Image courtesy of Vow Muse

Your BFF asked you to be the Maid of Honor in her wedding. Thoughts of bridesmaid dresses, bouquets and bachelorette parties dance through your head. You accept without hesitation, of course. In the weeks before the wedding, however, you are reminded that the Maid of Honor (along with the Best Man) is entrusted with making a wedding toast in honor of their awesome friend. What on Earth should you say and how should you say it?

Image courtesy of Vow Muse

Vow Muse is a team of two professional writing consultants who help brides, grooms and everyone else to craft personalized wedding vows, a special ceremony, or – you guessed it – toasts and speeches. While we love to help folks sound as sweet as a candy shop without them even opening their laptop, we’re also here to give a few tips for those who are trying out the DIY route. Without any further ado, here are five tips for giving a wedding toast:

• Don’t wing it. Unless you are supremely confident that you can speak well in front of a crowd, not clam up or stutter, and come up with enough to say on the spot, we highly recommend you put some words down on paper before you stand up with a glass in your hand.
• Speak from the heart. It sounds cliché and obvious, but the words that come out of your mouth that day will be remembered forever by some. They will be on video. They will be scrutinized by grandma. Say something true, something heartfelt, and something that sounds like you.<
• Speak before you drink. The drunken Best Man speeches are remembered all right, with eyes rolling. Don’t be that guy or gal – your confidence to speak in front of others cannot be found at the bottom of a wine glass.
• Keep it short and sweet. Stories of your friend are great. As are professions of your true feelings and heartfelt sentiments. But people’s appreciation of these items has a time limit. Keep your speech between 1-3 minutes and don’t overstay your welcome in the spotlight.
• Toasts are about the toastee, not the toaster. Forget crispy bread; we’re talking about keeping the focus off you. Your toast is to the bride/groom, not to your illustrious career as his or her friend. Remember to make it mainly about them, not you.

The list could go on and on. There are so many practical tips for wedding toasts, and each person faces their own unique challenges. This is why Vow Muse offers customized wedding writing consultation to give each person the confidence and relief that comes from knowing that your words are perfect. If DIY isn’t your thing or if you just want a professional eye to review your work, email Vow Muse anytime at muse@vowmuse.com!

This was not a sponsored post – rather, a post written expressly for Kate Miller Events™ for educational purposes for the KME Blog readership.