It’s a wonderful thing to be included in a loved one’s wedding day. It’s a totally different thing to be asked to give a toast. You know all eyes will be on you, and you certainly want your toast to be remembered, but not for the wrong reasons!
We’ve got you. Today, we’ve organized some of our best advice for toast-making. Our DJs have ushered in family and friends for many, many toasts, and they’ve seen it all. These tips will help you stay organized, and deliver a strong toast that everyone will remember for all of the right reasons!
1. Start with the obvious. It’s recommended that you lead off your toast by working in the couple’s names somehow, to remind everyone of why you’re there. It sounds silly, but even a statement as simple as, “Isn’t it great to be here celebrating ____ and ____” can focus everyone in on the couple, which is the goal. You don’t want to launch right into a million stories and realize later that you never addressed them by name.
2. Share why you feel connected to the couple. This could be a funny (but appropriate) story from early in their relationship. You could share the moment that you knew they were the perfect match. It could be when one of them confided in you that they wanted to get married. Whatever the thing is that makes you feel drawn to this couple, a toast is a great way to establish why you were chosen to give this toast, and make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy at the same time.
3. Don’t drag it out. It sounds strange, but speak in short sentences. Coming to a full stop more often will change the tone of your voice, which can make your toast sound more interesting, and make it easier for listeners to follow along. Also, keep your toast a reasonable length of time so you can hold everyone’s attention the entire time!
4. Be careful not to embarrass anyone. Even if a story is very funny between you and the bride and/or groom, that doesn’t mean it will translate well to a room full of their family. Different ideals and values can run through one family, so knowing the couple well does not mean that you know the bride’s great aunt well. If you’re unsure, ask.
5. Seek a way to stand out. Sometimes a really emotional story is the thing that will make your toast stand out. Other times, showcasing a talent that you have may be a good way to make your toast memorable. One word of advice though: be sure that you keep the focus of attention on the couple. You may be a fantastic singer or rapper, but be sure that your intentions for working those skills into your toast are to honor the event and not to bring more attention to yourself.
6. Finally, be sure that your toasts flow well into the reception. A quality MC will help introduce you and be sure that guests remain seated and quiet so the couple can receive the full scope of what you've planned. If you're looking for a DJ who can do both, head to the contact page of our site to get in touch with us today! We can equip your reception with the best in the biz.
If you have additional tips to share, or a great story about a toast you’ve given or seen, connect with us on Facebook to share! We would love to collect more tips for future wedding parties!