A special occasion speech is given to connect with a particular audience over a specific context or event. Such speeches aim to inform, persuade, praise or pay tribute to someone in formal gatherings. Most of us have witnessed special occasion speeches or may have to give one at some point during weddings, funerals, award functions, or other dedication ceremonies. Speeches of Presentation, Speeches of Acceptance, and Speeches of Dedication are 3 popular types of special occasion speeches among nine others, each explained in the section below.
What Is the Importance of a Special Occasion Speech?
The primary goal of a special occasion speech is to stir people’s emotions and make them respond to an event or a situation in a certain way. It should be brief, clear and relevant to the main context of the event or situation. Simply put, special occasion speeches are prepared for special events and can be persuasive, informative, or both, with a primary objective to entertain, inspire, celebrate, set agendas, or commemorate. Let’s look at some more uses of special occasion speeches:
| Entertainment | Celebration | Inspiration | Commemoration | Agenda Setting |
| · Dinners · Banquets · Speeches with healthy humour | · Weddings · Awards · Retirement parties · Anniversaries · Public recognition | · Commencement speeches
· Inaugural addresses · Examples of heroism/achievement · Keynote speakers | · Remembrance · Tribute · Important anniversaries · Memorials | · Fundraisers · Conferences · Campaign banquets · Conventions · Sponsored events |
Understanding the Types of Special Occasion Speeches
There are moments in life when you may have to participate in gatherings for special moments. You will be asked to say something about the occasion or a person in honour. However, the only way to make your special occasion speech stand out is to understand and deliver the purpose accordingly. You cannot give a speech of presentation when the event is for lamenting over the loss of someone dear. Hence, you must learn about the different types of special occasion speeches before you learn how to give a special occasion speech.
Speeches of Introduction
A presentation speech is a short speech by the host of an event introducing the speaker and their speech. Without a strong speech of introduction, the audience won’t be interested in listening to a person’s speech. So just like any other speech, the speaker should prepare a speech with an introduction, body, and essay conclusion in under two minutes speaking time while highlighting the speaker’s background, the context of the speech, the event, and the audience.
A hook is mandatory to make people interested in listening to the speaker and engage them in the context. The body of your special occasion speech of introduction should highlight why the speaker is ideal for the speech and why the audience should listen to what s/he has to say. In the final part of the speech, you give the cue to the audience to join in welcoming the speaker.
If you are someone who is being introduced, you can say something like,
- Thank you for your kind words.
- I appreciate your warm welcome.
- Thank you for welcoming me to this lovely event. I feel honored to be a part of it.
You can also humour yourself to cut awkwardness. Here’s an example:
“The introduction was really heartwarming. However, at the end of the speech, I realised you were speaking about me….”
Speeches of Presentation
A speech of presentation is another common type of special occasion speech, which is usually given with honour or an award. Sometimes the speeches of presentation can be really simple, like “This year’s recipient of the Employee of the Year award is Emily Johns.” Or else, the presenter could explain why the nominee deserves the award.
The primary goal of the speeches of presentation is to explain the meaning of the award and why the recipient deserves it. Furthermore, it should highlight the title’s significance and why it was introduced while discussing the individual receiving the award, their special attributes and work ethics, how the whole process was carried out, etc.
Speeches of Acceptance
According to the acceptance speech definition, this type of speech compliments the speeches of the presentation. The acceptance speech meaning suggests that the recipient of an award gives it. The three primary components of a speech of acceptance are:
- Thank the one giving the award
- Thank the people who helped you in achieving your goal
- Focus on the honour or award
Here’s a snippet example of an acceptance speech for a leadership position:
“I would like to thank the voters, my mentors and my colleagues for voting for me for the team-leading goal. I feel immensely grateful, honoured, and blessed for the new opportunities, and I promise to give my absolute best to fulfil the requirements of my new job role.”
If you know you will likely receive an award or honour, work on your speech anddevelopan acceptance speech outline. Even if you are surprised, be calm and react genuinely. Accept the award or recognition with humility and explain why it is important. Tell your audience what it means to you and the struggles you have been through to obtain it, and thank everyone who has helped you in the journey.
Speeches of Dedication
A speech of dedication is mostly delivered during inauguration events, such as opening a store, completing a new library, opening a corporate building, and so on. Such speeches highlight the significance of a project, especially for everyone associated with the project. For example, let’s say you inherited your family’s money and wish to open a public hospital under your father’s or grandfather’s name. In such special cases, you may be requested for a speech of dedication.
- When drafting a speech of dedication, start your piece by explaining your involvement with the dedication and why you have chosen to dedicate the building to your father or grandfather.
- Next, talk about everyone involved with the project and their contribution to the fulfillment of your goal.
- Finally, end your speech by explaining its importance to the community and the development of society.
Toasts
A toast is a common type of special occasion speech given to appreciate, congratulate or remember someone. It is delivered to someone for their new job role, award, or starting a new journey like a wedding. Toasts are also used to show appreciation for kind actions and remember people for accomplishing something big.
Generally, toasts are given during an event or festivity, so you should keep it short of ensuring you don’t hog up too much time. Make sure the entire focus is on the person you are toasting and not on you. Maintain eye contact with your audience and the person you are toasting, and avoid sharing inside jokes. Conclude your toast with something like, “Please join me in wishing Naomi and Will the very best for their journey ahead,” and lift your glass, which will cue others to follow and drink for their good health.
Roasts
Roasts are a fun way of taking a dig at someone without serious allegations or insults. It is a humourous tribute to someone with good-hearted insults and praise simultaneously. Roasting shows are common in America, where the host invites famous personalities on the platform and their friends, colleagues or other closely related individuals as roasters to roast the roastee. Now how do you write a roast?
- Firstly, consider the person you plan to roast and identify some of their amusing habits. You can share some interesting stories without giving away too much personal information.
- Next, choose jokes that the audience is aware of. Effective roasts are those with which the audience can relate and laugh about.
- Finally, conclude your roast with a positive note to show appreciation and care for the roastee.
Eulogies
Eulogies are special occasion speeches given in honour of the deceased. Even though you will rarely be asked to give a eulogy, you must know how to prepare a compelling eulogy for someone who has died. Here’s what you should do to write a eulogy:
- Get as much information as possible about the deceased to make a personalised speech. Talk to everyone involved with the person to get more information.
- You can use one or two light-hearted jokes to point out something about the deceased to lighten the serious nature of the situation.
- Eulogies are more like telling a story about a person who has died. You should do your best to show your readers how the person was in person and why s/he will be missed. The more personal you are with your eulogy, the easier it will get for the person’s friends and family to celebrate the person and mourn their death.
Praise
Using compliments or praises in a speech can boost someone’s morale and improve their state of mind and work productivity. Not to mention, it helps to build strong rapport and improves one position in the current situation. However, using the right vocabulary is important while praising or giving speeches of compliments. If you wish to make someone smile, here are some suggestions to show your appreciation:
- Great job!
- You are amazing!
- Your hard work is appreciated!
- Excellent!
- That’s remarkably good work!
- Well done!
Lament
A lament speech is used to express regret or sorrow. Such addresses usually focus on a person’s regrets of not doing something or suffering over losing someone. Here are some examples of lament:
- The crowd listened to the speaker’s lament over his lost lover.
- Engulfed by lament and pain, her last letter brought him to his knees
- The Mayor is concerned about people’s lament over new social policies.
While speaking of lament and grief, you must acknowledge your audience’s emotions and challenges to overcome such trying times. You can talk about something you won’t be able to do to show your lament, like, “Now that Bruno is gone, there will be no more half-chewed slippers scattered around the house.”
Console
A console speech offers support and comfort to someone during grief. Yes, you are upset about losing someone near and dear. But as someone giving a special occasion speech like a eulogy, you must also focus on consoling and comforting your audience. You should end your speech on a positive note and reassure that the person will live forever through what s/he has left behind. Here’s what a consoling line will look like:
- “Martha has left us to with the Divine entity and is looking down on us with love and affection.”
- “We may miss Martha deeply, but she will never be forgotten. Her fight for the community to love one another and live as one will not go in vain.”
Speeches of Farewell
A farewell speech is for someone bidding goodbye to one phase of their life to move to the next chapter. It could be leaving an old job for a new one or leaving college to embark on a professional journey. Such transitions often lead to farewell speeches. Hence, consider these factors while preparing a farewell speech:
- Thank everyone involved in the journey and tell them how grateful you are for the support.
- Talk about your experience with the team and the company and how it has transformed you as a better human being.
- Conclude your speech on a high note.
Example: Mike completes his farewell speech by saying, “The time has come to wish you well and set sail to a new adventure.”
Short Special Occasion Speeches Examples
The best way to develop your special occasion speech is to practice. So here are some short samples of special occasion speeches and examples for different situations to help you understand the basic style and format of writing a short speech for a special occasion.
Tribute Speech Example
“As life goes on, there may come a time when I won’t feel the pain of losing you at such an early stage. I may grow the strength to look back at our time together and smile. Until then, I will find comfort in our son, John. It would comfort me to know that I have someone who is just like his mother, caring and loving, ready to live life to the fullest.”
Speaker Introduction Speech Example
“Hello, all you lovely people! With great pleasure, I introduce you to the speaker of the evening, Mr Peter Banks. He is a marketing guru and will talk to us about the ins and outs of making effective marketing strategies.”
Birthday Speech Example
“It gives me immense joy and happiness to have you all to celebrate my birthday with. I feel lucky and blessed in abundance for standing right here with you, overcoming the challenges life has thrown at me. I will be forever grateful to my family, friends, and everyone who has been a part of this rocky ride. It wouldn’t be possible for me to be here without you guys’ support, love, and prayers.”
Award Acceptance Speech Example
“I feel extremely honored to receive the Best Employee of the Year award. I am grateful to everyone who has helped me get here, and this award will be the driving force to push harder to achieve bigger goals.”
Farewell Speech Example
“Working here was not only a learning experience but was an experience of a lifetime. In addition to professional skills and expertise, I am taking along a bucket full of fond memories with colleagues who have now become my extended family. Please stay connected with me; we’ll catch up outside these concrete walls. Thank you so much for the thoughtful gesture, and I wish you the best in life!”
Graduation Speech Example
“To my parents, friends, and teachers who have helped me get here, thank you for everything you have done for me. I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for you. I am grateful for your support to achieve such a milestone and owe everything I achieve to your dedication and effort to groom me to become the best version of myself.”
Motivational Speech Example
An exceptional motivational speech example would be a quote from “The Great Dictator” by Charlie Chaplin. Through this film, Charlie encourages the viewers to break traditional societal norms and conventions in order to do something they actually want to do with their future. He further urges the viewers not to give up on their dreams and not to give in to what others say or how others would feel or act about it. To quote one of his famous sayings from the movie:
“You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.” – The Great Dictator
Special Occasion Speech: Preparation Checklist
Knowing whether you have the right idea is important when preparing for your special occasion speech. Below we have listed a checklist to help you determine if you have.
- What is the occasion for your speech?
- What role do you play in the situation?
- Who is your audience?
- What is the main purpose of your speech?
- Do you have to take a professional’s help?
- How much time do you have to complete your speech?
- Should your speech be formal or informal?
- Which is the ideal time to give your speech at the event?
- What points should you avoid while speaking?
- Are you speaking on someone’s behalf or yourself?
- Can you include personal stories or anecdotes?
How to Give a Special Occasion Speech?
Before you craft a short speech for a special occasion, you must know a few crucial factors. Here’s a checklist of points that you should remember while writing a special occasion speech:
- Be accurate with the names, titles, and other relevant data. The last thing you want is to take the wrong boss’s name in a corporate gathering. So research and use the right information.
- Keep a check on the time. People on special occasions are either partying or grieving. You don’t want to bore them or hog up too much time from others’ speech time with your long, boring speech. Instead, cut your special occasion speech short of completing it quickly.
- Avoid making assumptions about your audience’s knowledge. Do your research and gather sufficient information about a person, event, or organisation based on the type of special occasion speech you are invited to give. Make your speech personalised to connect with your audience.
- You should conclude your speech positively, whether a eulogy, roast or toast. It may be difficult to use a positive tone when you are upset at the loss of a loved one. Nevertheless, use optimistic and upbeat words and language to deliver your speech.
- Use good-natured humour to change the nature of the situation. Even if you are speaking at a serious event like a funeral, you can take reference to some funny habits of the deceased and state how you used to find them amusing. This will lighten the mood and allow others to remember the dead with fondness.
- Avoid clichéd lines or words in your special occasion speeches. It is easy to get carried away by general speech sentences or phrases. The best way to overcome writer’s block is to research. Go through different special occasion speech topics and use a thesaurus to find relevant synonyms to elevate the quality of your speech.
50 Interesting Special Occasion Speech Topics & Ideas
The first step to speaking at a public gathering or on a special occasion is to find the right topic relevant to the event or situation. Hence, if you are searching for interesting topics to deliver a stirring speech on special occasions like a farewell, graduation, awards or others, we have enlisted some ideas in different categories for your reference.
Acceptance Speech Ideas
- Give an acceptance speech for the best employee of the year award
- Deliver a speech for getting a humanitarian award
- Present an acceptance speech for the secretary role
- Give a team lead position acceptance speech
- Deliver an acceptance speech for the cooperative member of the year award
Special Occasion Speech Topics for College Students
- Vital life lessons in college and your most memorable day in college
- Experiences of the final year at college – your advice for your juniors
- What do you like the most about your college? How has it shaped your personality?
- Your perception of your life in general. What would you change if you had the chance?
- What do you understand by the term freedom? Is freedom limited for different sectors of people?
Tribute Speech Topics
- Talk about a president who inspires you and why
- How has Charlie Chaplin changed people’s perception of life?
- How has Stephan Hawking inspired you to become overcome challenges?
- Rosa Park and her influence on Black American women
- The revolution created by Abraham Lincoln
Birthday Speech Topics
- What’s the best thing about turning 16? How is it different from when you were 15?
- Are you happy with your life? What would you like to change?
- How have your parents changed your life through the years?
- Talk about the changes in your life, both good and bad
- Who is the biggest influence in your life? How has s/he helped you in becoming who you are today?
Award Acceptance Speech Topics
- Give an award acceptance speech for the Oscars
- Give an acceptance speech for the Grammy award
- Deliver an acceptance speech for the school captain role
- Present an award acceptance speech for your service at a company
- Give an acceptance speech for receiving the best salesman award
Farewell Speech Topics
- A new life in a new company
- Give a farewell speech for a colleague
- A speech for a colleague retiring
- A farewell speech for your favourite boss
- Deliver a farewell speech as a class valedictorian
Graduation Speech Topics
- The best memories in your four years of university studies. What makes your stay so special?
- Your advice for your friends graduating with you
- If you go back to your first year, what would you change?
- University life is a roller coaster ride. Talk about the upsides and downsides.
- What is your advice for students in your department?
Admission Speech Topics
- Kindness and its role in today’s society
- Books are better than movies.
- AI and its importance in education
- How is climate change a serious concern?
- Importance of women’s empowerment in 2023
Topper Speech Topics
- Give a speech on the value of discipline
- A speech on the significance of health and fitness
- Deliver a speech on the role of time management
- Speech on the importance of dreaming big
- Give a speech on success
Motivational Speech Topics
- The role of life skills in shaping one’s career
- Communication skills and their importance
- Purpose of education
- Dealing with academic challenges
- A speech on how to gain career satisfaction
Besides these sample special occasion speech ideas, you will find ample topics to develop your speech for a particular occasion. So give yourself time to research the right topics and ideas to write an engaging speech.
Tips for Writing Memorable Special Occasion Speeches
The art of writing an impactful special occasion speech deserves A LOT of practice. The good thing is nothing is impossible to perfect if you put your heart into it. Hence, keep in mind the following points to stand out with your special occasion speech.
- Be polite and courteous with your speech, irrespective of the circumstances.
- Keep it short and simple, preferably within 7 minutes. You can consult the hosts in case of longer speeches.
- Make notes while brainstorming your special occasion speech topics.
- Write a rough draft and define the writing style to fit the occasion
- Be prepared with the details. Even for impromptu situations, note the crucial points so you can refer to them while speaking.
- Understand the purpose of the occasion and adapt to it. Are you the maid of honour? Are you receiving an award? Is it your graduation day? Based on the situation or occasion, you’ll have to work on your speech to make sure it’s socially effective and appropriate.
- Define your audience to succeed as a public speaker. Otherwise, you will fall flat and fail to connect with them.
- Time is a critical factor in public speaking. A special occasion speech should be long enough so the audience gets all the necessary information within a short timeframe. However, the length of a special occasion speech varies by occasion. For instance, a graduation speech can last 10-15 minutes, while a eulogy can take 5 minutes. Regardless of the event, keep your address short so your audience doesn’t get fidgety and listen to you completely.
Once you answer these questions, developing your idea and creating an engaging speaker for an event will become easier. Good luck!
List Of Some Occasion Speech Topics Sample Examples-
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Most Popular Questions Searched By Students:
Q.1. What Are Four General Guidelines For Special Occasion Speeches?
Writing a special occasion speech can intimidate even the best of us. However, like any other writing, you can craft an impressive special occasion speech using the following guidelines.
- Keep it short
- Acknowledge the noteworthy points
- Stay positive to create a positive impact
- Be careful while using humour
Q.2. What Should Be Included In A Special Occasion Speech?
In general terms, a special speech addresses the readers and their emotions and engages them in the emotion of a specific occasion. Like any other speech, a special speech is used to communicate a message with a unique speaking and delivery style. Let’s say you have been invited to give a speech on your colleague nominated for an award. So here’s what you need to include in your speech:
- A brief history of the company
- Your colleague’s role in the company
- The story of how your colleague got involved in the company
- Their contribution to the company
Q.3. What Makes An Effective Special Occasion Speech?
A special occasion speech is only effective when you are well-prepared. You can adapt to the occasion and the audience at that specific time. Here are some key elements of a good special occasion speech:
- Using the right names, titles, and other information
- Humour
- Solid transitions
- Personality
- Themes
- Sentimentality
- Connection with audience
- Stories/anecdotes
Q.4. What Are The 5 Functions Of Special Occasion Speeches?
A special occasion speech aims to stir the audience’s emotions and make them feel and respond to an occasion or situation in a certain way. The five functions of special occasion speeches are to:
- Inspire
- Entertain
- Celebrate
- Commemorate
- Persuade
Q.5. What Makes A Special Occasion Speech Interesting?
One way to make your special occasion speech interesting is to use humour or funny anecdotes and tell stories. Injecting funny stories in your speech will help you to attract your readers’ attention and give a personal touch to your speech, making it effective and memorable for your audience.
Q.6. What Do All Special Occasion Speeches Have In Common?
All special occasion speeches have one purpose: to address the context of a particular event or occasion and engage an audience’s emotions with it. Like any other speech, a special speech has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion to connect and engage the audience with the outline of the event or occasion.
Q.7. Should Special Occasion Speeches Be Kept Short?
Yes. Special occasion speeches are designed for special occasions and events. Your primary goal should be to keep it brief and engaging without drifting from the main context of the event. The last you want is to bore your audience with a lengthy speech, losing the essence of the event.
Q.8. What Are The 2 Types Of Special Occasion Speech Styles?
The two kinds of special occasion speech styles are the speech of introduction and the speech of presentation. The speech of introduction is a mini-speech host of an event to introduce someone and their speech, whereas the speech of presentation is a brief speech given with honour and prize.
Q.9. How Do You Describe An Occasion?
Here are some words you can use to describe an occasion:
- Marvellous
- Ceremonial
- Outstanding
- Significant
- Elegant
- Pleasant
- Gleaming
- Massive
- Wonderful
- Monumental
- Extraordinary
- Impressive
- Amazing
- Astounding
Q.10. Is A Motivational Speech A Special Occasion Speech?
A motivational speech is more persuasive, where the speaker encourages the pursuit of something. The speaker injects confidence with their words to guide them on a certain path and achieve the targeted goal. While some special occasion speeches are designed to motivate the audience to pursue something, they are not entirely similar to traditional motivational or persuasive speeches.
Q.11. What Are The Aims Of Speech?
The primary aims of a speech are to inform, entertain, and persuade. However, these are not exclusive to each other. One can have any purpose for presenting a speech.
Q.12. What Are The Roles Of Speeches?
The roles of speeches are communicating, forming connections, motivating change, and influencing decision-making. Without proper communication skills, one may struggle to progress in life.
Q.13. What Should Be Included In A Special Occasion Speech?
When writing a speech, you, as the speaker, should be careful of the structure of your speech. Here is what you should include in your special occasion speech:
- Introduction – Grab attention readers’ attention, establish credibility and goodwill, and give a review of the important points
- Body – State the main facts distinctly in a chronological order
- Conclusion – Summarise the main points and provide closure to the speech
Q.14. How Do You Organise A Special Occasion Speech?
Key factors to consider while drafting a special occasion speech:
- Brief sentences
- Accurate names, titles and other details
- No assumptions
- Positive tone
- Healthy humour
- No clichés
Plus, make sure your speech fits the mood and context of the event or occasion, appeals to an audience’s emotions, evokes values, adapts to the listeners’ expectations, and respects time limitations.
Q.15. How Do You Start A Special Occasion Speech?
To start a special occasion speech, you must consider three important components:
- Provide short background information about the main speaker
- Introduce the topic of the speaker
- An invitation from the audience in general to welcome the speaker
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