A wedding day or civil partnership should be an enjoyable day for everyone involved. But if you are the groom, best man or father of the bride then the thought of giving a speech can take away the enjoyment and make it a day to dread.

So how do you make it easier?

Be prepared in plenty of time. Putting everything off until the last minute will just make things worse because the thought of the day getting closer and closer will niggle away at you

Plan the day. Make sure you know what you will be expected to do throughout the day.

If you're giving a speech think about what you want to say. There are plenty of books and websites that can give you ideas for speeches.

Don't try and be formal. Be yourself because that way you will sound and feel more natural. Write your speech to be said, not to be read. It's very easy to write perfect prose that becomes a real tongue twister or sounds very stilted.

Don't feel you have to be funny. If you're not good at telling jokes then leave them out because it won't do much for your confidence if no one laughs.

Keep your speech short because then it's easier to remember what you want to say and you won't be putting too much pressure on yourself.

Don't agonise over making a few mistakes - most people make them and people are there to enjoy the day, not criticise your speech.

Practise beforehand because then you will be used to what you are saying and it will feel much more comfortable on the day. Ask someone to listen through to it and give an honest opinion so that you can make changes if you need to.

Use hypnotherapy to feel calmer about the whole event. You can visit a hypnotherapist or listen to relaxation CDs.

Visualise the day going well and eveyone telling you how much they have enjoyed it. Make sure you imagine yourself giving your speech perfectly. By doing that you will be reducing your anxiety and allowing yourself to be more relaxed and have an enjoyable day.