WEDDING TOASTS!
Heartfelt, Witty, Inspired, or Poetic, however, you want your Wedding Toast to be Remembered!
The words will not automatically roll off your tongue without prior thought. Taking time to think about it will pay big dividends on the Wedding Day! Think about what you want to share with friends and family. Evaluate why you want to speak.
When you are planning what to say, take time to acknowledge those who made the wedding possible. Remember to mention your parents, in-laws, and those family members who traveled a distance to be there in attendance. Don’t spend time at the reception thanking your best friends and members of the bridal party. Those special thanks are best done in a more private setting such as the Rehearsal Dinner or Bridesmaid’s Luncheon. You can quickly thank your friends at the wedding reception, but the wedding day toasts should be centered on the parents and grandparents.
Express what the day has meant to you. Try not to be gushy and over intimate because it can make your guests uncomfortable. Stay positive and convey real feelings. The Wedding Toast is not the place for inside jokes or embarrassing personal information to be broadcast. Be tasteful and respectful. Don’t use slang or foul language.
The last thing you want to have happened is for boredom to set in, so it shouldn’t be too long. Two or three minutes should be enough time for a toast. If you are worried about your choice of words, try your little speech out on a friend first.
A short story about how you met or a moment from each of your childhoods that destined you to find one another is charming. Sharing special moments that brought the happy couple together helps bring the wedding guests a little bit closer in heart to the newlyweds.
Once your toast is composed, you should review a few fine points before delivering your toast on the big day. Please be clear-headed – No more than 1 or 2 drinks before the toast. Don’t mention past relationships, marriages or how long you lived together before you got married. The purpose of the toast is to honor the 2 people who have chosen to cleave only unto each other.
Be sure everyone has been poured a toasting beverage first. It’s smart to have a wireless microphone from your DJ. or Master of Ceremonies. The DJ or Best Man can announce the toast and ask everyone to stand after liquids have been poured.
The Best Man is the first to toast, followed by parents of the Bride & Groom, the Maid or Matron of Honor, and then anyone else who cares to toast. Speak loud enough for everyone in the room to hear you. Don’t talk too fast. By previous preparation, you won’t be too nervous. Make eye contact with the Bride & Groom during the toast. Be careful not to turn your back on the guests.
Each person who speaks should be individually announced so that everyone knows who is expressing their feelings. Have him or her introduced to the guests such as The father of the bride Mr. Henry Pulsipher would like to convey a few words at this time. It may take a little preparation to get the right pronunciation of the names. A written list is not uncommon.
Special Toasting Glasses are often purchased by the bride and groom and then kept as mementos. They are sometimes put into a special glassed case or shadow box with preserved flowers from the bride’s bouquet. The wedding invitation can also be put with glasses or flowers.
Leave a Reply