Let’s face it – Your wedding speech is probably going to be the most important speech you’ll ever have to deliver. As a shortcut to writing it, ChatGPT has become the buzzword, and if you want to instantly be shod of the job, it’s sorely tempting to rely on the app. But hang in there folks…….. let’s explore exactly what AI bots can and can’t offer you. As a professional wedding speech writer, here’s my candid take on this. For starters, ChatGPT could be a useful tool for drafting parts of your speech, generating ideas, organising your content and coming up with innumerable corny jokes. That said, there are serious limitations which you may not be aware of, and need to think about.
Bots have no emotions, and they lack the human touch
Chat GPT can’t customise your speech to your audience and neither can it ‘get the vibe’ of that special person you wish to honour. With no knowledge of your past, chatbots are unable to recollect those unforgettable moments and shared experiences, so the content will inevitably be dry and generic. Most importantly, chatbots are unable to tap into your heartfelt emotions – the essence of what makes you ‘YOU”, and what drives your unique relationship.
Bots lack creativity and nuance
According to ChatGBT, “While chatbots can generate text and even mimic human speech to some extent, they are still limited by their programming and lack the creativity, nuance and personal touch that a skilled human speech writer can provide. Speech writing is a complex craft that involves understanding the speaker’s personality, audience and message, as well as crafting language that can inspire and move people. While AI models can generate text based on patterns and algorithms, they cannot fully replicate the art and science of speech writing.”
Bots aren’t blessed with a brilliant sense of humour
If you, like me, believe that the easiest way to engage and uplift people is through laughter, your speech should be injected with levity and fun. As a speechwriter, this comes about through an interactive process of deep diving to find where the client can introduce some gentle humour. I always like to include an element of playfulness, which is critical to arriving at the right blend of original and most importantly, appropriate humour. It requires lateral thinking, the ability to play on words and incorporate tried and tested techniques essential to elicit hearty laughter. There’s no doubt that bots can come up with a bazillion jokes, but despite having this astonishing repertoire, they are not blessed with a brilliant sense of humour!
Generating content with trigger questions vs prompts
The essential skill needed to achieve impressive results from ChatGPT is the ability to input the right prompts. Obviously, the better the prompt, the better the results. However, if you’re not an experienced writer, you probably don’t know how to optimally prompt the chatbot to elicit the best results. Before I put pen to paper, the client and I discuss a range of trigger questions, and based on a dynamic interchange of thoughts and ideas, we’re able to create an impressive, funny speech with relevant, original content.
Final words of caution
Downloaded speeches can potentially sound rather bizarre, especially since they’re unable to grasp your speaking style and reflect your authentic voice. Bear in mind that the same downloaded speech could be heard at your friend’s wedding as well, so it’s not worth taking the risk of being seen as sloppy and too lazy to write your own wedding speech!
Further to this, here’s a review I recently received from a client:
“As someone who values the importance of authenticity & emotional intelligence, I can confidently say that Toby’s work is unparalleled. While there are online tools available that can assist with speechwriting, they’re unable to replicate the unique insights and emotional depth that comes from the human touch. Best Speech Ever provides a service that is both professional and personal, elevating the art of speechwriting to an entirely new level. If you’re seeking a truly exceptional, memorable wedding speech, I cannot recommend Best Speech Ever enough. Your speech will be in the most capable hands and the results will be nothing short of exceptional. Toby – thank you for your commitment to excellence and for providing a service that’s truly one of a kind!” – DH Patel (Father of the Bride)