A wedding speech can fail in a distinctive way: the room knows the couple. Generic praise can feel detached when it gives no sign that you thought about them. Review each line and ask whether it could be said about a different couple.
The phrases, and what to write instead
| Avoid | Write instead |
|---|---|
| their journey together | One specific thing that happened on it. |
| they are soulmates | Say what makes them fit, concretely. |
| partners in crime | Tell the story you are alluding to. |
| Today is more than just a wedding, it's a celebration of love | Cut. Start with a story. |
| When I first met [name], I knew… | Say what actually happened when you met. |
| She is the most caring person I know | The time she did the caring thing. |
| Love is patient, love is kind | Something you have seen them do for each other. |
| Please raise your glasses to the happy couple | Fine — but earn it with the sixty seconds before. |
| a love that will stand the test of time | Cut. |
| Here's to love, laughter and happily ever after | The rule of three. Pick the one you mean. |
| I've known [name] for X years and they've always been… | Skip the preamble. Open in the middle of the story. |
| a perfect match in every way | One imperfect, true detail beats this entirely. |
Complete example
Before
They are soulmates who have shared an incredible journey. When Maya missed the last train, Leo biked eight miles through the rain to meet her at the station. That is their version of teamwork.
After
When Maya missed the last train, Leo biked eight miles through the rain to meet her at the station. That is their version of teamwork.
Please raise your glasses to the happy couple is a normal closing. It works after a story that gives the toast a reason to end there.
When [person] [specific action] at [place or time], [partner] [specific response]. I learned [your true observation].
Use only details you can verify.
Check this draft in the anti-slop editor
The editor checks general writing patterns. This guide includes context advice that the general checker does not test. Your draft stays in the browser; you choose each change.
Open the editor →The rule underneath all of them
Every replacement above does the same thing: it swaps a claim for evidence. That is the whole method, and it is why no tool can finish the job for you. A model can delete results-driven. Only you know the number that belongs there.
Density matters more than any single word. One phrase may be ordinary. Several nearby tells can make a draft feel templated. The full 200+ tell list covers vocabulary, sentence patterns and machine artifacts that apply across many drafts.
Questions
Can people tell a wedding speech was written by AI?
Sometimes. The audience knows the couple, so a speech that would work if you swapped the names may feel generic. One specific memory does more than a page of well-formed praise.
Is it okay to use ChatGPT to help with a wedding toast?
You can use it for structure. It can suggest where a story might go, but you must supply and verify the story. Review any detail it adds before you read the toast aloud.
What makes a wedding speech feel personal?
Specificity that is slightly awkward. A real detail — the wrong train, the burnt dinner, the thing they say too often — proves you were there. Polished praise proves nothing.