I don’t know about you, but speaking in public has never been my thing. In middle and high school, I would SWEAT and get so much anxiety knowing I had to give a speech or even just answer a question in front of the class.
With my current job (hello, blogger) I’ve hosted many events and have had the opportunity to improve this about myself. Yet, it never really gets easier knowing you have to speak in front of people. So… I prepare.
I think its important to point out that some people can wing things (tests, speeches, etc) and others can not. I am not one of those people and I KNOW that. So… I write, re-write, practice, create notecards, and do whatever I can to prepare myself… which I have found is not a weak trait. It’s actually quite positive to know yourself that well.
This speech was no different.
I think the hardest part about writing this speech was deciding which stories I wanted to tell, the “theme” to incorporate it all, how to be serious, yet funny, and everything in between.
After many days not figuring out the “theme,” I decided to scratch it and make the theme a timeline.
Here was my speech:
Thank you to everyone who came to attend such a special day for Lexie and Bran.
For those of you who may not know me, my name is Lauren, Lexie’s younger sister. But feel free to continue to come up to us for the rest of the night and ask who is younger, cause she really loves that.
As her sister, I have SO many past stories that I could tell you today, but I’ve chosen a few that first come to mind and that showcase Lexie’s personality.
When we were young, we used to sneak Walkie Talkies in our rooms. She would tell me when the coast was clear and I would tip toe to her room. Once I made it there smoothly… there was a 50/50 chance that Lexie would either roll over, allowing me to sleep on the other side of her bed or scream at the top of her lungs, “GET OUT OF MY ROOOOOOM” getting me in trouble and leaving me frantic as I had to immediately bolt back to my room before my parents came up.
After high school in Syracuse, we both attended St. Bonaventure University, moved away (Lexie to NYC and me to San Diego) and ended up back in the same city of New York for about a year and a half before JJ and I moved back to the west coast.
One of my favorite things about Lexie is without hesitation she is someone who will drop anything to help out a family member or friend .My husband, JJ had to move back to the west coast for a few months before I would meet him, and when I brought this up to Lexie… she immediately offered for me to stay with her in Brooklyn. Let me mind you, this was a one bedroom apartment with her friend, Chelsea and I would have to share a bed with Lexie for 3 months. So I did… and she even moved over closet around so I could fit my things. Although it wasn’t the ideal living conditions for anyone, it was the time in our lives where we actually grew the closest we have ever been, and I’m forever grateful for that time together.
You all know the story of how Bran and Lexie met, right? At Chaparrel Dog Park. But, there’s a little more to this story. After Lexie was living in NYC and I in San Francisco, JJ and I made our way to Phoenix, Arizona and I kept begging Lexie to move here too. So, she finally did and one afternoon, Lexie and I brought Baxter to the dog park and immediately as we were walked in, I looked up, saw a guy in a tank top with mirrored glasses and thought… yeah, Lexie is totally going to think he’s attractive. So, we all got into a conversation, probably about dogs, and left that day with the name, Bran Oberg. I thought, I can find anyone on the internet, especially with the name Bran Oberg. We found him and he had a private account on instagram. I told Lexie to send him a friend request but she was so nervous to. Days go by and she was still pulling up his profile, but wouldn’t request him. As if she wanted him to find her first or something. She left her phone out, walked into the other room, and I walked over and HIT REQUEST. The rest is history. You’re welcome.
I couldn’t be more grateful to have you as a sister, to be in one city and raise girls together.
Bran, you truly have been like a brother from the start…I have always felt so comfortable around you and you fit in with our family so well.
I know you have been living together for a while now but its only tradition to offer you a few tips to go home with-
- Don’t go to bed angry.
- If she seems a little irritable for no reason, feed her. She’s just a little hangry.
- I know you don’t love taking photos, but try to occasionally, and if all else fails… just turn the camera around to her… and keep clicking.
Love you both! Let us all raise a glass and cheers the happy couple!
I know there are many different templates that you can go with on Pinterest or Google, but I picked two stories: one from when we were younger, one from when we were older, and how they met (since I was involved). I hope this was helpful to those of you who are preparing speeches!
xo, Lola