Writer Amy Bloom is quoted as saying, “Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner.” Some might argue that wedding toasts also matter, and though the occasion is a serious and important one, that doesn’t mean it can’t be filled with funny wedding toasts.
Many commonplace words, prefixes and suffixes have Greek roots. Logue, meaning “to speak” as in the word monologue is a perfect example. And what is a wedding toast if not a mini-monologue?
These speeches have a history and it is also linked to ancient Greece. Before they were called toasts, they were called libations; Greeks raised their wine-filled chalices to the sky as an offering to the gods during ceremonial proceedings.
Modernized, wedding toasts still involve wine, or champagne, a lifting of glasses and sometimes prayers, but more than anything, they are wishes of health and good luck for the newlyweds and their families.
Sentiments and Speechmakers
Not to add unnecessary pressure, but a toast can leave a room in stitches or wondering who let the crickets in—it’s a lot of responsibility. Customarily, there are a few people tasked with the delivery of wedding toasts.
While the order of who toasts whom can vary depending what traditions or rules of etiquette one wishes to follow, it is generally accepted that the following people should prepare themselves to speak before the crowd; the best man, the maid of honor, father of the bride, and finally, the groom and bride.
These wedding toasts are an opportunity to not only wish happiness and congratulations to the bride and groom, but also offer the bride and groom a chance to thank the wedding party, their parents, and all the guests who are sharing in their special day.
What to say
The father of the bride will likely be the one to bring tears to the eyes of audience members as he waxes nostalgic on all the joy his little girl has brought him; his anecdotes could be quite humorous. When the maid of honor gets her chance, she might also say something witty. However, if anyone carries the saddle of becoming a stand-up comedian for a few minutes at a wedding, it’s the best man. He’s the one people are looking to for the funny wedding toast.
Most people are not going to be able to pull off an impromptu speech at any time, much less a well-received funny wedding toast. Unless the best man has the comedic chops to successfully accomplish such a feat, it is best to prepare prior to the wedding day.
Tension-relieving one-liners like “Marriage isn’t a word, it’s a sentence,” though potentially trite will still get a chuckle. From there, the best man’s funny wedding toast can include stories of his experiences with the groom, jabs at his bad behavior or shortcomings and even gentle pokes at the bride. The best man should keep in mind the people present when he is writing his funny wedding toast; the speech can be funny without being tasteless, embarrassing or offensive to the bride, groom, or their parents.
There will probably be video and these funny wedding toasts can be something the happy couple can revisit and laugh at for years to come.
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