When a good friend of yours asks you to give a toast at his wedding, it can be a huge honor. Giving a speech can be a wonderful way for you to express your feelings about a close friend and this next step he is about to embark upon with his significant other. Of course, there are also many things to consider before you get started. You definitely don’t want to make a speech that will make people feel confused, embarrassed, or uncomfortable. This means you need to take extra care while crafting your toast.
Take a moment to look over these points on what you should avoid altogether in your wedding toast. The more you read in advance, the easier it will be for you to find the perfect sentiments.
Previous Relationships and Inside Jokes
If you’re giving a toast for a buddy you grew up with, then the chances are good that you have seen your friend date many different people over the years. While you might feel like your insight on the matter is a great source of material for the toast, you definitely want to nix that idea right away. Mentioning past relationships during a wedding toast is an easy way to make everyone in the room feel incredibly awkward. No one wants to hear about former flames, so keep this topic far from your lips.
You also want to try and limit the number of inside jokes you use during the speech. While it is totally fine to insert a few into your speech, try and keep the vast majority of your wedding toast accessible to all in the room. Nothing alienates a crowd faster than when a speaker is rambling on about events that no one understands except for a select few. Keep the interest of the crowd by making your speech easy for all to comprehend and appreciate.
You Aren’t Getting Married
Another important point to remember is that you are not the one getting married. This means that you are not the one who should be holding the attention of the room for too long. Your speech should be short and sweet. A huge problem that many people create when giving toasts is allowing their speeches to meander here and there without any true purpose. The guests want to get back to eating, drinking, and celebrating. The longer you take with your speech, the more annoyed the crowd is likely to feel.
Additionally, try not to talk about yourself. There’s nothing wrong with an anecdote about how you and the happy couple got lost on an interstate together years ago. However, telling that story in great detail and focusing on your own point of view can easily take it in the wrong direction. Use your speech to highlight the love of the couple rather than your involvement in their relationship, no matter how interesting the story you want to share might be. If you really want to tell the story, put it in the card you give as a gift.
Inappropriate Jokes Are Always a Bad Choice
Finally, don’t tell off-color jokes or ridicule the couple. There’s a fine line between making appropriate jests and destroying someone’s character in front of a large group of people. Be sure that you aren’t overstepping before you commit to telling a few jokes that you believe to be hilarious. If you aren’t sure whether a joke will land, run it by people and get opinions in advance.
Being asked to give a speech can be a great honor, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. Find the right words to capture your feelings, and be sure to avoid the common mistakes that many people fall into when giving a toast at a wedding.
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