenging type of speaking because it requires a balance of entertainment and humor by providing substantive insight into the topic of the event or situation. Finding this balance will allow speakers to deliver a rewarding speech that leaves a lasting impact on the audience. For an example of an after-dinner speech, read the following speech delivered by Mark Twain on his seventieth birthday: ( https://www.pbs.org/marktwain/learnmore/writings_seventieth.html ).

Here are some things to consider when preparing an after-dinner speech.

First, use all that you have learned about informative or persuasive speeches to prepare for this speech, and then consider the four items of note we will outline later in this chapter for creating a successful special occasion speech. You must prepare, consider the occasion, understand your audience, and be mindful of time constraints surrounding your speech and the event.

Second, remember that this is not an opportunity to try your hand at stand-up comedy. The after-dinner speech has a specific goal or purpose, which you must identify and attempt to accomplish. Doing so requires that your speech has a recognizable structure like your more formal speeches: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. While you ideally want to entertain and amuse your audience, you also want to be sure you achieve your speech goal in the given timeframe.

Motivational Speaking

The second common form of keynote speaking is motivational speaking. A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. Whereas a traditional persuasive speech may attempt to influence listeners to purchase a product or agree with an ideology, a motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, or religious, club, and group contexts. The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking lists four types of motivational speeches: hero, survivor, religious, and success (Slutsky & Aun, 1997).

The hero speech is a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society (e.g. military speakers, political figures, and professional athletes). Just type “motivational speech” into YouTube and you’ll find many motivational speeches given by individuals who can be considered heroes or role models. The following clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMlmbz8-_Xg ) presents a speech by Steve Sax, a former major league baseball player.

In this speech, Sax talks about his life as a baseball player, along with issues related to leadership, overcoming obstacles, and motivation.

The survivor speech is a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcome serious adversity. In the following clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NasfjwL8wTc ), Becky Olson discusses her life as a cancer survivor.

Becky Olson goes all over the country talking with and motivating cancer survivors to beat the odds.

The final type of motivational speech is the success speech, which is given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful. In the following clip ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E52eIa1VSgQ ), the then CEO of Xerox, Anne Mulcahy, speaks before a group of students at the University of Virginia discussing the spirit of entrepreneurship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E52eIa1VSgQ

In this speech, Mulcahy shares the leadership lessons she had learned as the CEO of Xerox

Review of the Types of Special Occasion Speeches

A speech of introduction is a short speech that introduces another speaker.

A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor.

The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor.

A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and those to whom the project has been dedicated.

A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember.

A roast speech is designed to both praise and good-naturedly poke fun at a person being honored.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died.

A s peech of farewell allows someone to say goodbye to one part of their life as they move on to the next part of life.

An inspirational speech  elicits an emotional state within an audience. Inspirational speeches include speeches to ensure goodwill and commencement addresses.

A keynote speech is delivered to set the underlying tone and summarize the core message of an event. Keynote speeches include after-dinner and motivational speeches.

Delivering Your Special Occasion Speech

Special occasion speeches may be common, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require effort and preparation. A frequent trap is that people often do not consider the impact these speeches can have on the occasion. For instance, a wedding toast not only leaves a lasting impression on the couple getting married but also all of the guests in attendance (not to mention it will likely be recorded and posted on social media). As a result, one may not prepare seriously but instead, stand up to speak with the idea that they can “wing it” by acting silly and telling a few jokes. Rather than being entertaining or commemorating the occasion, the speech appears ill-prepared and falls flat. To help us think through how to be effective in delivering special occasion speeches, let’s look at four key items to remember: preparation, adaptation to the occasion, adaptation to the audience, and mindfulness about the time.

First, and foremost, the biggest mistake you can make when standing to deliver a ceremonial speech is to be underprepared or simply not prepare at all. We’ve stressed the need for preparation throughout this text, so just because you’re giving a wedding toast or a eulogy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think through the speech before you stand up and speak out. If the situation is impromptu, even jotting some basic notes on a napkin is better than not having any plan for what you are going to say. Remember, when you get anxious, as inevitably happens in front of an audience, your brain doesn’t function as well as when you are having a relaxed conversation with friends. You often forget information. By writing down some simple notes, you’ll be poised to deliver a more thoughtful speech that matches the needs of the occasion.

Consider the Occasion

Not all content is appropriate for all occasions. If you are asked to deliver a speech commemorating the first anniversary of a school shooting, then obviously using humor and telling jokes is not appropriate. But some decisions about adapting to the occasion are less obvious. Consider the following examples:

• You are the maid of honor giving a toast at the wedding of your younger sister.
• You are receiving a Most Valuable Player award in your favorite sport.
• You are a sales representative speaking to a group of clients after a mistake has been discovered.
• You are a cancer survivor speaking at a high school student assembly.

How might you adapt your message and speaking style to successfully mark each occasion in front of the various audiences in attendance? 
Remember that being a competent speaker is about being both personally effective and socially appropriate. Different occasions will call for different speech functions. As a speaker, it is important to understand the needs of the occasion and adapt your content accordingly. One of the biggest mistakes speakers can make is to deliver one generic speech to different groups without adapting the speech to the specific 
occasion. In fact, professional speakers always make sure that their speeches are tailored to each specific occasion by asking questions and investigating the details of each event or situation. When we customize our speech for the special occasion, people are more likely to remember the speech than if we give a generic speech.

Consider Your Audience

Understanding your audience remains one of the most critical aspects of preparing your speech for any occasion. Different audiences will respond differently to speech material. The more you know about your audience and the more you are able to adapt your content to their needs and wants, the more likely your speech will have an impact and you will effectively achieve your speaking goal. One of the coauthors of this text was at a conference specifically for teachers of public speaking. The keynote speaker stood and delivered a speech on the importance of public speaking. Remember, a function of keynote speaking is to inspire the audience. Though this particular speaking was highly informed on the topic and even entertained the audience, the speech did not go over very well with the audience. Why do you think this was? Speaking to an audience of public speaking instructors, a safe assumption is that they already believe in the importance of the subject. Thus, we can also assume that the speaker may not have considered the audience when preparing the speech, and therefore it is likely the keynote did not fulfill its function of inspiring them.

Be Mindful of the Time

There are very few times in life, whether it be academic, professional, or personal, that you will be given an infinite amount of time to do anything. This is an important consideration to keep in mind when preparing your special occasion speech (as well as your informative and persuasive speeches!). Special occasions often consist of more than just speeches. Each has its own conventions and rules with regard to time. Acceptance speeches and toasts, for example, should be relatively short (typically under five minutes). A speech of introduction should be extremely brief, just long enough to tell the audience what they need to know about the person being introduced and prepares them to appreciate that person’s remarks. Conversely, commemorative speeches, commencement speeches, and keynote addresses tend to be longer as they include more content and have different goals.

When it comes to speech timing, the other three items we’ve discussed in this section can come in very handy. With preparation and practice, you can ensure your speech adheres to a specific timeframe. Considering your occasion and understanding your audience will also help you when crafting your speech and determining an appropriate amount of time for speaking. Think about a wedding you’ve attended when a toast honoring the couple has gone on and on and on, and everyone, including the happy couple, just wanted to get up and dance. There are also examples of instances when an audience may have been eager to be inspired and motivated but left disappointed when the speaker presented a quick and vapid speech. It can go either way, and that’s why it is important to be prepared, consider the occasion, and understand your audience.

It is also perfectly acceptable to ask questions about the expected time frame for a speech. Either ask the person who has invited you to speak, or you can do some quick research to see what the average speech times in the given context tend to be.

Slutsky, J., & Aun, M. (1997). The Toastmasters International® guide to successful speaking: Overcoming your fears, winning over your audience, building your business & career. Chicago, IL: Dearborn Financial Publishing.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2017 by Josh Miller; Marnie Lawler-Mcdonough; Megan Orcholski; Kristin Woodward; Lisa Roth; and Emily Mueller is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Ceremonial Speech: A Step-by-Step Guide

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To deliver a memorable speech, it's critical to have a clear understanding of the essential elements of a ceremonial speech. Whether you're delivering a eulogy, a graduation speech, or a wedding toast, the tone, audience, and purpose must align. In this guide, we'll explore each of these critical components in greater detail and provide you with practical tips to help you craft an impactful and inspiring ceremonial speech.

Understanding the Purpose of a Ceremonial Speech

A ceremonial speech is a powerful tool that can be used to celebrate and honor a specific event or person. It is a unique type of speech that requires a deep understanding of its purpose to create a successful one. The main objective of a ceremonial speech is not only to inspire and motivate the audience but also to evoke a sense of unity and joy.

At its core, a ceremonial speech is a way of commemorating an important event or person. It is an opportunity to bring people together and celebrate something significant. Whether it's a wedding, a graduation, or an awards ceremony, a ceremonial speech is an essential part of the event.

Types of Ceremonial Speeches

There are several types of ceremonial speeches, and each requires a unique approach. Eulogies, for example, are speeches given at funerals or memorial services to honor and remember the deceased. Wedding toasts, on the other hand, are given to celebrate the union of two people in love.

Graduation speeches are another type of ceremonial speech that is given to inspire and motivate graduates as they embark on a new chapter in their lives. Awards speeches are speeches given to recognize and honor the achievements of an individual or group. Celebratory speeches, on the other hand, are given to mark a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary.

The Importance of Tone and Emotion

Ceremonial speeches are an opportunity to connect with your audience on an emotional level. Whether you're aiming to inspire, comfort, or entertain, you must strike the appropriate tone. You want people to leave your speech feeling uplifted and energized, so investing time into your emotional appeal can make a world of difference to the success of your speech.

One of the most critical aspects of a ceremonial speech is its emotional impact. The tone of your speech must be appropriate for the occasion, and you must use language that resonates with your audience. You want to create a sense of unity and joy, so it's essential to use positive and uplifting language.

The delivery of your speech is also crucial. You must be confident, engaging, and passionate about your topic. Your body language, eye contact, and vocal tone all play a significant role in the success of your speech. You want to connect with your audience and make them feel like they are a part of the celebration.

In conclusion, a ceremonial speech is a powerful tool that can be used to celebrate and honor a specific event or person. It requires a deep understanding of its purpose, the appropriate tone, and emotional impact to be successful. By investing time and effort into your speech, you can create a memorable experience that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is essential to deliver an impactful speech. You must consider the demographics, their emotional state, and the atmosphere. Only then can you tailor your message and approach to ensure it resonates with them.

Analyzing Your Audience

Consider the following when analyzing your audience:

• Educational and professional background
• Expectations
• Emotional state
• How they feel towards the occasion or person being celebrated

Adapting Your Speech to the Occasion

Your speech should be in line with the occasion being celebrated. For instance, a eulogy must be somber, respectful, and celebratory. In contrast, a wedding toast needs to be more lively and humorous. Understanding the tone and atmosphere will help ensure that your speech hits the right notes.

Research and Preparation

Researching and preparing ensure that you have the necessary information to write an impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Gathering Relevant Information

Gather as much information as possible about the occasion or person being celebrated. This could include milestones, accomplishments, and stories that serve as a source of inspiration.

Organizing Your Ideas

Once you have gathered sufficient information, organize your ideas into a logical and coherent structure. This will make it easier to remember, and it will make your speech more engaging.

Crafting a Compelling Introduction

A powerful introduction is critical to make an impression and set the tone for your speech. A weak one can lead to the audience tuning out or not connecting with your message.

Attention-Grabbing Techniques

There are several ways to grab your audience's attention in your introduction. You can start with a quote, a personal story, or a rhetorical question. Choose a method that aligns with your message and resonates with your audience.

Establishing Credibility and Relatability

Establishing your credibility is an essential aspect of making an impression on your audience. Highlight your credentials, personal experiences, or why you were asked to give the speech, amongst others.

Developing the Body of Your Speech

The body of your speech provides an opportunity to elaborate on your message and connect with your audience on an emotional level.

Structuring Your Main Points

The structure of your speech is critical. Choose a logical and coherent sequence that follows a natural flow of ideas. You can use an outline to ensure that your structure makes sense.

Using Anecdotes and Examples

Connecting with your audience's emotions requires the use of anecdotes and examples. Share stories that appeal to the audience's emotions and be relatable.

Balancing Emotion and Logic

While emotions are essential, it's crucial to balance them with logical and factual information. Marrying both ensures that your speech not only resonates with your audience but is also impactful.

ChatGPT Prompt for Writing a Ceremonial Speech

Use the following prompt in an AI chatbot . Below each prompt, be sure to provide additional details about your situation. These could be scratch notes, what you'd like to say or anything else that guides the AI model to write a certain way.

Compose a formal and dignified speech that is intended to mark a significant occasion or event, such as a graduation, inauguration, or awards ceremony. This speech should be carefully crafted to convey a sense of importance and reverence, and should be designed to inspire and uplift the audience. Your speech should be well-structured, with a clear and compelling introduction, a well-supported body, and a memorable conclusion. You should also use appropriate language and tone, and incorporate relevant anecdotes, quotes, and other rhetorical devices to enhance the impact of your message.

[ADD ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. CAN USE BULLET POINTS.]

Crafting a great ceremonial speech requires research, preparation, and a clear understanding of your audience, tone, and purpose. By following the guidelines highlighted in this guide, you can create a memorable speech that inspires, motivates, and connects with your audience emotionally. Remember, practice delivers the perfect speech.

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How to write ceremonial speeches.

Whether you're there to introduce, dedicate or accept, your ceremonial speech should leave no doubt as to why you and your audience have gathered.

It's your big moment. The spotlight shines on you as you step to the lectern. Whether you are introducing someone to an audience, dedicating something or accepting an award, all eyes are fixed on you and all ears are ready to hear your magic words. How do you prepare for a moment like this?

Writing good ceremonial speeches is tough, partly because your goals are uncertain.

The audience expects you to say: "It's a pleasure to introduce ... ," "I dedicate ... " or "I accept ... " But still, what is your speech supposed to accomplish? And how do you link it to the audience's concerns? And hold their interests? Here are some ways that can help you give creative ceremonial speeches:

Introductions (Also Tributes And Testimonials)

Your introduction should:

• Give the audience a sense of the speaker's topic.
• Familiarize the audience with the speaker's personality and accomplishments, especially those that are relevant to the topic.
• Create a sense of anticipation for both the speaker and the topic.

General principles:

Keep it short. Speak for one to three minutes, depending on how well your audience already knows the speaker. Resist the temptation to list all of the speaker's accomplishments.

Finesse the obvious. If important biographical details are already familiar to most of the audience, preface them with "As we all know ... " or some similar expression.

Be relentlessly positive. Never miss a chance to sincerely compliment the speaker. Make sure your introduction contains nothing that may be derogatory, condescending or uncomplimentary. Humorous anecdotes are fine as long as they reflect positively on the speaker.

Strategies for beginning your introduction:

Use a quote. Look for a gem of a quote about your speaker; use it as a springboard for the rest of your introduction. "One year and 11 days ago, the man who is our guest speaker this afternoon, Bob Jones, became Chief Executive Officer of XYZ Corp. The New York Times called him 'one of the most versatile and multi-talented executives to reach the company's top office.' It's not difficult to see why the paper came to that conclusion."

From general to specific. Begin with the speaker's organization, cause or topic. Tell the audience what it is and why it's important. Then move into your discussion of the speaker.

Birthdays and birth-mates. Check Chase's Calendar of Events (published annually by McGraw-Hill) or go on the Internet to readily see who has the same birthday as your speaker. You may find that the speaker has something else in common with his or her "birth-mate."

Conference theme. If your speaker is part of a program or conference, begin with some comments on the theme of the conference, then tie the speaker's remarks to it.

Ultimate impact. Begin with the ultimate impact of the speaker's organization, cause or key concern. What would society be like if the organization realized its mission? Why (if it's not obvious) would that be a good thing? Then talk about the speaker who's going to help make it all happen.

Business connection. Is the speaker's business tied in some way to that of your organization or company? Is it a longtime client? Supplier? Partner in success? What has the relationship meant to you?

"And he was so right!" Did any of your speaker's philosophies, positions or policies turn out to be correct - or even prophetic? Which one? And how?

Speaker/introducer connection. Perhaps you and the speaker have something in common (hobbies, career progress/events, travel, birthplace, business/political philosophy). What does that say about both of you? Why is it of interest to the audience?

After your opening, you can organize the rest in one of two ways:

1. Enumerate the positives. Make each of the speaker's virtues the topic sentence of a paragraph. Then fill the rest of the paragraph with biographical or anecdotal material that demonstrates the validity of the topic sentence. For example:

[Characteristic] "Ross Perot is a triumphant entrepreneur in the best of the American tradition ... [Illustrations] from his humble beginnings in Texas, delivering newspapers on horseback ... to the presidency of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy ... to an exceptional sales career at IBM ... to the founding of his own company, EDS."

The more important the characteristic, the more time you should spend on it.

2. Biography, then personality. First give the highlights of your speaker's life and career, then talk about him or her as a person. Make a clear transition between the two. "Well, so much for what our speaker is. Now what can I tell you about who he is?" Put the personal part last, as if to say, "This is what's really important."

Summarize and build to a climax.

The ending is key. It must build to a climax. It should summarize the speaker's strengths, virtues and accomplishments and ideally, raise the listeners' sense of anticipation to the point where they just can't wait for the speech to begin.

"What it all comes down to is that John Sawhill represents that all-too-rare combination of thinker, doer and leader, and this - plus all of his expertise and experience in energy and the environment - makes him practically a natural resource unto himself! Ladies and gentlemen ... the President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy ... Dr. John C. Sawhill."

Perhaps there's a quote that reveals how important those strengths and accomplishments are.

"There's an old proverb that says, 'If you wish to know what a man is, place him in authority.' Well, as Bob Jones has risen from one level to the next, we've seen exactly what he is. He is a superb business manager. And he is an enthusiastic, confident leader who understands the dynamics of a tightly competitive, global industry - and knows how to be successful in it."

Stretch out that final sentence with the speaker's full name and full title, and if appropriate, a personal side: "Please join me in welcoming ... the President and Chief Operating Officer of XYZ Corp ... and a man I'm proud to call my colleague and friend ... Robert L. Jones."

The last sentence of your introduction should contain a clear applause sign for example, "Please join me in welcoming ... " or "It's a pleasure to welcome ...." For variations, listen to the way entertainers introduce people. These are the formulas that your audience expects to hear.

Dedications And Commemorations

This category includes welcoming remarks; dedications of buildings, monuments and other facilities; and groundbreakings, ribbon-cuttings, unveilings, anniversaries, commemorations and other milestones (such as the millionth product to come off an assembly line).

Be specific about what you're celebrating. "So today, we dedicate this marker to Walter Chrysler ... to his vision of building 'one carriage in as nearly perfect a manner as possible' ... and the millions of outstanding Chryslers and, more important, to the people of Chrysler who have made that vision a reality."

Global view. Explain how what you're dedicating or commemorating fits in with or fulfills some larger plan - or accomplishes some ultimate goal.

Talk symbolically. What does the thing you're celebrating stand for? What is its larger meaning? "This facility symbolizes the synergy of traditional manufacturing and modem systems engineering ... the spirit of innovation that runs deep in both of our organizations ... and the progress that we've made and will continue to make together."

New facility, same people. If you're dedicating a new facility staffed by current employees, focus on them. Credit them for achievements in the old facility - or for what they've accomplished so far in the new one. Talk about what has (or has not) changed. This very effective approach enables you to show familiarity - and thus to bond - with your audience, but it must be executed with care.

Award Acceptances

You're being honored. The award citation may be downright lavish in its praise, so show modesty, emotion and appreciation for the organization.

Show modesty. You can quote someone on modesty or humility: "At moments like this, remember a piece of advice from Golda Meir: 'Don't be so humble,' she said. 'You're not that great.' Or find someone else to share the glory with, whoever did the real nuts-and-bolts work or whoever helped make you worthy of the award. "I accept, with pleasure and gratitude ... not just for myself, but also on behalf of all the true leaders in my company and throughout American business and industry - in recognition of all that they have done to maintain the conscience of our corporations and to promote human dignity and social justice."

Talk about the cause. If the award represents excellence or achievement in or advancement of a cause, offer perspective on that cause. How is it faring? Where should it go from here?

Interpret the event; praise the values. What are we really doing here? Why is the award important and what values does it reflect? If possible, link those values to current events, to demonstrate their undying relevance. "What we're doing here today is more than an awards ceremony, as enjoyable as that is ... and more than a fund-raising event. By singling out Good Scouts, we send a message that 'this is the kind of society we want to have' - a society that respects individual achievement and takes pride in the values associated with Scouting itself."

Historical precedent. Look at the history of the organization or its cause. Have others, perhaps in the early days, had the feelings, thoughts and ideas that you and the audience are now sharing? Try to create a connection between past and present.

End by thanking the organization again. Show positive emotion such as hope for the continuing success of the organization and its causes. "Let me close by thanking you once again for this award. I accept it with the hope that someday brotherhood and sisterhood will need no publicity ... that someday a 'humanitarian award' will be just as superfluous as an award for getting up each morning."

The Golden Rule Of Ceremonial Speech Writing

All effective ceremonial speeches have one thing in common: They interpret the event.

The traditional marriage ceremony begins with "we are gathered together to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony." It comes right to the point. Similarly, whether you're there to introduce, dedicate or accept, your ceremonial speech should leave no doubt as to why you and your audience have gathered. It should tell the listeners what thoughts and feelings are appropriate to such a meeting. It should leave them with an understanding of the larger meaning of the ceremony. If you can do that, your ceremonial speech will transcend platitudes and have real meaning. Your listeners' lives will be different because they have heard your magic words.

By Alan _ Parlman

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the purpose and goals of special occasion speeches;
• Identify the types of special occasion speeches;
• Understand the proper techniques for creating an aesthetic experience when delivering a special occasion speech.

Sometimes, the speaking opportunities life brings our way have nothing to do with informing or persuading an audience; instead, we are asked to speak during special occasions in our lives. Whether you are standing up to give a speech at an awards ceremony or create a tribute, knowing how to create an effective aesthetic experience in a variety of different contexts is the nature of ceremonial (or special occasion) speaking.

The goal of a ceremonial speech is to captivate an audience and create a felt sense in response to the situation or occasion. The occasion will, of course, inform what kind of experience the speaker is creating, and different occasions have different expectations for speakers based on values that they rely on: inspiring, commemorating, accepting, or unifying.

You’ve likely experienced a ceremonial speech as an audience member—perhaps lots! If you attended a campus orientation, the chancellor or provost may have welcomed you in a formal speech. Attend a wedding? If so, toasts likely occurred. The more special occasion speeches you audience, the more you’ll realize that effective speaking means “giving the people what they want,” so to speak – it means crafting and delivering a speech that reflects the occasion.

On face, special occasion speaking may seem detached from advocacy, but remember: when you speak at a special occasion, it’s your job to bring the community together by elevating and advocating for a perspective that’s appropriate to the contextual values. If you’re giving a tribute to someone, for example, you’re advocating for the audience to view them in a particular light – likely a positive one that honors their accomplishments and contributions. You’re speaking about something or someone that you believe in.

In this chapter, we are going to explore what special occasion speeches are, types of speeches, and strategies for effective language and aesthetic delivery.

Types of Special Occasion Speeches

Special occasion speeches cover broad territory and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. We won’t cover all types of special occasion speeches, but the information below should assist as you approach speaking at different ceremonial events.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction , which is a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker. Few things are worse than an introduction that says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Wyatt’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and you should do it all in under two minutes.

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of special occasion speech is the speech of presentation. A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Lavache Public Speaking prize is Ryann Curley,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award.

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself.

The following format can assist as you craft speeches of presentation:

• First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important.
• Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight their work.
• Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

Acceptance speeches complement a speech of presentation. The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor.

There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance:

• Thank the givers of the award or honor: You want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the Academy and all the Academy voters.”
• Thank those who helped you achieve your goal: You want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on their own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals.
• Put the award or honor into perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an acceptance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

After-Dinner Speeches

After-dinner speeches are humorous speeches that make a serious point. These speeches get their name from the fact that they historically follow a meal of some kind. After-dinner speakers are generally asked to speak (or hired to speak) because they have the ability both to speak effectively and to make people laugh. First and foremost, after-dinner speeches are speeches and not stand-up comedy routines. All the basic conventions of public speaking previously discussed in this text apply to after-dinner speeches, but the overarching goal of these speeches is to be entertaining and to create an atmosphere of amusement.

After-dinner speaking is an extremely difficult type of speaking to do well because it is an entertaining speech that depends on the successful delivery of humor. People train for years to develop comic timing, or the verbal and nonverbal delivery used to enhance the comedic value of a message. But after-dinner speaking is difficult, not impossible.

You may be wondering, “What kind of topics are serious that I can joke about?” The answer to that, like the answer to most everything else in the book, is dependent on your audience and the speaking situation, which is to say any topic will work, while at the same time you need to be very careful about how you choose your topic.

Be careful not to focus too much on comedy and forget to leave the audience with a serious message. When you’re considering content, ask, “what do I want to leave the audience with? How can I tie that message together?” Once you have a core idea, begin working outward and find comedic entrances.

Keynote Address

A keynote address is a speech focused on a key theme or idea—generally defined by the event or occasion— with the purpose of unification. Speakers are commonly selected to give a keynote if they have expertise or experience in the theme or idea being presented.

Because the keynote likely takes place at a larger event, convention, institution, etc., it’s important to pay attention to circumstances and make sure that your information elevates the ideas from that event. For example, if you’re speaking at a convention, who’s there? What’s the convention theme? Who else is speaking? This information will help you tailor your content to fit the occasion and audience (we talk more about this in the last sections of this chapter).

Commemorative Speeches

Commemorative speeches encompass a broad range of occasions, and their purpose is to commemorate an extraordinary person, place, thing, or idea. Commemorative speeches allow you to pay tribute publicly by honoring, remember, or memorializing. For example, commemorative speeches include:

• Paying tribute to a local art teacher;
• Toasting your boss at the company’s retirement party;
• Honoring the founder at a national convention.

When you commemorate, your focus is highlighting the thing being commemorated through a dedication, toast, eulogy, or a commencement address. While we won’t list every type of commemorative speech, if you’re honoring or paying tribute, you’re likely delivering a commemorative address.

We’ll talk through some specific commemorative speeches below, but remember that the focus of commemorative speeches is the person, place, thing, or idea, so stay focused on connecting the audience to the specific occasion.

Speeches of Dedication

A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated. Maybe your great-aunt has passed away and opted to donate funds to your university, so the college has decided to rename one of the residence halls after them. In this case, you may be asked to speak at the dedication.

When preparing a speech of dedication:

• Start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience that the building is being named after your great-aunt who bestowed a gift to their alma mater.
• Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated, why, and who was involved in the project.
• Lastly, explain why the project is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide to the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. Toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something that they have done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given during the middle of some kind of festivities (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker. Finally, if you’re being asked to toast, it likely means you have a noteworthy personal or professional relationship with the person or people involved, so make it personal!

As such, while you are speaking, you need to focus your attention toward the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

Speeches to Eulogize and Memorialize

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has passed away. Closely related, speeches that memorialize are longer speeches that celebrate and honor the person or group of individuals on a significant date – Veterans Day, for example.

When preparing, gather and brainstorm meaningful information about the person. The more information you have about the person, the more personal you can make the eulogy. Second, although eulogies and speeches that memorialize are delivered on the serious and sad occasion of a funeral or service, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral will expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing.

Knowing the deceased and the audience is vital when deciding on the type and amount of humor to use in a eulogy. A story that everyone can appreciate is often recommended. Ultimately, the goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion.

If you are ever asked to give a eulogy, that means you were probably close to the deceased and are experiencing shock, sadness, and disbelief at your loved one’s passing. The last thing that you will want to do (or be in a mental state to do) is figure out how to structure your eulogy. To that end, here are three parts of a eulogy (i.e. main points) you can use to write one without worrying about being original with structure or organizational patterns.

Using the Praise-Lament-Console format for eulogies gives you a simple system where you can fill in the sections with 1) why was the person good, 2) why you will miss them, and 3) how you and the audience will get through this loss. It sometimes also helps to think of the three points in terms of Past-Present-Future: you will praise the deceased for what they did when they were alive (the past), lament the loss you are feeling now (the present), and console your audience by letting them know that things will be all right (the future).

Commencement Address

A speech of commencement (or, as it is more commonly known, a “commencement speech”) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typically take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content:

• If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Think of a theme as something that ties the content of your speech together. For example, one of our authors was the commencement speaker at her undergraduate institution, and she used the “yellow brick road” as a metaphor for progress.
• Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
• Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh (but be appropriate, of course!).
• Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
• Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.

Overall, it’s important to make sure that you have fun when delivering a commencement speech. Remember, it’s a huge honor and responsibility to be asked to deliver a commencement speech, so take the time to really think through and prepare your speech.

It is not unrealistic to think that you will be called upon at various points in your life to give one or more of these speeches. Knowing the types and basic structures will help when those moments arise.

To help us think through how to be effective in delivering special occasion speeches, let’s look at preparation and aesthetics.

Preparing for Special Occasion Speaking

First, and foremost, the biggest mistake you can make when standing to deliver a special occasion speech is to underprepared or simply not prepare at all. We’ve stressed the need for preparation throughout this text, and just because you’re giving a toast or a eulogy doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t think through the speech before you stand up and speak out. If the situation is impromptu, jotting some basic notes on a napkin is better than not having any plan for what you are going to say.

To guarantee effective and efficient preparation, make sure you’re comfortable and understand the expectations of the occasion, audience, and be mindful of time. Now that you have a better understanding of the types of special occasion speaking, use the following suggestions as you prepare.

Adapt to the Occasion

Not all content is appropriate for all occasions. If you are asked to deliver a speech commemorating the first anniversary of a school shooting, then obviously using humor and telling jokes wouldn’t be appropriate. But some decisions about adapting to the occasion are less obvious. Consider the following examples:

•You are the maid of honor giving a toast at the wedding of your younger sister.

•You are introducing a long-time community activity.

•You are delivering the commencement address at your university.

How might you adapt your message to account for these occasions? After reading through types of special occasion speeches, you should have a better idea of how expectations may change depending on the occasion.

Remember that being a competent speaker is about being both personally effective and socially appropriate. Different occasions will call for different levels of social appropriateness. One of the biggest mistakes entertaining speakers can make is to deliver one generic speech to different groups without adapting the speech to the specific occasion. In fact, professional speakers always make sure that their speeches are tailored for different occasions by getting information about the occasion from their hosts. When we tailor speeches for special occasions, people are more likely to remember those speeches than if we give a generic speech.

Adapt to Your Audience

Once again, we cannot stress the importance of audience adaptation enough in this text. Different audiences will respond differently to speech material, so the more you know about your audience, the more likely you’ll succeed in your speech.

Like we mentioned above, special occasions often unify the community or audience, and in order for that to be effective, you must be reflexive about a) who your audience is and b) any audiences you may be representing.

One of our coauthors was once at a conference for teachers of public speaking. The keynote speaker stood and delivered a speech on the importance of public speaking. While the speaker was good and funny, the speech really fell flat. The keynote speaker basically told the public speaking teachers that they should take public speaking courses because public speaking is important. Right speech, wrong audience!

Be Mindful of the Time

The last major consideration when preparing for special occasion speeches successfully is to be mindful of your time. Different speech situations have their own conventions and rules with regard to time.

Audiences on different occasions will expect speeches of various lengths. For example, although it’s true that graduation commencement speakers generally speak for ten to twenty minutes, the closer that speaker heads toward twenty minutes the more fidgety the audience becomes. To hold the audience’s attention, a commencement speaker would do well to make the closing minutes of the speech the most engaging and inspiring portion of the speech. If you’re not sure about the expected time frame for a speech, either ask the person who has invited you to speak or do some quick research to see what the average speech times in the given context tend to be.

It’s important to consider all elements of the aesthetic experience for the audience when preparing for a special occasion speech. In fact, audiences often expect to leave with the feels after special occasion speeches, so attention to language and aesthetic delivery are key.

Special Occasion Language

Special occasion speaking is so firmly rooted in the use of good language that it makes sense to address it here. More than any other category of speech, the special occasion speech is arguably one where the majority of your preparation time will be specifically allocated towards the words you choose, and you should spend ample time crafting emotional and evocative phrases that convey the sentiment your speech is meant to impart. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t have used good language in your informative and persuasive speeches, but that the emphasis shifts slightly in a special occasion speech.

Paying attention to your language doesn’t mean “I should use big words!” Do not touch a thesaurus! Good language isn’t about trying to impress us with fancy words. It’s about taking the words you are already comfortable and familiar with and putting them in the best possible order.

Consider the following example from the then-president of the Ohio State University, Gordon Gee, giving a commencement address at Florida State University in 1997:

As you look back on your years at Florida State I hope you remember many good things that have happened. These experiences are, for the most part, events of the mind. The memories, ladies and gentlemen, however, are treasures of the heart.

Notice three things about his use of language: first, he doesn’t try to use any fancy words, which he certainly could if he wanted to. Every word in this portion of his speech is one that all of us knew by the time we left elementary school, so again, don’t mistake big words for good language. Using a five-syllable word when a two-syllable word will work just as well often means a speaker is trying too hard to sound smart. And given that the use of those big words often comes off sounding awkward or inappropriate, you’re better off just sticking with what you know.

Second, notice how he uses those basic words to evoke emotion and wonderment – “treasures of the heart.” Putting the words you know into the best possible order, when done well, will make your speech sound extremely eloquent and emotional.

Third, he uses parallelism in this brief snippet. The use of “events of the mind” and “treasures of the heart” to compare what is truly important about the college experience is powerful. Indeed, Gee’s commencement is full of various rhetorical devices, with the twelve-minute speech, including alliteration.

As you know, your language is part of the aesthetic experience for the audience, so it’s a must-have for special occasion speeches.

Verbal and Nonverbal Delivery

Just as the language for special occasion speaking is slightly different, so too are the ways in which you will want to deliver your speech. First and foremost, since you will be spending so much time crafting the perfect language to use and putting your words in the right order, it is imperative that you say exactly what you have written; otherwise, what was the point? To that end, your delivery for a special occasion speech may skew slightly more in favor of manuscript speaking. While it is still vital to establish eye contact with your audience and to not sound like you are reading, it is also important to get the words exactly right.

So, you guessed it, rehearse! You need to know what you are going to say and feel comfortable knowing what is coming next. This is not to say you should have your speech memorized, but you need to be able to take your eyes off the page in order to establish and maintain a rapport with your audience. Raprot is a vital element in special occasion speaking because of the emotional component at the core of these speeches. Knowing your speech will also allow you to counteract the flow of adrenaline into your system, something particularly important given that special occasion speeches tend to be very emotional, not just for the audience, but for you as well.

One note: humor is often used in special occasion speeches, and when you’re funny, people laugh! It can be difficult to account for laughter in your rehearsal, but try to predict where you may need to pause. If you speak over laughter, your audience will miss what you’ve said and may find it difficult to follow moving forward.

Basically, knowing your speech well allows you to incorporate the emotion that a special occasion speech is meant to convey, something that is hard to do when you read the entirety of your speech. In this way your audience will sense the pride you feel for a graduating class during a commencement speech, the sorrow you feel for the deceased during a eulogy, or the gratitude you have when accepting an award.

Special occasion speaking is the most varied type of speaking to cover; however, there are some general rules to keep in mind regardless of what type you are engaged in. Remember that using good, evocative language is key, and that it is important that you deliver your speech in a way that both conveys the proper emotion for the occasion and allows you to give the speech exactly as you wrote it.

Speak Out, Call In: Public Speaking as Advocacy Copyright © 2019 by Meggie Mapes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Public Speaking Helpline

Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speaking is a form of public speaking that focuses on formal occasions and special events. It involves delivering speeches, toasts, or presentations in a manner that is both respectful and engaging to the audience.

In ceremonial speaking, speakers often use rhetorical techniques to create a memorable and impactful experience. This type of speaking requires careful planning, thoughtful content, and effective delivery to successfully convey the desired message and create a lasting impression. Whether it is a wedding toast, a graduation ceremony, or an awards banquet, ceremonial speaking plays a significant role in bringing people together and honoring the occasion.

We will explore the key elements of ceremonial speaking and provide tips for delivering a successful speech that resonates with the audience.

Table of Contents

The Art Of Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speaking is an art form that dates back centuries, serving as a powerful way to communicate and inspire. It is the art of delivering speeches or presentations at special events or formal occasions, such as weddings, graduations, award ceremonies, and conferences.

Understanding Ceremonial Speaking

In ceremonial speaking, the spoken word carries great significance. It is designed to enhance the atmosphere and create a memorable experience for the audience. Whether it’s delivering a heartfelt toast or delivering a commencement address, ceremonial speakers have a unique role to both entertain and provoke emotions.

Ceremonial speaking requires the speaker to have a deep understanding of their audience and the occasion itself. They must carefully craft their message to resonate with the listeners, leaving a lasting impact. Throughout history, renowned ceremonial speakers have captivated audiences with their eloquence, wit, and ability to connect on an emotional level.

Importance Of Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speaking plays a vital role in various events and occasions. It serves as a means to honor individuals, celebrate milestones, and unite people in a shared experience. By delivering a well-crafted speech, a ceremonial speaker can set the tone, inspire change, and leave a lasting impression on the minds of the audience.

The importance of ceremonial speaking lies in its ability to create a sense of unity and connection among the listeners. It has the power to uplift spirits, inspire action, and foster a sense of belonging. A skilled ceremonial speaker can capture the attention of the audience, draw them into the moment, and leave them feeling empowered and motivated.

In conclusion, the art of ceremonial speaking is a skill that requires careful preparation, an understanding of the occasion, and a deep connection with the audience. It is an art form that is meant to celebrate and honor, leaving a lasting impact on those who experience it. By mastering the art of ceremonial speaking, one can effectively convey messages, inspire change, and create truly memorable experiences.

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Preparing For A Ceremonial Speech

A ceremonial speech is more than just the words spoken; it is a powerful tool to inspire, uplift, and honor. Whether you are delivering a commencement address, a eulogy, or a tribute speech, effective preparation is crucial. In this article, we will discuss how to prepare for a ceremonial speech, focusing on three key aspects: choosing the right topic, crafting a powerful opening, and structuring your speech.

Choosing The Right Topic

Before you start preparing your ceremonial speech, it is important to choose a topic that resonates with the occasion and the audience. Consider the purpose of the event and the emotions you want to evoke. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the right topic:

• Reflect on the theme of the event or the significance of the occasion.
• Select a topic that allows you to connect with the audience on a personal level.
• Consider the values, beliefs, and interests of the audience.
• Ensure the topic is appropriate and respectful for the occasion.

Crafting A Powerful Opening

The opening of your ceremonial speech sets the tone and captures the attention of the audience. It should be compelling, engaging, and reflective of the significance of the event. Here are some tips to help you craft a powerful opening:

• Begin with a thought-provoking quote or a relevant anecdote that relates to the occasion.
• Introduce yourself and establish your credibility or connection to the event.
• Use vivid language and descriptive imagery to create a captivating visual experience for the audience.

Structuring Your Speech

The structure of your ceremonial speech plays a vital role in delivering your message effectively. It helps the audience follow your thoughts and ensures a cohesive flow. Here is a suggested structure for your speech:

• Introduction: Start by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to speak and briefly introduce the occasion and its significance.
• Main Body: Organize your speech into two or three key points, each focusing on a specific aspect of the occasion or the person being honored. Use personal stories, examples, or quotes to support your points.
• Climax: Build up to the climax of your speech, where you deliver the most powerful message or tribute. Emphasize the importance of the occasion and leave a lasting impact on the audience.
• Conclusion: Wrap up your speech by summarizing your key points, reinforcing the main message, and expressing gratitude once again.

Remember to practice your ceremonial speech several times to ensure a smooth delivery. Pay attention to your tone, body language, and timing. By choosing the right topic, crafting a powerful opening, and structuring your speech effectively, you will be well on your way to delivering a memorable ceremonial speech that honors the occasion and inspires your audience.

Delivering An Impactful Ceremonial Speech

When it comes to delivering a ceremonial speech, the goal is to leave a lasting impact on the audience. Whether you’re commemorating a special occasion, honoring an individual, or celebrating an achievement, the way you deliver your speech can make all the difference in capturing the attention and emotions of your listeners. This blog post will explore three key aspects that contribute to an impactful ceremonial speech: captivating the audience, utilizing body language, and using vocal techniques.

Captivating The Audience

A captivating speech starts with a strong opening. Begin by grabbing the audience’s attention with a compelling story, a thought-provoking question, or a striking statistic. Keep your sentences short and concise to maintain clarity and engagement. Use bold and impactful words to emphasize your key points. By connecting with the audience right from the start, you create a foundation for them to stay interested throughout your speech.

Utilizing Body Language

Your body language plays a crucial role in delivering a memorable speech. Stand tall and maintain an upright posture to exude confidence. Make eye contact with different sections of the audience, allowing them to feel personally engaged. Use gestures to emphasize your words and create visual impact. A well-placed pause can amplify the effect of your message. Remember, your body language should complement your speech, conveying your passion and enthusiasm.

Using Vocal Techniques

Your voice can be a powerful tool in delivering an impactful ceremonial speech. Vary your tone and volume to add depth and emotion to your words. Speak clearly and enunciate each word to ensure your message is understood by all. Pacing your speech can create anticipation and maintain the audience’s interest. Pausing at strategic moments can help highlight important points and allow your audience time to reflect. By utilizing vocal techniques, you can effectively convey your message and evoke the desired response.

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Memorable Ceremonial Speaking Techniques

Discover effective techniques for delivering memorable ceremonial speeches. Enhance your public speaking skills and captivate your audience with proven strategies to leave a lasting impression.

Incorporating Powerful Stories

One of the most effective ways to make a ceremonial speech memorable is to incorporate powerful stories. Storytelling has been an intrinsic part of human communication since ancient times, and it continues to captivate audiences to this day. By integrating personal anecdotes, historical narratives, or fictional tales, speakers can create an emotional connection with their listeners and leave a lasting impact. These stories should be relevant to the occasion and illustrate the central message or theme of the speech. When sharing a story, it’s crucial to use vivid language, appeal to the senses, and emphasize significant moments or turning points. By doing so, speakers can engage their audience on a deeper level, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding.

Strategic Use Of Humor

Another technique that can make a ceremonial speech memorable is the strategic use of humor. A well-timed joke, witty remark, or amusing anecdote can instantly lighten the atmosphere and create a memorable moment. Humor not only helps to capture the audience’s attention but also relieves tension, making the speech more enjoyable and entertaining. However, it’s important to consider the appropriateness of humor for the occasion and ensure that it aligns with the overall tone and purpose of the ceremony. Speakers should also be mindful of cultural differences and avoid offensive or controversial jokes. By incorporating humor in a strategic and tasteful manner, speakers can leave a lasting impression and create an enjoyable experience for their audience.

Overcoming Challenges In Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speaking is a skill that requires not only mastery of public speaking techniques but also the ability to navigate unexpected challenges that may arise during the course of the event. In this article, we will explore two key challenges that ceremonial speakers often face and provide actionable tips to overcome them.

Managing Nervousness

Nervousness is a common issue that many speakers face, regardless of their experience level. However, there are strategies that can help you manage and overcome your nerves to deliver a confident and impactful speech.

Here are some actionable tips to manage nervousness:

• Breathe deeply and slowly before going on stage to calm your nervous system.
• Practice your speech multiple times to build familiarity and confidence.
• Visualize yourself delivering a successful speech to boost your confidence.
• Focus on the message you want to convey rather than worrying about how you are perceived.
• Engage in relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga, to reduce anxiety.

Dealing With Unexpected Situations

Just like in any live event, unexpected situations can arise during ceremonial speaking engagements. It is crucial for speakers to be prepared for these situations and handle them with grace and professionalism.

Here are some strategies to help you deal with unexpected situations:

• Stay calm and composed, even in the face of unexpected disruptions or interruptions.
• Adapt and improvise when necessary, by adjusting your speech or delivery to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
• Have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties, such as having a printed copy of your speech.
• Maintain a positive and flexible mindset to navigate any unexpected changes or challenges that may arise.
• Practice active listening to ensure that you understand and respond appropriately to any questions or comments from the audience.

By employing these strategies, speakers can effectively manage their nervousness and handle unexpected situations, ensuring a smooth and successful ceremonial speaking experience. Remember, preparation and adaptability are the keys to overcoming these challenges and delivering a memorable speech.

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Frequently Asked Questions For Ceremonial Speaking

Can anyone become a ceremonial speaker.

Yes, anyone with effective communication skills and the willingness to learn can become a ceremonial speaker.

What Is The Importance Of Body Language In Ceremonial Speaking?

Body language plays a crucial role in ceremonial speaking as it conveys confidence, credibility, and enhances the overall impact of the speech.

How To Overcome Stage Fright During Ceremonial Speaking?

Practice, deep breathing exercises, and visualization techniques can help in overcoming stage fright during ceremonial speaking.

Mastering ceremonial speaking is an essential skill for captivating audiences and delivering impactful messages. By understanding the power of tone, body language, and rhetorical devices, individuals can elevate their speaking abilities to the next level. Whether it’s a wedding toast, a eulogy, or a corporate presentation, the art of ceremonial speaking has the potential to leave a lasting impression on listeners.

With practice and patience, anyone can become a confident and persuasive speaker, leaving their mark on any occasion.

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Your Ultimate Guide to Writing a Meaningful Wedding Speech

• Lauren is a contributor for The Knot covering topics such as music, cakes, venues and speeches.
• She has been published in a wide array of lifetsyle-oriented publications including SELF and Allure.
• Lauren is a proud graduate of Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School of Public Communication.

Getting asked to speak at a wedding is exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking, especially since you're not a professional speaker or speechwriter! So, if you're unsure how to write a wedding speech , know you're not alone. Whether you're a member of a wedding party or a parent or sibling of the soon-to-be-married couple, you may be wondering what to say in a wedding speech. However, that's where we come into the picture: Keep reading for a full rundown of wedding speech tips , insight and, last but not least, a fully written example that you can use as a guide. Happy speechwriting!

In this article:

How to Write a Wedding Speech

Wedding speech example, wedding speech tips.

Writing your wedding speech is no easy feat. To help ensure things go as smoothly as possible, we tapped into Renée Dalo, owner of Moxie Bright Events in Los Angeles, California. Below, she shares a step-by-step guide.

Brainstorm a great opening.

To captivate other guests' attention, Daloe recommends taking some time to brainstorm a great opening. For example, she says, "Try to resist saying, 'For those of you who don't know me, I'm Erica's sister, Michelle.'" Instead, skip this entirely in favor of something more fun and creative.

Start with a story.

…but be sure to make it a short one, says Dalo. "Make sure it's relevant to your friendship and/or the couple." When selecting what story to share, the wedding pro recommends sterling clear of any that involve ex-partners—and for that matter, anything negative about the newly married couple. "Even if you think it's funny , she says, "it's not." Instead, think of a special moment or fun memory you shared with the couple. What did it involve? What was so great about it? All of these things are worth considering as you jot down your wedding speech.

Share your well wishes.

After all, what would a wedding speech be if it didn't include some well wishes for the newlyweds? "Make sure to include both people in the couple in your remarks," advises Dalo.

End with a toast.

Cap off your speech on a fun and sentimental note by ending with an actual toast . Dalo recommends this foolproof example: "Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple. Cheers to X and Y, and best wishes for a lifetime of laughter!" Afterward, go in for a hug with the couple, making for the perfect photo op !

Rehearse away.

After you write your speech down, spend a significant amount of time rehearsing it so that you feel confident and comfortable while giving the actual speech. "Don't try to wing it," says Dalo. "You're going to want to rehearse this [so that] you can be as calm and present as possible."

Still trying to figure out where to start? Don't fret: If you could use some additional assistance writing your wedding speech, consider Provenance , which helps users create personalized, meaningful wedding speeches using AI-powered tools along with real responses to personal questions.

Take the Provenance Toast Builder , for example. Couples can invite those who will be giving wedding speeches—including the father of the bride , mother of the bride , father of the groom , mother of the groom , maid of honor and best man —to use the Toast Builder. Upon being invited to use the platform, these individuals will "get alerted to how long their speech can be," as well as any other important information to mention—or steer clear of. "From there," says Provenance CEO Steven Greitzer, "you can see the status of the speech and the estimated length."

To help get those creative juices flowing, check out the below wedding speech example.

Hi! As Lisa's younger sister—and now maid of honor—I've had the unique privilege of growing up alongside her. Since we're just two years apart, we've been each other's built-in best friends from the start. Like most sisters, we bickered constantly throughout our childhood, hurling insults over clothing, makeup and missing pieces of jewelry: I'll finally admit it, Lisa, I was the one who lost your charm bracelet at summer camp! All kidding aside, I hope I've made it up to you with this epic speech.

When Lisa first met Jay on the train coming home from work (romantic, I know!), we lived together in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in the city, an experience that only brought us closer together. After their first date to their now-favorite pizza place, she came home all giddy—bubbly, smiling, and laughing. She told me that the two of them already planned their next date. I had never seen her so happy. The look in her eyes since that night has not faded, and if I know Jay—which I do!—he will make sure it never will.

Like Lisa, Jay is kind, patient, and compassionate, and this was evident from the first time we met, which was right before his and Lisa's second date. I ran to the door to catch a glimpse of the guy who was slowly but surely stealing my sister's heart. Upon meeting, Jay and I instantly hit it off. He greeted me by name, hugged me, and took the time to sit down and truly get to know me. Less than 10 minutes later, we were already cracking jokes. It was clear to me then that Jay was, without a doubt, my sister's perfect match.

Lisa and Jay, you've set the bar (very) high for all of your friends and family when it comes to relationship goals. The love and commitment you share with each other is inspiring and everlasting. I know Jay will spend the rest of his life making Lisa happy and supporting her through every endeavor—and I know she'll do the same, too.

So, Lisa and Jay, I wish you nothing but a lifetime of love and happiness together. And I'm so excited to have a front-row seat to all that's in store. Everyone, please join me in raising a glass to the newlyweds!

Keep it short and sweet.

According to Dalo, your wedding speech should be "no more than three minutes." She continues, telling The Knot, "Three minutes is a long time, and when you figure in getting up to the mic and then hugging afterward, it's about five minutes total which is ideal." If you go any longer, you run the risk of losing guests' attention and potentially boring them (a no-no in our book!).

Acknowledge both partners.

"A big speech taboo that we see way too often is when the person giving the speech only talks about the partner they're closest with, unintentionally making the other partner feel left out and unimportant," says Greitzer. If you need a helping hand, Greitzer recommends using the Provenance Toast Builder , which offers "thoughtful prompts to encourage you to share why they're both 1) good people and 2) a great match for each other."

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

18.2 Special-Occasion Speeches

Learning objectives.

• Identify the different types of ceremonial speaking.
• Describe the different types of inspirational speaking.

M+MD – Birthday Speech – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Many entertaining speeches fall under the category of special-occasion speeches. All the speeches in this category are given to mark the significance of particular events. Common events include weddings, bar mitzvahs, awards ceremonies, funerals, and political events. In each of these different occasions, speakers are asked to deliver speeches relating to the event. For purposes of simplicity, we’ve broken special-occasion speeches into two groups: ceremonial speaking and inspirational speaking.

Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speeches are speeches given during a ceremony or a ritual marked by observance of formality or etiquette. These ceremonies tend to be very special for people, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are opportunities for speech making. Let’s examine each of the eight types of ceremonial speaking: introductions, presentations, acceptances, dedications, toasts, roasts, eulogies, and farewells.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of speech is called the speech of introduction , which is a minispeech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer or a speaker stands up and says, “This is Joe Smith, he’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Joe’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and you should do it all in under two minutes. This brings up another “few things are worse” scenario: an introductory speaker who rambles on for too long or who talks about himself or herself instead of focusing on the person being introduced.

For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your introductory speech should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three body points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible speaker on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the lectern. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Joe Smith’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Mr. Joe Smith.” We’ve known some presenters who will even add a notation to their notes to “start clapping” and “shake speakers hand” or “give speaker a hug” depending on the circumstances of the speech.

Now that we’ve walked through the basic parts of an introductory speech, let’s see one outlined:

Specific Purpose: To entertain the audience while preparing them for Janice Wright’s speech on rituals.

Introduction: Mention some common rituals people in the United States engage in (Christmas, sporting events, legal proceedings).

Main Points:

• Explain that the topic was selected because understanding how cultures use ritual is an important part of understanding what it means to be human.
• Janice Wright is a cultural anthropologist who studies the impact that everyday rituals have on communities.
• All of us engage in rituals, and we often don’t take the time to determine how these rituals were started and how they impact our daily routines.

Conclusion: I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Wright at the regional conference in Springfield last month, and I am excited that I get to share her with all of you tonight. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Wright (start clapping, shake speaker’s hand, exit stage).

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of common ceremonial speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Schuman Public Speaking prize is Wilhelmina Jeffers,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award.

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner (as Kanye West did to Taylor Swift during the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, for example http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/435995/taylor-swift-wins-best-female-video.jhtml#id=1620605 ), you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance . The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. For example, in the above video clip from the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, Taylor Swift starts by expressing her appreciation, gets interrupted by Kanye West, and ends by saying, “I would like to thank the fans and MTV, thank you.” While obviously not a traditional acceptance speech because of the interruption, she did manage to get in the important parts.

There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: thank the givers of the award or honor, thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and put the award or honor into perspective. First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the academy and all the academy voters.” Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have families and friends and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you.

Speeches of Dedication

The fourth ceremonial speech is the speech of dedication . A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated. Maybe your great-uncle has died and left your college tons of money, so the college has decided to rename one of the dorms after your great-uncle. In this case, you may be asked to speak at the dedication.

When preparing the speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience that the building is being named after your great-uncle who bestowed a gift to his alma mater. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a preexisting building, you want to explain what is being dedicated and the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project. If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a preexisting structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community where it’s located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something they’ve done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given during the middle of some kind of festivities (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker. As such, while you are speaking you need to focus your attention to the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Joan for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

The roast speech is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years.

In this clip, watch as Stephen Colbert, television host of The Colbert Report , roasts President George W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSE_saVX_2A

Let’s pick this short clip apart. You’ll notice that the humor doesn’t pull any punches. The goal of the roast is to both praise and insult in a good-natured manner. You’ll also see that the roaster, in this case Stephen Colbert, is standing behind a lectern while the roastee, President George W. Bush, is clearly on display for the audience to see, and periodically you’ll see the camera pan to President Bush to take in his reactions. Half the fun of a good roast is watching the roastee’s reactions during the roast, so it’s important to have the roastee clearly visible by the audience.

How does one prepare for a roast? First, you want to really think about the person who is being roasted. Do they have any strange habits or amusing stories in their past that you can discuss? When you think through these things you want to make sure that you cross anything off your list that is truly private information or will really hurt the person. The goal of a roast is to poke at them, not massacre them. Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died. (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning.) Unless you are a minister, priest, rabbi, imam, or other form of religious leader, you’ll probably not deliver too many eulogies in your lifetime. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks. Watch the following clip of then-Senator Barack Obama delivering a eulogy at the funeral of civil rights activist Rosa Parks in November of 2005.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRsH92sJCr4

In this eulogy, Senator Obama delivers the eulogy by recalling Rosa Parks importance and her legacy in American history.

When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know as much information about the deceased as possible. The more information you have about the person, the more personal you can make the eulogy. While you can rely on your own information if you were close to the deceased, it is always a good idea to ask friends and relatives of the deceased for their memories, as these may add important facets that may not have occurred to you. Of course, if you were not very close to the deceased, you will need to ask friends and family for information. Second, although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion of a funeral or memorial service for the deceased, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral will expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing. While eulogies are not roasts, one goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion. Lastly, remember to tell the deceased’s story. Tell the audience about who this person was and what the person stood for in life. The more personal you can make a eulogy, the more touching it will be for the deceased’s friends and families. The eulogy should remind the audience to celebrate the person’s life as well as mourn their death.

Speeches of Farewell

A speech of farewell allows someone to say good-bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life. Maybe you’ve accepted a new job and are leaving your current job, or you’re graduating from college and entering the work force. Whatever the case may be, periods of transition are often marked by speeches of farewell. Watch the following clip of Derek Jeter’s 2008 speech saying farewell to Yankee Stadium, built in 1923, before the New York Yankees moved to the new stadium that opened in 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJrlTpQm0to

In this speech, Derek Jeter is not only saying good-bye to Yankee Stadium but also thanking the fans for their continued support.

When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank the people in your current position and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next position in life. In Derek Jeter’s speech, he starts by talking about the history of the 1923 Yankee Stadium and then thanks the fans for their support. Second, you want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you. A farewell speech is a time to commemorate and think about the good times you’ve had. As such, you should avoid negativity during this speech. Lastly, you want to make sure that you end on a high note. Derek Jeter concludes his speech by saying, “On behalf of this entire organization, we just want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world!” at which point Jeter and the other players take off their ball caps and hold them up toward the audience.

Inspirational Speaking

The goal of an inspirational speech is to elicit or arouse an emotional state within an audience. In Section 18.2.1 “Ceremonial Speaking” , we looked at ceremonial speeches. Although some inspirational speeches are sometimes tied to ceremonial occasions, there are also other speaking contexts that call for inspirational speeches. For our purposes, we are going to look at two types of inspirational speeches: goodwill and speeches of commencement.

Speeches to Ensure Goodwill

Goodwill is an intangible asset that is made up of the favor or reputation of an individual or organization. Speeches of goodwill are often given in an attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. Although speeches of goodwill are clearly persuasive, they try not to be obvious about the persuasive intent and are often delivered as information-giving speeches that focus on an individual or organization’s positives attributes. There are three basic types of speeches of goodwill: public relations, justification, and apology.

Speeches for Public Relations

In a public relations speech, the speaker is speaking to enhance one’s own image or the image of his or her organization. You can almost think of these speeches as cheerleading speeches because the ultimate goal is to get people to like the speaker and what he or she represents. In the following brief speech, the CEO of British Petroleum is speaking to reporters about what his organization is doing during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCfa6AxmUHw

Notice that he keeps emphasizing what his company is doing to fix the problem. Every part of this speech is orchestrated to make BP look caring and attempts to get some amount of goodwill from the viewing public.

Speeches of Justification

The second common speech of goodwill is the speech of justification, which is given when someone attempts to defend why certain actions were taken or will be taken. In these speeches, speakers have already enacted (or decided to enact) some kind of behavior, and are now attempting to justify why the behavior is or was appropriate. In the following clip, President Bill Clinton discusses his decision to bomb key Iraqi targets after uncovering a plot to assassinate former President George H. W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mpWa7wNr5M

In this speech, President Clinton outlines his reasons for bombing Iraq to the American people and the globe. Again, the goal of this speech is to secure goodwill for President Clinton’s decisions both in the United States and on the world stage.

Speeches of Apology

The final speech of goodwill is the speech of apology. Frankly, these speeches have become more and more commonplace. Every time we turn around, a politician, professional athlete, musician, or actor/actress is doing something reprehensible and getting caught. In fact, the speech of apology has quickly become a fodder for humor as well. Let’s take a look at a real apology speech delivered by professional golfer Tiger Woods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs8nseNP4s0

When you need to make an apology speech, there are three elements that you need to include: be honest and take responsibility, say you’re sorry, and offer restitution. First, a speaker needs to be honest and admit to doing something wrong. The worst apology speeches are those in which the individual tries to sidestep the wrongdoing. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, it is often best to take responsibility from a public perception perspective. Second, say that you are sorry. People need to know that you are remorseful for what you’ve done. One of the problems many experts saw with Tiger Woods’s speech is that he doesn’t look remorseful at all. While the words coming out of his mouth are appropriate, he looks like a robot forced to read from a manuscript written by his press agent. Lastly, you need to offer restitution. Restitution can come in the form of fixing something broken or a promise not to engage in such behavior in the future. People in society are very willing to forgive and forget when they are asked.

Speeches for Commencements

The second type of inspirational speech is the speech of commencement , which is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. The most typical form of commencement speech happens when someone graduates from school. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. One famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck

J. K. Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

• If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
• Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
• Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
• Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
• Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
• Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

Overall, it’s important to make sure that you have fun when delivering a commencement speech. Remember, it’s a huge honor and responsibility to be asked to deliver a commencement speech, so take the time to really think through and prepare your speech.

Key Takeaways

• There are eight common forms of ceremonial speaking: introduction, presentation, acceptance, dedication, toast, roast, eulogy, and farewell. Speeches of introduction are designed to introduce a speaker. Speeches of presentation are given when an individual is presenting an award of some kind. Speeches of acceptance are delivered by the person receiving an award or honor. Speeches of dedication are given when a new building or other place is being opened for the first time. Toasts are given to acknowledge and honor someone on a special occasion (e.g., wedding, birthday, retirement). Roasts are speeches designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Eulogies are given during funerals and memorial services. Lastly, speeches of farewell are delivered by an individual who is leaving a job, community, or organization, and wants to acknowledge how much the group has meant.
• Inspirational speeches fall into two categories: goodwill (e.g., public relations, justification, and apology) and speeches of commencement. Speeches of goodwill attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. On the other hand, speeches of commencement are delivered to recognize the achievements of a group of people.
• Imagine you’ve been asked to speak before a local civic organization such as the Kiwanis or Rotary Club. Develop a sample speech of introduction that you would like someone to give to introduce you.
• You’ve been asked to roast your favorite celebrity. Develop a two-minute roast.
• Develop a speech of commencement for your public speaking class.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

Ceremonial Speech Topics

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

• Adapt your presentation, artful language, and the delivery to nature of the meeting / happening / event or ritual occasion.
• Also adapt the text to the personality of the person, the character of the place, the group, the institution that you are praising or commemorating or the event that’s coming further in the program.
• And thirdly, adapt the thoughts in your speech on award ceremony to the real-moment sentiments and the emotional needs of your listeners towards the celebrated person, subject or event. Try to fulfill these needs with your speech by sharing aims, beliefs, and aspiration.

Whatever you may choose, they have both to inform and to inspire, to celebrate accomplishments, and to renew commitment to dedicate to a valuable principle.

In this article:

The Identification Method

The magnification method, speech on award ceremony types, tips on delivering, ceremonial speech topics ideas.

Below are our 10 ceremonial speech topic ideas using the identification method. Identification is the very heart of ceremonial public speaking. Try to create close feelings among the members of your audience.

Your speech topics have to express appreciation and evoke emotion in such a way that your listeners are able to identify themselves with the features of the event, place, group or person. The suggested ceremonial speech topics below are based on the classic method of identification:

• Describe a golden moment. Let your public fully relive and undergo again that moment, regarded with particular affection. This ceremonial speech topic will help to reaffirm and to assert again close ties, relationships and values.
• Were you enthusiastic or even disappointed?
• Did you feel camaraderie?
• These speech on award ceremony ideas are ideal to strengthen the ties between individuals and communities, clubs, companies and other organizations.
• Recall funny, simple, easy, little, usual or unusual daily habits or ordinary incidents. They will think: Yeah, that’s true, I was almost forgotten those details … Let them remember those little things.
• Summarize the hard moments of frustration and discouragement. Or – opposite ceremonial speech topics – the moments, hours or days of triumph. Do you remember – fill in words that win the hearts and minds of your audience.
• Reflect and refer to the meaning and the goal of the event or place. Or to the meaning of the life and works of the person being praised.
• If appropriate: praise volunteers. Tell what things they did, why, and how they succeeded under special or difficult circumstances. Admire them, show feelings of pleasure, approval and wonder.
• Emphasize and name the most representative remarkable and excellent duties, contributions and achievements. If you want to refer to individual members of a group being praised at the ceremony, then don’t leave out other people who did the same great job!
• They will be disappointed, and the technique of identification in this kind of ceremonial speech topics will fail to succeed.
• Tell what the future has to be or will be according to you.
• Bring them back to Mother Earth – persuade them to imagine how all of us can reach higher goals now. In other words: You ain’t see nothing yet!
• Explain the new plans, challenges and projects you have set and renew their commitment. This ceremonial topic has one goal: to let your public know they have to move ahead and traverse the bridge to new implementations.

Research facts about your subject, and small and large action sequences. Look for the most dramatic, larger than life, or even funny facts.

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Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Magnify them in relation to the specific purpose of your writing topics. Now narrow those special or unusual qualities or accomplishments of a person, group or event being honored or commemorated .

• Give specific, idealized examples of virtues and superior accomplishments.
• In what way did those accomplishments benefit our society? Use metaphors, word pictures and creative associations to magnify.
• In case you are talking about a person: what pure, non-selfish motives did you discover?
• Try to describe one of the successes in a very original way.
• Now relate the valuable contributions the person or group made to his, her or their special values or qualities. These magnifying qualifications are important ceremonial speech topics.
• Tell about a relatively unknown contribution or achievement. Thus you can offer more insight into the people being commemorated.
• Did your subject had a hard time? Was she or he struggling to overcome great obstacles? Tell the story, magnify the way to success by using the method of repeating and resonating phrases. This will evoke an optimal emotional and dramatic effect at the end of your list of speech topics, it will sound like some sort of conclusion.

There are many types. Here I list the most common ones:

Welcome – Greet and welcome a visitor or new members to some sort of a social or popular gathering.

Farewell – Say farewell to someone who leaves a group (socio-economically spoken, it could be a working or studying environment as well) or if you are departing yourself.

Retirement – In case of your own retirement or if someone else retires. handy for having some content in the back pocket.

Nomination – Announce the name of the person or group being nominated.

Present Special Awards – A gift or an award presentation.

Acceptance  – Thank for receiving an award, like Borat did it in a funny way.

Installation – Speech given by people who have been installed and accept a new challenge. For example, Nelson Mandela talked about his ideals.

Epideictic story writing topics  to display a proposition of the ethical and universal values in ceremonial praise or blame speeches.

In general, all speech topics for speech writing have to fit to one specific purpose: to honor, praise and to commemorate. The general goal of these special public speaking topics is drawing your listeners together, unite or re-unite them. So, research theirbackgroundss.

• Keep your lines and whole talk short: three to five minutes is enough.
• Color your story writing topics with figurative and artful language for a dramatic effect.
• Sure, practice delivering like this.

224 School Speech Topics for All Grades [High School, Middle School, Elementary]

Christening Speeches

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Commemorative Speaking

What is a commemorative speech.

Commemorative speeches are sometimes known as "ceremonial" or "epideictic" speeches. At the most basic level, commemorative speeches pay tribute or praise a person, an institution, an event, idea, or place. Their focus is on VALUES. All societies hold certain values central to human existence: beauty, loyalty, wisdom, kindness, tradition, success, innocence, experience, and courage, for example. The commemorative speech will celebrate these values. Types of commemorative speeches include the eulogy, the speech of nomination, the speech of goodwill, the wedding toast, and the award acceptance speech.

Please note that the commemorative speech is not just informative. Thus, a speaker would not just give a biography of Ghandi, but rather would celebrate who he was, why he was worthy of praise, and encourage the audience to celebrate those values.

Commemorative Speaking and the Future

Often, the inspiring commemorative speech goes beyond celebrating past or present accomplishments to give the audience hope for the future. For example, in 1986, when Ronald Reagan gave his now famous eulogy for the Challenger astronauts, he not only praised Christa MacAuliffe and the deceased astronauts, he gave the people of the United States a message of hope for the future of the space program—that it would not die with this mission, but would continue to thrive. Consider how the speaker can link past, present, and future in a commemorative speech.

As you may have guessed, language becomes an essential part of effective commemorative speeches. Using stories, illustrations, and figurative language helps the audience to share your experience.

Note that it is difficult to pay tribute to trivial topics. Therefore, a commemorative speech on, say, “tailgating parties” would not be appropriate. This speech is about what is most important to society --honor, trust, gentleness, etc.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. – Dr. Mardy Grothe psychologist and author

The category of speeches that you are most likely to have to give is ceremonial speeches. Ceremonial speaking, originally called epideictic oratory, includes graduation speeches, wedding speeches, eulogy speeches, after-dinner speeches, award speeches, toast speeches, and tribute speeches. The biggest thing that these have in common is that they have a heavy emphasis on pathos-emotion. When listening to a ceremonial speech, an audience expects to feel something and to feel a part of something. To achieve that, a good ceremonial speech will include identification, narration, and magnification.

In many ways, special occasions are the punctuation marks of life. They are the rituals that draw us together in celebration of some person or event Teri and Michael Gamble communication scholars

This chapter will look at identification, magnification, and narration and how they function in ceremonial speeches to help you prepare to construct a speech of your own.

Types of Ceremonial Speeches

• Speech of Introduction
• Award Speech
• Acceptance Speech
• Graduation Speech
• Tribute Speech (Can be to a person, occasion, or monument)
• Eulogy Speech
• After Dinner Speech
• Toast Speech

Identification

In all speeches, the audience should feel like you are considering their needs, this is especially true in a ceremonial speech. In a ceremonial speech, your audience in some way becomes part of the speech. To achieve this, you should use a lot of phrases like “we” and “our.”  In the graduation speech by Matthew McConaughey, he uses “we,” and “you” words over 400 times–that is a lot of identification!

Matthew McConaughey Graduation Speech A Lesson in Identification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmCTQ_mkzHU

He uses “you” nearly 250 times and “we” 170 times in a 45-minute speech

•  You guys and girls, and young men and women are the reason I’m here.
• I’m really looking forward to talking with you all tonight.
• You heard my dad played football here.
• I thought about what you would want, I thought about what you might need.
• I also thought about what I want to say and what I need to say. Hopefully, we’re both going to be happy on both
• It means you got an education. It means you have more knowledge in a specific subject, vocation. It means you may have more expertise in what your degree is in. But what’s it worth in the job market out there today?
• So, while we’re here, and they’re going to run across the jumbotron, let’s make it a place where we break a sweat. Where we believe, where we enjoy the process of succeeding in the places in ways that we are fashioned to.

Fun fact: Matthew McConaughey is a professor of practice at the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. https://moody.utexas.edu/faculty/matthew-mcconaughey

More Examples of Identification

Here are a few ways that my students used identification in their speeches.

The Survivor Tree, an Elm, still stands as a witness of that day as a symbol of our resilience. The same kind of resilience all Americans have when faced with a tough obstacle to overcome. Tribute to OK City Memorial My grandpa Jack is like the wind. We can’t see him but we can feel him. He is always with us . Lily, Tribute to Grandpa Jack Today, we gather here to honor a famous, and beloved man, Stanley Martin Lieber. W e all knew him as Stan Lee He brought us together He may be gone but we will not forget what for he did for us . David Lester, Tribute to Stan Lee

Tip for Identification

When I do one-on-one speech consultations. I pull up two or three empty chairs and then I ask the person who I am coaching to tell me who is sitting in the chair and listening to their speech. I ask them to show me how that person is included in the speech. I read parts of their speech out loud with them thinking about people in those chairs and then we talk about how we can reword some things to make sure those folks feel included.

Magnification

In addition to identification, ceremonial speeches should contain magnification. Magnification is where you take an attribute of a person, and you magnify it and make it seem larger than life. It is where you highlight a positive attribute of a person or group. This works best if you tap into values that the audience share.

These are the most common magnification themes:

• Triumph over obstacles
• Unusual accomplishment
• Superior performance
• Unselfish motive
• Benefit to society
• The greatness of a simple thing
• Celebrate heroic acts and deeds

It is easiest to understand how these work in a speech by way of example. Watch the following speeches to understand how magnification can be achieved.

Oprah Winfrey’s Eulogy to Rosa Parks A Lesson in Magnification: Triumph Over Obstacle

Magnification is where you make an action larger than life. Notice how Oprah Winfrey elaborates on the action of Rosa Parks and makes it large and heroic.

  I grew up in the South, and Rosa Parks was a hero to me long before I recognized and understood the power and impact that her life embodied. I remember my father telling me about this colored woman who had refused to give up her seat. And in my child’s mind, I thought, “She must be really big.” I thought she must be at least a hundred feet tall. I imagined her being stalwart and strong and carrying a shield to hold back the white folks. …So I thank you again, Sister Rosa, for not only confronting the one white man who[se] seat you took, not only confronting the bus driver, not only for confronting the law, but for confronting history, a history that for 400 years said that you were not even worthy of a glance, certainly no consideration. I thank you for not moving. And in that moment when you resolved to stay in that seat, you reclaimed your humanity, and you gave us all back a piece of our own.  

Bill Clinton’s Eulogy for Muhammad Ali A Lesson in Magnification: The Greatness of a Simple Thing

Before Mohammad Ali passed, he struggled with tremors. In this eulogy speech, Former President Clinton describes watching him light the Olympic flame. The mere act of walking was a simple thing that was made great by the circumstances.

Finally after all the years that we have been friends, my enduring image of him is like a little reel in three shots: the boxer I thrilled to as a boy, the man I watched take the last steps to light the Olympic Flame when I was president, and I’ll never forget it, I was sitting there in Atlanta, by then we knew each other, by then I felt that I had some sense of what he was living with, and I was still weeping like a baby, seeing his hands shake and his legs shake and knowing by God he was gonna make those last few steps, no matter what it took.  T he  flame  would be  lit.  The  fight  would be  won.  The  spirit  would be affirmed. I knew it would happen.

Rick Rigsby Graduation Speech Lessons from a third grade drop out A Lesson in Magnification: Superior Performance

Narration- Tell a Story

In addition to identification and magnification, ceremonial speeches should include stories.

This example is from a University of Arkansas student speech and he is telling the story of picking out his first dog. Notice how the small details help to draw us in and help us to see the event unfold. I left this sample in speech format so you could see how it was written on his manuscript to have a feeling for the rhythm of the speech. (/// slanted lines, signal a pause…the more lines, the longer the pause)

It was a nice day and I can still picture you running towards me when I really try that is

As we approach the house,///

three little girls

accompanied by their father

open a shed door to the side of the property

I rode my Heelys  /// down a small

//concrete sidewalk

Excited to see the little balls of fluff

My parents said to pick a good one

So I picked you ///  because you bit my shoe.

Bryan Stevenson Tells a Story in an Award Acceptance Speech

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption gave this acceptance speech when winning the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and NonFiction. Notice how his use of narration makes us feel something about his grandmother and then we carry those feelings as he talks about racial justice.

I had a very close relationship with my grandmother. My grandmother was the daughter of people who were enslaved. Her parents were born into slavery in Virginia in the 1840s. She was born in the 1880s, and the only thing that my grandmother insisted that I know about her enslaved father is that he learned to read before emancipation, and that reading is a pathway to survival and success. So I learned to read. I put books and words in my head and in my heart, so that I could get to the places that she needed me to go. I’m thinking about my grandmother tonight, because she had these qualities about her. She was like lots of African American matriarchs. She was the real force in our family. She was the end of every argument. She was also the beginning of a lot of arguments! She was tough, and she was strong but she was also kind and loving. When I was a little boy, she’d give me these hugs, she’d squeeze me so tightly I could barely breathe. And then she’d see me an hour later and she’d say, “Bryan, do you still feel me hugging you?” And if I said no, she would assault me again!

Did you notice the magnification (the greatness of a simple thing) in learning to read and in hugging?

Did you notice his use of identification by saying, “She was like lots of African American matriarchs?”

Speaking of identification, check out how he uses “we”

We need to change the narrative in this country about race, and poverty. We’re a country that has a difficult time dealing with our shame, our mistakes. We don’t do shame very well in America, and because of that we allow a lot of horrific things to go unaddressed.

Read the whole speech here:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

You can use identification, magnification, and narration in all your speeches, but these three elements are especially important in ceremonial type speeches. Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• Identification means to relate to your audience.
• Magnification means to find traits about the person you are talking about and magnify them.
• Narration means to tell a story to help your audience feel something.
• Ceremonial speeches should always include identification, magnification, and narration.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you. 

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback. 

Albanese, A. (2015). Is this the greatest book award acceptance speech ever? Publisher’s Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

Clinton, B. ( 2020). Bill Clinton’s eulogy for Muhammad Ali. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feGjy5bKMb0 Standard YouTube License. 

Gamble, T. & Gamble, M.W. (1998).  Public Speaking in the Age of Diversity. Allyn and Bacon.

Justis, T. (2019). Photo of graduation speaker, Anna Francis Chandler.

Lester, D. Tribute to Stan Lee. University of Arkansas.

McConaughey, M. (2016). Matthew McConaughey University of Houston Speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmCTQ_mkzHU

Rigsby, R. (2017). The most inspiring speech: The wisdom of a third-grade dropout will change your life. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g Standard YouTube License.

Samovar, L. A., & McDaniel, E. R. (2007). Public speaking in a multicultural society . Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury.

Saylor Academy (2012) . Stand up speak out: The practice and ethics of public speaking. Saylor Academy.

Snippe, E. (2016). 101 quotes to inspire speakers. Angelou, M. Quote. https://speakerhub.com/blog/101-quotes

Thibodeau, P.H and Boroditsky, L. (2011). Metaphors we think with: The role of metaphor in reasoning. Stanford University.

Winfrey, O. (2010). Oprah eulogy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfhtfNfIPE&t=1s Standard YouTube License.

Public Speaking by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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15 Ceremonial Speaking: Identification, Magnification, Narration

Words have incredible power. They can make people’s hearts soar, or they can make people’s hearts sore. – Dr. Mardy Grothe psychologist and author

The category of speeches that you are most likely to have to give is ceremonial speeches. Ceremonial speaking, originally called epideictic oratory, includes graduation speeches, wedding speeches, eulogy speeches, after-dinner speeches, award speeches, toast speeches, and tribute speeches. The biggest thing that these have in common is that they have a heavy emphasis on pathos-emotion. When listening to a ceremonial speech, an audience expects to feel something and to feel a part of something. To achieve that, a good ceremonial speech will include identification, narration, and magnification.

In many ways, special occasions are the punctuation marks of life. They are the rituals that draw us together in celebration of some person or event Teri and Michael Gamble communication scholars

This chapter will look at identification, magnification, and narration and how they function in ceremonial speeches to help you prepare to construct a speech of your own.

Types of Ceremonial Speeches

• Speech of Introduction
• Award Speech
• Acceptance Speech
• Graduation Speech
• Tribute Speech (Can be to a person, occasion, or monument)
• Eulogy Speech
• After Dinner Speech
• Toast Speech

Identification

In all speeches, the audience should feel like you are considering their needs, this is especially true in a ceremonial speech. In a ceremonial speech, your audience in some way becomes part of the speech. To achieve this, you should use a lot of phrases like “we” and “our.”  In the graduation speech by Matthew McConaughey, he uses “we,” and “you” words over 400 times–that is a lot of identification!

Matthew McConaughey Graduation Speech A Lesson in Identification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmCTQ_mkzHU

He uses “you” nearly 250 times and “we” 170 times in a 45-minute speech

•  You guys and girls, and young men and women are the reason I’m here.
• I’m really looking forward to talking with you all tonight.
• You heard my dad played football here.
• I thought about what you would want, I thought about what you might need.
• I also thought about what I want to say and what I need to say. Hopefully, we’re both going to be happy on both
• It means you got an education. It means you have more knowledge in a specific subject, vocation. It means you may have more expertise in what your degree is in. But what’s it worth in the job market out there today?
• So, while we’re here, and they’re going to run across the jumbotron, let’s make it a place where we break a sweat. Where we believe, where we enjoy the process of succeeding in the places in ways that we are fashioned to.

Fun fact: Matthew McConaughey is a professor of practice at the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. https://moody.utexas.edu/faculty/matthew-mcconaughey

More Examples of Identification

Here are a few ways that my students used identification in their speeches.

The Survivor Tree, an Elm, still stands as a witness of that day as a symbol of our resilience. The same kind of resilience all Americans have when faced with a tough obstacle to overcome. Tribute to OK City Memorial My grandpa Jack is like the wind. We can’t see him but we can feel him. He is always with us . Lily, Tribute to Grandpa Jack Today, we gather here to honor a famous, and beloved man, Stanley Martin Lieber. W e all knew him as Stan Lee He brought us together He may be gone but we will not forget what for he did for us . David Lester, Tribute to Stan Lee

Tip for Identification

When I do one-on-one speech consultations. I pull up two or three empty chairs and then I ask the person who I am coaching to tell me who is sitting in the chair and listening to their speech. I ask them to show me how that person is included in the speech. I read parts of their speech out loud with them thinking about people in those chairs and then we talk about how we can reword some things to make sure those folks feel included.

Magnification

In addition to identification, ceremonial speeches should contain magnification. Magnification is where you take an attribute of a person, and you magnify it and make it seem larger than life. It is where you highlight a positive attribute of a person or group. This works best if you tap into values that the audience share.

These are the most common magnification themes:

• Triumph over obstacles
• Unusual accomplishment
• Superior performance
• Unselfish motive
• Benefit to society
• The greatness of a simple thing
• Celebrate heroic acts and deeds

It is easiest to understand how these work in a speech by way of example. Watch the following speeches to understand how magnification can be achieved.

Oprah Winfrey’s Eulogy to Rosa Parks A Lesson in Magnification: Triumph Over Obstacle

Magnification is where you make an action larger than life. Notice how Oprah Winfrey elaborates on the action of Rosa Parks and makes it large and heroic.

  I grew up in the South, and Rosa Parks was a hero to me long before I recognized and understood the power and impact that her life embodied. I remember my father telling me about this colored woman who had refused to give up her seat. And in my child’s mind, I thought, “She must be really big.” I thought she must be at least a hundred feet tall. I imagined her being stalwart and strong and carrying a shield to hold back the white folks. …So I thank you again, Sister Rosa, for not only confronting the one white man who[se] seat you took, not only confronting the bus driver, not only for confronting the law, but for confronting history, a history that for 400 years said that you were not even worthy of a glance, certainly no consideration. I thank you for not moving. And in that moment when you resolved to stay in that seat, you reclaimed your humanity, and you gave us all back a piece of our own.  

Bill Clinton’s Eulogy for Muhammad Ali A Lesson in Magnification: The Greatness of a Simple Thing

Before Mohammad Ali passed, he struggled with tremors. In this eulogy speech, Former President Clinton describes watching him light the Olympic flame. The mere act of walking was a simple thing that was made great by the circumstances.

Finally after all the years that we have been friends, my enduring image of him is like a little reel in three shots: the boxer I thrilled to as a boy, the man I watched take the last steps to light the Olympic Flame when I was president, and I’ll never forget it, I was sitting there in Atlanta, by then we knew each other, by then I felt that I had some sense of what he was living with, and I was still weeping like a baby, seeing his hands shake and his legs shake and knowing by God he was gonna make those last few steps, no matter what it took.  T he  flame  would be  lit.  The  fight  would be  won.  The  spirit  would be affirmed. I knew it would happen.

Rick Rigsby Graduation Speech Lessons from a third grade drop out A Lesson in Magnification: Superior Performance

Narration- Tell a Story

In addition to identification and magnification, ceremonial speeches should include stories.

This example is from a University of Arkansas student speech and he is telling the story of picking out his first dog. Notice how the small details help to draw us in and help us to see the event unfold. I left this sample in speech format so you could see how it was written on his manuscript to have a feeling for the rhythm of the speech. (/// slanted lines, signal a pause…the more lines, the longer the pause)

It was a nice day and I can still picture you running towards me when I really try that is

As we approach the house,///

three little girls

accompanied by their father

open a shed door to the side of the property

I rode my Heelys  /// down a small

//concrete sidewalk

Excited to see the little balls of fluff

My parents said to pick a good one

So I picked you ///  because you bit my shoe.

Bryan Stevenson Tells a Story in an Award Acceptance Speech

Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption gave this acceptance speech when winning the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and NonFiction. Notice how his use of narration makes us feel something about his grandmother and then we carry those feelings as he talks about racial justice.

I had a very close relationship with my grandmother. My grandmother was the daughter of people who were enslaved. Her parents were born into slavery in Virginia in the 1840s. She was born in the 1880s, and the only thing that my grandmother insisted that I know about her enslaved father is that he learned to read before emancipation, and that reading is a pathway to survival and success. So I learned to read. I put books and words in my head and in my heart, so that I could get to the places that she needed me to go. I’m thinking about my grandmother tonight, because she had these qualities about her. She was like lots of African American matriarchs. She was the real force in our family. She was the end of every argument. She was also the beginning of a lot of arguments! She was tough, and she was strong but she was also kind and loving. When I was a little boy, she’d give me these hugs, she’d squeeze me so tightly I could barely breathe. And then she’d see me an hour later and she’d say, “Bryan, do you still feel me hugging you?” And if I said no, she would assault me again!

Did you notice the magnification (the greatness of a simple thing) in learning to read and in hugging?

Did you notice his use of identification by saying, “She was like lots of African American matriarchs?”

Speaking of identification, check out how he uses “we”

We need to change the narrative in this country about race, and poverty. We’re a country that has a difficult time dealing with our shame, our mistakes. We don’t do shame very well in America, and because of that we allow a lot of horrific things to go unaddressed.

Read the whole speech here:

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

You can use identification, magnification, and narration in all your speeches, but these three elements are especially important in ceremonial type speeches. Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• Identification means to relate to your audience.
• Magnification means to find traits about the person you are talking about and magnify them.
• Narration means to tell a story to help your audience feel something.
• Ceremonial speeches should always include identification, magnification, and narration.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you. 

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback. 

Albanese, A. (2015). Is this the greatest book award acceptance speech ever? Publisher’s Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/67546-is-this-the-greatest-book-award-acceptance-speech-ever.html

Clinton, B. ( 2020). Bill Clinton’s eulogy for Muhammad Ali. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feGjy5bKMb0 Standard YouTube License. 

Gamble, T. & Gamble, M.W. (1998).  Public Speaking in the Age of Diversity. Allyn and Bacon.

Justis, T. (2019). Photo of graduation speaker, Anna Francis Chandler.

Lester, D. Tribute to Stan Lee. University of Arkansas.

McConaughey, M. (2016). Matthew McConaughey University of Houston Speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmCTQ_mkzHU

Rigsby, R. (2017). The most inspiring speech: The wisdom of a third-grade dropout will change your life. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_Q7KYWG1g Standard YouTube License.

Samovar, L. A., & McDaniel, E. R. (2007). Public speaking in a multicultural society . Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury.

Saylor Academy (2012) . Stand up speak out: The practice and ethics of public speaking. Saylor Academy.

Snippe, E. (2016). 101 quotes to inspire speakers. Angelou, M. Quote. https://speakerhub.com/blog/101-quotes

Thibodeau, P.H and Boroditsky, L. (2011). Metaphors we think with: The role of metaphor in reasoning. Stanford University.

Winfrey, O. (2010). Oprah eulogy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfhtfNfIPE&t=1s Standard YouTube License.

Media Attributions

• Anna-Frances at University of Arkansas Graduation © Tuesdae Justis is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• kelly-miller-BL6XQLZeXpg-unsplash © Kelly Miller is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
• mia-anderson-xzE4-0gSYuo-unsplash © Mia Anderson is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license

Advanced Public Speaking Copyright © 2021 by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Legacy Projects

How to Write a Memorable Tribute Speech: Step-By-Step

Updated 04/19/2024

Published 11/16/2019

Sam Tetrault, BA in English

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

A tribute takes on so many different meanings, it can be hard to remember what it’s supposed to be. But when you write a tribute speech, you can get to its true purpose, which is to honor a specific person. Usually, you can hear tribute speeches at funerals, memorials, and celebrations -- but all tend to follow a similar formula.

Also see our tribute speech topic ideas and tribute speech samples below for some ideas to get you started.

If you’re speaking at a funeral or at a memorial, you might need to write a tribute speech. Or even if you’re speaking at a celebration and simply focusing this piece on a loved one who has died, this guide is for you. 

You want your tribute speech to use the right words and to paint an accurate, admirable picture of the person. A heartfelt speech evokes emotion in the listeners and conveys a clear message.

Tip : While speaking at a virtual event, like a live-streamed memorial organized by a service such as GatheringUs , practice your speech using your video conferencing software ahead of time so you can anticipate and fix any audio issues.

Here is a quick overview of the steps for writing a tribute speech:

• Think About the Person
• Write an Outline
• Get the Audience’s Attention
• Make Your Points
• Finish Strong
• Practice Your Speech

Step 1: Think About the Person

What purpose does your tribute speech serve? Are you sharing a particular moment in a loved one’s life, writing about their successes, or about their positive attributes? Do you want the audience to come away with a particular message or understanding of your loved one?

Brainstorm a few characteristics or key points you’d like to include in the tribute speech. With these kinds of speeches, it’s ok to evoke emotion and share that feeling with your audience. What emotions do you want your audience to feel? If you’re giving your speech at a memorial, you might want your words to highlight a sense of fondness or happiness. Make sure you are considering your audience as well as the person you’re writing about.

After all, writing a tribute speech for your mother will be very different than writing one for a friend.

Share your final wishes, just in case.

Create a free Cake end-of-life planning profile and instantly share your health, legal, funeral, and legacy decisions with a loved one.

Step 2: Write an Outline

Before you begin writing, create an outline. Writing an outline helps you organize your thoughts before putting pen to paper. Most tribute speeches follow the same format. Here’s a quick guideline to follow:

• Introduction: Who is the speech about? What is your relation to this person?
• Main point 1: Start off with a key characteristic of the person you’re talking about, such as their caring nature or listening skills.
• Evidence: What evidence do you have that supports your main point? For instance, if they were a caring person, talk about a time they helped others.
• Main point 2: What’s another point you’d like to make about the person?
• Evidence: Again, support your point.
• Conclusion: Repeat your crucial points and end with something meaningful.

You can include as many main points as you’d wish, but less is usually more. If you’re giving a speech at a funeral, there may be time limits to consider. Knowing what to say when someone dies is never easy. Using an outline organizes your thoughts in a clear way no matter the purpose of your speech. 

Step 3: Get the Audience’s Attention

The hardest part of a tribute speech is often the introduction. How do you capture the audience’s attention? If your speech is during a funeral, for instance, emotions are already high. If you’re giving a speech at another event or celebration, you similarly need to capture attention. How do you hook listeners with your tribute?

Start by relating to the listeners themselves. You need to appeal to the audience on a personal level to develop a connection with your words. If you’re speaking at a funeral, remind them how the deceased person brought everyone together. Open with your relationship with this person, and talk about your loved one’s role in your life. 

A good way to start is with a personal story. Humans naturally are drawn to stories. Including one at the beginning of your speech brings the audience closer to you. From there, it’s easier to share your main points with the listeners’ full attention. 

Step 4: Make Your Points

It might be tempting to drag out your introduction, especially if you’re using a personal take to capture the audience’s attention. Consider keeping the introduction brief so you can get to your point sooner rather than later. A concisely worded speech makes more of an impact through brevity and pauses than long drawn-out sentences.

With a tribute speech, you might include any of the following:

• The person’s characteristics
• The person’s accomplishments
• The person’s lasting impact
• Your experience with the person

All of these need real-life evidence. Memories, attributes, and physical creations provide plenty of support for what your loved one did in their life, and how they made you feel. How you share these main points is up to you.

Consider how you knew this person personally. Do you have a particularly funny or touching memory that was not shared widely? Did you see a special side of this person? These are all valuable questions to answer when writing a memorial tribute.

Step 5: Finish Strong

Finish your tribute speech on a high note. Popular quotes or poems can provide a way to tie up your speech. Or even ending with a quote or familiar saying from your loved one can leave your audience fondly remembering the person. Wrapping up your tribute speech can also be used to recall your main points and making a final statement about the person. 

You might ask the audience to remember their own favorite memory of this person or to think of them when they visit a certain place. Either way, leave them with something memorable.

Step 6: Practice Your Speech

Finally, before you present, it’s time to practice. If you’re anxious, use these tips to put you at ease:

• Think of your speech as a performance, not just a reading
• Make eye contact with your audience
• Stand up straight and tall
• Focus on your storytelling skills
• Let your passion show

As long as you’re putting emotion into the topic, this shines through for the audience. Practice really does make perfect. Don’t be afraid to share your speech with your friends and family before the big day.

Tribute Speech Topic Ideas

For inspiration planning your tribute speech, review these topic ideas below. Your tribute can be about anything that matters to you.

• Write about a physical tribute to made for your favorite person. 
• Write about a loved one who passed. 
• Describe an event involving yourself and a loved one. 
• Share a memory.
• Give a tribute to a place that matters to you.
• What movie or book inspired you?
• Did an incident ever change your life?
• Give a toast to someone who matters to you. 
• Share someone or something that changed your mind. 
• Explain the relationships that mean the most to you.

Tribute Speech Samples

To get a strong feel for what a tribute speech looks like, read through these samples below. Each speech serves a different purpose, but you’ll see how they impact the audience through storytelling and compassion. 

Tribute to a friend after their passing

"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for joining me to celebrate the life of my dear friend, Julian. All of us here admired Julian’s devotion to his family. I first met Julian through his wife, Stephanie. There was never a time when he wasn’t raving about Stephanie and all of their adventures together. I remember specifically one late night at work. Julian was the first to tell the whole office to head home. He always said nothing was more important than family, and that was certainly true. That’s the legacy Julian leaves behind: his shining family. I know we’ll all remember him even though he’s no longer with us. We still see Julian in his son and daughter, Mark and Mandy. Let’s make sure he’s never forgotten."

Tribute to a coworker "Thanks for joining me at this year’s celebration. Today, I’d like to highlight the success of Luisa, one of our best underwriters. Luisa is dedicated to her clients and helping them secure the home of their dreams. When Luisa first began working here, she would spend hours pouring over each applicant’s documents. She wanted to get everything right the first time. “The family is counting on us,” she would say. Luisa is right. It’s this kind of passion and attention to detail that makes her such an asset to our company."

Tribute to a sibling for a wedding

"I’m so thankful to be speaking about June on her wedding day. June and I have known each other for basically our whole lives, give or take the two years of me being an only child. Since then, June has always been the one who had my back. From the playground to college, she was always there. June is the first person I want to tell about my day — even if she’s bad at answering her phone! I am so grateful for our special bond. I just wanted to say thank you to my little sister for being my rock.:

Write a Powerful Tribute Speech

With the steps and examples listed above, hopefully you have some inspiration to help you write a top-notch tribute speech. From learning how to hook listeners to find the right words to say, you have many paths you can take with a tribute.

And in the end, a tribute speech is a commemoration of someone special. Whether you’re giving your speech as a sympathy message at a funeral or at a celebration, make the most of this opportunity. 

Everyone deserves to be remembered. Creating a tribute speech is a powerful way to evoke emotion and build strong relationships. They are for personal and professional relationships, remembering those who have died, and even just reminding us of the things we love most. It’s time to put your own pen to paper in honor of someone special. 

For more help finding the right words, read our guide to what to say on a death anniversary .

Categories:

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The Wedding Speech Order You Should Follow at Your Reception

We outline traditional and modern approaches so you can choose the flow that works best for you.

Getty Images / KristianGjorgjiev

In This Article

When you think about it, wedding speeches are to the reception what vows are to the ceremony. They inject emotion, joy, and personality into your event—and give all guests a chance to know the couple (and the people closest to them) a bit better. Since these special toasts are arguably one of the most important parts of your party, you likely want to do all you can to ensure they go off without a hitch, from timing them right to observing the correct flow.

As with most big-day details, there is a traditional order of wedding speeches to follow. While this age-old format makes a lot of sense—it gives your wedding's biggest VIPs (your parents!) the opportunity to speak first—it isn't mandatory; in fact, there are plenty of ways to adjust the wedding speech order at your celebration so that it better reflects your family or your priorities. “Nowadays, couples have their choice of following whatever order they’d like—or doing away with speeches altogether,” says wedding planners Bianca Hall and Erica Vanco of Estera Events . “Weddings only need to follow the rules and values that are important to you as a couple.”

Meet the Expert

• Bianca Hall and Erica Vanco are the co-owners and lead planners of Estera Events , a firm based in Chicago. 
• Bree Swartz is the owner and creative director of Blossom Events , a Brooklyn-based full-service boutique design and planning company.
• Kelly McWilliams , the founder of her eponymous wedding planning business in southwest Florida, has been in the industry since 2002.
• A wedding and event planner and the founder of Rachel Behar Events , Rachel Behar is based in Brooklyn.

It's important to remember that while wedding speeches hold deep value, one size doesn't necessarily fit all. To help you navigate both the traditional and modern wedding speech order, we tapped Hall, Vanco, and a mix of other wedding planners for their best advice.

When Should Wedding Speeches Happen During the Reception?

Before we get into the order of wedding speeches, it's important to first determine when they should take place. Should the slate of toasts happen before or after the meal? According to our experts, there's a sweet spot: It's best to start speeches when food service begins. You have a few options. You can time a few speeches at the start of the meal, during the salad course, or begin during the main one, which often takes a little longer to get through. Another option is to hold off on speeches until dinner is just about finished; this allows satiated attendees to digest before getting back up for a full—and uninterrupted—night of dancing.

Wedding planner Kelly McWilliams, who has it down to a science, recommends the following reception timeline, with speeches peppered in strategically:

• Introductions
• First dance
• Parent speeches
• First course
• Best man or maid of honor speech
• Best man or maid of honor speech (the better speaker always goes last!)
• Cake cutting
• Second course
• Parent dances
• Couple speech
• Dance floor opens

The Traditional Order of Wedding Speeches

The traditional wedding speech order is a little old-school. “It originated as a way to reflect the dynamics of the families involved and symbolize them blending together on this special occasion—beginning with the bride’s parents, then the groom’s parents, followed by the groom and the best man,” say Hall and Vanco. “The curated sequence was also meant to conclude the formalities with lighthearted anecdotes and camaraderie, leading into the rest of the celebration.”

Below, you'll find the traditional order of wedding speeches, which is as follows: the father (or parents) of the bride, the father (or parents) of the groom, the groom (or couple), the maid of honor, and finally, the best man. 

1. The Father of the Bride or Parents of the Bride's Speech

Historically, the bride's father —or both of her parents—take the first speech of the night. “This is typically the way it was done because the parents of the bride would traditionally pay for the wedding, and having them kick off the toasts indicates to guests that they were the hosts,” say Hall and Vanco. 

2. The Father of the Groom or Parents of the Groom's Speech

The father or parents of the bride are usually followed by the father or parents of the groom. This formality gives a nod of respect to another essential couple of the evening. “Having the parents of the couple kick off the celebration is highly recommended. They are full of love, joy, and gratitude, and really sets the tone for the evening,” says Bree Swartz, a wedding and event planner.

3. The Groom or Couple's Speech

Tradition indicates that the groom (or both the bride and the groom!) make a brief speech next as a way of thanking everyone for gathering to celebrate. “Having the bride and groom toast next keeps the energy up—and they can express their gratitude to their parents and guests,” says Swartz. (This may be the traditional approach, but many couples give their toasts first or last—as always, do what's best for you).

4. The Best Man and Maid of Honor's Speeches

Though the traditional wedding order would jump straight to the best man's speech, these days the maid of honor typically always says a few words, too. The best man’s speech is usually saved for last.

It is typical for these wedding party VIPs to come at the end of the speech portion of the evening—and their remarks do typically follow the parents'. “Having the best man and maid of honor raise a glass towards the end of dinner helps kick off those party vibes that guests are looking for when it's time to hit the dance floor,” says Swartz. 

Getty Images / Anchiy

How to Switch Up Your Wedding Speech Order

While the traditional wedding speech order does provide a blueprint (and offers a good model for honoring your wedding's VIPs), it certainly isn’t set in stone. “The speech order may change based on various factors such as family dynamics, cultural traditions, or personal preferences,” Hall and Vanco say. And it's possible—probably, even—that you won't do all speeches at once. All of our planners champion couples to make their own decisions that align with their vision. “The only 'wrong' wedding speech order is one that doesn’t represent your style or feel right for you,” says Swartz. There are plenty of ways couples can shake up wedding speeches however they see fit.

Reduce the Number of Speakers

Many couples choose to shorten the length of their ceremony, and they can take the same approach during the speech portion of the reception to improve its overall flow. “We like keeping this to three speech-givers maximum,” says wedding planner Rachel Behar. “We’ve all seen them drag on and everyone just wants to get to dancing!” 

Space the Speeches Out

If having a full suite of speeches is important to you, but you want to keep everyone's energy up, take a brief pause; this can have the same impact as curtailing the total number of toasts. “We usually recommend a break in toasts before inviting the best man and maid of honor up. This gives guests a breather, and they are more likely to stay present when taking in two to three speeches at a time,” says Swartz. 

Stick to the Rehearsal Dinner Only

It’s quite common to hear speeches at rehearsal dinners these days. In fact, “some couples may choose to do all speeches the night before at the rehearsal dinner, rather than having any on the wedding day,” say Hall and Vanco. This will definitely encourage a simpler, tighter reception, and allow those preparing speeches to relax and enjoy the main event—but this certainly isn't for everyone.

Let the Most Nervous Person Go First

For couples unconcerned with the traditional order of wedding speeches, allowing the most anxious speaker to take the mic first is a compassionate choice. “If anyone is naturally nervous, have them go first,” affirms Behar. Remeber that “weddings need only follow the rules and values that are important to you as a couple,” Hall and Vanco say, so if ensuring that everyone stays as comfortable as possible during your party is a priority, this might be the right option for you.

Include Other Speakers

If the couple has a very important person in their life who isn’t necessarily a parent, maid of honor, or best man, there is no reason why they shouldn’t make a speech. “The only requirement is that this person be meaningful to the couple and should be a leading force in their lives, and that it feels natural and special,” says Behar. Hall and Vanco agree: “While each speaker contributes to the celebration, no one speaker is essential, allowing flexibility for couples to tailor the order as they see fit.”

Tips for Writing a Memorable Wedding Speech 

A great wedding speech is sweet, succinct, and best expressed when memorized—though Hall and Vanco say printing it off is fine. Here are some of our experts' best tips for writing a wedding speech that knocks it out of the park.

Speak from the Heart

Sure, we live in the era of AI—but your wedding toast should't be penned by a robot. "We recommend writing from the heart,” says Swartz. All of our experts agree that writing honestly about your connection to the couple and their best qualities makes for the best possible toast.

Follow an Outline 

Adhering to a loose structure, though, will help you stay on track, and there are plenty of online templates to lean on. “Go for an engaging opening, share meaningful anecdotes or memories, and offer well-wishes for their future together, while maintaining a balance of sincerity and humor throughout,” Hall and Vanco suggest as a framework. McWilliams echos the importance of nailing the opening, so be sure to focus on this part as you build out your toast: "Wedding speeches that resonate most start with a story and not an introduction," says McWilliams.

Thinking about the best way to open your toast? Skip the obvious first line, “For those who don’t know me...” and lead with a story, instead. "The truth is that nobody cares who you are until you tell a story that attaches you to the couple," advises McWilliams.

Consider the Audience 

If you’ve grown up with the bride or groom, there’s a good chance you have some colorful stories to share. However, the ability to read the room is key. “Consider the audience and tailor your content to resonate both with both the couple and their guests,” say Hall and Vanco. Save those crazy college stories for the bachelorette party. "Stories that contain anything that could embarrass the couple or anyone in the room should not be included," adds McWilliams.

Keeping your speech concise is also crucial for keeping your audience engaged. “No more than five minutes,” confirm Hall and Vanco.

Focus on the Couple

Sure, you should (at some point) introduce yourself—but remember who the speech is about. Focus on stories about the couple; you should be a secondary character, not the main one. “Give insight to the couple from when they were younger, to their school years, to now. Shine a light on who they were and who they have become,” says Behar. You can then parlay your observations. “Share the moment you knew this time was different for these two love birds or when you knew they were the one for each other,” offers Swartz. 

Offer Advice 

If you’re in a long-term, committed relationship, a wedding speech can be an ideal time to offer sage advice. “Find words of wisdom or draw from your own experience on what it takes to build a lasting partnership, and raise a glass as you share your wishes for this next step in their journey together,” says Swartz. If you don't have the personal experience to back these sentiments up, stick to warm words, instead. "I think including your personal hopes for their future is very thoughtful," says McWilliams, who suggests saying something like, "My hope for you, and I think all of us here, is that you have a lifetime of the love and happiness that you have always shown us and that you are feeling here today."

Tips for Delivering a Memorable Wedding Speech

Crafting a great speech is important, but delivery is everything. Set yourself up for success with some of these public speaking tips.

Print It Out (and Use a Large Font)

To avoid looking disengaged and oddly lit, our experts recommend not reading off your phone. Instead, print or write out your speech in a large typeface. “It is typically dark in the room and if there are lights, they are very bright,” says Behar. “The larger the font, the easier it will be for you to read.” 

Remember That Practice Makes Perfect 

Familiarizing yourself with your material is so important—we cannot overstate this. “Practice your speech beforehand to build confidence and ensure a smooth delivery,” Hall and Vanco say. If possible, read your speech out loud for another person you trust to gauge the audience’s reaction and get comfortable with flow.

Speak Slowly

Though you might be nervous, giving a speech isn’t like completing a race—faster is not better. Speak slowly and clearly while focusing on the couple. “Making eye contact with the couple can help you focus on the gift you’re giving them versus focusing on the crowd of people,” says Swartz. 

Taking space to breath will also keep your pace where it needs to be: “Embrace the moment with enthusiasm and sincerity, and remember to breathe and take pauses as needed,” Hall and Vanco suggest. If you’ve built in some laughs or tearful reactions, give them time to play out. 

Above all else, take control of the moment and stay calm. “Remember why this is meaningful to you,” says Behar. Additionally, Swartz suggests taking deep inhales and even slower exhales to help you feel grounded. “I’ve seen some ladies take off their heels before they toast so they feel extra grounded, and I’m here for it,” she says.

Ultimately, those giving speeches should practice and speak sincerely. And when it comes to the order of those speeches? Couples should do whatever they want. “This is your night to celebrate your love in your own way, and you should be nothing but excited to have your chosen loved ones raise a glass to you,” says Swartz.

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The stage, the speaker and the speech: What goes into a commencement address?

The most important speech of the academic year, unpacked..

How is the commencement speaker chosen, and what makes a good speech?

The graduation ceremony is a culmination of four years of living and learning. On a beautiful May morning, thousands of students, donning voluminous robes and eager to see their caps fly into the sky, pack onto Tufts’ Academic Quad. As they take their seats, perched in front of the imposing stage, they know that only a few hours separate them from the rest of their adult lives.

But what occurs in those few hours should not be overlooked. While the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony might be tedious for those in the crowd anxious for the celebrations to begin, it is those formalities, chiefly the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipients, that determine how an already memorable day is remembered.

Tufts has awarded honorary degrees s ince 1858, when Thomas Whittemore, Universalist minister and vice president of the Tufts Board of Trustees, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

But Tufts’ first official commencement speaker was not recorded until 1916. That year, author, educator and politician Hamilton Holt shared words of wisdom and encouragement with the graduating class.

In an additional commencement tradition, Tufts has bestowed 1,139 honorary degrees . The types of degrees awarded have included  Doctor of Humane Letters, Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Science among others.

For such an integral and longstanding part  of the graduation ceremony, little is known about how the degree recipients and commencement speakers are selected, and even less is known about who the past honorees have been.

Each year, Tufts fields honorary degree nominations from all members of the university community — faculty, staff, students and alumni. Nominations are accepted for a week-long period in the fall semester, typically in October. Nominations are then reviewed by the Honorary Degree Committee, a branch of the Board of Trustees. The full board then makes the final decision on who the degree recipients will be .

The four-person committee is currently chaired by Lisbeth Tarlow. Tarlow is joined by f ellow Keshia Pollack Porter and Vivek Shah, as well as University President Sunil Kumar, who maintains his position ex officio .

In recent years, speakers have come from all walks of life.  Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick  and “ black-ish” (2014–22)  creator Kenya Barris  have all taken the stage on the Academic Quad. Sometimes speakers are Tufts alumni themselves, such as actor   Hank Azaria  and journalist Meredith Vieira .

According to Patrick Collins, Tufts’ executive director of media relations, potential commencement speakers have to meet a high bar.

“The university considers nominees for Commencement speaker and other honorary degree recipients who, at the time of their nomination, have a record of distinguished and sustained accomplishment in the varied academic, scholarly, and professional fields represented at Tufts, including business and industry, the visual, literary, musical, and performing arts, or public life,” Collins wrote in a statement.

The best place to find out about what goes into preparing and giving a commencement address is someone who has done it before. Sol Gittleman, Alice and Nathan Gantcher University professor emeritus, was selected by former University P resident Lawrence Bacow  to give the address in 2010, making him the first Tufts faculty member to receive the honor.  For Gittleman, the honor was never about prestige, and he believes speakers should be connected to Tufts.

“I always said give it to a faculty member. Pick a different faculty member from a different school each year and stop this race for prestige for commencement speakers,” Gittleman said. “It’s supposed to be an intellectual exercise, so find somebody who can say something that’s important .”

For Gittleman, the speech is not solely meant to be celebratory, but also meaningful and impactful, akin to his ethos as a professor.

“I knew it was important for them, for the people listening, it’s important. So, you don’t want to do it trivially,”  said Gittleman, reflecting on his own speech.

Gittleman’s guidelines for a good speech are straightforward. “S hort  and to whatever the points are you want to make.”

Though his address was given in 2010, much of Gittleman’s advice still holds true. He communicated to that year’s class the importance of studying the past.

“All I’m trying to do is find the truth, if there is such a thing. … The only way you can understand the facts is to have one foot planted in the past and one in the present, because if you don’t understand the history of how we got to where we are, then you’re not going to know anything,”  Gittleman said.

As for this year’s graduation class, Gittleman shared some reassuring wisdom.

“The secret is lifelong learning. This is why it’s called commencement. … It’s only the beginning of your education.”

But what makes the ideal commencement speech from a student perspective? For senior Aidan Sweeney , the speech should include a mixture of elements.

“A decent amount of humor is good [and making] it a little more personable [so] you can relate to their story,” Sweeney said. “And, it’s good to hear some sort of advice, because, when you think about commencement, you’re going out into the real world, and that can honestly be scary. So, we’re all looking for a bit of guidance.”

As for the background of the speaker, though, Sweeney is open to anyone, as long as they add something of value to an already special day.

“For me, I don’t really care so much if they’re from Tufts or not. I think it would be good if they were successful or they’ve had a lot of experiences that are worth sharing. ”

No matter the speaker, seniors will face strong emotions come May 19.

“I definitely have some mixed feelings about it,” Sweeney said. “It will be good to graduate and get a degree under my belt, but I’m also feeling like I’m going to be  leaving some stuff behind. … So, it’ll be rather bittersweet.”

This year’s commencement speaker will be Professor  Fiona Hill , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who served in three presidential administrations as an expert on Russian-American relations. Hill, the current chancellor of Durham University, will receive an honorary degree alongside three Tufts alumni — composer Kathryn Bostic, former professor Kathleen O’Loughlin of the School of Dental Medicine and innovative cardiologist Jeremy Ruskin .

Tufts officials are excited to welcome Hill and her fellow degree recipients to campus.

“We’re honored to have Fiona Hill as this year’s Commencement speaker,” Collins wrote. “Her long and distinguished record of public service is in keeping with Tufts’ mission of civic engagement, and her personal story of the transformative power of higher education resonates with the Tufts community. … We’re delighted that she has agreed to join us and we look forward to welcoming her on May 19.”  

In the end, no matter who is selected or how they get there, the day is about the graduating seniors. It is their hard work over four years at Tufts that made graduation day possible. While the day may end one period in their lives, the best is yet to come. In the eternal words of Semisonic, “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Meet this year’s recipients of the Presidential Award for Civic Life

Roommate pairs demonstrate their Jumbo compatibility for all four years at Tufts

Peace in the unknown: Maddy Noah looks back on her time at Tufts

Letter to the editor, faculty told to prepare for upcoming budget cuts, tufts denies medford alpha epsilon pi’s affiliation request, breaking: bárbara brizuela to serve as interim dean of school of arts and sciences, editorial: tufts’ summer glow up.

The Strange Ritual of Commencement Speeches

Where everything and nothing is at stake

They appear every spring, like crocuses or robins or perhaps black flies: commencement addresses. Thousands of them, across the country and across the variety of American higher education—two-year schools, four-year schools, small colleges, universities both public and private, schools of every kind. And they will appear again, despite how unusual this spring has been. Many campuses have been roiled by protests about the war in Gaza, and some institutions will curtail graduation ceremonies. But the members of this undergraduate class, who had their high-school graduations shut down by COVID in 2020, have long looked forward to a second chance at a commencement ceremony. Over the next month or so, even in the face of disruptions or cancellations, commencement addresses will be delivered to about 4 million students earning some kind of college degree.

Most of these addresses will pass into oblivion. It is a cliché for commencement speakers to open their remarks by confessing that they remember nothing about their own graduation: They have forgotten not just what was said, but who said it. Yet even if most commencement addresses prove far from memorable, the press and public eagerly anticipate them. News stories appear throughout the winter and early spring announcing who will speak where. Then, when the speakers have spoken, journalists and commentators rush to judge which should be considered the year’s best.

A few speeches are anointed as classics to be visited or revisited for years. Admiral William McRaven’s 2014 address at the University of Texas at Austin has had more than 60 million YouTube viewers, all eager to learn the 10 takeaways from his Navy SEAL training. Thousands of Americans likely hear echoes in their head every morning of his promise that if you “make your bed,” it will change your life. More than 60 million people have also watched Steve Jobs’s Stanford University speech from 2005, which eerily anticipates his own death and urges graduates to “ follow your heart .” J. K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard talk about failure and imagination has attracted tens of millions of viewers, as has David Foster Wallace’s 2005 Kenyon College address, “ This Is Water. ” All of these also ended up in print as well, designed to make attractive gifts. Admiral McRaven’s book became a New York Times No. 1 best seller. When Wallace died, in 2008, The Wall Street Journal republished the speech in his memory.

Read: A commencement address too honest to deliver in person

Commencement greatest hits reach well beyond these chart-toppers. Time , The New York Times , The Washington Post , Slate , Elle , and countless other outlets run articles each year on the season’s winners. “Looking for some new words of wisdom?” NPR asks on its website. The headline of its online database lists the 350 “Best Commencement Speeches, Ever” in alphabetical order (but, curiously, by first name), from Aaron Sorkin to Zubin Damania. Can all 350 really be the “best”?

The assumption behind commencement speeches seems to be that even as graduates don their black robes and mortarboards, they don’t yet know quite enough. They must await, or perhaps endure, some final instruction, absorb some last missing life lesson, before they can be safely launched into what their education has supposedly prepared them for. Almost always these days, this instructional capstone is delivered by someone outside the institution, someone expected to have insight that extends beyond a university’s walls—perhaps representing a first step in the students’ transition into the “real world.” Many colleges and universities try to attract the most famous person they can. As graduation season approaches, speaker announcements take on the hallmarks of a competition: Which institutions did President Barack Obama choose for his three or four addresses each year? Who snagged Oprah Winfrey? Or Taylor Swift?

Seeking a famous speaker may, on one level, represent an unseemly preoccupation with celebrity. But it fits the logic of the occasion. What better time to hear from someone who is regarded as, at least in some way, distinguished? Someone who has led what an institution perceives to be an inspiring and successful life? Yet even before our present moment of cancel culture and partisanship, university leaders have had to worry about selecting a speaker who might spark disruptions in a ceremony meant to be a celebration. High Point University, in North Carolina, which in 2005 welcomed Rudy Giuliani—admired in the aftermath of 9/11 as “America’s mayor”—presumably would not make that choice again today. Every spring sees its complement of speakers who are protested, heckled, or disinvited.

Speakers, in turn, are attracted by a prestigious invitation, or perhaps by the presence of a child or grandchild in the graduating class—and, at times, by the offer of a substantial honorarium. Some institutions, though a minority, pay their speakers what can be hefty sums. One agent who represents a portfolio of prominent entertainers observed that fees for graduation speakers may go as high as $500,000. “Universities are vying for customers in the form of admissions, and this can be a great way to advertise and get people on campus,” she explained . When Matthew McConaughey’s $135,000 honorarium from the University of Houston was made public by inquisitive journalists in 2015, he quickly assured critics that he had donated it to charity. The Boston Globe touched off a small scandal when it reported the same year that three state schools had paid speakers $25,000 to $35,000 each.

Serving as a commencement speaker is not all glory. Usually the honored guest must perform as the centerpiece of the lunches, dinners, and meet and greets that surround the actual ceremony. And of course there is the speech. Someone has to write it. It seems unimaginable that anyone other than David Foster Wallace could have created “This Is Water,” and Kenyon students remember seeing him surrounded by sheets of paper, inking in edits and scribbling addenda right up to the start of the ceremony. At Harvard, J. K. Rowling opened her remarks by admitting to the months of anxiety she experienced as she wrote her address. At least, she noted, her worries had resulted in her losing weight. Rowling’s speech was greeted with a two-minute standing ovation. Yet she vowed never to give a commencement address again.

Many speeches are composed by someone other than the person who utters the words. Commencement speeches are not just a cultural ritual; they are an industry. A former Obama speechwriter told me recently that the springtime atmosphere at the Washington, D.C., public-affairs and communications firm where he now works is like the high-pressure environment of an accounting firm during tax season. Some of the market comprises regular clients, but a number of customers are one-offs. A lot of speechwriters hate doing commencement speeches, he said; they find it nearly impossible to come up with something fresh and compelling. These addresses, he went on, are unlike other genres of speeches, which tend to focus on the speaker. A commencement address has to be about the graduates: It is their day. Getting the “trite ideas out”—Pursue your passions! Turn failure into opportunity!—can be the first step toward “shaking loose” an idea, an angle that is distinctive to a particular speaker, place, and moment.

In any given year, a speaker in high demand will deliver addresses at several colleges and universities. Barack Obama gave 23 graduation speeches during his presidency. In principle, these speeches should not be the same; each audience, each institution, each graduate wants to feel special. Besides, in this digital age, you are going to get caught. When word got around, in advance of his 2005 Class Day speech at Harvard, that the Meet the Press host Tim Russert sometimes recycled his remarks, students at Harvard passed around bingo cards printed with some of his favorite phrases and encouraged attendees to play.

Senator Chuck Schumer doesn’t care about being caught. He loves graduations, and shows up, sometimes unannounced—perhaps even uninvited, though none of his hosts has ever said so—at as many as eight commencement ceremonies across the state of New York every year. He delivers the same speech every time. A student complained on a Reddit thread that he had heard the speech five times in six years—at his high-school, college, and graduate-school commencements, and at his sister’s high-school and college ceremonies. “OH FUCK,” his long-suffering family finally proclaimed, “NOT AGAIN.” (Perhaps, another Reddit contributor suggested, the graduates could arrange to do a sing-along.) When John Oliver, the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight , learned about Senator Schumer’s springtime follies, he couldn’t resist showing clips of him saying exactly the same thing year after year after year, with the same verbal sound effects and hand gestures—an “endless graduation-speech time loop.”

The peril of graduation speeches is that, however hard you struggle, you are in danger of repeating not just yourself but every person who has ever given one. Asked to generate a commencement address, ChatGPT produces a script that sounds like every speech you’ve ever heard, because it is in fact just that: a distillation of everything everyone has ever said, or at least everything that ChatGPT has found available in its training data. Graduates should practice resilience, pursue purpose, nurture relationships, embrace change, innovate, accept their responsibility to lead, and persevere as they embark on their journey into “a world of infinite possibilities.”

Read: What John F. Kennedy’s moon speech reveals 50 years later

We have all heard this speech. We’ll hear versions of it again this spring. But we hope for something better, and we’ll scour newspapers and the internet to see if it has been delivered somewhere. We ask powerful, accomplished people to stand before us and, for a moment, present a different self—to open up, become vulnerable, be reflective, let us see inside. What is a meaningful life, and how do I live one? These are questions that are customarily reserved for late nights in undergraduate dormitories, for the years before the at-once tedious and terrifying burdens of Real Life—careers, mortgages, children, aging bodies, disappointed hopes—overtake us.

Everything and nothing is at stake in a commencement address. Maybe you have already heard it eight times. Maybe there was nothing worth hearing in the first place. But perhaps you will encounter a speaker who, even in this tumultuous spring, can reach across the chasm of innocence and experience separating graduates and the person talking to them. The old endeavor to imagine themselves young and look through fresh eyes again; the young begin to imagine themselves old, as they will become all too soon.

The best commencement address is a gift—of self and of hope across generations. It is not surprising that these speeches so rarely succeed. The surprise should be when they do. Innocence can only faintly imagine experience. No generation can really explain to another what is to come. And experience can never recapture innocence, however wistful we may be for what has been lost. The beauty of commencement speeches is that they represent a moment when we try.

TechBullion

How to write a comprehensive speech using ai speech writer.

If you are not able to write a comprehensive speech on AI, this tool is available for your assistance. Writing a comprehensive speech can be a daunting task, but with the advent of   AI speech writer , this process has become significantly more manageable. In this guide, we will explore how to effectively use AI speech writers to craft a compelling and comprehensive speech.

Understanding the Basics of a Comprehensive Speech

Before diving into the use of AI tools, it’s essential to understand what makes a speech comprehensive. A comprehensive speech is one that covers its topic thoroughly and clearly, leaving the audience with a full understanding of the subject matter. Key elements include:

• Clear Objective: The purpose of the speech should be clear.
• Engaging Introduction: Captivate your audience from the start.
• Well-Structured Body: Organized into clear, logical sections.
• Strong Conclusion: Summarizes key points and leaves a lasting impression.

The Role of AI in Speech Writing

AI speech writers leverage advanced algorithms to assist in the creation of speeches. These tools can help generate ideas, organize content, and even provide suggestions for improving clarity and engagement. Here’s how you can utilize an AI speech writer effectively:

• Topic Selection: AI can help brainstorm topics that are relevant and engaging.
• Research Assistance: Quickly gather and organize information on your chosen topic.
• Drafting: Generate a first draft that you can refine and personalize.
• Editing and Proofreading: AI tools can help identify errors and suggest improvements.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using an AI Speech Writer

1. define your objective.

Start by clearly defining the objective of your speech. What message do you want to convey? Who is your audience? Having a clear objective will guide the AI in generating relevant content.

2. Input Key Points

Feed the AI with key points you want to cover. This could include specific arguments, anecdotes, or data. The AI will use this information to create a coherent structure for your speech.

3. Generate a Draft

Using the provided input, let the AI generate a draft of your speech. This draft will serve as a foundation that you can build upon. Review the draft to ensure it aligns with your vision and make necessary adjustments.

4. Refine and Personalize

Refine the AI-generated draft by adding your personal touch. This could include adjusting the tone, adding personal stories, or emphasizing particular points. Personalization is crucial to make the speech resonate with your audience.

5. Use AI for Editing

Once you have a refined draft, use the AI’s editing and proofreading features to polish your speech. This includes checking for grammatical errors, improving sentence structure, and ensuring overall coherence.

Tips for Enhancing Your Speech

While AI tools are incredibly helpful, there are a few additional tips to ensure your speech is truly comprehensive:

• Practice Delivery: The way you deliver your speech can significantly impact its effectiveness. Practice your speech multiple times to become comfortable with the content and flow.
• Engage Your Audience: Use rhetorical questions, pauses, and eye contact to keep your audience engaged.
• Use Visual Aids: Where appropriate, use slides or other visual aids to enhance understanding.
• Seek Feedback: Before your final delivery, get feedback from trusted individuals to identify any areas for improvement.

Writing a Reflective Essay

If you are not able to write a comprehensive reflective essay, this tool is available for your assistance. Writing a complete reflective essay  can be hard, but with reflective essay writing service , it becomes much easier. In this guide, we will write for you how to write reflective essays.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Can AI speech writers replace human creativity?

While AI tools can assist with the structure and content generation, human creativity and personal touch are irreplaceable for making a speech truly unique and engaging.

Q2: How accurate are AI-generated speeches?

AI-generated speeches are generally accurate in terms of grammar and structure, but they may require personalization and refinement to fully align with your vision.

Q3: Are AI speech writers easy to use?

Most AI speech writers are user-friendly and designed to guide you through the process, making them accessible even for those with limited technical skills.

Q4: Can I use AI speech writers for any type of speech?

Yes, AI speech writers can be used for various types of speeches, including informative, persuasive, and ceremonial speeches.

By utilizing AI speech writers and following these guidelines, you can confidently write and deliver comprehensive speeches that leave a lasting impact on your audience.

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How to Write A Heartfelt Bridesmaid Speech (With Examples)

• The Speaker Lab
• May 15, 2024

Table of Contents

Your best friend’s wedding day has arrived, and as her bridesmaid, you want to deliver a speech that truly honors the love she shares with her new spouse. Crafting the perfect bridesmaid speech can feel daunting, but with a few heartfelt examples and tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a toast that celebrates their unique bond. Whether you’re looking for sentimental stories, lighthearted anecdotes, or the right words to express your love and support, these bridesmaid speech examples will inspire you to speak from the heart and raise a glass to the happy couple.

How to Structure Your Bridesmaid Speech

The key elements of a bridesmaid speech are an attention-grabbing opening, a few memorable stories, and a toast to the newlyweds. Once you have an idea of the general structure of a bridesmaid speech, you can play around with it a bit. Remember, the goal is to write something that is both authentic and heartfelt.

To help you craft your bridesmaid speech, we’ve provided an outline with examples. This outline highlights each of the key elements of a bridesmaid speech, which you can customize as needed.

Greet the Guests

Open with a warm welcome and acknowledgment of what a joyful occasion it is. For example:

“Good evening everyone. It’s so wonderful to see all the people [Bride] and [Groom] love here to celebrate their marriage.”

Introduce Yourself

Let guests know your name and connection to the bride. Keep it brief but affectionate, like:

“For those who don’t know me, I’m [Name], and I’ve had the pleasure of being [Bride’s] best friend since we were [age].”

Share Memories and Personal Stories

This is the meat of your speech. Share 2-3 brief stories, minutes long at most, that give guests a glimpse into your bond with the bride and couple. Some ideas:

• The bride’s most admirable qualities and how they shine in her relationship
• A funny or touching story from your friendship
• How you’ve seen the couple’s love grow

Stories are a great way to engage your audience while also demonstrating positive characteristics about the bride. When preparing your bridesmaid speech, feel free to tell a funny story about the bride, but avoid anything embarrassing or disrespectful. For example:

“I’ll never forget our first girls’ trip together when [Bride] got so sunburned she looked like a lobster. She was in good spirits though—we laughed about it all week.”

While some people might consider a bad sunburn embarrassing, the bride in this story found it humorous, making it safe territory for a bridesmaid speech. A story like this can draw laughs from your audience while highlighting the bride’s healthy sense of humor.

Express Love and Admiration

Here’s where you really honor the couple. Talk about the bride’s best qualities, how happy she is with her new spouse, and the amazing life they’ll build together. For instance:

“[Bride], your kindness and sense of adventure inspire me. Seeing the love between you and [Groom] gives me so much joy. You two are truly meant for each other.”

Raise a Toast

Close your groom speech by inviting everyone to toast the happy couple . Offer your love and support with wedding speech tips like:

“Join me in raising a glass to the bride and groom. May your love be a beacon through life’s storms and your greatest adventure yet. To [Bride] and [Groom].”

Remember, the goal of a bride speeches is to make the newlyweds feel loved and celebrated. Speak from the heart and let your unique personality shine. You’ll give a toast that honors their love story and your special bond.

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Dos and Don’ts of Delivering a Memorable Bridesmaid Speech

If you’ve been asked to give a bridesmaid speech, you know it’s a huge honor. However, it can also be nerve-wracking. You want to strike the perfect balance of heartfelt and humorous, while avoiding any cringe-worthy moments. To prep you for the big day, we have several examples of what you do and don’t want to include in your bridesmaid speech. Let’s take a look.

Keep It Short and Sweet

First and foremost, aim to keep your speech concise. Aim for around 3-5 minutes max. Pick a couple of your favorite memories or anecdotes and focus on those.

Practice and Prepare

The key to delivering your speech with confidence is practice, practice, practice. Write out what you want to say, then rehearse it out loud until you feel comfortable. Pro tip: record yourself on your phone so you can get a sense of your pacing and tone.

Be Authentic and Sincere

The most memorable speeches come straight from the heart, so don’t try to be someone you’re not or force a bunch of jokes if that’s not your style. Focus on expressing your g enuine love and admiration for the couple.

Avoid Embarrassing Stories

While a little gentle ribbing can be fun, steer clear of any stories that could truly embarrass the bride or groom. Keep the bachelor(ette) party antics out of it, and definitely avoid bringing up any ex-partners. This day is all about celebrating the couple’s love story.

If there’s alcohol at a wedding, it can be tempting to rely on liquid confidence for your bridesmaid speech. However, to maintain respect for the couple as well as personal dignity, save your drinks until after your speech. No one wants to hear a slurred, rambling toast, either from a bridesmaid or a groomsman.

At the end of the day, remember that your speech doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the sentiment behind your words that the couple will cherish for years to come. So take a deep breath, speak from your heart, and enjoy this special moment.

Inspirational Quotes and Sentiments for Your Bridesmaid Speech

When it comes to crafting the perfect bridesmaid speech, sometimes a little inspiration goes a long way. Peppering in a famous quote about love or a heartfelt wish for the couple’s future can elevate your message and leave a lasting impact. Below are a few examples in might want to include in your own bridesmaid speech.

Famous Love Quotes

Incorporating a classic quote about love and marriage can lend some timeless wisdom to your speech. Take a look:

• “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn
• “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – When Harry Met Sally
• “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou

Heartfelt Wishes for the Couple

Your speech is the perfect opportunity to share your hopes and dreams for the newlyweds’ future together. Speak from the heart and let them know how much their love has inspired you. A few examples:

• “May your love be modern enough to survive the times, but old-fashioned enough to last forever.”
• “May your love be a beautiful adventure that grows deeper with each passing year.”
• “May you always find comfort, joy, and strength in each other’s arms.”

Celebrating Their Unique Bond

Every love story is unique, so don’t be afraid to highlight what makes this couple’s bond so special. Maybe it’s the way they balance each other out, or how they’ve supported each other through thick and thin. Share a few words about why you believe their love is true and everlasting.

Remember, these quotes and sentiments are just a starting point. Use them as inspiration, but be sure to put your own spin on things. The most impactful words will be the ones that come straight from your heart.

Creative Ways to Add Humor and Personality to Your Speech

While heartfelt sentiments are a must in any bridesmaid speech, a little humor can go a long way in keeping your audience engaged. The key is to strike a balance—you want to be funny and relatable, without veering into cringe-worthy territory. Here are a few ideas for infusing your speech with some personality.

Playful Jokes and Puns

A well-placed pun or playful joke can be a great way to break the ice and get a few laughs. Maybe there’s a funny story about how the couple met, or a pun related to their shared hobbies. For example, if the groom is an author , you could add this line to your bridesmaid speech: “When she told us her fiancée was an author, we knew she had found Mr. Write.”

Lighthearted Teasing

If you’ve known the bride or groom for a long time, a little gentle ribbing can show the depth of your friendship. Just be sure to keep it affectionate and avoid anything too embarrassing. For example: “[Bride], remember when we were kids and you swore you’d marry a prince? Well, I think it’s safe to say you found your real-life Prince Charming.”

Sharing Embarrassing Moments

While you want to avoid any truly mortifying stories, sharing a mildly embarrassing moment can humanize your speech and make everyone chuckle. Just be sure it’s something you’d be okay with your own crazy family bringing up at your wedding. For example, maybe there’s a funny story about a memorable road trip or a disastrous double date.

At the end of the day, the goal is to make the couple laugh, smile, and feel loved. So choose humor that feels authentic to your relationship and the overall vibe of the wedding.

Bridesmaid Speech Ideas for a Sister or Best Friend

If you’re the bridesmaid for your sister or best friend’s wedding, you have a unique opportunity to share heartfelt memories and celebrate the couple’s love story. As someone who has witnessed their relationship unfold, you can offer a personal perspective.

When crafting your speech, consider including childhood memories and stories of growing up together with the bride. These anecdotes will not only showcase your close bond but also give the audience a glimpse into the bride’s early years and the experiences that shaped her into the person she is today.

Childhood Memories and Growing up Together

Take a trip down memory lane and share some of your favorite moments from your shared childhood. Perhaps you have fond memories of playing dress-up together, having sleepovers, or getting into mischief as young girls. These stories will bring a smile to everyone’s face and remind the bride of the unbreakable bond you share.

For example, in your bridesmaid speech you could say something like, “I remember when [Bride] and I were little girls, we would spend hours in our backyard, pretending to be princesses and dreaming of our future weddings. Little did I know that one day, I would have the honor of standing by her side as she marries her real-life Prince Charming.”

Witnessing Their Love Story Unfold

As the bride’s sister or best friend, you’ve likely had a front-row seat to her love story with the groom. Share how you’ve watched their relationship grow and evolve over time. Perhaps you were there for their first date, or you’ve seen them navigate challenges together with grace and strength.

You could say something like, “I’ve had the privilege of watching [Bride] and [Groom]’s love story unfold from the very beginning. From the moment they met, I could see the spark between them. Over the years, I’ve watched their love grow stronger with each passing day, and I know that they are truly meant to be together.”

Your Unbreakable Bond

Finally, take a moment to celebrate the special bond you share with the bride. Whether you’re sisters by blood or by choice, let her know how much she means to you and how grateful you are to have her in your life.

You could say, “[Bride], you’re more than just my sister/best friend. You’re my confidante and my partner-in-crime. I’m so grateful to have you in my life, and I know that [Groom] is the luckiest man in the world to have you by his side.”

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Crafting a Speech That Reflects the Couple’s Unique Relationship

Every couple’s relationship is unique, and your speech should reflect that. As you brainstorm ideas, consider the qualities that make the bride and groom’s bond so special. For example, you might list things they love to do together or explain how they complement each other in order to make your bridesmaid speech more personal.

Highlighting Their Shared Interests and Passions

One way to personalize your speech is by highlighting the couple’s shared interests and passions. Perhaps they bonded over a love of travel, music, or a particular hobby. Sharing these details will give the audience a deeper understanding of what makes their relationship so strong.

For example, you could say something like, “[Bride] and [Groom], your love for adventure and exploration has taken you to some of the most beautiful places in the world. From hiking in the mountains to diving in the ocean, you’ve faced every challenge together with courage and enthusiasm. I know that your shared passion for life will continue to guide you as you embark on this new chapter together.”

Celebrating Their Complementary Qualities

Another way to showcase the couple’s unique bond is by celebrating their complementary qualities. Perhaps the bride’s creativity and spontaneity are the perfect match for the groom’s practicality and steadiness. Or maybe the groom’s sense of humor brings out the best in the bride’s more serious nature.

You could say something like, “[Bride], your kindness and compassion are the perfect complement to [Groom]’s strength and determination. Together, you balance each other out and bring out the best in one another. Your love is a testament to the power of partnership and the beauty of finding your perfect match.”

Envisioning Their Future Together

Finally, take a moment to envision the couple’s future together. What dreams and aspirations do they share? How do you see their love growing and evolving over the years?

You could say something like, “[Bride] and [Groom], as you stand here today, surrounded by the love and support of your family and friends, I see a future filled with endless possibilities. I know that your love will be the foundation that supports you through all of life’s joys and challenges. May your marriage be a source of strength, comfort, and inspiration, not only for yourselves but for all those around you. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you both, and I know that with your love to guide you, anything is possible.”

Remember, the key to a great bridesmaid speech is to speak from the heart and to share your genuine love and admiration for the couple. Whether you choose to focus on childhood memories, the couple’s unique bond, or your hopes for their future together, your words will be a cherished part of their special day.

FAQs in Relation to Bridesmaid Speech Examples

What should a bridesmaid say in her speech.

Acknowledge the couple, share heartfelt memories, sprinkle in humor, and close with sincere wishes for their future.

How long is a bridesmaid speech?

Ideally, keep it between three to five minutes. Short enough to hold attention; long enough to cover the essentials.

What to say in your best friends’ wedding speech?

Talk about shared adventures, celebrate their love journey, express gratitude for friendship, and wish them joy ahead.

Bridesmaid speech examples can be your guiding light as you honor your dear friend on her wedding day. Remember, the most memorable toasts come straight from the heart. So stay authentic as you explore the distinctive path their affection has taken, recall treasured experiences shared between them, and inject a bit of light-heartedness along the way. Your words have the power to make their special day even more unforgettable.

So take a deep breath, raise your glass, and let your love for the newlyweds shine through. A toast is in order—one that honors their beautiful relationship and cherishes the strong ties of friendship.

• Last Updated: May 7, 2024

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Commentary | Opinion: CT Dems choose right speaker for…

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Commentary | ct train hits atv on railroad tracks; incident under investigation by multiple agencies, commentary | opinion: ct dems choose right speaker for solemn times.

Delivered in the middle of the night to a full and exhausted House floor, Jeffries doesn’t mention the headline-dominating drama that intensified with each of the 15 consecutive votes held over an agonizingly long four-day period to select a House Speaker.

When Hakeem Jeffries steps into the role as House Minority Leader for the first time he speaks about his life’s work and about his party’s beliefs. He injects purpose into his party’s new minority status by quoting scripture, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

He then recognizes that it’s a transitional moment and offers a hand of partnership to, “make clear that we extend and intend to try to find common ground whenever and wherever possible on behalf of the American people. Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as independents, but as Americans.”

The speech in its entirety is a spectacular display of political rhetoric enthusiastically received by his side of the aisle with all the punchiness that tends to occupy legislative chambers in the wee small hours of the night.

Yet what stood out most to me wasn’t the hoots and catcalls, it was the words directly preceding his ceremonial transfer of the speaker’s gavel to the newly-minted and soon-to-be-politically-doomed Kevin McCarthy.

Mr. Jeffries, who is as capable of rhetorical flourishes as anyone who’s ever graced a Congressional lectern doesn’t fall back on any pomp-and-circumstance cliches.

Rather, he initiates the peaceful transfer of power to the newly-decided Speaker of the House with the authentic statement that, “It is now my solemn responsibility to hand over the people’s gavel…”

That two-word phrase, “solemn responsibility,” perfectly encapsulates the moment and has reverberated throughout my consciousness ever since, influencing how I approach the tiring, grueling, and unpleasant, but very necessary tasks I encounter as a parent, husband, and citizen.

We’ve all handled solemn responsibilities in our lives.

Some that hit particularly hard in my past include letting go of my wife’s hand in the delivery room to follow the “crash team” and my newborn daughter up to the NICU with no idea of what to expect, and summoning the courage less than three years later to look into that daughter’s eyes and say, “the reason Mama and Dada have been so sad lately is because Papa died,” introducing her innocent heart to grief at the height of a global pandemic with nobody there to comfort us but ourselves.

The solemn day-to-day responsibilities hit hard, too.

The list is endless: feeding, clothing, bathing, educating, comforting, disciplining, loving, forgiving… and on and on for what seems like forever but everyone swears, “goes by in the blink of an eye.”

We cannot predict or control the solemn responsibilities of our lives but we can control how we react to them.

Leader Jeffries’  statement  on saving embattled Speaker Mike Johnson from the tiresome turmoil of a meager mob of members is a good indicator that sixteen months (and two speakers) later, he might just mean the things he says and believe the values he shares.

The statement reads in part, “We need more common sense and less chaos in Washington, D.C… We will continue to govern in a reasonable, responsible and results-oriented manner and to put people over politics all day and every day.”

Mr. Jeffries is an unconventional speaker.

I look forward to hearing more of what he has to say and to finding out in November how many voters will join the Connecticut Democratic Party in believing that an unconventional speaker is the best choice for unconventional times.

Chris Gaffney is a stay-at-home dad, writer, public speaker , and husband living in Wolcott. He holds a Juris Doctorate with a certificate in public policy from UConn and a writing degree with a concentration in political rhetoric from Ithaca College.

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