How to Make a Great Toast
It's an honor to be called upon to make a toast. It's also nerve-wracking: you're center stage when making a speech. Whether it's a wedding, a business function or a retirement party, the audience has certain expectations. Listeners expect you to be concise, charismatic and at ease, and you want it to be memorable and meaningful.
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Instructions
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Be brief. While a toast is a type of speech, it is not lengthy or in-depth. Keep it simple and around two or three minutes long. If you are the only one making a toast, go a bit longer.
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Keep things light. Start off with something humorous. Your opening doesn't have to have them rolling in the aisles, but a charming anecdote about the person you are toasting will give your listeners a smile.
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Consider the audience. Make sure your remarks are appropriate for the age and sophistication of the group.
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Construct your toast around the words of another. Choose words that are relevant to the message you want to convey. Select a quote that you can deliver with sincerity.
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Practice before the event. Write your toast on index cards and practice it in front of a mirror. Knowing what you plan to say will dissipate any anxiety about giving the toast. Appear unrehearsed and genuine. Concentrate on the overall message rather than memorizing the words.
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Watch your mouth. Regardless of who is in the audience, don't say anything you wouldn't say in front of your mother, unless the event specifically dictates otherwise.
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Relax and remember to breathe. Before you take the microphone, inhale deeply a few times and visualize your success. Smile and make eye contact. Speak slowly so that the audience has time to absorb your words.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid inside jokes. Don't include remarks or references that only a handful of close associates understand. It is considered rude. Tailor your comments to the entire audience.
Make a list of keywords on an index card to serve as a reminder while you speak. Don't read your remarks to the audience.
