In the traditional order of speeches at a wedding, a newlywed toast isn’t a part of the proceedings. Yet an increasing number of brides and grooms are choosing to take to the stage together on their big days to share a few heartfelt words of their own. And why shouldn’t they? It is their wedding day after all!
The newlywed toast is the latest trend amongst modern marrying couples, but what exactly is a newlywed toast? And how can you create and deliver one together in perfect harmony?
Introducing the newlywed toast
Whilst not traditionally required, a newlywed toast is a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on your relationship journey so far as well as welcome and praise your beautiful guests. Your newlywed speech doesn’t have to be long-winded, just a few simple words are enough to show your loved ones just how thankful you are on the biggest day of your life.
Including a newlywed toast in your wedding timeline is most importantly a fantastic way to add personalisation to your big day.
How to write the perfect newlywed toast
Making a list of the things you’d like to include in your newlywed toast is an excellent place to begin, especially if you are taking on speech writing as a duo, which is one thing we’d certainly recommend.
Before you start, determine what you aim to achieve from your newlywed toast. By defining your objectives, you’ll both find it easier to pinpoint the words that help you express yourself succinctly. Most newlywed toasts include welcoming and thanking your guests. You can also choose to thank your new spouse along with any VIPs that played particularly big parts in helping you organise your wedding day.
Many couples choose to relay exactly what guests can expect from the rest of the wedding day to wrap things up. Don’t forget to include the toast itself and invite your guests to raise a glass with you.
Timing your newlywed toast just right
Fitting your newlywed toast into the order of speeches is difficult, especially as it’s not generally a traditional aspect of a wedding day.
We’d recommend delivering your newlywed toast after everyone else, including the father of the bride, groom and best man. Your newlywed toast will be the cherry on the cake of the entire segment, not to mention a great surprise and nice final touch before the remainder of your wedding reception gets underway.
Top tips for delivering your newlywed toast
When delivering your newlywed toast, take turns speaking. This will give each spouse a break to compose themselves when giving what is likely to be a very emotional speech. Establish the speaking order in advance and practise your speech together to ensure you get the timing just right.
The best thing about delivering a newlywed toast is that you’ll have your new spouse there to support you, so help each other out if nerves do get the better of you on the day itself. We’ll leave you with a piece of advice from public speaker Ken Sterling, who shares one thing no one should ever forget when delivering a wedding speech:
“Relax: Delivering a wedding speech isn’t as high stakes as you think. Your audience is made up of a mix of friends, relatives, and amicable acquaintances, so don’t get too worked up about getting everything right. Your audience wants you to succeed and is there to support you. So take a deep breath and have some fun with it!”
