20 minute wedding speeches are a no-no

wedding speech no-no

One of the greatest speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address (re-enacted in the video above), took but two minutes to deliver. And yet a recent bride writing to an advice columnist mentioned that her future in-laws gave a 20 minute wedding ‘speech,’ a real no-no. Even Martin Luther King’s iconic “I Have a Dream”…

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A wedding toast for an older couple

wedding toast for an older couple

Discussions on how to give a wedding toast typically focus on younger couples in their twenties or early thirties. Young love is especially passionate, often reflected in the toasts themselves. But what about a wedding toast for an older couple? Is there anything different about them? To be clear, passion isn’t strictly the domain of…

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How to toast someone you don’t like

toast someone you don't like

Most wedding toasts are fairly easy, because you’re toasting someone you like. What happens if you’re put in the position of leading a toast for someone you don’t like? It happens. A dad wrote in to advice columnist, Carolyn Hax, presenting his dilemma: “My son is getting married, and I’m expected to give a toast.…

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Future Mother-in-law advice

mother-in-law advice

Mother-in-laws have been the butt of jokes down through the ages. Let’s face it, though, sometimes a mother can be kind of touchy when she marries off her son. You know how it can go, she views her new daughter-in-law as a rival for her son’s affections. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here…

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The secret ingredient to a memorable wedding toast

memorable wedding toast

This blog has written on the subject of the wedding toast on more than one occasion. The subject is important, because a memorable wedding toast is pure magic. At the same time, a toast by your best man or maid of honor can go astray with all sorts of negative consequences. There is never an…

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Excellent wedding toast delivery tips

wedding toast delivery tips

  Wedding toasts can be such a wonderful part of your wedding reception. And they can be a disaster in the hands of an unprepared toaster. Here are some really excellent … and PRACTICAL … wedding toast delivery tips presented in the video below. Tip #1: KNOW your toast. Know it well enough so you…

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Here’s a great script for a wedding toast

wedding toast script

Let’s be honest… A lot of people clench up when they have to make a toast. We’ve created a nice wedding toast script to take the heat off. Wedding receptions can be especially stressful because the best man and maid of honor often put too much pressure on themselves.  They overcompensate by having an extra…

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How to avoid wedding toast disasters

wedding toast

Let me guess:  you’ve got a well-intentioned best man and maid of honor. They know you.  They love you.  And wedding etiquette calls on them to stand up and toast you at your wedding reception. Beware.  These beloved friends or family can morph into your worst nightmare.  Don’t let them hijack your wedding reception with…

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