The wedding toast started from the belief that creating some noise, such as ringing a bell, or in this case, the clinking of a glass, could cast away evil spirits. Today, wedding toasts perform an essential role during the wedding celebration. The wedding toast serves as a link between the formal wedding ceremonies and the less formal atmosphere of the wedding reception. It is usually given after the meal has been served and before the cake is cut. The wedding toast allows members of the family, relatives and closest friends to express their feelings and to wish the couple well.
The wedding toast may follow a traditional or a non-traditional order.
In the traditional order, the first toast is made to the bride or to the bride and groom. This is done by the best man, a relative or a friend. The groom then responds with a message to his bride, the person who made the toast, the couple's parents and a toast to the bridesmaids. The best man then responds to thank the groom on behalf of the bridesmaids. A close friend or relative may then follow with another toast. After this, the father of the bride thanks the guests on behalf of his wife and himself, and announces that they may begin the celebration.
In the non-traditional toast the order can be changed to suit the guests and the occasion such as follows: the Master of Ceremonies or emcee may propose the first toast for the couple. The groom then thanks the emcee and the guests and toasts to his bride. The bride thanks her groom and the guests and proposes a toast to her parents and her in-laws.
The father of the bride thanks the bride for the toast, thanks the guests for attending and announces that the celebration may begin. Or sometimes the emcee may propose a toast to the bridesmaids, after which the maid of honor may respond with thanks or propose another toast. The emcee may introduce guests who will propose their toasts, and announce the beginning of the celebration.
Here are some tips when proposing a toast.
* The bride should be served the beverage first, followed by the groom, the maid of honor, the parents and then the best man.
* The toast can be done with a sip of wine, champagne or a non-alcoholic drink except coffee, tea and water.
* If you will propose the first toast, make sure that not only your glass, but also all the other glasses are filled before you start speaking.
* When proposing a toast, raise your glass with your right hand. The glass should be held in a straight line from the shoulder.
* It is better to compose your own wedding toast. However, if you cannot write a good one, you can try a traditional wedding toast but make sure to personalize it to include your feelings and thoughts about the bride and groom. You can find a great resource here with ideas to help you make sure your toast is special.
* Always remember to end a toast with an invitation to the guests to join you in your well wishes.
These are some things that one should remember when proposing a wedding toast. On the other hand, if you are on the receiving end of a toast, do not raise your glass, stand, nor sip your drink. You then thank the toasters and although you are not required, you may propose another toast.
Here you have some tips to get you started when preparing to give a wedding toast. Please check back for future additional tips for wedding preparations.
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