All about the toasting, hosting and a little bit of fun!
Toasting the wedding couple is age old and is part of the ceremony, to wish the newly married couple health and happy days in their marriage, says Sean Granger, General Manager of Granny Mouse Country House & Spa.
Generally in a traditional wedding, the order of toasts goes from father of the bride, groom, and best man, followed by other members of the wedding party. Nowadays it includes the bride, and the bridesmaids or maid of honour. If all members of the party decide to toast, and of course include a speech, the bride follows the groom then, bridesmaids/maid of honour, and then the best man.
Some tips on the tradition of toasting, and to help those that may be a little nervous in this role:
- Introduce yourself to the guests as some may never have laid their eyes on you before. Once that is done, congratulate the couple, including some happy words for them,
- Include a bit of history on the relationship, as well as some stories about the couple, and then individually, depending on who you are.
- Be sure to address both partners and try not to focus your attention on only one, even if you don’t know the partner. Find out some good stuff to share and even call on those who know the story better to help with the story telling.
- Yes, jokes are good, but be sure to run any of your funnies to others before the big day so you get it right and it’s not offending anyone. Just to add, humour is not a bad thing but this is a toast not a roast.
- Conclude your speech with raising a glass to the happy couple.
There is no hard and fast rule how to follow all the traditions in toasting, as maybe most of the people on the list who toast may be shy and it’s not about making this an awful stressful situation that falls flat.
Just remember the original meaning of the wedding speech or toast is to raise one’s glass and wish the new couple health, wealth and happiness in their marriage.
Granny Mouse Country House & Spa’s team are the experts in all things weddings and know how to plan and implement that perfect wedding day that suits your style & budget, as well as assist in all other wedding etiquette to ensure everything runs smoothly.
For more information contact Granny Mouse on 033 234 4071 or email on reservations@grannymouse.co.za