Wedding Speech and Toasting Tips

 Brief. Toasts help to add to the celebratory mood of the affair. Think about it, the wedding is about the bride (and sometimes about the groom). This is not the time for the best man to try out his new stand-up routine. The longer the toast the less memorable it is for the couple and for the guests.

Who is the Master of Ceremonies for the toasts?
Many people think the band leader or the disc jockey is in charge of the toasts. Wrong! It may be hard to believe, but the best man is in charge of toasting. That is right; this is the same person who was chosen to be the best man based solely on his ability to plan the bachelor party. While most best men will spend days, even weeks planning the demise of his buddy's single status, they usually start thinking about their toasts the night before the nuptials. This means you, the bridal couple, need to do some advanced planning.

Who toasts?
The bridal couple should decide who is likely to want to toast at the wedding. This varies widely based upon the formality of the affair and the feelings of the family. Nowadays, it is common for the best man to toast the bride, the maid/matron of honor to toast the groom, and the father of the bride to toast the couple. It is also common for the bride and groom to toast their parents and the guests.
Additional toasts may depend on factors such as who is actually hosting the wedding. (For example, if the bride's step-father is paying for the wedding, chances are he will be the one to toast the couple.) Even if the groom's side is not financially supporting the couple, they should be offered the opportunity to bestow their well-wishes.

As you can see, the toasting can become rather complicated rather quickly. It is best to consider the toasts well in advance to address any issues that may arise. (This also allows time to consult an etiquette reference as necessary.)
 

What about the rehearsal dinner?
Often people are so engrossed in thinking about the toasting at the wedding that they overlook the opportunity for toasts at the rehearsal dinner. The rehearsal dinner provides the time for anyone involved in the wedding to share their thoughts with the bride and groom. In addition, toasts at the rehearsal dinner can be spontaneous and can be longer than wedding-day toasts.
 

When are the toasts?
For formal affairs, the toasts are generally given after the meal. If the wedding cake the couple is cutting will be the cake served for dessert, the toasts are done following the cutting of the cake. If the cake the couple is cutting is not the cake being served, the toasts may occur immediately following the meal. For less formal and afternoon weddings, toasting is generally conducted after the couple's first dance as husband and wife. Either way, you should consult with your caterer so that they can plan the timing of the dessert course.
 

What do the bride and groom do during the toasts?
As for the newlyweds, while your friends and family are toasting your good fortune, you get to sit still and smile. No toasting to yourselves! What? You want a sip of champagne? Well then, you should get up and return a toast. Returned toasts, if you can imagine, are even briefer than the original toast to ensure things keep moving along.
 

Questions to Ask Yourself When Preparing Your Wedding Speech or Toast

• How long have you known the Bride and Groom? And how did you meet?
• How did the Bride and Groom meet? Were you involved?
• How did the Groom propose to the Bride? And what was her immediate reaction?
• How long has the Bride and Groom been a couple?
• Do they have children?
• What are the Bride and Groom's mutual interests?
• What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Groom? What 5 words come to mind when you think of the Bride?
• What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom while Bride was present? And vice-versa?
• What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom (or Bride) while you were present?
• What would you like the future to hold for the Bride and Groom?

Top Tips for Toasting at Weddings

1.    Be Prepared. Do decide who is toasting, in which order and what you will say well in advance of the wedding.  With wedding toasts, even a short toast will do if delivered with feeling and sincerity.

2.     Be Sincere. Do use your own words and speak from the heart. This will be easier for you to remember and mean more to the couple than a toast borrowed from a book.

3.     Be Brief. Do keep the toast within a two to three minutes time frame.

4.     Make sure all other glasses are full before beginning. You may want to announce to the guests, or have the MC announce to the guests, to fill their glasses because toasting will commence shortly. Then give guests 3 - 5 minutes to fill their glasses.

5.    Be Tactful. Do refrain from embarrassing the couple on their special day. The groom's broken heart from an old girlfriend, the bride's nose job, first marriages, what happened during the bachelor/bachelorette party, all should be left out of the toasts.

6.     Be Complimentary. After all, the whole purpose of a toast is to say something nice about the people being honored.  Always use humor in good taste. While poking fun at the bride and groom can add the touch of humor you're looking for, poking too much fun will only gain you
a disapproving audience.

7.     Stand to give a toast (sit to receive one) and hold your glass with your right hand as you toast. After the toast, it is tradition to then clink the glasses together before sipping.

8.     Be Practiced. Do practice the toast, in front of a mirror, without your notes. (Remember that if you are holding a glass in one hand and the microphone in the other, you would need a third arm to read from your notes!!)

9.     Be Clear-headed. Nerves and memory are not aided by alcohol. Avoid the spirits until after you have successfully delivered your toast.

10.     Be Mannerly. Do sip your champagne. Wedding toasts are not a chug-a-lug contest. Your glass should not need to be refilled after each toast. Also, clinking should be done with care. Unlike beer mugs, crystal is quite delicate.

11.     Be Connected. Look around the room at the audience and to the bride and groom as you toast. Eye contact is an important characteristic of a good speaker.  Speak clearly and don't rush. Take your time and take a deep breath, because if you speak too fast, no one is going to understand you.

12.   Be Charming. Do remember to raise your glass during the toast and sip from your glass at the end of the toast.

13.   Start with something personal. How the bride and groom met is always a favorite. You can also use humor or quotes to get started.

14.   And finally, finish your toast with a wish, blessing, congratulations, or cheers

5 of the Biggest Mistakes to Avoid

1.   Having more than one drink to calm nerves beforehand. It may seem like a good idea, but besides calming your nerves, too much alcohol will also keep you from speaking clearly and hinder your good judgment of appropriate speech material.

2.   Swearing and/or lying.

3.   Apologizing for being a bad speaker - Never apologize for being a bad speaker, and don't say you really didn't want to speak. It's a rule for all speeches and all occasions, not just weddings.

4.   Mentioning previous girlfriends, past marriages, or past relationships. Not only could it be potentially embarrassing, but it's inappropriate at a wedding. Leave this for the stag party.