Wedding Toasts

How To Have The Best Wedding Toast Ever

You have gathered all your friends together. Here you are, in one room, ready to have the celebration of your life. Here are some wedding toast tips.

Think about it
Think about it and then speak from the heart. No folded up paper, no cue cards. You can choose the three or four things you want to touch on, remember on on each of your fingers and then just talk like to talking to your best friend. Notes are fine, but when you stand up and talk, knowing your talking points will guide you through the rest. Easy on the alcohol, have a good breakfast and drink plenty of fluids early in the day. Get a good nights rest. Remember to have your toasting glass ready and look forward to a big hug and kiss from these two special people you are toasting.

Thank someone
Thank someone, thank everyone. You might not be the first, you might not be the last. Other people in their speeches might say thank you to the same people. So what you need to do is make it unique and your own. “I want to thank the Smiths for hosting the reception tonight. From the time that Tommy and I were kids you’ve always welcomed me into you home….” “I also want to thank the Jones’. You were such fun people to get to know at the rehearsal dinner and I want to thank you for helping to bring these two together…”

Hey everyone, it’s me!
A good Entertainment Director (the DJ/MC) will give you a nice introduction. You can complete that introductions by saying, “Yes, I am the kid brother of the groom and always will be…”

Short is sweet
We want you to shine in this moment, Shorter is better. Dinner is waiting. The guests want to be entertained enough to laugh and cry a little. Just not too long.

Keep It Clean
If you are writing your toasts and it includes anything that has to do with a toilet bowl, a boys night out, or some long ago, never to be spoken of again road trip; throw it out and start again. We want to have some of your relationship with them revealed. But we want what you talk about to make us laugh and cry and laugh again, not cringe or zone out.

Be a master high wire walker
You are stepping out onto a thin rope with no net and nothing to protect you but your charm, wit, and the love of your friends and family. You’ll be great. Remember pause for the laughs, slow down for the tears, and laugh with them one more time, as you all raise your glasses.

Raise your glass, get a hug
That’s right. have everyone raise their glasses in a toast to the guests of honor. You’ve been giving the toast, but you are in a sense giving voice to EVERYONE’S feelings. So ask them, invite them, encourage them to join in the toast.

When you are done, put down your glass and get ready to be thanked for the Best Toast EVER!

Wedding Toasts Part 1

For more expert planning advice, contact Chicago Weddings by Global Heart Entertainment.

Wedding toasts can be fun, from the heart, really genuine ways to share. They bring people together. They can also be a disastrous mess of TMI!

You want great toasts. Here are 5.5 tips for the best toasts ever…

1. Choose who will give a toast: This is not open mic night. Unless you choose to invite guests to just come up and talk. The BM, FOB and MOH are first choices to ask to give a toast. But whoever made the rule that you can’t have other people speak. Once you decide Who you want, Here’s how:

2. Give helpful tips: Have you ever been to a wedding where a toast just went on forever? People shut down and zone out when a toast goes on too long. Give everyone guidelines about not talking so long that dinner is delayed, or not talking about the time in college when you…. You get the point. Now that you know How, you can:

3. Greet your guests: You have said your vows and your ‘I do”, there is probably only one other time that you can take to speak to everyone in the room. Thank them from the bottom of your heart, show your appreciation and share your love. The bride and the groom can both speak. (Note To Groom. Try this: “Doesn’t my wife look wonderful!”

4. Get Ready: Just like the groom talking about how crazy in love he is with his new wife remember to say a few more things. “Thanks to everyone who travelled…” Remember this is like you’ve invited all these people into your home. Welcome them.

5. Put your toasts into the timeline: Finally, knowing who is going to speak, what they speak like, and how many speeches, will guide you and your entertainment director to timing and placing everyone just right.

5.5 Plan with your team: Make sure that one person creates the Master Plan. Then make sure that each vendor on your team has the items from your Master Plan on their timeline. This way the caterer knows how to time dinner, the photographer knows to be done with other shots, your DJ/MC is ready to introduce and have a mic that is turned on for the speaker, as well as your videographer is in place.

Oh, and one more thing. Smile!

Happy People Enjoying Chicago Wedding Toasts

Wedding Speech Tips