As a wedding planner, I've listened to tons of wedding toasts. Some are good and some not so much. Here are some tips to help you give a great toast at the reception:

1. The best wedding toasts, in my opinion, are from the heart. As you're writing, think of things that you really admire about the bride and groom. Why are you friends with them? What character qualities do they have that you would like your children to emulate some day?

2. Don't try too hard to be funny. Use humor where appropriate, but let it come naturally. Keep the inside jokes to a minimum so that the rest of the guests don't feel left out of the loop.

3. Keep it short: 2-3 minutes is best, 5 minutes should be the max. Write your toast so that it has a beginning, middle, and end, just like in middle school. The worst toasts are when the best man or maid of honor ramble on with no end in sight.

4. Exes are off the table. Don't even mention them, even if they were a key part of the funniest memory you share with the groom.

5. Practice makes perfect, or at the very least, it helps calm your nerves. This sounds simple, but write your toast and then practice it in front of the mirror. If speaking in public makes you nervous, don't be afraid to read from your notes. Reading your toast instead of memorizing it doesn't negate anything you've written or make it any less special to the bride and groom.



{photo by Critsey Rowe}