There’s a classic scene in the film Four Weddings and Funeral when the best man is tasked with giving a wedding speech—it goes spectacularly badly because he was unprepared, nervous and trying to be funny. Although the scene is ripe with comedy and makes for a funny movie, the same scene in real life would be memorable for all the wrong reasons.
It’s an honour to give a speech at a wedding—with that honour comes the responsibility to write a meaningful, heartfelt toast that adds to the couple’s occasion. The following tips will help you craft a meaningful, touching and unforgettable wedding toast and help you remember it!
Start with mapping out an outline
Writing an unforgettable wedding toast is like writing a short essay—and like any writing project, it’s much easier to express what you want to say if you plot it out with an outline first. You should strive for a balance of past history and relationship to the couple, your hopes for their relationship and funny anecdotes that will amuse both the couple and their guests.
Remember to focus on the bridal couple while toasting
While it’s important to highlight your history and relationship to the couple, it’s also important to remember that the wedding toast is about commemorating their marriage, not your relationship to them. While relating your experiences with the couple, keep things focused on how those experiences led you to know that the couple was right for each other.
Capture memories and be sincere
There’s nothing worse than a wedding toast that seems rushed and cobbled together. The act of toasting the wedding couple should be filled with heartfelt emotion and sincerity. The most poignant wedding toasts are those that connect with the emotions of the couple and demonstrate to guests your hope for the couple’s future together.
But don’t forget to add a bit of humour in your wedding toast
A wedding is one of the most important day’s in a person’s life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be serious! A unforgettable wedding toast is one that combines the significance of the occasion with lighthearted humour to make the wedding couple and guests smile. From a funny anecdote about the couple to a few sassy remarks about the institution of marriage, adding a bit of humour is a great way to create a memorable wedding toast.
That will Keep it unforgettable and short
We’ve all been to weddings where the speeches seemed to drone on forever, and everyone in attendance was more focused on the food coming out of the kitchen than the sentiments of the toast. The easiest way to keep the audience engaged during your wedding toast is to keep it short, simple and sweet. The ideal time for an unforgettable wedding toast is 5-8 minutes.
And Practice, Practice, Practice
The most important thing to remember about your wedding toast, is remembering your wedding toast! You don’t have to memorize the entire speech, but by practicing it, reading it through and saying the whole toast out loud prior to the event will allow you to catch words, phrasing or pacing that may need tweaking before the big day.
An unforgettable wedding toast is the ideal way to show your love and care for the wedding couple and to express the sentiments of all the wedding guests in wishing the happy couple all the best for their future health and happiness.
