Want to make sure whoever is toasting you at your wedding is going to do a good job? Then pass along this super advice from Josh Womack of the Laugh Staff. Josh was gracious enough to share three toast tips in today's guest blog!
Dear bride-to-be,
We know your world is literally spinning from the moment you say “I do” until the last relative or friend leaves the reception (this marathon party-goer always seems to be a friend from high school who is having the time of their lives…maybe they weren’t even a close friend, ha!).
With all the planning, tasting, registering and so on, one of the most overlooked aspects of the wedding is the best man and maid of honor toast…and actually, it’s one of just a couple things brides CAN’T control (besides the weather or the ring barrier getting stage fright).
Think about it. You know what will be the first song you dance to, you know where you will take pictures, you know what color the bridesmaid dresses will be…the one thing you DON’T know is what will come out of the mouth of your maid of honor of best man.
We created Laugh Staff to help with just that. Here are Three Toast Tips should you ever have the honor of speaking on behalf of your close friend of relative.
1) Get To Know Your Voice – In my opinion this one is just as important as the actual content itself. Have you ever heard yourself talk into a microphone (unless you are a lead singer or pop icon, which you may be)? It sounds different. One of the steps we recommend is practicing your speech into a tape recorder three or four days before the wedding. If you just run through your speech and hit record, you can listen to it back when you are driving, doing a spreadsheet, cutting the grass, whatever. When you hear your words and your voice repeatedly it gets your brain wired in the right direction. That way when the toast does come, it will feel prepared and ready to go.
2) Smile When Talking – This can be hard to do, no doubt. A smile can do SO many good things though. As a stand-up comic for the past seven years, whenever I look into the audience I always check to see if the audience is smiling and leaning forward…which is just important as the laughter itself. Every maid of honor and best man wants to be funny, but it’s just as important to be likeable. Know that the audience WANTS you to succeed. And if you are a single best man or maid of honor, a warm smile can go a long way. Maybe your story will start that night!
3) Talk about the Bride, Groom, Their Parents….Not You – This is an oldie but a goodie. Most best men and maid of honors say “I” and “Me” WAY too often. This night is about the bride and groom so pay tribute to them. Recite a funny conversation you overheard them having (an appropriate conversations obviously) or talk about how the bride described the groom when he wasn’t around. If you really want to score points, think outside the box. Find out beforehand what the relationship is between the parents and the bride and groom. Thank the parents for helping to put on not only a great party but a great weekend. If you can pay tribute to the job they did raising their children too, well, you might just be invited over Thanksgiving, Christmas and game night. Score.
Josh Womack lives in Cleveland, OH and is the founder of Laughstaff, a speech-writing company that uses stand-up comedians as consultants to best men and matrons of honor around the world. Laughstaff has written over 100 speeches and will help you deliver a wedding toast that is heartfelt, hilarious and memorable. Follow them at @Laughstaff on Twitter and check them out at http://www.laughstaff.com/.
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