6 Ways to Totally Ruin Your Wedding Toast

Whether you’re a super proud parent, an honored maid of honor, or the best best man, you're probably a little worried about your wedding toast, and we hear ya. It's a big responsibility! Fortunately, there are so many ways to nail you speech, so let's take a second to focus on the don'ts. As much as we hate to say it, here are six ways you could actually kinda ruin it: Photo by Albert Palmer Photography on Bridal Musings via Lover.ly 1. Talking for ten minutes. Toasts should be short and sweet, with most pros saying three minutes is the place to be. You won't have time to share every story about your darling daughter or your childhood bestie, so focus on your favorite anecdotes. 2. Getting overly sappy. A heartfelt, sentimental speech is more than welcome—it’s an emotional day, for sure! But if you’re crying so hard that you can barely talk, no one will be able to appreciate your kind words. If you're expecting waterworks, practice reading your speech aloud plenty of times before the real deal. 3. Making a crude joke. A few topics to avoid in your toast? Sex, drugs, booze… Need we continue? If it might make the groom’s fraternity brothers laugh but would make grandma cringe, it's safe to say it does not belong in your speech. 4. Embarrassing the couple. That story that you think is funny and cute? It might be embarrassing for the newlyweds. Poking fun is okay, but if there’s the slightest chance you’ll make the bride blush (and not in the good way), just leave it out. 5. Including an inside joke. They’re called “inside” jokes for a reason—nobody on the outside will get them, which means nobody else in the room can enjoy your speech. Stick to stuff that'll give everyone a good chuckle. 6. Talk about yourself. It's a slippery slope... You should, of course, give some context about how you know the couple, and sharing a personal story about the newlyweds is a nice touch. Just make sure you don't spend the entire time talking about yourself. It's a surprisingly easy mistake to make! Get more advice on Loverly: Cheers! How to Give an Unforgettable Wedding Toast 10 Ways to Totally Tick Off Your Wedding Guests 12 Things That Are the Maid of Honor’s Responsibility on the Big Day Got a tough wedding question? Download the Loverly app to chat FREE with one of our virtual wedding planners and choose from affordable planning packages.