There are a million little things that have gone into planning your BFFs wedding. And chances are you were there picking out most of them; on the couch late at night pouring over Pinterest boards and tying macrame knots until your fingers cramp. And as the day approaches there is one final responsibility that is on your plate: the toast. A good toast is a hallmark of a wedding reception. It is a chance for you to both share your love for the couple and commemorate your friendship. It is in itself a sort of gift to the bride and groom.
I’ve found myself at several weddings helping the maid of honor revise her speech in the bathroom. But, since I can’t be there with all of you I’ve got a tip sheet here and a template to make sure you’ve crossed all your T’s and dotted all your I’s.
HERE’S THE #1 FORMULA TO GIVE A MEMORABLE & AMAZING SPEECH
Open: Address the audience and the couple, give some thanks, make a joke (about your dress or the weather or the open bar) if that’s your thing.
Tell a story: Depending on how long you’ve been friends you have a lot to choose from. If you can reach back to childhood. Avoid stories that involve the bride being diva or getting too saucy, and above all else don’t tell a story if it involves an ex, no matter how good of friends they still are. It’s just weird.
Be gracious: After the story look the bride in the eye and tell her how much she means to you.
To the groom: Turn to him and address him. Thank him and send him some love. Be cute here and use this as a moment to induct him into your little club. If you’re making jokes include something that will make his life a little easier.
Be universal: Turn back to your audience and make a note here about love, life, time etc… This would also be the place to include advice on love or an example you’ve witnessed in your life, perhaps her parents. Talk about how much love there is here in the room tonight and that will lead you to your closer.
Closing: Say something thoughtful, be endearing, and tell her you love her. Raise your glass and have everyone toast to the lovely new couple. Cheers!
A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER:
- Tell a story. This is a classic speech move. You can talk about when you met or something that borderlines embarrassing. Be careful not to make her blush too much, some things belong in the fault and they should stay there.
- This is not about you. While including some personal story will make your speech hit home for the bride you want to be careful not to load it full of inside jokes or you might alienate the rest of your audience.
- Though you might be besties with the bride the mission of this speech should also be to bring her husband into your group hug, include a note that nods to how thankful you are that he found his way into the fold.
- Be encouraging to the couple. Offer some advice and feel safe keeping it generic like don’t go to bed mad and make sure you always feed her because she gets hangry in the afternoon.
- If you aren’t funny, don’t worry about being funny. Sometimes the biggest bombs are jokes that fall flat. So, if you are going to be anything be endearing and honest. People feel this vibe more than anything and you’ll everyone hanging on your every word.
Ok, so you’re ready to go. Whether you’ve written your speech and need to revise or are staring at the blank page, we’ve got you covered.
We’d love to hear your wedding speech stories, feel free to leave comments below!!
VINAZINE 