Elements to be taken into account in the ceremonial speech

Within the field of public speaking, speeches are one of the richest communicative sources we can access to transmit a series of ideas and powerful messages to the audience. Ceremonial speeches, due to their particular characteristics, are used in a wide range of events, celebrations, acts and festivities of different themes.

To elaborate a ceremonial speech effectively, we need to learn to identify a series of basic rules to follow during this type of presentations. For this, discipline and continuous rehearsal are the best tools to perfect our skills.

During the development of this session, we will be providing you with some of the basic elements that you should take into account when preparing a ceremonial speech. These will be useful to deepen your knowledge about this important communicative act.

Identify your audience: The first step to effectively crafting a ceremonial speech that conveys a powerful message is to properly identify your audience. The audience attending a ceremony does not necessarily have to have homogeneous features.

When we think of the celebration of a historical date, such as a country's Independence Day, we may think that all those present share the same sentiment towards this festivity. The truth is that even in events with such specific themes, we will have conflicting opinions and tastes, so it is necessary to measure very well the words to be as inclusive as possible.

Work hand in hand with the event organizers, gather information about who will be present and what are their lines of thought. Avoid dealing with sensitive topics or topics that could be misunderstood by your audience. You must be able to maintain cohesion among your audience, conveying a message of usefulness and satisfaction to all present.

Rehearse your presentation times well: It is always worth noting that a ceremony is a well-structured event that usually has methodically designed phases and periods. Our professionalism is also measured by our ability to deliver a message that can be adapted to the structure of the ceremony. It is not the same to practice and measure the timing of the speech at home, where we are in a controlled area, than in an environment as complex as a ceremony.

Ideally, you should focus on getting the essence of the speech across in less time than you have available. Later you will add some complementary phrases and ideas that will be useful to adapt the presentation as the ceremony develops. By using this method, it will be easier to adapt to the previously established presentation times and in case of any unforeseen event, you will be guaranteed that the strong points of your speech will have been received.

Maintain an emotional state according to the event: The choice of our words and the emotional state we transmit during the presentation must be coherent with the essence of the event where we are presenting. It is not the same to proclaim a wedding speech than a funeral one: our body and verbal language must be in tune with the theme of the ceremony. Try to blend in with the environment and perceive the emotional state of the attendees. You should use your empathic skills as a natural thermometer to capture the feelings and desires of your audience.

Try to be natural in your expressions. Regardless of whether you have rehearsed your speech beforehand, the setting where you will be speaking should set the tone for your tone of voice, degree of effusiveness and body language.