Wedding Toasts

Some basic tips to follow when giving a traditional wedding toast, with samples.

Speeches are one of the most widely celebrated wedding traditions. Toasting is often part of both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding reception, and toasts are given by various people, including but not limited to, the bride, the groom, the best man, the maid of honor, the bride or groom’s mother or father, or a member of the wedding party. Here are some possible scenarios:

- The bride toasts her groom at the rehearsal or at the reception.

- The groom toasts his bride at the rehearsal or at the reception.

- The bride or groom toasts their parents and the wedding party at the rehearsal or reception.

- The father-of-the-groom toasts the couple at the rehearsal dinner (when the rehearsal dinner is hosted by the groom’s parents).

- The father-of-the-bride toasts the couple and thanks the guests at the reception.

- The best man toasts the couple at the reception (this is the most widely recognized toast).

- The maid or matron of honor toasts the couple at the reception.

Here are some pointers that apply to any speaker:

- Keep it short, about two minutes. If you go much longer than that, you are going to lose the crowd’s attention, and the message will lose its intended impact. Short and sweet is the way to go.

- Keep it clean. There should be absolutely no profanity in your speech because you run the risk of offending people, and that can make the evening very uncomfortable for everyone involved. What might be hilarious to your friend could be perceived as raunchy and vulgar by your fiancé’s great aunt. Don’t tell inappropriate stories about past relationships or out-of-control college parties.

- Don’t be a tipsy toaster. The drinks are usually flowing freely during wedding festivities, but there is really nothing worse than a drunken toast. You will ramble, and you certainly run the risk of saying something that will either embarrass you, the newlyweds, or the guests. Hold the wine until after the speech, for everyone’s sake.

- Be loudly, clearly, and slowly. Public speaking makes many people very uneasy and nervous, which can result in an inaudible and way-too-speedy speech. Just focus, take a deep breathe, and remember that this is a celebration — not a test!

- Practice makes perfect. Run over your speech out loud a few times, and make a mental run-down just before you are going to give the toast. You will have more confidence of you are prepared.

- At the end of a toast, the toast-maker raises his/her glass, but do not drink. The toast-recipient(s) also do not drink right away; they just nod appreciatively and smile.

If you and your fiancé want to toast each other, keep the following tips in mind:

- Recall how you met, or what you did on your first date. Think about special moments that the two of you have shared, like when you realized that you were in love, or how you got engaged.

- Tell your fiancé what you love about them, and how they make you feel.

- Talk about your future together, and what hopes and dreams you share.

- When you are making your toast, make eye contact with your fiancé. This will be a very touching moment for both of you. If you cry, just take a breath, and continue. There is nothing wrong with tears of joy at a time like this!

Here is a sample of what a man could say to the woman he is about to marry:

I remember the first time I saw you, Janie. You were jogging on the treadmill at our gym, singing along to whatever was playing in your headset. Our eyes locked, and it was like magic. I knew that there was something so special about this woman, and now I know that I was right. You have brought so much joy and laughter into my life. I love our scary movie nights, and our day trips to the lake. When I asked you to marry me, I wanted to do it in the most beautiful place I could imagine. I wanted everything to be just right. We went to Niagara Falls, and I knelt in front of you in the moonlight, and then I realized something: all of the beauty around us on this night seemed like nothing compared to the beauty in your eyes and the beauty of your love. Thank you for being my best friend and confidant. Thank you for making me laugh so hard that I cry. Thank you for saying yes. I am so proud to become your husband, and when I think of our future, and of the family that we will build together, and the memories we will share throughout our lives, I am filled with the deepest sense of happiness I have ever known. Janie, my sweet angel, I love you.

If you and your fiancé would like to make a toast to your parents and the wedding party, take this advice:

- Thank your parents not only for their financial contributions to the wedding, but for the support and love that they have showed you throughout your lives. Thank your fiancé’s parents for raising him/her to be such a wonderful person. Tell your fiancé’s parents how happy you are to join their family.

- Thank your wedding party for their help with the wedding, such as throwing a bridal shower or bachelor and bachelorette party. Thank them for traveling (if applicable) to be a part of your wedding, and for helping with the wedding plans. Also, thank them for their friendship, and tell them how much it means to you both to be able to share this occasion with such wonderful and supportive friends.

Here is some advice for the best man:

- Toast the couple, not just the groom. Make sure that you include the bride in your speech. You may have formed more memories with the groom, but try to stick to memories that have to do with both of them. For example, if you remember the groom telling you excitedly about their first meeting, tell that story. If you don’t have any stories to tell about both of them, try to talk about love and marriage, and how happy you are to see your friend with such an incredible woman.

- The best man is usually the toastmaster at the wedding, so if there are other people giving toasts after yours, make sure you introduce and announce them to the crowd.

Source(s) essortment.com