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Long, long ago, however, the wedding toast was
offered by the father of the bride, who would be the
first to drink from a communal wine pitcher at the
wedding banquet. In such ancient days as those, the
leaders of warring peoples often came to a truce by
marrying their children to one another, creating an
alliance through the bonds of matrimony. By taking
the first sip from the pitcher of wine, the bride’s father
was, in essence, offering proof that the wine was not
poisoned—definitely an important detail for honoring
any truce and creating a peaceful world.
Calling it a “toast” is an interesting fact in and of
itself, as the rancid flavor that crude wine once had
was actually toned down by the addition of a piece of
burnt toast, which was placed in the pitcher of wine to
absorb and neutralize some of its acidity. Once the wine
was served to everyone, the wine-soaked piece of toast
was eaten by the host as a show of graciousness and
goodwill.
In these days of yore, wedding toasts are not strictly
given by the father of the bride, but by anyone who
makes the top of the list as the most important people
in the lives of the happy couple. The maid of honor,
the best man, the parents of the bride and groom, and
siblings naturally jump to the head of the line; but so
do others who have been an important influence—even
if they don’t have true family blood running through
their veins or have a titled role in your life. Whatever
the case may be, keep the list of toast-givers short and
sweet so that your guests aren’t having to sit through
an endless stream of monologues. After all, champagne
bubbles can only last so long.
Generally, the order of toasts should run a course
that starts with friends (or MOH/Best Man) and ends
with the most important people in your lives, like your
parents. Having a keeper of the mic will help ensure
that things are running smoothly and in a timely
manner, so choose someone you trust to be in charge of
the mic.
If you want to have people’s attention, make sure the
toasts are delivered before it’s time to dance, as once
everyone’s busted a move, it can be hard to rein them in
again.
Toasts can be funny, anecdotal, sentimental, or even
inspirational, so have fun with them. Of course, if
you’re trying to avoid anything off-color, set some
guidelines for the people you’re entrusting with the
spotlight. Then get ready to pop the cork and raise a
glass—here’s to you, and here’s to happiness for the rest
of your days.
Toasts can be funny, anecdotal, sentimental,
or even inspirational, so have fun with them.
37-38 Swizzle Toast.indd 2
12/26/17 4:28 PM