Wedding Toasts

In the last 4 or so years I have been to countless weddings. I cannot even count the weddings I was in, let alone the weddings I was just a witness to. I wish I could experience a variety of styles of weddings, or cultures traditional weddings, but I haven't. They have all been pretty much cut from the same cloth (if I can borrow a colloquialism.) Usually my favorite part of the entire evening is the toasts given by the Best Man and Maid of Honor. I have noticed a few themes that hold true. First, the maid of honor always reads. She is more prepared than the best man, and it usually shows. Unfortunately, this preparation almost never equates to dry eyes during and immediately after the speech. I do have to admit though at today's wedding was the first time I saw a note-less maid of honor. Secondly, best men are rarely chosen for their speaking ability. While some thrive in the spot light, most, stumble around with a mix of "inside" jokes and poor communication skills. Thirdly, there needs to be 3 elements to the toast. 1 is humor. Get the audience on your side and give them a reason to continue to listen. 2 is sentiment. Let the audience know (briefly) that the bride/groom meant a lot to you. 3rd is wishing well. It is your responsibility to wish them well in married life on behalf of the wedding party and those seated in the audience. Those are the 3 elements whole and exhaustive. Please do not add or subtract from this list, as it is comprehensive.

If you need an example, please see the speeches from either my wedding, or the Wren wedding.