Your life-saving small-talk cheat sheet

These five simple sentences will fix all your wedding-chit-chat woes.

“TELL ME MORE”: Small talk doesn’t need to stick to the surface. Dive beyond the basics by asking a follow-up question—you might even get a stock tip or some under-the-radar celeb gossip.

“ME TOO!”: Order the same drink? Roll your eyes at the same lame song the DJ just threw on? Don’t shy away from chiming in. Having a shared interest is the easiest way to ignite a conversation.

“IF YOU’LL EXCUSE ME...”: Thoughtful conversationalists pay attention in order to gracefully remove themselves from a chat before it becomes painful. If you notice shifty eye contact or someone glancing at their phone, best go freshen your drink. “OH, HOW SO?”: We often fall into lazy conversation patterns. You mindlessly trot out the same funny story time and time again to score an easy laugh, but when someone digs a little deeper and makes you stop to think for a moment, a trite chat suddenly gets exciting. “SO WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS...”: Gently recapping what your new pal just said serves a double purpose: It shows them that you’re dialed into what they are saying and challenges you to truly listen.