Wedding Toast Activities
Although having toasts to the bride and groom are traditional in our society, there are some concerns about this tradition. How you decide to deal with these concerns is an individual matter, and no one can say that toasts should or should not be given at any wedding reception. Since it is so common to offer toasts at a wedding reception, it might seem odd to the family and friends if this were left completely out of the evening’s events.
Consuming alcohol at wedding receptions is very common and can affect how the toasts are given to the newlywed couple. Having the groom’s uncle give a toast when he is definitely under the influence of too much champagne could turn into a very embarrassing moment, not only for the bride and groom, but also for the uncle. He may not remember until the next day what he said in his toast, but once he does remember, he may not want to face his family and friends.
Some wedding planners suggest that each person at the reception be given the opportunity to offer a toast to the bride and groom. Depending on how large the group of family and friends at the reception is, that could be a lot of toasts and they could go through a lot of champagne. Maybe that is not such a good idea.
Even at alcohol free receptions, if there is a large group of family and friends present, it could become time consuming when passing the microphone around giving every guest a chance to toast. Whether or not that much time should be spent should be decided by the bride and groom when they are planning their wedding and reception so there won’t be any tension about it when the toasting starts.
Perhaps there could be a paper inside a table decoration with a number on it choosing one person at that table to offer a toast. Of course, there would have to be numbers at each place showing which person was being chosen. That method might cause resentment if someone else at that table wanted to give the toast and wasn’t given the opportunity.
Obviously, the best man and the maid of honor should be asked to give a toast unless they feel too uncomfortable speaking in front of the whole group. They should be asked ahead of time in private if they are willing to offer a toast. Other members of the wedding party who are at the main table should also be given the option of toasting the newlywed couple. Certainly the parents of both the bride and groom should not be left out of this activity if they desire to give a toast.
Whatever is decided, toasting should be full of laughter and leave the couple and their guests with happy memories of their time together.