How not to look bad - even if it's only a practice audience. At least, I hope this was a practice audience because the speaker was downright (how do you say this?) awful.

You know it's awful when an anonymous family member posts your speech on YouTube with this comment: "The mother of the groom embarks on an incredible journey of wit and tomfoolery as the audience remains stunned. One question, however, hangs in the air: Who wrote this??? "

What Went Wrong?

Honestly, if we could have heard the speech through her nervous giggles, it may have been well written and pretty good. But since we couldn't, that leaves us to talk about the other parts that went wrong.

Never Apologize

Never apologize before-hand.. Or in the middle. Or at the end. Don't apologize for being nervous, for not being good, for having never spoken before, or for anything else. It simply says - out loud - your flaws. Some things are better left unsaid, especially in a wedding speech.

Never Never Let Them Know Someone Else Wrote It

She said she wrote it, but really…she's not a good liar and everyone knows it. So don't say it.

Now is also a good time to let you know you should speak with words (and write your speech with words) you would normally use. Otherwise you look uncomfortable, maybe a bit presuming, and sometimes it looks like you just didn't write it.

Never Never Never Get The Nervous Giggles

Everyone gets nervous before speaking, it's natural. Some get the nervous giggles. But it all can be avoided if you have a pre-wedding audience….which I'm certainly hoping this was a pre-wedding audience!

Just as this family member did (post you on YouTube for the world to see), your pre-wedding audience will tell you what you did right or wrong so you don't repeat it in front of the Bride & Groom and 100 guests. The more times you say your speech out loud, the more comfortable you are, and the less your nerves will kick in when it's your turn to shine in the spotlight.