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Wedding Announcements

Tips for the Toast 

Okay, best man, father of the bride, maid of honor, groom or assorted guests - it's your turn to stand and raise a glass. Weddings are usually highly prepared and organized events. The toast should be given no less thought and attention, especially if you've been singled out for the honor by the couple. Below are some suggestions and resources to help make your 15 seconds of fame bring a smile to the faces of the people celebrating this new marriage.

One of the first things you're asked to consider is why you've been chosen to speak at the wedding. Are you a close friend of the bride/groom? Are you a wise person who can give sage advice? Are you a funny, outgoing kind of person? Or is it simply that you are an important figure in this wedding and are expected to speak? Figuring this out can help you in what you're going to say.

Be sensitive in the story you tell. You want it to be personal and easily relatable to everyone on the scene, but this is not an exercise in humiliation.

Once you have the speech and toast down, edit them. That old saw "Brevity is the soul of wit" is on the mark. Keep it short and make it interesting.

Can anyone at the wedding make a toast? According to Bride's magazine, the best man makes the first toast, to which the groom responds, thanking the best man, his parents and new in-laws.

The person giving the toast should stand and the one(s) receiving it should stay seated. The receiver should also not lift a glass at the toast.

It's like applauding for yourself. Wait to sip, said Bride's, until the fanfare dies down.

From Morris Communications