Raise a Glass: Ways to make the perfect toast at your next special occasion
Whether it’s the best man’s speech or a birthday tribute, making the perfect toast is an important part of many a celebration and there are many different things that must be considered in the lead up to the special day. This can mean that for many the idea of any kind of toast is a daunting prospect, filled with worry over making a mistake, causing offence, or freezing up in front of all the other party goers.
However, it doesn’t have to be something that is feared, a toast is also an opportunity for you to find the perfect words to express your love and gratitude, helping to make happy memories that the guests and hosts will cherish. Although, we know that it can sometimes be difficult to see this when it feels as though there is mounting pressure, which is why we want to help with this simple guide. At Allens Hire, we’ve seen our fair share of wedding speeches and celebratory monologues, from the good to the bad, and have learnt a few tips and tricks to help you make the perfect toast.
Preparation is everything
The most important thing to remember is that the more time you give yourself, the longer you’ll have to compose drafts, practice, get feedback from friends and family, and ultimately make mistakes that you can then fix. The most common mistake that those chosen to give a toast make is leaving it to the last minute, meaning that speeches are thought out poorly and it’s easy to stumble on your words. Whether it’s writing the speech or practicing your delivery and public speaking skills, leaving enough time ahead of the wedding, birthday, or other occasion is vital.
Keep it simple
Whilst it’s good to have lots of different elements, from anecdotes, personal mentions, compliments, and emotional declarations, there’s a limit to how much you can fit in one toast. Make sure that you aren’t trying to fit too much in a short space of time as this can be a recipe for disaster. Instead, give yourself a lose structure such as an opener, personal touch, and congratulations where you try to keep each section under a couple of minutes. Try to also keep each section simple and don’t go into too much detail, as this can mean you lose the attention of your audience.
Stop whilst you’re ahead
It’s key to make sure you stay focused when performing any type of public speaking, you need to make sure that you don’t start rambling and lose track of where you are, meaning you become confused, and your audience begins to fall asleep. It’s good to practice saying your speech aloud, timing how long it takes and restricting yourself when it comes to the length of your toast. Remember to also accommodate for the possibility that you may speak faster when actually making the toast, as most people tend to do when they are nervous. A general rule is to try and keep it under 2 minutes if you are somebody who struggles with public speaking, and 5 minutes if you don’t. Any longer than this and you may find you start to lose the attention of your audience.
Honourable mentions
In most speeches it is common to name drop specific people, tell amusing anecdotes, and maybe even crack a joke or two, but it’s important that you are careful when choosing to include these in your toast. You’ll want to make sure that any jokes you make are funny but don’t step over the line, as the worst possible error is to make an enemy of your audience. Also, make sure that any anecdote is not too lengthy, can be understood by everyone at the event, and does not make your host look bad in front of their guests.
Begin as you mean to go on
A good opener to any speech is the key to a great toast, if you can grab the attention of your audience with a solid opening line then it will bode well for the rest of your speech. However, finding something original is the golden rule when it comes to this, as copying the first suggestion on Google is likely to make your toast sound generic and unoriginal. Finding a personal but snappy opening line is a sure fire way to guarantee your audience is hooked.
Make notes
Whilst it is definitely more seamless to attempt to memorise your speech, public speaking can be nerve-wracking, and you never know how you might feel overcome when stood in front of a room of people. There is plenty of room for error and one mistake could lead to the downfall of your whole speech. So, instead of a whole side of A4, why not cut your speech into bitesize chunks using flashcards, to help jog your memory if you lose track?
How can we help?
Finally, if you’re looking to make the perfect toast, then why not search through our beautiful range of glassware available to hire from Allens Catering Equipment and Furniture Hire? Type "champagne glass” into our search bar to find the perfect champagne glass. We also have a wide variety of colours and styles to suit any occasion, complimenting whatever décor or theme you have in mind.
Here at Allens Hire, we’ve helped people to create many happy memories and put on wonderful events thanks to our fantastic range of products. Over the years, we have built a reputation for excellent customer service, so why not contact our team at today and they will be on hand to help you with whatever you might need.
