For the legions of best men and maids of honor stumped about what to say, Tom Haibeck — author of “Wedding Toasts Made Easy” — offers some tips for preparing and delivering a gorgeous toast.
DO
*Make it personal. Identify three anecdotes that are humorous or illustrate something the audience might not know about the bride or groom.
*Use gentle humor, but be mindful of your audience (don’t offend grandma).
*Rehearse, ideally in the venue.
*Exercise the day of the wedding to work off any nervous energy.
*End your toast with a positive comment about the couple, and raise your glass.
DO NOT
*Exceed five minutes. Ideally, a toast should be two to three minutes.
*Try to be funny if you’re not.
*Have a drink to calm your nerves. One drink often leads to another and before you know it you’re sloshed.
*Write out your speech and read it word for word. Instead, jot down some key points on index cards.
*Rely on canned wedding toasts you buy off the Internet.
