It is customary at weddings to raise a glass of cheer in celebration of the newlyweds.
The number of toasts given will depend on who is willing to give them (a lot of people are terrified of public speaking).
The best man is obligated to offer a toast to the couple.
Others who may want to get in on the fun include the maid of honor, the fathers of the bride and groom, and maybe the groom's old fraternity brothers who have had a few too many drinks during the cocktail hour.
Toasts are basically mini-speeches, and like any speech, they can be moving, amusing, memorable, or dead boring.
There are certain ingredients that go in to writing a toast that your listeners will enjoy.
For starters, it should be upbeat - for instance, it is not appropriate for the bride's older sister to stand up and start talking about how she always thought she would be married first.
Remember the old adage: if you don't have anything nice to say - don't say anything.
A good wedding toast should begin with the speaker introducing himself and mentioning his relationship to the bride and groom.
("Hi.
I'm Joe Brown, Thomas and I were roommates at the University of Wisconsin.
") If it is the best man speaking, he should be sure to pay a compliment to the bride, and say how lucky his friend is to have met her.
The father of the bride or groom should be sure to welcome his new son or daughter-in-law to the family.
Of course, a wedding toast should be sweet and romantic.
The toast should be specific to the newlyweds, not just a collection of generic good wishes.
Be sure to include some personal anecdotes about the bride and groom, without revealing anything embarrassing.
If the groom handed out his groomsmen gifts in a strip bar during the bachelor party, this information is best kept private (or you risk having the groom bash you over the head with one of the engraved mugs that he gave as groomsmen gifts!).
Humor always makes a toast more enjoyable, but again, please avoid making any tasteless jokes.
(Remember, it's a toast, not a roast!) The length and delivery of a toast are also critical to its success.
Practice your speech a few times in advance to see how long it is and to become comfortable with saying the words aloud.
It is better to err on the side of a toast being a little short than to drag it out too long.
(Some guys just do not want to give up the microphone!) Add some color to your toast by ending it with a traditional toast or wish of good will.
If possible, choose a saying that reflects the bride or groom's heritage.
A toast at a Jewish wedding, for instance, always ends with a hearty "Mazel Tov!", which means good health in Hebrew.
Other international cheers include Sláinte (Irish), Prost (German), Skoal (Scandinavian), and Salud (Spanish).
At the end of the toast, the assembled guests can shout out something like, "Cheers!" or "Hear hear!" in agreement with the good wishes extended to the newlyweds by the speaker.
Then the guests clink glasses (or not), and take a sip of their drink.
Technically, the people being honored in a toast (in this case, the bride and groom) would not drink to themselves.
Rather, they should just raise their glasses and smile in appreciation.
A few good toasts can certainly enhance the festive atmosphere of a wedding.
Keep these tips in mind the next time that you are called upon to offer congratulations to a bride and groom, and hopefully you will find it easy to write a heartfelt and entertaining toast.
Then all you have to do is deliver the toast, wipe off your sweaty palms, and be glad that part of the evening is past you!