Delivering a joint speech is not only modern, it simply makes sense.

It means no one speaks on behalf of the other, you both get to thank your friends and family, and you can rehearse together. It also takes the pressure off just one of you and allows you to discuss your speech and have fun with it along the way.

Many of our Speechy clients have said their joint speech became the epicentre of their day and it’s become one of the day’s highlights.

The same principles apply as writing a strong groom speech. The first stage is gathering great content and then deciding on a theme that ties the material together. The benefit of developing this as a couple, is you get two heads for the price of one and creativity has been proven to be infectious.

The key to ensuring the writing process is a pleasure, is being supportive of each other’s ideas. If your partner comes up with a lame joke, resist the urge to roll your eyes, bang your head on the table and wail ‘what’s the point?’. Instead, play with the idea; humour it, view it as a springboard to new ideas.

There’s no point trying to write your speech before you know what’s going in it, so schedule a date night with a purpose. Discuss and agree:

• Who you want to thank – you’ll each probably want to thank both sets of parents, but only one of you needs to thank the ushers or bridesmaids
• If any toasts to the dearly departed are necessary
• What stories to include – a good speech relies on good stories so think about your best ‘couple’ anecdotes; the ones that will give guests an insight into your relationship and, ideally, provide some laughter too
• Your speech theme – that narrative hook that holds everything together so your speech sounds more than just a tedious list of thank yous and a couple of stories tagged on at the end

Once you have your material, it’s time to structure and write the speech – but writing as a couple can be tricky. You thought table planning was hard? Crafting a speech is even more complex!

Our advice is to split up; one of you writes the first draft and the other one improves it. Even this will require some negotiation but at least you won’t be debating words as you write.

Divide the speech so you each have small sections to deliver (2 – 6 sentences) and alternate throughout.

Like all good comedy duos, think about how you can play off each other. Script comedy ‘ad libs’. If your relationship dynamic lends itself, one of you can play the straight man and the other the fall guy. Play with what you got.

While a marriage is all about being open and honest, a joint wedding speech means keeping a few things to yourself. Specifically, a romantic paragraph towards the end of the speech that you each write privately.

You can then each deliver your secret sentiment tribute to your partner on the day, just before you jointly propose the toast.

Just because there’s two of you, doesn’t mean the speech can be double the length. In fact, still aim for less than 1,300 words so your delivery comes in under ten minutes on the day.

The good news is the sole pressure of delivering your speech is off. The bad news? Delivering your speech has become a bit more complicated. The ease of a double act takes some rehearsal. Especially if you want the ‘ad libs’ to look natural.

You also need to think about what you’re doing when the other person is talking. Make sure you look at the person talking and react. Don’t just lose yourself in your notes!

Smile, roll your eyes, look at one another and play off each other throughout. Your facial expressions can elicit as much laughter as a funny line.

Simply enjoy it! We guarantee, a joint speech will be loved by everyone in the room.

Speechy is a team of professional TV scriptwriters, journalists and comedians who now specialise in wedding speeches. They offer everything from speech templates to a bespoke speechwriting service.

Need more help? Go to speechy.com to buy Heidi’s book, The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches.

The last few years have taught us that nothing is certain. Despite this uncertainty, it’s no excuse to leave your speech till the last minute, even if that’s your normal style. Sadly, it’s rare for grooms to be hit by divine inspiration in the fortnight before their wedding, so take the time to put the work into your speech early.

Write the core of it and adapt the opening and toast depending on whether you’re addressing a smaller audience than you expected or one that is overjoyed to be back in a room together celebrating together.

Don’t get bogged down with etiquette guides and feel you have to be overly formal. Yes, thank the important people but it’s fine to start your speech with a ‘Well hello everyone’ rather than addressing your guests as ‘ladies and gentleman’ (chances are they’re not!).

Begin with a few insights about you as a couple: perhaps an anecdote from when you started dating or an account of any bumps in the road you hit while planning your wedding. If you’ve both managed to choose your wedding outfits (including your wedding suit) and accessories without a fuss, well done. These are the big decisions.

Don’t be shy in acknowledging the difficult times you might have faced; guests will naturally be able to relate. This needn’t be maudlin – humour lightens the hefty reality of all that’s happened since 2020 and helps you bond with your audience.

If there’s one thing every boring speech has in common, it’s being packed full of platitudes. Resist the urge to use catchwords like ‘best friend’ or ‘soulmate’ to describe your spouse. These are unoriginal and add nothing to the speech.

Every groom thinks his partner is gorgeous, kind and generally amazing, so make sure you prove, don’t tell. If yours has been checking in with all your elderly neighbours throughout the pandemic, give this some well-deserved acknowledgment.

Think about their unique character quirks – wedding planning may have accentuated some of these. Perhaps their super creative, DIY frenzy made you discover one of their hidden talents. Or maybe you were amazed at the way they made every effort to include people you love in your wedding ceremony.

Step away from the Googled jokes. Yes, it’s tempting but wedding one-liners are just not on these days. Ask yourself lots of questions. How does your partner make you laugh? What do you regularly ‘debate’? What do you do that annoys them? Remember the old adage ‘it’s funny because it’s true’.

Avoid starting your speech with the thank yous. Hook your audience with the entertaining stuff and get round to the formal stuff later. Don’t turn your speech into a roll call – there’s no obligation to namecheck half your guests. You certainly don’t need to thank anyone who’s been paid for their help.

There might be people whose support has been particularly significant in the past year. Give them a special mention, of course, but consider offering gifts and a more personal thank you at another time, to spare the guests who are there for the laughs.

There’s a skill in keeping your speech short. A groom’s speech should generally be between a thousand and 1,300 words. Any longer and you risk losing your audience.

Stories and jokes are stronger the punchier they are. ‘Command X’ is your friend – get rid of anything that needs too much explaining. If an anecdote is particularly long-winded, it’s unlikely to win any genuine laughs – drop it. We promise the more ruthless you are at the cutting stage, the funnier your speech will be.

No one even sat through a wedding speech and thought ‘If only it was longer’.

That’s jargon for ‘small wedding’ if you’re wondering fellas, something that’s become super trendy since the pandemic. Delivering a speech to a very exclusive guestlist requires a change of tone. Having fewer expectant faces in the audience allows more of an ‘in-joke’ vibe to your anecdotes which, chances are, most of your guests have heard before in a less formal setting.

Less background noise might feel intimidatingly quiet, but embrace the intimacy of the occasion – a small group, giggling together is a real tonic. These are literally your nearest and dearest, so give your speech the affectionate tone that warrants.

A confident delivery is key, and sadly, Dutch Courage is a myth. Limit yourself to no more one than one drink before the speech.
Using notes is fine (on thick quality paper, or maybe off your phone at a push) but you need to know your speech beforehand. It’ll help it to flow more naturally.

In the run-up to the day, film yourself giving the speech, then watch it back and decide where you should put more emphasis or slow down. Don’t forget to delete it off your phone or risk your performance being outed before the big day!

As a general guide, slow down and talk at half the speed you would do in normal conversation. It feels odd at first, but it really does make you sound more confident.

On the day, maintain as much eye contact with the guests as possible, especially the people you’re thanking. Prepare for good-natured heckling and make sure you pause where you expect laughter (it will come, promise). And relax – smiling is contagious, and if you’re feeling comfortable then people will be able to see that and they’ll feel relaxed too.

Do what you need to feel confident

If you need to take yourself away from things beforehand just to have a little relaxation time and to mentally prepare, that’s cool. Just mention it beforehand so that no one thinks you’ve bailed.

Once your speech is over you take a little time out to reflect, relax or decompress if you need to. We’re sure you’ll have smashed it!

Speechy is a team of ex-BBC TV scriptwriters who now specialise in wedding speeches. Make a speech to be proud of with its quality speech templates, speech reviews and bespoke speeches.

It’s officially holiday season, and we all certainly deserve the chance to explore somewhere new and take a break from everyday life. Packing for a holiday can be as stressful, so our style experts have created a guide to help you reach your destination looking as stylish as when you set off.

PLAN YOUR AIRPORT OUTFIT

Whether you have an early morning or late-night flight, you usually leave your house looking your best, and you don’t want to reach your destination looking crumpled or dressed too light or too heavy for the weather. We recommend that you go with light and airy materials, layered, so you can move with ease.

For us, the perfect men’s travel outfit would consist of a linen shirt paired with a pair of chinos and slip-on shoes, or for a more casual look, put together a cotton shirt with a pair of jersey joggers.

For travelling, linen is a great choice simply for its versatility. It is breathable and absorbent, exactly what you need for a long-haul flight. With this kind of outfit, you also have the choice to layer up or down without compromising any of your hand-luggage allowances.

STYLE UP YOUR HAND LUGGAGE

When travelling in style, thinking about what hand luggage to take is just as important as figuring out your airport outfit. The type of luggage you want to take can be affected by where you are travelling to, how long you’re going for, and your airline’s allowance.

The most common colour chosen by travellers, whether it be for a travel bag or weekend bag, is either black or brown. This is because both colours are dark, meaning it isn’t as obvious if there are any marks or wear and tear.

However, with a dark-coloured piece of luggage, you’re more likely to lose your suitcase and you might miss it on the carousel. For this reason, you could consider a bright, bold colour that stands out from the crowd. To step up your style a little more, hard-shell suitcases and four-wheel suitcases are a great choice for a more luxury approach. They are also a lot easier to use so you can glide in style across the airport.

PUT YOUR BEST FOOD FORWARD

Step in style at the airport but remember comfort is key. When travelling for a long time, your feet will probably get tired. Slip-on trainers and casual loafers are both solid choices for the airport to avoid the hassle of laces, especially when rushing through security. They can be dressed up or down, and they’re lightweight and breathable, exactly what you need as you queue to board your flight.

 

PACKING TIPS FOR TRAVEL

For us, travelling in style and packing light go hand-in-hand. Trying to fit all your favourite outfits into a suitcase can be overwhelming and dampen your pre-getaway excitement.

Whether you prefer to pack weeks in advance or wait until the last minute, here are some tips to help you pack your favourite clothing items without compromising for space.

PACK LIGHT

If you’re jetting off to warmer spots, try not to pack any bulky items like boots or jeans as they can take up a lot of space and push that weight limit. We recommend light materials like cotton and linen. If you can’t live without your jeans, try rolling them up to make them easier to pack and save space.

ORGANISE YOUR SUITCASE

Think about suitcase organisers. You can buy entire sets dedicated to making the best use of space, or you can DIY it by dividing your suitcase into compartments using cardboard or shoe bags.

CLEAR TOILETRY BAGS

After a tiring day of travelling, the last thing you want to see is your shampoo leaked all over your favourite shirt. You can avoid this by placing all your toiletries in a sealed, waterproof washbags. Even better, if those bags are clear, you can find exactly what you’re looking for without having to rummage around and ruin your organisation.

KEEP IT SMELLING FRESH

After a long-haul flight, your clothes can sometimes smell a little less than fresh. You can avoid this by taking a fabric dryer sheet with you to keep your clothes smelling clean and fresh throughout your trip.

Stay in style as you take your well-earned break with the Moss casual collection.

Tails transform a smart outfit into a special one. Popular for weddings (particularly ever since Beckham wore tails for Harry and Meghan’s big day), morning wear suits help mark a grand occasion by being unmistakably different from what you wear the rest of the time.

If the bride is wearing white or ivory, match the groom in an ivory waistcoat, while the groomsmen wear waistcoats in the colour of the jacket as a contrast. Or have the groom follow in Beckham’s lead in black tails with a grey double-breasted waistcoat while the groomsmen stick to single-breasted. Pastels and nudes are trending wedding colours at the moment, and they’re versatile. Even if nude tones aren’t your colour scheme, they’ll work with any flowers and bridesmaid dresses, which can be helpful if you’re struggling to get the perfect match.

If you’re planning a barn wedding or one outside, tweed suits will really look the part. There’s a scale for tweed, from traditional greens and browns to more modern bright shades.

Put the groom in a full tweed three-piece with a vintage-inspired waistcoat then have the groomsmen nod to his look in tweed waistcoats worn with a plain suit or a tweed two-piece with a waistcoat or trousers in a contrasting colour. After something more casual? Skip the waistcoat altogether, or take it down even further for the wedding party with tweed waistcoats against plain jackets and trousers.

Traditional tweeds go with rich colours like yellow, orange and red, but today’s tweeds have colourful highlights and look great set off with accessories that pick them out.

If you’re having a city celebration, you may want to go for a more minimalist look with a lounge suit. A grey or navy for your suit will work with any colour of accessories for an easy match with the bridesmaids.

Make it look the part for a wedding by matching the groomsmen’s ties and pocket squares to your wedding’s colour palette but keep the groom’s accessories in ivory. You can also double-up on pocket squares with one in ivory and the other in the colour of the bridesmaid dresses for a more blended look.

Getting changed between the wedding breakfast and the evening do is becoming increasingly popular.  It can help to shift the mood for the evening, getting you and your guests into the party spirit – especially if the change involves a tux.

An outfit change also means everyone in your wedding party can do their part and look unified for the wedding photos, but then relax into the celebrations later. The groom might go full works in a classic tuxedo, while the wedding party can change things up with a colourful velvet jacket or a printed shirt. You’re still looking for them to dress up, not down, but there’s definitely room for them to do it in something more their style.

Print fabric style ideas

If you’re not familiar with a print (and how it’s different to a pattern), let’s break it down for you. A pattern is any design that’s repeated on a fabric – this pattern can be woven, embroidered or printed onto the fabric. However, a print only refers to a design that’s actually been printed onto a fabric. You’ll sometimes see both names used interchangeably to describe either.

Prints look super stylish for any season, but some prints, like floral prints or beach-themed prints are more seasonal. Geometric, paisley and abstract prints are better for the colder months and can be worn as a printed shirt, scarf or accessory.

Choosing the right colour and style of printed shirt or accessory is really down to your own personal taste and for the occasion. Formal occasions and black-tie events are probably not the right place to throw your flashiest prints out there, but more casual events lend themselves to a print or two really well.

What to wear with a printed shirt

Printed shirts sometimes get a bad rep for being loud or over the top, and while you can definitely go bold with prints you can keep them stylish and understated too. If you’re going for a bold print but clashing isn’t your thing, then keep the rest of your outfit neutral.

Work well with neutrals or plainer styles so that you can let your printed shirt do the talking. You can choose to make a style statement and clash, or you can keep the rest of your outfit scaled back – think jeans or chinos in plainer styles and neutral tones.

Prints can also look fantastic with a men’s suit, especially if it’s a more laid-back event like an outdoor wedding or a garden party. Don’t feel like you have to keep it safe in a suit if you’re wearing a print either, lighter colours and tones – like a pastel linen suit – can actually make a real style statement when paired with a print.

Where to wear prints

Prints can work well for every day or at the weekend, taking a plain outfit from dull to something a little different. If you’re headed to the office or to a garden party, to a dinner with friends or on a date, prints are a great way to show off your personality in style.

They can be easily worn to parties, work and nights out, it’s all about making your printed shirt work for you and your own style. You can make it as bold or as subtle as you want when it comes to finding your perfect print. It’s always worth trying on a few different types of print along with some different colour options to find your ideal match.

How else can you wear prints?

Prints don’t just need to be confined to shirts either. If a printed shirt feels like too much, try a more subtle pattern or pair up with some accessories like a printed scarf, hat or tie. This can be way easier to help you get into prints than a full-on printed shirt or outfit.

Ready to add some prints into your wardrobe? Check out our selection of men’s shirts.