The Unwritten Laws of Wedding Toasts! - After all, it is the biggest day of their lives. As the one making the toast, you understand how special the occasion is and want to make the best wedding toast possible. A wedding reception is a great opportunity to do raise a toast. It is often easier for individuals to comment on an impersonal subject than to express their personal feelings. A wedding toast speech is an excellent tool for close friends to communicate their feelings to the happy couple.
You
may be one of those people that find public speaking easy & can
reel off a speech with style, wit & timing. Personally I am not
one of those people. I get incredibly nervous, go bright red &
tend to mumble! If you are the type of person who crumbles at the
sight of a microphone or an audience of more than 2 then my best
advice is to make sure you pass by the bar first on your way to the
stage! It is a natural reaction to reach for the bottle when faced
with such a nerve racking task.
So
if you are one of the unlucky ones who will have to make such a
presentation at a friend’s wedding
or it is your wedding & you who has to make the toast, then here
are a few more tips to help make the whole experience a little less
nerve racking.
Who:
Aside from the traditional wedding
toasts
of the best man, groom, bride’s father & groom’s father,
anyone can make a toast to the happy couple. Some couples will also
make a toast to each other & close family & friends. It is
also the case that as the day wears on & the drink stocks begin
to empty, more & more of your guests will suddenly feel the urge
to raise a glass to you. Now depending on how much they have had to
drink & how well they know you, you may wish to convince them not
to go through with it, but if you want some memorable moments on your
wedding video, let them have their fifteen minutes of fame!
What:
The best toasts are brief & sincere. You don’t need to be in
the spotlight for longer than a minute, but if you want to stay
longer it is worth making a note of a few key things you wish to say,
just in case your nerves get the better of you! Always start by
introducing yourself & your relationship to the bride &/or
groom, but keep it brief - you don’t need to tell them your life
story. Perhaps you will have a short story to tell or a personal
sentiment you wish to share. At the end share your wish for the
couple’s future & pass the spotlight over to the next person.
Be humorous but not embarrassing & make sure anything you say
will not cause offense. Don’t try to put on an Oscar winning
performance, just be yourself; you will come across much better.
Avoid any stories which will cause embarrassment, outrage or which
could cause conflict between bride & groom! Those stories about
past romances are not for wedding toasts!
When:
It’s
up to the bride & groom to decide at which point in the
proceedings the toasts should take place. Some couples choose to
toast their close family & friends at the rehearsal dinner on the
night before the wedding, whilst all other toasts will happen during
the reception. If you anticipate a lot of toasts it may be better to
split them between the rehearsal dinner & the wedding reception
to save time. Traditionally, the toasts will happen after the wedding
breakfast & before the cutting of the cake. Whatever time you
choose make sure everyone has a full glass of champagne ready to make
each toast.
Where:
If
you are having a large wedding with a lot of guests I would recommend
setting up a microphone for the toasts so that everyone can hear. A
stage area, central to the room is another good idea so that everyone
can see who is speaking although a stage can be intimidating for some
people who may be put off making a toast if you use one.
Alternatively, set your tables out in way that will facilitate the
person making the toast to be seen by everyone & ask them to
stand to make it.
Georgina
Clatworthy is a dedicated full time writer who composes informative
articles related to wedding
favors and wedding.
She is connected with 1WeddingSource, today’s leading wedding
social networking planning site.
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