I walk the dog by Lake Michigan twice a day for about an hour each time. I used to listen to music while we walked but then Podcasts came along a few years ago. I figured I could use the time to learn something and now listen to a wide variety of Podcasts.  

One I listen to occasionally is called StoryBrand, which had an episode recently that focused on presentations. The host began with: 

“One of my most painful guilty pleasures—because I enjoy and can’t stand it at the same time—is watching 20-somethings at a wedding reception give a best man’s toast. Because they are the worst speeches ever. They are literally awful… but that’s what’s amateurs do and those guys are all amateur speech givers.”

Hearing wedding speakers ridiculed like this is heartbreaking, but it's true. Most wedding speakers struggle to honor the bride and groom, and entertain wedding guests without sweating bullets or falling into rambling stories no one could follow.

Worse, some speakers resorted to using stale—even offensive—jokes and one-liners.  It IS painful watching wedding speakers winging it and falling flat. This shouldn't happen.

In fact, since your speech is likely a once-in-a-lifetime honor, you... along with the bride, groom and guests... should enjoy every minute of it.  With a little planning you can give a funny, warm and  100% original wedding speech.  You can knock this thing out of the park.