The Art of Giving a Wedding Toast

Toasting Couple via Steve Koo Photography

In our business, we've seen it all - beautiful, touching, tear-jerking toasts to the newlyweds that leave smiles all around, and then the toasts where you want to take the microphone back and cringe.

At some point, you'll probably be asked to give a toast for someone special at their wedding. Here's some fantastic advice for how to do it right we found on Alexan Events. It's a completely fail-safe way to give a meaningful, touching, and simple speech that guests will actually want to listen to!

1. Do not talk about ex’s. Period. Even if you went on an amazing trip as a group, that trip could remind of the ex – what’s the need?! You’re standing up there because you and the bride have a history of one million memories together – lose the ones that incorporate the losers.

2. No jokes about wedding night sex. Period. Grandma is sitting right there. MOM AND DAD are sitting right there. Just don’t go there.

3. Inside jokes are called inside jokes for a reason.

4. Limit the drinking until after you speak. You might think it will help, but it’s not worth it to make a fool of yourself…because then you’re making a fool of your friend who asked you to stand up there!

5. Use the 3-1-2 principle. To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of this until I read this article but it’s a fantastic principle – it goes a little something like this.

• 3rd person – For a few minutes in the beginning, speak in third person. Tell a story – maybe it’s about you and your friend, maybe it’s about how the bride and groom met, maybe it’s a funny story about that time the Bride cried for 3 days straight because N*SYNC broke up. Some light, airy and to let the people know you are connected to the couple.
• 1st person – Speak directly about how the bride or groom makes you feel as an important part of your life – how grateful you are to call her your best friend, how excited you are that he is part of the family now, how you admire certain qualities they exude. Share your emotion, but try to keep it muted (we don’t want to listen to you blubber for 10 minutes).
• 2nd person - Speak directly to the bride and groom – the classic “wishing you nothing but the best and happiest life together” is classic for a reason.
• Conclude -raise your glass and simply say “To the newlyweds.”

Perfect, right? I couldn't have said it better myself! :) Follow these tips and you'll give a memorable speech that you can be proud of and won't have guests running for the hills.

Have you ever given a wedding toast or do you have one coming up? What are you planning to talk about?