How to Make a Toast

Raise a glass and make a toast.

Offering a toast is a sincere and public way to pay tribute to someone special. The toast may be directed at a guest of honor, wedded couple, group of people or specific special occasion. A proper toast will unite the room in their mutual respect for whomever or whatever is being toasted. Not everyone knows how to deliver such a toast without faux pas, therefore it is important to learn the proper way to make a memorable toast.

Things You'll Need

• Glasses
• Beverages

Instructions

1. Write, memorize and rehearse the speech before the event. Those who get nervous speaking in public will want to start practicing several days in advance.

2. Wait until everyone has a drink and glasses are filled before you begin your toast. For a lengthy speech that ends in a toast, such as that given by the best man at a wedding, have servers top up guests' glasses before the start of the toast.

3. For a very large crowd, such as a banquet or reception, ask the DJ to turn down the music and introduce you. The DJ can say, "Our host for the evening would now like to say a few words to our guest of honor."

4. Stand up while giving the toast. It's a form of respect to whom the toast is directed, and it allows guests to better see and hear the person giving the toast.

5. Hold a glass at the ready, but don't raise it until just before the last sentence of the toast.

6. Face the person or group being honored by the toast. Project your voice and take pauses where appropriate.

7. Raise the glass and finish the toast with a closing sentiment. For example, "To our guest of honor. May your retirement be filled with family, travel and all the golf games you can handle."

8. Punctuate the toast by taking a sip of your drink, which is a signal for other guests to do the same.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep simple "Thank you" toasts under one minute long.

• All guests will need a beverage to participate in the toast, but not all drinks need to be alcoholic.

• It is customary for the host of the party or event to start the toasts. For weddings, the best man gives the first toast.

• Avoid using inside jokes in a toast speech. Instead, use anecdotes or amusing idiosyncrasies to inject humor into the toast.

• If you're not sure if a dirty joke, curse word or story will be received well by all, do not put it in the toast.

References

• Into Wine; A Guide to Toasting; Brad Prescott
• German Toasting Glasses: Toasting Etiquette

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Etiquette Scholar; International Toasts; Mike Lininger