If you thought the Wedding Speech was only the best mans responsibility, think again! Contemporary weddings expect a speech not only from the best man, but also the maid of honor, the brides father and even the groom himself. Given that public speaking is the #1 phobia that people suffer from it can be quite an uphill task to write out and orate a speech for a wedding.

Here are 7 tips on how you can prepare to give a perfect wedding speech.

1. Write down your speech and break it into parts the opening, middle and the closing. Not only will this make it easier to remember, but it will also help you organize everything you want to say in a coherent and logical manner.

2. If you are not sure of what you should include in your speech think about buying some ready made wedding speeches. You can find some great best man and maid of honor speech ebooks and handbooks. Invest in a good one that will guide you through what you need to say in your speech.

3. Use humor to keep your speech interesting and light. The only way to ensure that you have the guests attention is to keep them laughing and asking for more.

4. Any stories that you include in your speech must be about people that most of the guests know. Talking about your high school girlfriend and her best friends wedding is not going to win you any brownie points. Keep the story short and preferably about the bride or groom. Also, skip any racy stories from your speech that might cause potential embarrassment to anyone in the wedding party. Any and all mention of ex-girlfriends and boyfriends is a strict no-no.

5. Practice, practice and more practice. The best speakers are those who practice what they have to say. They may look like theyve been giving wedding speeches all their lives. The fact remains that to look spontaneous, fluent and a great orator you have to put in some effort. It is important to practice your speech before the mirror or an audience at least 7-10 times before the actual D-day.

6. Be comfortable. Remember this is not a job interview. It is a wedding and an occasion to celebrate. Most people wish you the best and will receive the wedding speech well. So there really is no reason for you to be nervous or worry.

7. A wedding speech generally closes with a toast to the bridal couple.

Use these tips to ensure that your Wedding Speech brings a smile to everyones face and a tear to some eyes!