I’ve only ever had to do my groom’s speech on my wedding day and that was hard enough for me to get through, I’m not the best public speaker but I’m not too shy either. I just go a little monotone. At my wedding I had my 80 yr old Uncle keel over as I stood up to start my speech. “keep going” said my mum, I thought the worse had happened, the people at the back of the wedding didn’t know what had happened, they must have thought I had stage fright. As it turned out my uncle had overheated on the warm day that was my wedding, not one to loosen his tie he passed out.

Sitting through wedding speeches is one of the highlights of my day, I have heard things I can never repeat and I have heard others that seem to be on repeat. The reaction to the words being said can be emotional and controversial, a mix of both is perfect for any speech. Here you can see the reaction from one of the bridesmaids at a Kingston Country Courtyard wedding. Can you tell if it is shock or laughter?

Watching the reaction of the guests and trying to create a story is the skill of the Documentary wedding photographer, I love fishing for the reaction to a good, from the heart, speech.