Wedding Toasts

Making sure you enhance your wedding reception so that your guests will remember it for years to come is key. This planning tip will share some guidance on wedding toasts and speeches.

Give your toasts while you have all of your guests’ attention. Couples think it is best to give toasts during dinner, but that is actually the worst time to give them! The only time you really have your guests’ full attention is directly before you begin dinner. This is after your grand entrance. Wedding toasts, speeches & greetings should be given when your guests’ eyes are directed toward the head table and you have their full attention.

Between courses, guests may go to the restroom, the bar, or simply catch up with other guests at other tables. Instead of listening to your toasts they’re walking around with other intentions completely oblivious to what is being said. Remember, it is difficult to settle your guests once they have begun to move around.

Another reason we recommend getting wedding toasts and speeches out of the way before you lose your guests attention is because most likely the person giving the toast is not a professional speaker. When your guests are up and moving around they are not paying attention to the person speaking. This could be a huge distraction to whomever is giving the toast. The distraction can lead to jolting their nerves or causing them to lose their train of thought. When this happens, it could take longer to get toasts and speeches completed which take time away from the catering staff who are patiently waiting to serve your guests the hot meal you paid so much money for.

If you did decide on toasts and speeches between your courses being served bear in mind that the catering staff is going to stop serving your guests when there is someone speaking because they do not want to interrupt. But again, do you really want to make your catering staff pause their duties because of poor time management?