Dear Libbie

I am the groom, with the wedding toast as one of my tasks. I'm not too bad at speechmaking - I just need to check what is expected of me, procedure-wise

Steve 

Hallo Steve

Good for you for being confident! Your only challenge is to plan your speech well, which is actually quite logical. 

The start

People think higher of you if you honour them. So start off with a compliment - your bride is gorgeous, your guests are beautiful, you're honoured that they are present and delighted to see them, it's a happy day ... Choose something you really do mean because compliments must be sincere to go off well.

Follow that up with a speech opener such as

*a good rhetorical question     

*a biographic detail about you or the bride they may find surprising

*a quote (see http://writefabulousweddingwebsites.blogspot.com/ for a good selection of romantic quotes)

*a startling statement

*a humorous remark (always squeeky clean ... even if this makes me sound prissy)

... launch into your speech

Your speech should content-wise be about:

            *thanking the bride's parents for their confidence in you

            * thanking your parents for bringing you here in your life

            * thanking the bridesmaid/s and best man for their support

            * thanking your guests for their attendance and gifts

            * and finally thanking your bride (this should be the major part); and

            * closing with the toast to your bride

To order you thoughts

Take a page, and make a section for each of the above categories (half of the page for your bride ...!) and note down the most important facts and detail you want to convey. Simply order them ... and there you have your speech.

 Stand and deliver

You sound like someone who knows how to do a speech, but for the sake of other readers the following pointers:

*Look your guests into the eye. Really make eye contact with as many people as possible ... including those you do not know. It makes them feel noticed.

*Be sure to speak in your deepest, most resonant voice. If you lift your head your natural voice is at its best.

*Speak slowly enough. Breath deeply so that you don't run out of breath. Pause sometimes.

*Add life to your voice. Act a bit, dramatize, ask a question. Use your hands to welcome your guests and emphasize points. These actions give your speech some rhythm and change in tone.

Getting heckled 

The groom gets heckled ... that is the norm. You need to handle it well. It is well-intended, so laugh along and allow the boys their moments.  They usually stop after a few minutes.

The worst that can happen is that you forget an important part of your speech, but now that you have your speech in logical sections you'll find it easy enough to remember which sections have been covered.

Here's to you and your speech!