Beating Back the Wedding Toast Sweats

A couple of days ago, I was cruising the forums on WeddingWire.com when I came across a post by a frightened Maid of Honor who’d been tapped to make a toast at her best friend’s wedding and was basically having a panic attack over what to say.

Oh,man, I thought. I’ve been there. My best friend got married a few months ago, and there I was, in front of 150 of her nearest and dearest, trying to be coherent. Wedding toasts provide a special form of stage fright – not only do you want to convey how much your friends mean to you, and how happy you are for them, but you don’t want to embarrass yourself, either!

Luckily, for me, I’ve coached more than a few people on how to get through the experience with flying colors, so when it was my turn, I was able to take my own advice. It should work out for you, too:

– First of all, remember to put a toast at the end of your toast. “Raise your glass – To Mia and Michael!” It also gives you something to focus on, and something to fall back on if you forget what you were originally going to say! If you do go blank, keep it simple. “I’m so happy to be here and so happy for you two. Raise your glasses – to Mia and Michael!” Whew.

– So, that’s your endgame and your back-up plan. Plan A: Keep It Simple. Start with the true story about how you first heard about whoever it is that you didn’t originally know. “I remember when I first heard about Mia – Michael kept talking about this girl – I thought, wow, she must be special! And then I met her and I KNEW she was special. And here we are, a year (or so) later, and I can see how happy she makes him, and how great they are together. I’m just thrilled for the both of you. TOAST! Four sentences, tops, and you’re done.

You’re welcome!

So, for those of you who’ve done this before, what are some tips that you have? For those of you who haven’t, what’s the best toast that you’ve ever heard?

See you at the end of the aisle,

Liz Coopersmith
Silver Charm Events
www.silvercharmevents.com
liz@silvercharmevents.com