We love speeches (clearly), and we also love listening to the guests’ reaction to them.
The aftermath of a speech is like a 3D version of Gogglebox; everyone has an opinion and something to say. Whether a speech sparks a ‘I didn’t know that’ or just much hilarity, it’s obvious they get people bonding (especially the bad ones).
These days hosts can encourage tables to chat even before the speeches begin by setting up a Speechstake. We like these boards from Postbox Party – www.notonthehighstreet.com