Toast to Bride and Groom
If you’re looking for a toast to bride and groom at a wedding, look no further. I’ll give you some pointers and some examples from my years of experience as a paid public speaking consultant.
Remember that there are a few rules at a wedding when giving a toast. When you’re making a toast to bride and groom, remember that people at a wedding want to hear about the positive sides of human emotion. They don’t want to be reminded of anything…shall we say “poopy” in life. They don’t want to hear about greed, lust, taxes, etc., no matter how humorous those topics might seem in your planning.
In addition, what comes out of your mouth will almost certainly be recorded, not only in the minds of the bride, groom and most of the family, but also on videotape. This ISN’T meant to freak you out, so please don’t let it. If you’re nervous (which, as I agree, a wise public speaking instructor of mine once told me, is a sign that you’re alive…if you weren’t nervous, I would be more worried) just remember…BE YOURSELF.
One more time: BE YOURSELF. That old advice your parents told you when trying to get a date in high school applies here too. If you’re funny in person, be that way. If you’re relaxed and at ease, be that way. Just be yourself. Then, combine that unique character that you have with a GENUINE desire for the couple’s good. Be yourself and offer something to the crowd that shows you have nothing but positive intentions.
A great way to give a toast to bride and groom is to start with a quick story. Everybody loves a story, and the audience will instantly be at ease when you start with one. Just something very simple. Here’s a rule to start a story: start by being in that moment immediately from the beginning of the story. In other words, don’t start by explaining your logic to why you picked the story, as in “I was thinking of what to say, and I remembered this one time when we were 15 years old, and I thought that would be a good story, so here it is…”. Just start out with being in the moment of the story from the start, as in “So there we were, 15 years old…”. BAM, you instantly have the attention of 99% of the people in the room (except for the one guy who’s asleep. Don’t worry, this guy is always present).
Now, once the story is told, give a brief explanation of how that story means that the bride and/or groom have the characteristics that I mentioned earlier, about the best in humankind. For example, if your story highlighted David’s sense of loyalty, “It was then that I knew David was one of the most loyal friends I would ever have. I know he and Jenny will have the best years together, because they will never lose sight of their dedication to their love above all else.”
See how that works? You’re using the story to grab the audience’s attention, then as a instrument to show how the person in the story has a certain positive quality. Again, make that a positive quality; one that relates to the best intentions of humanity, i.e. love, loyalty, kindness, generosity, being a great friend, etc. NOT – and I stress this – even if it sounds like a good joke – NOT something bad. NOT EVEN A TINY BIT. THIS WILL BACKFIRE HERE. DON’T hint at greed, lust, envy, getting snubbed, being jaded, being overweight, ANYTHING. In this toast to bride and groom, you have to keep the quality positive here, despite thinking up some really great jokes that can be had. This is not the place for them.
Now, you simply have to raise your glass and offer the toast by reiterating that quality in that one person you know in a statement that wishes they carry it on in their relationship with each other together, almost implying that they both posses the quality you highlighted in the story. For instance “To David and Laura, may their genuine and loyal love continue on forever.”
I wish you the best in your toast to bride and groom!