The majority of the wedding planning decisions are completely up to the couple getting married. There is one area that you will be giving up some of that control - the wedding toasts. You can decide who speaks and when, but the people giving the toasts will be the ones deciding what will be said. (Hopefully, their words will be only happy surprises!)
Today our online wedding store has a few tips that you can pass along to your friends and family that will be writing their own toasts. Next week, we'll cover who traditionally will be making those toasts and how you can fit them into your wedding day timeline.
Tips For a Captivating Toast
Like we mentioned before, the "toaster" will be the one coming up with the content for their particular toasts but it is perfectly reasonable for you to give them some guidelines for those sentimental words. The following tips should help them to come up with sweet, entertaining toasts that fit nicely into the celebration you are planning.
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Introduce Yourself
Don't forget to let everyone know who you are to the couple and maybe even incorporate something about the background of how you all met. -
Keep It Short & Sweet
While wedding guests enjoy a great toast, they don't always have large attention spans for this portion of the event. It's best to keep toasts under 3 minutes and definitely no longer than 5 minutes. -
Make It Personal
Strive to come up with words that tell a story that pertains to the lovely people getting married. This could be a short anecdote from their past or a borrowed quote or passage that you believe sums them up nicely. Remember to address the couple you are toasting but if you are comfortable with it, include the audience too.
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Make It "Your Own"
Don't try to be someone you are not. Your personality is a part of why the couple loves you. Whether your toast is purely sentimental or filled with jokes and funny stories, keep it good-hearted, positive, and true to who you are. -
Know Your Audience
Know who will be in attendance. If the guest list ranges from close friends all the same age to distant elderly relatives, not all jokes and stories will translate to the variety of generations and types of acquaintances. Give a speech that all of the wedding guests can appreciate. -
Speak Loudly & Clearly
You're taking the time to create a fantastic speech, so make sure that everyone can hear those wonderful words you have prepared. A microphone may be necessary for large rooms or people with naturally quiet voices.
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Practice Makes Perfect
It's never a good idea to "wing it" when it comes to a toast at a wedding. Practice your speech in front of a mirror and keep at it until the words come out easily and naturally. Even if you plan to memorize the toast, it's wise to have a written copy on hand, just in case. -
Relax
When it's your turn to talk, relax, stay calm, and remember to smile. You are celebrating two people that mean a lot to you. Don't focus on nerves. Instead focus on your friends.
Following the guidelines above should help anyone that will be making a toast at your wedding come up with the words. These tips will also help to make sure those words can be appreciated by everyone at your wedding.
Join us again next week when WhereBridesGo.com will cover who traditionally makes toasts at weddings and the best times to get those wedding toasting flutes out during the celebration.
~The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Post by Deanna Powell, Certified Bridal Consultant