Robotic wedding speeches? With the rise of AI, we’ve lost the heart that goes into wedding speeches. Here’s how you can get it back As searches for ‘how to write a wedding speech’ peak every summer, many bridesmaids, best men, and proud parents are busy preparing their moment in the spotlight. But while it’s an honour to speak at a wedding, getting it right on the day, and pleasing a room of guests from different generations, can feel like a serious challenge. In fact, over half are using AI tools to help get their words out on the big day. Greetings card brand Thortful has teamed up with wedding planner, Gemma Logan, and humanist celebrant, Rachael Meyer, to reveal the most common speech mistakes, and how to make your words land with laughter, love, and lasting emotion to withstand the test of time. RELYING ON AI As the use of AI increases, it’s becoming easier to spot a botwritten speech, so don’t think that guests won’t realise. Users on Reddit are calling out speech givers, with one commenting, ‘Wedding speeches are personal and usually contain anecdotes relevant to the newlyweds. I don’t think AI would understand the relationship between you and the married couple to write you an emotion-laden speech. It doesn’t have to be polished, but authentic. And people can smell generic speeches from a mile away’. Another adds, ‘You were asked to give this speech for a reason, because of who you are to the couple. It’s okay to use whatever tools work for you to write it but make it your speech rather than someone else’s’. Rachael adds, “AI can be helpful for phrasing and structure, but just as a starting point if you’re stuck. AI lacks your personal experience, emotion, and knowledge. And with speeches, it’s all about the tiniest details.” TRYING TO BE TOO FORMAL Striking the perfect balance between fun and formality can be tricky, but Gemma says speeches that are too formal won’t land. “One of the biggest mistakes I see is people trying to sound far more formal than they actually are. Wedding speeches are a chance to connect, not to recite a royal decree.” Chris Coultas comments on his wedding speech, explaining, “I was a bit too formal and I was desperately trying to thank everyone I could think of, but the list got longer and longer and people started to look bored…then I felt like I needed to mix it up with jokes, but I think the shift in tone just confused people.” “When people use overly flowery language or complicated words, it often comes across as stiff or insincere. Your guests are your friends and family, so speak to them as you would in a 98
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