Being asked to give a toast at a wedding is a wonderful thing. It is also slightly terrifying for many, as not everyone enjoys standing in front of a room full of people and saying, well, anything, let alone something heartfelt and perhaps a little humorous.
Yet planning a wedding toast of any kind does not have to be stressful – it can be relatively easy with a little thought and a little planning. Whatever else, the toast is just that – a toast. It does not have to be lengthy. In fact, basically everyone at the wedding will be thankful your toast is short and sweet.
I need to give the toast at my mother’s wedding to my soon-to-be stepfather. Please help!
My mom has asked me to give the toast at her wedding to my stepfather, and I am freaking out. I have no idea what to say – please help me!
Our Answer
As we mentioned earlier, this is a toast, so short and sweet is just fine. If you need inspiration, simply start writing down what makes this couple’s love so special and why you are so happy that your mom found this man. You can also browse classic literature and song quotes that happen to be your mom’s favorites or find those that you feel 110 percent represent your mom’s relationship with your almost-stepdad.
As long as what you are saying is genuine, you’re golden. Add a funny anecdote or quote if you want to so long as it is not vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you are not the best writer in the family, have a sibling, cousin, or friend read over your work and make any necessary corrections.
It is also a good idea to practice your speech out loud by yourself and in front of a few family members. This gives you the help you need to nail the toast and receive any feedback that will help you ensure there is not a dry eye in the house.
Other Experts’ Answers
Rick Pieczonda of “Instant Wedding Toasts”
To start, your speech doesn’t have to be a long speech – anywhere from 1-4 minutes will do just fine. Start by writing down the answers to the following questions and you’ll be on your way to the perfect wedding speech.
- How did the Bride and Groom meet?
- How long have the Bride and Groom been a couple?
- What are the Bride and Groom’s mutual interests?
- What words come to mind when you think of the Groom? The Bride?
- What were the biggest hassles of the wedding planning?
- What is the funniest thing that happened to the Groom while Bride was present? And vice-versa?
The Knot
“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Love is not a matter of counting the years, it is making the years count.
Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
“What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined…to strengthen each other…to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.” – George Eliot
“A happy marriage perhaps represents the ideal of human relationship — a setting in which each partner, while acknowledging the need of the other, feels free to be what he or she by nature is: a relationship in which instinct as well as intellect can find expression; in which giving and taking are equal; in which each accepts the other.” – Anthony Storr
“May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.” – Irish blessing
Quotes compiled by The Knot
Shutterfly
No matter what your personal style is, all anyone—the couple, their family, random attending neighbors—wants from a reception speech is to reiterate that this legal joining of the souls is a heartwarming event. That isn’t to say that the attendees are looking to the toastmaster to offer some deep insights on love, but a nice reminder of the couple’s suitability for each other is always welcome after a long ceremony. Speak from the heart, and the words will fall into place.
– Shutterfly, Wedding Toasts
More Helpful Information
- Funny Toast Ideas & Quotes To Make Every Guest Laugh
- Wedding Toasts & Speeches
- Wedding Etiquette Advice