Episode 18
Coach the Couple Before They Speak
Prepare the couple for speaking parts before the ceremony — so they wait for your cue instead of jumping the gun out of nerves.
About this episode
The most important day-of coaching is the speaking parts. In this episode of Wedding Studio by You Had Me At I Do, Mike and Jen unpack a lesson from the altar: couples jump the "I do" because nobody told them when to speak. Coach what to say, what to do, and when to expect it — before the ceremony starts. Brought to you by Studio by You Had Me At I Do.
Based on
Coach the Couple Before They Speak: What to Say, What to Do, and When
Show notes
Mike and Jen on pre-ceremony coaching for speaking parts — drawn from 's real altar experience.
The jump-the-gun problem
- You know the groom waits until “If so, answer I do.”
- The groom hears a pause and panics that silence will ruin the marriage.
- He answers early because you never told him what to expect.
What to coach
- Declarations: do not speak until you say “If so, answer I do.”
- Vows: wait for “Please repeat after me” (or your chosen cue).
- Everything else: what to do with hands, rings, and when to move.
Why it matters
You have done dozens or hundreds of ceremonies. They have done one. Your job is to close that gap in sixty calm seconds before music starts.
Tips & suggestions
- Coach speaking parts before the processional — not mid-sentence at the altar.
- Say the exact cue phrases you will use: “If so, answer I do” and “Please repeat after me.”
- Tell both partners the same rule so neither jumps early.
- Name the fear: a pause is normal; early answers are the problem.
- Keep the huddle short — clarity beats a lecture.
- Put the same cues in your script so day-of delivery matches the coach talk.