It's 3 weeks until the big day. You've been making major decisions about dresses, colors, venues, and timelines for what feels like 10 years. But before you exhale a sigh of relief, you have one more to make: the Toasters.
No, I don't mean the duplicate appliances you've received from your Bed Bath & Beyond registry. I'm talking about the select few who will have access to the microphone. You'll want to decide this well before the wedding day and let your Planner and DJ know who is allowed to cheers, or you could end up with Open Mic Night.
The 5 Ws of Toasting:
Who: Bride's Dad, Best Man, Maid/Matron of Honor (typically). Feel free to let someone else in on the fun, like the Groom's Dad or Bride's Mom, if you'd like. But keep the number of talkers to a minimum or much of your evening could be spent listening to family and friends tell stories about your lives. Save that for a night around the campfire.
What: Toasts should be about the Bride, the Groom or the Bride and the Groom. Let your speakers know that going off on multiple tangents for many minutes will mean abbreviated mic time. In a nice way.
When: During dinner is the best time, as most people are seated and paying attention. Avoid clanging for the attention of your guests by scheduling your toasts 10 and 15 minutes apart. Do all the toasts back to back to allow the evening to flow naturally and relatively uninterrupted.
Where: From the toaster's seat is usually best. For the Father of the Bride, you should give the option of speaking from the center of the room.
Why: Because it's one of the biggest days of your lives. And an opportunity for the people who love you the most to let you know it. So let 'em tell a few stories...it's good for the soul!
