Best Man Toasts

The church and the adjoining area have been done up in pastel ribbons, lace and other decorations. Flowers like the dendrobium orchids, stargazer lilies, pink and lavender lilies have been used to decorate the altar and the pews. On this fine morning that has been blessed by God, the sun is streaming in through the stained glass windows and the organ is playing in the background as the bride’s father escorts her up the aisle. The couple looks lovely as they exchange their vows and rings. Suddenly I am giddy and no longer feeling good about this whole thing. I know that within a short span of time I will have to toast the bride and the groom in front of the large crowd. My palms are clammy and I am getting cold feet too; I do not know why I agreed to this in the first place!

Sounds familiar? Well! Do not hassle yourself over this, help is at hand. It is important to remember that writing a toast does not require a great deal of creativity. With only a little bit of hard work, patience and ingenuity you will have a great toast written for the couple.

You can start off by writing thoughts about the bride and the groom and your relationship with them. You could also write down answers to simple questions like:

• Why do you think they chose you as best man?
• What are the adjectives that come to mind when you think about them?
• Was the groom different before he met the bride?
• How and where did the couple meet? What were the words/sentences that the groom used to describe her?

Once you have answered the questions honestly and written down what you feel about the couple, it is now time to use the ideas.

• Start by introducing yourself, you could do this by saying "Excuse me everyone, I would like your attention for a moment…" To get the attention of those around you could also insert a joke or a quote about marriage. It is important to thank the people who are hosting, before you go too deep into the speech.

• You could use a funny story about the bride and/or groom for the middle. As you might know the groom better, try and make the toast balanced by speaking about both of them. Try and keep the speech short and sweet, but do remember to include interesting details. Use simple sentences and words to say what is in your heart; this will ensure that you don’t go wrong.

• Closing the toast with a wish, traditional toast or blessing for the bride and groom is an excellent idea. Raise your glass with resounding congratulations, to the couple and yourself too.

Tips

• Rehearse the speech.
• Avoid stories that are humiliating.
• Stand up straight while addressing the crowd.
• Take a quiet, deep breath before beginning, the extra oxygen will help calm you down.
• Begin the sentence with a stronger voice than you normally use.
• Do not too much before your speech, drinking more than that might make you look like a fool.
• Make eye contact with the people you are addressing and do not read from the card, use it only for reference.