Wedding Toasts: Adding Flavor To Your Celebration

Wedding toasts are one of the most moving gestures proposed to the newly weds. A toast can either refer to someone or something in honor of which others have a drink, or can refer to the drink or honor itself, or to the act of signifying that honor. Toast has now become an inseparable part of the wedding and often stays in your minds for years to come.

Origin of The Tradition

There are diverse versions about its origin. Some link it to the practice of poisoning one's enemy by putting poison in their wine glass. Later on the hosts began pouring wine from a common pitcher and were the first to sip it to prove that it was not poisoned, and while doing so offered a toast to the health and happiness of their guests.

Another version believes the practice to have stemmed from an ancient French custom wherein bread was positioned at the glass bottom and a good toaster would finish the drink to get the 'toast'.

When the bride and groom drink their wedding toast, it is believed that the one who finishes first will be in charge of the family. Today's toasts are a token of offering good wishes to the couple.

Act of Toasting

The toasting itself consists of three parts: The verbal toast, the concurrence from others, and the drink as a symbolic gesture.

The best man, traditionally, begins the toasts by toasting the happy couple. This is given lot of importance and is generally the longest. The groom responds by thanking his best man and will often offer his own toast to his new wife and all of the parents. The bride may toast her husband followed by both sets of parents. The bride's father usually toasts to the health, happiness and prosperity of the newly weds while thanking family and friends. It is not uncommon for the maid of honor to toast. Of course other people are free to speak as well.

Making A Lasting Impression

If you are among the 'star toasters', say a best man, you should prepare yourself ahead of time. Wedding toasts are shorter in comparison to best man speeches and usually a lot less serious. You can make it humorous, poetic or sentimental. One to two minutes are usually sufficient. If you are the best man you can go up to five minutes. If you go longer people may confuse your toast for a wedding speech.

Be sure to stand up to get everybody's attention. Wait till everyone has refilled their glass. Hold the glass in your right hand when proposing the toast and when you are finished, raise the glass in the direction of the person you are toasting. As you make your toast, look at the guests in the room and make eye contact with the person you are proposing the toast to. Keep your toast clean and suited to the occasion. Be humorous but not at the cost of humiliating others. Respect all those present. Practicing your toast before the wedding will make sure that you make no mistakes. Write it down if needed.

Last, remember that wedding toasts are part of the celebration. You should keep it upbeat without getting too emotional.