#62: What Actually Makes a Great Wedding Speech (and Why Most Advice Gets It Wrong) with Dylan Hattem

In this episode of Now That I’m Engaged, How Do I Get Married?, Kevin Dennis and August Yocher sit down with Dylan Hattem, author of The Wedding Speech Crisis: A Guide to Writing a Toast People Want to Hear, to break down one of the most overlooked yet memorable parts of a wedding day: the speeches.Dylan shares why so many wedding speeches miss the mark, from making the moment too much about the speaker to dragging on far longer than guests can stay engaged. Together, they unpack why giving a great speech is harder than people realize, and why so much traditional wedding speech advice simply doesn’t work in real life.The conversation dives into what actually makes a wedding speech meaningful, including how to create structure, connect with the full audience, and balance humor with sincerity without turning the speech into a stand-up routine or an inside joke only a few people understand. Dylan also explains why the best speeches are rooted in love, vulnerability, and selflessness rather than attention-seeking moments or embarrassing stories.You’ll also hear practical advice on handling nerves, delivering a speech confidently, writing memorable openings and endings, and why preparation matters far more than people think. Dylan shares insights from his new book on how wedding speeches can genuinely shape the energy of a wedding and become one of the most memorable moments of the entire celebration.If you’ve ever had to give a wedding speech, worried about public speaking, or sat through a painfully long toast wondering how it could have gone differently, this episode will completely change the way you think about wedding speeches.Dylan Hattem is a sales executive, entrepreneur, and the author of The Wedding Speech Crisis: A Guide to Writing a Toast People Want to Hear. With a background in entrepreneurship and storytelling, Dylan wrote the book to help people create wedding speeches that feel authentic, engaging, and memorable while avoiding the common mistakes that often make speeches uncomfortable or forgettable.Highlights• Why so many wedding speeches miss the mark• The biggest mistakes people make when giving toasts• How to balance humor, sincerity, and storytelling• Why speeches should focus on the couple, not the speaker• The importance of structure and theme in a speech• How to make guests feel included and engaged• Tips for managing nerves and delivering a speech confidently• Why wedding speeches can become one of the most memorable moments of the dayConnect with Dylan: WebsiteInstagramFacebookTikTokLinkedInOrder the Book!:AmazonBarnes & NobleTargetOrder DirectConnect with Kevin & August: WebsiteInstagramYouTubeTikTokPinterestLinkedIn