Tips for Writing a Formal Champagne Wedding Toast

Caviar and champagne wishes to the married couple! We didn’t think this day would ever arrive (guests laugh), but here we are celebrating the two of you. Many people go through life searching for that perfect partner only to come up empty handed. Congratulations to the both of you for finding each other!

May your marriage be filled with love, joy, and happiness,
May you sail through difficult times with a smile on your face,
May health and prosperity bless you every day,
May you cherish one another for the rest of your lives.

The above champagne wedding toast is a sample of what you could use for your wedding toast. The best man and maid or matron of honor gives the wedding toast. Of course, sometimes the mother and father of the bride and groom toast the happy couple as well. Make sure you’re prepared to give your wedding toast. You give an impromptu wedding toast but it may not turn out as you had hoped.

Writing a formal champagne wedding toast

Start by writing down your thoughts

  • How do you know the couple?
  • Why did they select you to be the best man, maid, or matron of honor?
  • How would you describe the bride and groom? Think of great adjectives to use such as adventurous, caring, generous, boisterous, etc…
  • What were the bridge and groom like before they met each other? How did each of them change by meeting one another?
  • List interesting anecdotes about the couple.
  • If you’re married, what words of wisdom can you share with the couple?

Beginning

Introduce yourself because some guests may not know who you are. If guests are still speaking, you could say, “Excuse me, may I have your attention. Thank you. I’m John Smith, the best man and groom’s brother, (friend, son, cousin, etc…). Grab guests’ attention with a joke, short anecdote, or quote about marriage. Thank the parents if they paid for the wedding. If they didn’t say, “We’re thrilled all of you can be here to celebrate this joyful occasion.”

Middle

This is where you use the notes you wrote down. Tell a funny story about the bride and or groom — don’t humiliate them! If you’re married, give your thoughts on marriage and what you’ve learned. Tell a story how you met the bride and or groom, or talk about how you first met the bride and groom as a couple and you knew they were meant for each other. Do not bring up the ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend; that’s the past. Keep your champagne wedding toast rated G and or PG because children may be present. Avoid talking too long because people have a tendency to ‘tune’ out. Be sincere and speak from the heart.

End

Wrap up your wedding toast with a quote, blessing, prayer, wish, or traditional toast for the bride and groom. Ask everyone to raise their glass and say, “Congratulations to the happy couple! Cheers, Salud, Salute, I’chaim, Na zdrowie, and drink to your toast!

Write your wedding toast on a note card or two and practice it. Read your toast over and over until you have it committed to memory. Say your wedding toast to friends and family and ask for feedback. Carry your note card(s) with you but try not to look at them when you give the toast. You can breathe a sigh of relief when you finish and enjoy the celebration!

Tips on delivering the wedding toast

  • Speak loudly and clearly; annunciate your words.
  • Don’t drink too much before giving the wedding toast! You don’t want to be ‘wasted’ and make a fool out of you and the bridge and groom.
  • Don’t read from your note card(s) because the wedding toast won’t be sincere. Have your cards with you in case you stumble or lose your place. Glance at them and paraphrase your words.
  • Remember your posture! Stand up nice and tall.

Don’t panic the next time you have to give a champagne wedding toast. Use the above list as guide to creating your wedding toast. Of course, you can always hire a freelance writer to write the toast. They’ll take your notes and write a heartfelt wedding toast that will melt the hearts of the bride and groom and their guests. Cheers!

Rebecca

How many wedding toasts have you given? Share.