Photo Credit: Pinterest - Eric Kelley Photography
Most times the toast is always given by the best man or the maid of honour; other times someone else chosen by the couple handles it.
A toast is beyond yelling a chorus of ‘congratulations!’ or ‘cheers!’ It is expected to reflect who the couple really is. Nervousness can indeed creep in when you are the one expected to give the toast; it does not have to be difficult. Just make sure it is genuine and from your heart and also make sure to avoid the following mistakes:
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No Winging: Keep practising your toast to have a perfect delivery on the wedding day. Avoid mumbling or reading it all out of the paper without making eye contact. It makes it look like you did not know of the toast until you got to the reception.
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Private Jokes: Try your best to avoid private jokes. It is not for the wedding guests’ consumption. Private jokes can only make sense if everyone is in on the joke.
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Let bygones be bygones: It is not an avenue for you to start digging up the past. It will be disrespectful to the couple when you start talking about their exes when giving a toast to them in front of their families and loved ones.
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Long Speeches: Avoid long speeches, you are not trying to convince people to vote for you as the next president. So try to make your toast not longer than 5 minutes as it is better when the guests thirst for more rather than having them wish you’d stop.
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A biography: Do not make the toast about you; people are not there to celebrate you so you have to wait your turn. Do not lose focus from the main characters of the day – The bride and groom.
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Drunk talk: It is advisable to avoid taking more than a glass or two or a bottle or two; no one admires or respects a drunken speech
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Roasting: You should have it at the back of your mind that you are there to give a toast not to roast the couples. Say something real and true, but, do not make ridicule of them
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Do not try to be funny: It will only make things awkward when people see you try so hard to be funny and fail at it.
If you are funny try to avoid making the toast feel like a comedy show. As funny as you can get, remember that there’s a thin line between funny and vulgarity.
If you’re making a wedding toast soon, following these steps can help you with the best toast ever!