Congratulations! You’ve been asked to give a speech at the wedding of a friend or family member. If you’re like most of us, you’ve avoided public speaking since high school speech class. Or maybe you thrive in the spotlight! Either way, giving a toast can be a daunting task. But fear not, we’re here at Vision in White to give you some of our best wedding tips for delivering a winner!
Introductions
Start by introducing yourself. Chances are you only know about half the guests in attendance. Give them a chance to get to know you and your relationship to the bride and groom. Also, this will help form a personal connection and draw them in. You’re already winning them over!
Tell a (appropriate) story
Reel in the crowd with a fun throwback story about the bride or groom. But keep it PG! Reminisce on your sleepovers as kids, days as classmates, funny moments you shared, or tell everyone what they were like before their better half came along.
Sprinkle in a joke
If being funny is in your wheelhouse, throw in a few jokes! Don’t treat it like a standup special, but a little humor goes a long way in keeping the crowd engaged. Limit your jokes to the best of the best and remember to keep it clean!
Be sentimental
The most important message you want to convey is just how much the bride and groom mean to you. If you’ve been asked to speak at their wedding, they clearly see you as someone special in their lives. Share with the crowd a little bit of your relationship and make sure they know what an important role they play in your life. A wedding toast is the ideal time to get sappy. Challenge yourself to get a tear from a few guests!
Speak directly to the bride and groom
Address the couple as a whole. If you know details about their first date or first impressions of each other, add those in. If you don’t know much about the bride or groom, employ their friends to get the real dirt! Talk about the strengths you see in their relationship and how great they are for each other!
Time is of the essence
Keep it short and sweet! There may be a few other people giving a toast and the guests are ready to hit the dance floor. Stick to a toast no longer than 2-3 minutes.
Be prepared
Failing to prepare means preparing to fail. This is not the time to wing it! Take the time to think about what you want to say. You can write notes, but use them more as bullet points rather than reading them verbatim. You’ll go into this experience feeling a million times better if you took the time to prepare beforehand.
Stay calm
If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably avoided public speaking since high school speech class. Giving a toast is an honor and requires some prep work. Grab a drink, take a deep breath, and speak from the heart! You’re guaranteed to deliver a winner!
