Can you remember the best wedding reception toast you’ve heard? At Black Tie Events MC and DJ in Melbourne we know it’s generally not the words you remember, it’s the emotions shared and the reactions from the bridal party, family and friends that are remembered for years to come.
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Toasts are a traditional part of wedding receptions but with traditions relaxing and formalities becoming more fluid in weddings these days, it’s difficult to know – Who gives a toast? What order are the toasts given? When during the reception do we give the toasts?
Tradition has it that wedding toasts are made after the main meal, by the following people in the order below:
- The Best Man.
- The Maid/Matron of Honour.
- The Father of the Bride (or whom ever is financing/hosting the wedding).
- Other parental figures of the couple.
- The couple.
No one says you must stick to these traditions, but this could be a helpful guide.
Now. . . What do you toast? Who toasts who? How long should a toast be? There are so many questions and thankfully the answers are somewhat flexible.
If we go back to tradition for a minute – The Best Man toasts the Bride and Bridesmaids. The Maid/Matron of Honour toasts the Groom and Groomsmen. The Father of the Bride toasts the couple and welcomes the Groom into the family. The other parental figures toast the couple. The couple toast their family and guests.
But in 2020 you might have two Grooms, no bridal party, a couple paying for their own wedding and/or a couple who don’t particularly enjoy public speaking. So new rules apply and you can set them yourselves, or better yet, team up with one of the experienced MC and DJs from Black Tie Events in Melbourne to guide you through the right toast set up for your individual wedding.
While your toasts will be personalised for your couple there are a few universal things to remember when making a toast:
- Work with an MC – this experienced public speaker will introduce each toast, keep everyone on track, and ensure glasses are full and no one is left out. (There’s nothing more hallow than an empty glass toast!)
- Keep it brief. Get all the thank-you’s and compliments in there but avoid the hour long play-by-play of how you first met the bride or groom and how you played footy together when you were 11. There could be a few toasts to get through and nodding off during yours does set the ideal mood for who ever follows!
- Be polite and appropriate. No boozy war stories or recounts of former conquests need to be shared with the bride and groom’s grandparents! Steer away from bad language and rude jokes are not a good idea. Humour is encouraged but keep it clean and try not to embarrass anyone on their big day.
- Be honest and heartfelt. Sincere sentiments and honest affection are always valued, remembers and enjoyed. Don’t aim to have your audience in tears, but a little glassy-eyed sweetness is always a winner.
- Practice. Do not plan to just wing-it! Take a few minutes to gather your thoughts and write down a few dots points if you need a reminder. Forgetting the Bride’s name, not thanking the couple for including you in their big day or going blank and staring into the silence for an uncomfortable period of time can all be avoided with a little practice and a few notes.
- Remember the toast bit! Raise your glass at the end of your toast and encourage the audience to join you in toasting the couple/bride/groom/etc. Try not to sip your way through your toast and raise an empty glass.
So with all of that in mind your wedding reception toasts should go without a hitch – but if you are in doubt, team up with Mark and the team at Black Tie Events MC and DJ in Melbourne. Give them a call on 0400 447 552 to discuss your upcoming celebration or event or send an enquiry online for an appointment.
