Take my advice – Plan it out, and plan it well. You want to be the talk of the wedding for making goose bumps, not stomachs drop.
Here’s the best way to achieve a classy and tasteful toast, and look like you’re a star at doing it.
Don’t Start out with your name, just start talking
This shows confidence, and gives the audience the chance to truly feel the tone of your talk prior to your introduction. Starting with a joke, or something light can truly break the ice and portray confidence, which pulls the attention of the audience. Your goal now is to win the audience over immediately and to keep them engaged. Try a light hearted joke about marriage, or a widely known fact about the groom or the bride. For example, my father started off with my intense energy and lack of shyness. People who knew me connected immediately and he went on.
NOW it’s time to introduce yourself
Explain who you are and explain how you know the couple. Why they asked you to toast is appropriate here, but make it about them. Keep this part simple and direct, there is a tendency to talk about yourself too much here which loses the audience and the ground you gained with that killer joke.
Tell a Story about the couple
And keep it respectful. There is a fine line between roasting and poking fun. The former can make you look like a fool, and have the couple regret asking you to speak in front of grandma. Keep your stories light, and complete. To the point. Your mission is to keep everyone feeling good when you finish, and to…
Leave a lasting impression
Give advice, connect through experience, relate to them and wish the couple the best in their journey together. This is where sentiment will win. Tying in your story you just told is an added bonus, and to be clever is the best way to get the audience saying ‘aww’. For example, if the story is of the couple meeting at a bar, mention a few lines of the song ‘closing time’ and relate it to the end of this current chapter, and on to the next. (Pro Tip: Cheesy can often be overcome with delivery)
Close out with a bang
Tie everything together and finish with a well thought out, quick and easy finale. “Let’s raise our glasses to the couple – Here’s to Life, Happiness, and your bar always staying open”
