Below is the lesson plan for the first day of the A Toast! mini-unit.

 Any questions about this lesson plan

can be directed to the contact form on the homepage; use "Toasting Lesson Plan" in the subject line.
Genre:  Toasting

Length:  One class period, or 60 minutes

Objective:  Students will create their own toast for an imagined wedding, graduation, or other event and
present it to their classmates.

First Day:  In order to familiarize students with the idea of proposing and giving toasts, examples from
television and other famous toasts will be shared.  An excerpt from the popular television series How I
Met Your Mother, which is also located on the classroom website, will get students engaged and excited
to start practicing their own toasts.  As a high-energy activity, I expect one class period to be plenty to
explain the parameters of the lesson as well as have students create a workable draft.  On the board, the
following prompt will be written:  If you were asked to give a speech at the wedding or graduation of your
best friend or sibling, what would it be?  Students must be reminded that although they can make these
extremely humorous, they must remain school-appropriate and not hurtful to others.  For any student who
cannot imagine a sibling or best friend getting married or graduating, I will explain that another option is a
short speech given at a dinner party at work or with friends.  There may be a possibility that some
students have had siblings get married that they had to propose a toast, and those examples will be
welcome. 

            After about a half hour of explanation and conversation about topics, students will be asked to
individually work on their toasts.  They are to bring in a final, typed copy longer than one line, but no
longer than three minutes when presented, for the next class period.  Students will be chosen at random
to present their toast to the class, so they are encouraged to practice the final draft of their toast at home
before giving it. 
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Pop-Up Toasts: A Last Day of School Activity

that Teaches PVLEGS, Character, and
Classiness
June 6, 2015 By Dave Stuart Jr. 38 Comments
(Note: This post is updated every year with modifications or lessons
learned, by Dave and others, in using this activity. Scroll to the end of
the post for those updates.)

The curriculum is completed, the last tests are taken, and, for one reason or
another, you've got your students for 30 or 60 more minutes. You want to end
the year on the right note — not cheesy, not with anticlimax, not with a “How
many more seconds until you rapscallions leave?” attitude. And hey, you're a
teacher, so you'd also like to take this one last chance to teach them
something.

But c'mon — the kids are ready to go! Even the best of them are coming to
school that last day hoping to avoid a lesson. If anything, they want a class
party — some because of the free food, and most because it's just fun to look
back on a year's worth of work with reflection and celebration.

What's a teacher to do?

I'd like to introduce a variation on the pop-up method that provides an

interesting last lesson. The bonus is that it even allows a natural space for
you, as the teacher, to give your students the last words of the year.

Lesson Objectives
Your measurable goals for this lesson are to:

 Ensure every kid speaks, if not to the whole class, then at least to a
partner;
 Ensure every kid practices an element of Erik Palmer's PVLEGS when
speaking;
 Share one last character tip or “life lesson” with your kids;

Your intangible goals for this lesson are to:

 Leave a lasting impression on your students;

 Create a memory for a kid that might last a lifetime;
 Share some laughter and tears.
And, finally, your personal growth goal is to boil what you've been trying to
teach the kids — what you really hope they learn, not just about history or
math or PE, but about life — down to a several minute speech.

Lesson materials
You'll need:

 Some cups (I used those little Dixie bathroom cups — they worked

great);
 Some soda (I went with the power combo of Faygo Orange, Faygo
Cotton Candy, and Faygo Moon Mist — classy);
 An awareness of the basics of the pop-up method for classroom
discussion or debate.

Lesson outline

Warm-up
Ask students to quickwrite in response to one of the following prompts:

 What is one thing you're thankful for from this year's class?
 What is one funny memory you have?
 What are some things you appreciate about our class as you look back
on our year together?
 Who in this classroom has made you laugh the most? Why is that
important?

Note from Dave: This past week when I did this lesson, I didn't do the
quickwrite. Time was too tight. The problem with not doing the quickwrite is
that you have less students who are going to be ready to participate. A key for
making mandatory whole-class speaking enjoyable for kids is giving them a
chance to rehearse their ideas one to two times before it's time to speak.
Quickwriting can be one form of public speaking rehearsal.
Pair share
Have students share what they wrote — either by reading directly off the page
or summarizing — with their partner.

Note from Dave: My students sit in pairs because Frank Lyman's think-pair-
share (a tool I finally saw as priceless thanks to Strebe's Engaging
Mathematics Students Using Cooperative Learning) is so money. I use it daily
to ensure that every kid talks. Also, by this point in the year, your students
either understand that pair-sharing isn't optional, or they don't. Don't stress if
not everyone participates here — it's something to work on next year. 

Mini-lesson on making toasts

Say to students:

One type of public speaking that's almost impossible to avoid at some point in
your life is that of making a toast. And guys, let me tell you: it's a form of
public speaking you'll be so grateful for, even though it might make you
nervous (it sure does that to me). Can anyone think of a situation in which
they've seen someone give a toast?

[Field class answers.]

Right. Some of you mentioned weddings — these are formal situations where
tradition dictates who gives what toast when. But then there are more informal
situations where you're sharing a great experience with a group of people and
you want to communicate something about that experience — as a way of
saying thanks, as a way of showing appreciation, as a way of making the
moment even more special.

So today with our remaining time, we're going to put a little twist on pop-up
debate. Like normal, you will:

 When ready to speak, simply stand up and start speaking.

  If someone else stands up and speaks at the same time as you,
yield the floor politely and with class.

However, unlike normal when we debate or engage in a collaborative

discussion, today you're going to:

 Stand up with your cup in hand (yes, you'll be getting cups in a

minute);
 Share something you've appreciated from this school year — a
person, a memory, a particular aspect of our class that helped you
overcome a struggle;
 End with a toast closer. Some examples,
o To X!
o So let's raise our glasses: to X, and Y, and Z — cheers!
o To those who help us in good times and bad; may they flourish
and lead long, happy lives.

Once we get our cups filled, I'll start us out with an example — something
light, a funny memory involving a student we all love to laugh with, maybe —
and then I open it up to all students.

Coachable moments
In the Pop-Up Debate Starter Kit, I talk about how, during a pop-up, the
teacher should view themselves as a coach during a scrimmage. You want
the game to flow and be fun, but you also want to take opportunities to
coach the class when you're seeing consistent positives or negatives.

During this last day of the school year pop-up activity, I'm trying to remind kids
of what matters most. In this case, I want them to leave remembering the
most transferable thing I'll ever teach them about: character. So here are two
examples of coachable moments I might look for:

If a student expresses a poignant example of gratitude, I might remind

students of the research that shows why gratitude isn't just a nice thing — it's
a performance-enhancing habit. In his book The Happiness Advantage:
Seven Principles that Fuel Success and Performance at Work, Shawn Achor
shares much of the research behind this.
From the blog of Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage:

Here’s a smattering of what science has shown [about the power of gratitude].

 Our brain is a single processor. When you are focused (however

briefly) on things to appreciate in your life, there is literally no brain
space left for anger, sadness or worry.
 As the practice continues you strengthen those neuro-pathways that
look for what’s good in your life, making it easier and easier for your
brain to find things to appreciate.  It’s like weight-lifting; you build
your gratitude “muscle” by using it. [Achor calls this “the Tetris
effect” in his book; after you play Tetris for an extended period, you
start seeing those geometric shapes everywhere — in the brick
wall, as the city skyline — and you start making them fit together in
your mind.]
 When researchers pick random volunteers and train them to be
more grateful over a few weeks, they become happier and more
optimistic, feel more socially connected, enjoy better quality sleep
and even experience fewer headaches than control groups.
 Practicing gratitude daily for 21 days can significantly raise your
optimism even 6 months later.

If a student aptly walks the line of poking fun at a classmate (or me!) but
expressing love nonetheless, I might remind students that social
intelligence, one of the seven character strengths on our classroom wall, is
partially the ability to build rapport with others, and, when you can poke
fun with love, that's a great way to both build and enjoy rapport with others.

The final speech

Finally, there are only moments left of class. Students are engaged; they've
had some soda, some laughter — maybe even a few tears. It's time for you to
stand up and send them off.

Whatever you say (this year I discussed the difference between goal-setters
— I experimented with weekly goal-setting this year; click here for a video of
class footage — and goal-keepers), be the speaker you want your students to
be.
DO NOT:

 Ramble for 10 minutes.

 Share more than a few key points.
 Let the lesson get away from you, leaving you only one minute of class.
 Be dishonest.

DO:

 Aim for three to five minutes.

 Try to boil all that you've sought to teach this year into the most critical
one to three points.
 Tell them the truth in love.
 End with a toast.

When you look around that classroom during your final speech, when you ask
them to raise their glasses one last time, I pray that you have one of those
moments when teaching is everything it's supposed to be.

And if you don't (I don't always get those moments), remember: there's always
next year.

Updates:
From my own end of the school year, 2015-2016:

 Make sure to explain why toast-making is such a useful life skill.

 During the toasts, I passed back students' index cards, which
contained purpose statements from the start of the school year. It was
fodder from some really special toasts.
 I told students about the toasts about one week in advance. I
encouraged them to prepare.
 I gave a few toasts during each class, touching on themes unique to
each group of kids.
 Some of you wrote to me about your experiences with pop-up toasts
this year. More of that, please. I get goosebumps.

Feedback from other great teachers:

  A highlight from Gerard Dawson's classroom: “Cheers to Mr. Dawson,
for bribing us with soda so that he can make us all stand up here and say
nice things about each other. I guess it's cool.”

Filed Under: Teaching SpeakingTagged With: end of year activity, last day of

school activity, pop-up debate, Public Speaking, pvlegs
Reader Interactions
Comments
1. theglassishalffull says
June 6, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Thanks for an engaging, creative lesson to close out the year! Love it.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 7, 2015 at 8:11 pm
I’m so glad it’s helpful!

Reply

2. Christy Moore says
June 6, 2015 at 1:44 pm
This is as always amazingly authentic, Dave! Thanks for sharing!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 7, 2015 at 8:07 pm
Thank you, Christy! I hope you are well!

Reply

3. Twins Happen says
June 6, 2015 at 6:52 pm
I love this idea! I have one full day left after our final, and I think this will be
perfect. Thank you!!!!!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
 June 7, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Yep — that was my situation, too. Great use for it. Have fun!

Reply

4. Kyle Fedderly says
June 7, 2015 at 9:24 pm
That’s so cool, Dave. I have done a variation on this for the past (mind you,
my first) two years in my Junior/ Senior English class, except the course is
“mixed,” so I asked each senior to take the stool at the front of the room and
asked the juniors to share anything they had noticed and appreciated about
that person during our time together. I have been so pleased with the results.
Granted, this requires an established classroom culture of respectful
communication; and maybe for me, that is what I am assessing. Regardless, it
is a way to honor my outgoing seniors and provide everyone with an
opportunity to speak on our last day together. Cheers!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 8, 2015 at 11:28 am
I love it, Kyle. That’s a pretty important skill to assess. Sounds like an
awesome way to end the year.

Reply

5. Holly says
June 8, 2015 at 8:51 am
Hi Dave, The Pop-Up Debate Link is not working. Could you please check it?

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 8, 2015 at 11:27 am
Holly, that was bizarre. I’ve got it fixed; here’s the
link: https://gumroad.com/l/popup. Thank you for your patience!

Reply

6. Chad says
June 8, 2015 at 2:12 pm
I love it, Dave. Good work, as always. Thanks for sharing.
 Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 9, 2015 at 10:51 pm
Thank you, Chad. I hope you are well.

Reply

7. Michelle says
June 8, 2015 at 9:48 pm
This is such a top-notch plan! Thank you for sharing!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 9, 2015 at 10:50 pm
My pleasure, Michelle — thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

Reply

8. Cindy Haverkamp says
June 10, 2015 at 11:41 pm
Dave – you have been such an inspiration to me since I stumbled upon your
blog in January. I have shared your blog posts with my mentor and I will be
sharing some of your Youtube videos tomorrow as I step into the “teacher-
leader” role and present PD around the Speaking and Listening Standards to
our staff in our summer institute. YOU ROCK!!

This week, my kids and I tried the Pop-Up toasts, class meeting-style, with
pretend drinks (accompanied by much slurping, as we’d just studied Asian
cultures and know that’s a sign of respect). It was AWESOME! Thanks so
much for all you do!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
July 17, 2015 at 6:35 pm
I love the slurping, Cindy 🙂 I also love that you’re dipping your toe into the
teacher-leadership space. There’s lots of room!

Reply
9. Jamie Cameron says
June 14, 2015 at 9:47 pm
This is pure genius… I cannot thank you enough for this fabulous idea!!

Reply

10. Steven Skawski says

June 16, 2015 at 4:56 pm
This is brilliant. Totally going to implement this in the foreign language
classroom! #verygrateful

Reply

o davestuartjr says
July 1, 2015 at 10:49 am
Thank you, Steven. I hope it went well!

Reply

11. Lauren Stevenson says

June 16, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Thank you for continuously writing meaningful content and sharing your
experiences in this space! I have been inspired by you on multiple occasions.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
July 17, 2015 at 6:33 pm
Lauren, I’m so glad to hear that — often, all we need is a little inspiration to
keep on chugging 🙂

Reply

12. sstorm01 says
May 22, 2016 at 5:34 pm
This looks like an awesome end of year event. I can’t wait to try it. I’ve always
looked for that one event to bring closure to a great year and this could be it.
Thanks for sharing.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
 May 31, 2016 at 8:03 am
SStorm01, let me know how it went!

Reply

13. Kristine Tendvahl says

May 30, 2016 at 5:17 pm
I’m a first year teacher who started my year by sharing my desire to teach
character, love, and motivation with my students. This sounds like the perfect
way to bring that full circle as I close out the year. Thanks for sharing!!

Reply

o davestuartjr says
May 31, 2016 at 8:14 am
Kirstine, I hope it’s a rewarding ending for you!

Reply

14. sstorm01 says
June 13, 2016 at 6:23 am
This was one of the most rewarding days of my teaching career. It was the
perfect activity to bring the year to an end – especially having taught most of
the kids for two years. There was laughter, stories, tears, and smiles. The kids
in my class found their voices and shared what was in their hearts.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 14, 2016 at 2:34 pm
You melted my heart and made me feel complete, SStorms01. Thank you for
sharing this and having such lovely words.

Reply

15. Lesa Gibson says

May 20, 2017 at 10:16 am
So thankful you posted this idea this week! Undoubtedly one of the coolest
things I’ve ever facilitated in 20+ years of teaching! Thank you, Dave!

Reply
o davestuartjr says
June 13, 2017 at 2:48 pm
Lesa, this gave me goosebumps!

Reply

16. Kristen says
June 8, 2017 at 7:41 pm
Here I am the night before the last day of school googling “middle school
ideas for the last day” and, based on my reading, I come to the conclusion
that ……..no one else knows what to do with them either! Then I read your
post. Hallelujah! What a great idea! I’m doing this! Thank you for saving me.
This year I am too brain dead to think of anymore creative ideas.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
June 13, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Kristen, this is wonderful to hear! I hope your toasts went well. I just love this
final experience with the kids 🙂

Reply

17. Warren Roth says

May 22, 2018 at 1:19 am
Thursday…Thursday is my day and I am SOOO nervous – and excited! First
time doing this; I usually end with a similar Socratic seminar – which is great –
but this is really exciting to me. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will get them quick-
writing and thinking about this. Follow up Wednesday with a deeper level of
the quick-write. Then…Thursday.

I will definitely follow up on this.

Thanks, Dave, as always.

Reply

o davestuartjr says
May 22, 2018 at 7:25 am
Please do follow up, Warren!
 Reply

18. Megan Wong says

May 29, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Hi Dave, I did toasts in a mixed-grade French 1 class today to celebrate the
few Seniors in that class whose last day of school is today. It was AMAZING
and had me and other students on the brink of tears several times. I went all
out and got plastic champagne glasses and bought sparkling cider and I think
it made my students feel really special. I loved all your ideas and I definitely
think that the quick write was really helpful. Seeing as I am a French teacher, I
taught the students about toasts in France–how they make eye contact when
they clink glasses and a few different phrases that people say in France when
they cheers. It was great to be able to incorporate a little culture, language,
and celebrate our amazing class culture all in one go. Thank you so much for
such a great way to end the year with older students. I can see myself doing
this for many years to come.

Merci!
– Megan

Reply

o Dave Stuart Jr. (@davestuartjr) says

June 6, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Megan, it was amazing becasue you’ve done an amazing job. Bravo, my
colleague.

Reply

19. Caitlin Leary says

June 3, 2019 at 5:12 pm
Did anyone show an example with a video clip? I would love to do this with my
third graders but they will need some significant modeling. I will give ones
throughout the week but it would be great to be able to break down a video
clip together. Thanks in advance!
-Cait

Reply

o Dave Stuart Jr. (@davestuartjr) says

June 6, 2019 at 12:43 pm
 Cait, I have not done an example like this but it’s a great idea. Wow — I would
love to see your third graders do this, it sounds lovely.

Reply

20. Barbara Butler says

June 9, 2019 at 11:00 pm
This is fabulous. I always want to end the year on a meaningful note with my
5th graders. Thank you for all the tips.

Reply

Leave a Reply
Copyright © 2020 ·
How to Give an Awesome Toast:
Advanced Strategies for Speeches
Someone’s getting married. Someone has a big birthday.
Someone got a promotion…and you’ve been asked to give a
toast. I want to teach you how to give great toasts every time.
But first… 
Please don’t blow it.
I’m at that wonderful time in a person’s life where wedding
invitations roll in on a weekly basis, friends land awesome new
jobs and baby bumps are announced regularly. This means I sit
through a lot of toasts…
Toasts that are too long.
Toasts that are horribly inappropriate.
Toasts that fall flat.
And occasionally, very rarely, like as often as I floss (2x per
year right before the dentist), I hear a toast that BLOWS ME
AWAY.
A great toast is an event game-changer. People perk up in their
seats, guests put away their phones, jovial back slapping and
glass clinking increases three-fold. Oh ya, and the toaster?
They become a celebrity. If you ever want 15 minutes of fame,
set yourself up to give an awesome toast.
Here’s what will happen: You will put down the microphone
and everyone, especially Grandma Dee, will want to talk to
you. Uncles and college roommates alike generously will offer
to buy you a drink at the all-inclusive bar. The videographer
will grant you an exclusive interview and follow you around for
a good portion of the evening until you tell them that you want
to eat your surf and turf in private. The waiters will wink at
you, the bartender will give you an extra cherry and the guest
of honor (whoever you toasted) will gush and cry and thank
you profusely for making them look good.
 Bottom Line: Giving a great toast is a gift.
Your amazing toast is a gift to the person you love. It’s a gift to
the audience desperate for some entertainment and, sure, it’s
pretty fun to be a rock star for the evening.
After listening to literally hundreds of toasts, I have identified
the patterns that differentiate the suck-worthy from the award-
winning.
Before diving in, be sure to:
 Bookmark this page for future use.
 Send it to your friend who has a toast coming up.
 Share it on Facebook to increase the chances of someone
in your life giving you an awesome toast.
The Perfect Toast
v
More Public Speaking Resources
Get even more public speaking tips with our related resources:

 How to Start a Speech: The Best (and Worst) Speech

Openers
 6 Public Speaking Apps to try Before Your Next
Presentation
 My Top 5 Favorite Public Speakers
 15 Science-Based Public Speaking Tips To Become a
Master Speaker
 How to Give Captivating Presentations
 10 Presentation Ideas That Will Radically Improve Your
Presentation Skills
The best toasts follow the same basic structure. When you pull
out a blank piece of paper to jot down some ideas, do it in the
following format:
The Hook:
 People decide if they like your toast within the first seven
seconds. If you don’t hook your audience immediately, you will
lose them.
The biggest mistake toasters make is: Starting with “I,” “me”
or “my.”
 I have known ___ for 5 years…
 My name is ___.
 Me and ___ met back in college.
I’m going to be frank: No one cares about you, your history or
your relationship to the guest of honor—at least not yet.
Everyone is gathered for the toastee (the person you are
toasting) and that is who they want to hear about. They want
to hear embarrassing stories, secrets and funny tidbits. So,
give them what they want. And do it quickly.
Think of your audience like a hungry, hungry toddler. They are
starving and you have to give them a little bit to nibble on
before you put on their bib and strap them into their high chair.
When toasting, you do this with your hook.
The hook is a one to three line description of the toastee. It
should be juicy, funny or mysterious. This is the first line of
your speech. Let’s say the person you are toasting is named
Spencer. Fill in the blank:
 Spencer is ____.
 Tonight you will learn why Spencer ____.
 The best story I have about Spencer starts with ____.
Examples:
 Spencer is the person you call when you have locked
yourself out of your dorm bathroom without clothes. Not only
will she bring you a towel and a spare key, she also will keep
your secret until you spill it at her wedding.
 Tonight you will learn why Spencer always was called
Mini-Mom. She carries snacks in her purse, has a first aid kit
on hand at all times and is extremely good at letting you know
when you broke a rule.
 The best story I have about Spencer starts with an
outdoor toilet. I knew we would be best friends when she was
the only person waiting in line at the concert Porta Potties
who would give me some of her extra toilet paper. THAT is the
definition of true sharing—Mrs. Jones you taught her well.
This hook warms the audience up to you and gives them a
promise of salacious and amusing stories ahead.
The Background:
Once you have hooked the audience, you do have to give them
some background on why you’re giving a toast in the first
place. By now, they are moderately intrigued and want some
context. HOWEVER, there is a right and wrong way to give
background.
Don’t:
 Don’t waste the opportunity for a good joke.
 Don’t skim over the delicious details.
 Don’t make it sound like everyone else’s.
Do:
 Punch up the context.
 Keep it short.
 Cue up a story to come later.
For example, you often hear people say, “I met the groom as a
freshman in college and we were roommates for three years.”
Or, “I’m the maid of honor and the bride’s little sister.”
BORING! Try this instead:
 The groom was the first friendly face I saw during
freshman orientation at Emory University. Little did we know
that we would end up rooming together for the next three
years.
 I am Spencer’s little sister, maid of honor, part-time slave
and chocolate cookie sharer.
 Spencer and I have worked together for the last five years
and, as you will learn, she is also the sole reason I was kicked
 off the office softball team. But first, let me tell you a less
embarrassing story…
Cheers! Here’s to ROCKING my next toast!
1-2-3 Punch:
After your hook and a brief background you are ready for 1, 2
or 3 stories depending on how much time you have been
allotted. Rule of thumb:
 Under 2 minutes: Hook, Background, 1 Story, Clink
 2-5 minutes: Hook, Background, 2 Stories, Clink
 Over 5 minutes: Hook, Background, 3 Stories, Clink
The stories you pick are key to giving a killer toast. The
perfect story has the following elements:
 Someone is a little embarrassed. It can be you, the
toastee or a mutual friend. But you want the audience to
cringe just a little.
 Strong sensory elements. A smelly frat house, a drippy
burrito, a sticky car seat—the more your audience can picture
(and smell and taste) your story, the more they will be
captivated.
 Reference audience members. As much as possible
reference and call out people in the audience. This can be
people who were in your story—George, I’m talking about you!
Or a warning to concerned parties—Mom, you better close your
ears! It will get you easy laughs and keep people engaged.
 A punch line. This is the hardest one. Sometimes there
are great stories for conversation, but not great stories for the
stage. Your story has to end on a funny line, a shocking tidbit
or an ahh-shucks gush. You want the audience to be either
laughing, shaking their heads and saying ‘oh no,’ or moaning,
‘awwwww.’
 A tie-in. Once you have gotten the big laugh, the ‘oh no’ or
the ‘aww,’ it’s time to bring it ’round to them. They want to feel
included in your closeness. The best stories end with the
audience.  The easiest way to do this is to either warn them to
look out for a behavior during the event (If you see Spencer run
up to the buffet, you’ll know why!) or tell the audience that you
will make sure a behavior from the story does/doesn’t happen
again. (I’ll make sure Spencer is not late to the altar
tomorrow!)
Only OK Story: Spencer and I used to party hard in college.
One night, we were getting ready to go to a toga party and
Spencer forgot to wear something under her toga! We get to
the frat party and as she is dancing. Then her toga gets caught
on something and rips off. She was so red and so embarrassed
and tried to play it off like it happened on purpose, but we all
know what really happened. Anyway, she went off to the
bathroom and got it all fixed. But it was a crazy night.
Awesome Story: Some of you might know that Spencer is a
total party animal. And by party animal I mean goes to bed by
10 p.m. every night, prefers Coke without the rum and actually
volunteers to be the designated driver. So, we should have
known better than to convince her to go to a toga party at the
local fraternity.–Don’t worry Dad, there were teacher
chaperones there (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)–Spencer, being a
toga party novice, did not get the memo to wear a ‘just in case’
outfit underneath her toga, assuming that the billowing white
sheet and four safety pins would cover her aplenty. Fast
forward to the middle of the dance floor, Spencer is about to
bust into one of her crazy dance moves. (I’m sure she learned
that from you, older brother Robert). Anyone who went to
college with Spencer—I see the Tri Delta table in the back–
knows the Spencer dance move I am talking about. It involves
a little shimmy here and a little bouncy there. So, in the middle
of this crazy dance move, Spencer’s toga gets stuck on the
corner of the beer pong table and rips off of her in one big
swoosh. Of course, Spencer pretends this was a purposeful
move and ties it into her grand finale, sashaying off the dance
floor into the bathroom. Don’t worry everyone, I have made
 sure her wedding dress is secured with more than just safety
pins for dancing later.
The Clink:
After your final story and your last audience tie-in, it’s time for
the clink. This is the part of the speech where you can get
sappy. It’s your opportunity to offer well wishes, thanks and
gratitude toward the toastee and anyone else in the room.
Specifically:
 Thank the hosts.
 Offer good wishes or congratulations.
 Bring in the audience to make those thanks and wishes
with you.
The best clinks actually allow the audience to join in with your
gratitude and make everyone in the room feel that you speak
on their behalf.
Only OK Clink: Lift your glasses in a toast to the bride and
groom and their family.
Awesome Clink: Please lift your glasses as we thank Mr. and
Mrs. Jones for hosting this lovely evening. To the beautiful
bride and groom, may you have a long, healthy life with just as
beautiful children. We love you and are so excited for you.
Cheers!
Toast Felonies:
I talked about the Toast Do’s, now it’s time to take a few
minutes to go over the dreaded Toast Don’ts. I call these Toast
Felonies because they absolutely kill your stage presence and
charisma.
Full disclosure: These are harsh… and super common. If you
want a great toast, you have to throw away the easy stuff,
make some cuts and dig deep. If you have committed one of
these toast felonies in the past, it’s okay, I forgive you, but do
better next time. When preparing your toast — pretty, pretty
please, for all that is holy — never ever ever do the following:
#1: Scripts Kill
 This is a really hard one. Do NOT write out your speech. Do
NOT type it up word for word. Do NOT read. The moment you
read your toast, your charisma dies a slow, painful,
embarrassing death.
Scripting is lazy. Yeah, I said it. Scripting your speech is not a
gift. It’s a gift card. It’s not as good, not as personal and makes
your audience do the work.
I have never ever heard an awesome toast that was read. Have
you? But, have you really?
 Next time someone reads a toast or a speech, look
around the room. After about 20 seconds, people’s eyes glaze
over, they start pulling out their phones and they sit back in
their chairs.
 Our brains CANNOT pay attention to the tone of voice we
use when we read. It’s impossible to engage your audience
fully as you read—no matter how vocally expressive you are.
 You get NO credit for being funny. When you read out
jokes or funny quips from a page, people don’t laugh as much.
They might chuckle, but they will not feel the humor with you.
 You get NO credit for being authentic. When you read out
how much you love the toastee, it doesn’t feel as genuine—
even if it is. Speak from the heart, don’t read from the heart.
There is an answer. It’s the savior, the angel: bullet points. The
beauty of centering your toast around stories is that you know
how to tell your stories. In fact, the more fluid and off the cuff
you can be, the better. Bullet out each area of your speech and
then practice, practice, practice. Remember, this is your gift.
This is your friend, family member or loved one. They are worth
it.
#2: Stop Superlatives
A superlative is a word that signifies the most of a trait. For
example, here are the superlatives that are used the most
often in toasts:
 Sweetest
 Nicest
 Prettiest
 Funniest
 Greatest
 Kindest
 Smartest
These words are like cotton candy—they sound pretty, but
they have no nutritional value. When you say, “The bride is the
prettiest, funniest, bestest girl in the whole world!” you might
as well be saying, “The bride is the blah-diest, most blah-diest,
blah, blah, blah!” Superlatives are boring AND everyone else
will be saying them. If you don’t want your toast to sound like
everyone else’s, then cut them. ALL OF THEM. Here’s how:
 Every time you want to use a superlative, think of a story
or example you can give instead. For example, instead of
saying, “Spencer is the kindest person in the world.” Say,
“Spencer is my go-to on-call therapist—except she is cheaper.
She is always there in a crisis. She is always there when you
need someone to binge eat chunky monkey ice cream with
after a break-up. She is always there when you get fired from
your job and you need someone to help you graffiti the
bathroom—just kidding, she was just the lookout.”
#3: No Qualifications
You know a toast will go badly when someone takes the mic
and starts with a litany of apologies and qualifiers. They sound
like this: “I’m sorry I’m not a great speaker.” “I don’t know ___
that well, but…” “I’m sorry I had to use note cards.” “I’m sorry
I’m drunk”. Starting a toast with a qualifier is like admitting
defeat before the race. Interestingly, qualifiers tend to have
the opposite effect of what was intended. Instead of offering
an excuse or apology, qualifiers actually call attention to
whatever you are worried about and irritate the audience. So,
STOP it! You have three choices:
 Get over it.
 Fix it.
 Own it.
#4: Ditché the Cliché
We get it:
 Your friend has a shoulder to cry on.
 You see them once in a blue moon.
 Your relationship means the world to you.
 You are partners in crime.
Clichés are vapid terms that encourage communication
slothfulness. You can’t have an awesome toast while being
verbally lazy. And guess what? You can kill clichés with a
shockingly simple word weapon. It’s called a thesaurus. Use
one, Google one and ruthlessly cut banal platitudes.
#5: Don’t Forget Nonverbal
When practicing your speech, don’t forget about your body
language in addition to your verbal language. Here are a few
nonverbal tips for you:
 Claim the stage. Confident body language is about taking
up space. Plant both feet (don’t stand like you have to go pee),
roll your shoulders back (don’t look like a turtle) and keep your
torso un-blocked. (See the next point—you should be using
your hands, not hiding them!)
 Can you embellish your stories with hand gestures,
reenactments or voices? The audience loves this. There is no
such thing as too corny in a toast.
 When you make a joke, laugh with the audience. When
you get on stage or say sweet things about the toastee, smile.
It will warm you up and help with nerves.
Toast Quick Tips
I have a few more quick tips for toasts that you should keep in
mind:
 When in doubt, ask permission: If you are worried a joke is
too embarrassing or inappropriate, then ask a friend or ask the
toastee. Better safe than sorry.
 Never curse. Ever. There will be kids. There will be a
conservative grandmother. Just don’t.
 Bring a glass. At the end of your toast, you will want to
make a toast. Don’t forget to bring up a glass (and practice
holding one while you deliver).
Most importantly, remember that your toast is an act of love.
I’m being serious here! The greatest gift you can give another
human being is sharing your love for them in public. It honors
them, it honors your relationship and shows others you are
proud to have them in your life. So, don’t just have an okay
toast, have an awesome one.
 About Vanessa Van Edwards
Lead Investigator, Science of People
I'm the author of the national bestselling book Captivate,
creator of People School, and behavioral investigator.
I’ve always wanted to know how people work, and that’s what
Science of People is about. What drives our behavior? Why do
people act the way they do? And most importantly, can you
predict and change behavior to be more successful? I think the
answer is yes. More about Vanessa.
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How to Give a Toast

     
For each of the last four years, my wife and I (Jeremy) have hosted a Friendsgiving
dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It’s a chance to gather our social group
together for a potluck turkey dinner and give thanks for all the good things in our lives
(like friends!). Each year, I’ve been called upon to say something before we all sit down
and eat, and each year, I slightly dread that short block of time in which I’m supposed to
articulate something memorable. I don’t remember previous years, but this year I didn’t
take any time to think about or prepare a good toast, and I fumbled through trying to
recite that toast that Will Smith gives in Hitch. No joke. It was awkward. And although
our friends have assuredly already forgotten (or at least forgiven) that moment, I
obviously haven’t. It didn’t elevate the room or brighten people’s hearts, which is exactly
what a toast is supposed to do. Rather, my toast was sort of an off note in the “music” of
an otherwise wonderful evening. Wouldn’t it have been far better to have had just the
right words that would have perfectly suited the occasion and enhanced everyone’s
mood?
As we talked about previously, toasting has a long (and often manly history), and we
really ought to revive it more in the present age. But the tradition is so rare these days,
that most of us have had little instruction and practice in it. If you’d like to help bring
back toasting, how exactly do you do it?

The instructions below will help you raise a glass with real confidence, style, and event-
enlivening effect.

How to Give a Toast

Be Prepared
 

“Flubbing the toast is like serving stale champagne: it flattens

the mood.” –Paul Dickson, Toasts
First, you need to be prepared. While toasting is meant to be improvisational, that
doesn’t mean working entirely off the cuff in the moment; as Mark Twain once said, “It
usually takes three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Even if you plan to
give your toast extemporaneously, you ought to have a repository of some famous
toasts/quotes in mind, and/or have been thinking about a theme for a few weeks and
can pick just the right length and specific words once the occasion comes.

If you don’t trust yourself to do even that, go ahead and write something out. As you’re
doing that, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Who/what is being toasted? If it’s a best friend, it can be a little more informal. If it’s a
grandparent, something sweet and sentimental is obviously far better.
2. What is the reason for the toast? Is it an anniversary? A college graduation? A
wedding? A promotion? Heck, even a breakup? The specific occasion will guide much of
what you say.
3. What type of event is it? The event type guides the formality of the toast more than
anything else. A work party? Better keep it pretty straight-laced. Cocktail hour with college
friends? You’re safer going off the cuff and/or with an inside joke or two.
4. Who is in attendance? Related to the above point, but you really want to know your
audience in order to craft your toast. You don’t want to say things that only make sense to
one group of people. At a family event, you’ll say something quite different than you would at
a work party. At a large, diverse gathering, you want to keep statements very broad and
centered on the toastee so that everyone can get what you’re saying.
Along with these specific tips, in general, brush up on your public
speaking and improvisation skills. The art of toasting deftly combines both of those
things, and provides a great opportunity to practice those skills which naturally transfer
into numerous other areas of life. (Also, giving a toast is a requirement for the Orator
Badge in The Strenuous Life!)

Decide on Your Format

 

“A toast is a basic form of human expression that can be

used to convey virtually any emotion, from love to rage
(although raging toasts tend to cross the line into the realm of
curses). They can be sentimental, cynical, lyrical, comical,
defiant, long, short — even just a single word.” –Paul
Dickson, Toasts
You can choose to make the whole toast an original composition, or to recite a classic
set toast (see the ideas we’ve gathered below).

Arguably the best kind of toast, though, is one that combines the two elements: a brief,
original introduction directed at the specific occasion and attendees, followed by a
classic set toast to end things on a strong note.

Keep It Short
As Dickson notes above, toasts can involve just a single word; indeed, in ancient times,
it was common to simply raise a glass “To health!”

You don’t have to keep your toasts quite that pithy, but they should always be short —
about 30-60 seconds, erring on the shorter side versus the longer. Get to the point, and
quickly. Only at particular gatherings should a toast exceed that, such as at a wedding,
anniversary party, or other event where a longer tribute is more appropriate — and even
then, you don’t want to go past a couple minutes or so.

Lean Towards Sincerity Over Humor

A lot of guys try to be funny at social gatherings, believing themselves to be far more
humorous than they really are. This is especially true when giving a toast. Think about
how different best man speeches are from maid of honor speeches. The former almost
always tries to insert some funny story or joke that inevitably falls flat. Why is this?

Humor is very hard to get right, especially with a large and diverse crowd. At weddings
especially, you have folks of all ages, all different careers and life experiences, and
different social circles. The best man trying to be funny is likely doing so for his own
circle of friends, and that’s all who will laugh. So with the vast majority of toasts, avoid
seemingly humorous topics like exes, failures, and inside jokes; while covering such
territory is common, it’s overly dicey to do.

Humor can work if you’re with a smaller, perhaps all-male group of comrades. In those

informal instances, inside jokes and even some “colorful” remarks are acceptable, and
even expected. In general, though, aim for sincerity. That’s sometimes harder for guys
to do (which is why we lean on humor in the first place), but if you’re prepared — it all
comes back to being prepared! — you’ll be able pull off a sentimental salute without a
hitch. Sincerity is far better remembered by a toast’s recipients than an ill attempt at
humor.

Be Sure That Everyone Is Involved

& Has a Drink

While it’s obviously most traditional to toast with alcohol, you can of course toast with anything, as these boxers
who would soon be squaring off against each other in the ring demonstrate.

Toasts are all about inclusion. Nobody is to be left out — children, the elderly, non-
drinkers, all should be able to be part of the toast. At a dinner party, be sure that
everyone is seated with their food and drink. If food isn’t part of the gathering, or if the
toast is happening during cocktail hour versus the dinner hour, be sure everyone has a
drink to toast with (ginger ale or something else that’s bubbly makes it special for
kiddos; and here’s a list of fun mocktails for the teetotalers out there). Also, as much as
is possible, ensure everyone is present. As the host, keep an eye on things; if someone
is off to the restroom, wait until they’ve returned. You don’t want someone to have to
awkwardly walk into the middle of a toast.

Don’t Toast Before the Host

If you aren’t the host of an event, don’t give a toast before they’ve had the chance to do
the honor. If it’s been mutually decided that you’ll toast first, then go for it. Otherwise,
wait until the host has had their say.

Announce Your Intentions With

Both Words and Behavior
At a boisterous party or gathering, it can be hard to know the right time and way to
make your toast. How do you get everyone’s attention? At the start of a dinner party, it’s
a little easier: as host, you should be waiting to get your food until everyone else has
already done so. So when you approach the table, theoretically everyone else is already
seated or in the process of doing so, and you can simply stay standing and say
something like, “I’d like to propose a toast.”

If people are milling about, or you’re giving a toast in the midst of a meal, you’ll need to
get the room’s attention. Don’t do so by clanging your glass with a utensil, which isn’t
very tasteful, and might break the glass to boot. Instead, signal your intention by
standing up and raising your glass to shoulder level, with your arm pointed towards the
center of the party. If people still don’t notice your gesture and quiet down, just loudly
say something to the effect of “If I can have everyone’s attention.” A loud throat clearing
or “Ahem” is a bit informal and just never comes across quite right; it almost reads as
sheepish and shy.  

End With a Clear Invitation

You’ve surely seen toasts that end amorphously; the audience isn’t sure if you’re
finished or not. So when ending your toast, make that fact clear and demonstrate what
everyone should do next. Say something like “Cheers!” or “Let’s a raise a glass to ___,”
and then lead the way by finding someone near you to clink glasses with (if you’re in a
small gathering) or going ahead and taking a sip from your glass (if you’re in a large
gathering).

When to Give a Toast

So now you know how to give a toast, but when should you do so?
In our modern, generally toast-free society, it’s hard to know when it’s appropriate to
offer a toast. Luckily, there are numerous occasions where giving one would not only
bring a smile to everyone’s face, but elevate the general mood and environment —
always the goal of a good toast!

Below you’ll find a sampling of times where it’s appropriate to offer a toast; the list is
certainly not meant to be exhaustive, and there are many other fitting times to offer one
as well.

Weddings

While weddings are generally a carefully orchestrated affair, there are a couple times
during the celebratory events where a toast might be appropriate. At the reception,
there is often the formal giving of toasts by the best man, maid of honor, bride and
groom, and/or parents. This is not a point where you want to add your own toast (if you
haven’t gotten permission from the couple first). You might instead give your own
“unauthorized” toast at the rehearsal dinner before the wedding, or on the day of the
wedding itself, you might do so at your individual table or with a group of friends during
the cocktail hour. The happy couple should of course be the object of your toast.
Dinner Parties With Friends
While dinner parties are a dying breed of their own, they’re the perfect occasion for a
toast. If hosting, it’s easy and can really be given anytime, though during a cocktail hour
when everyone has a drink or at the start of dinner is ideal. Toasts here can focus on
your thankfulness for the group involved, and perhaps even an inside joke (if everyone
would be privy to it, of course). You can also toast even if you aren’t hosting, though,
remember, you shouldn’t be the first to do so.

Holiday Gatherings

Holiday parties, whether they be filled with coworkers, friends, or family, are perfect
occasions for toasting. You can toast to the good year behind you, the upcoming year
ahead, your thankfulness for the holiday, and/or the reason it exists in the first place
(Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Easter, etc. — those all have pretty clear meanings). A
prayer is often part of religious holiday observances, but there’s certainly room for both
that and a sincere toast.  
Graduation, Retirement Parties,
Post-Funeral Gatherings
This really encompasses any occasion that’s been put together for a specific life
transition, and also includes promotions, engagements, and anything else you can think
of too. Toasts at gatherings like these should of course focus on the life transition at
hand, reflection on past memories, and well wishes for the future. Note that while toasts
don’t happen at funerals, or even typically at wakes, they are appropriate if you get
together with a small group of friends at a bar or pub after these more formal events to
pay more intimate respects to the dead.

Anniversaries and Date Nights

Toasts well suit the marking of romantic milestones, and that’s true even if you don’t
throw a big anniversary party, and the only audience for the toast is your partner. You
can offer a nice toast to your gal if you go out together to celebrate your anniversary, or
even simply during the course of a normal date night. Either way, toasting to the woman
you love is a great way to express sincere affection, wonder, and gratitude for her
presence in your life.

Casual Social Events

Getting together with old friends at a bar? Having a bonfire with the neighbors?
Tailgating at the big game? This is where you can really harness the spirit of our ancient
manly ancestors. (Whether or not you drain your vessel is of course up to you and your
good — or not so good — judgment.) Offer up an informal toast; this is where your wit,
humor, and inside jokes can be unleashed, which isn’t the case with many of the events
listed above.

Toast Ideas for Various Occasions

Having some classic toasts memorized is a great way to always be prepared to offer a
fitting tribute when the opportunity presents itself; classic toasts are such for a reason —
they encapsulate strong, pithy sentiments and enduring wit. But don’t do a general
online search for toast ideas to add to your brain library, as those you’ll find are
generally just about drinking or center on crass jokes. To solve this dearth, below we
offer a nice treasury of classy and genuinely humorous toasts for a wide range of
occasions.

Anniversary/ Date Nights

[For a 50th wedding anniversary] “With fifty years between you and your well-kept
wedding vow. The Golden Age, old friends of mine, is not a fable now.” —John
Greenleaf Whittier, “The Golden Wedding at Longwood” 
[For the 25th wedding anniversary] “Love seems the swiftest, but it is the slowest of
growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been
married a quarter of a century.” –Mark Twain
“Wine comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That’s all we shall know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you, and I sigh.”
–William Butler Yeats

“Here’s to you who halves my sorrows and doubles my joys.”

“Were’t the last drop in the well,

As I gasped upon the brink,
Ere my fainting spirit fell,
’Tis to thee I would drink.”
—Lord Byron 

Baby
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home
happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.”

“A new life begun,

Like father, like son.”
—Irish

[Given by fathers with a son or sons] “Father of fathers, make me one, A fit example for
a son.” —Douglas Malloch

[Given by grandparents] “Grandchildren are gifts of God. It is God’s way of

compensating us for growing old.” —Irish

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” —Dr. Benjamin Spock, Baby
and Child Care 

Birthdays
“Do not resist growing old — many are denied the privilege.”

“Another candle on your cake?

Well, that’s no cause to pout,
Be glad that you have strength enough
To blow the damn thing out.”
“Happy birthday to you
And many to be,
With friends that are true
As you are to me!”
“Many happy returns of the day of your birth:
Many blessings to brighten your pathway on earth;
Many friendships to cheer and provoke you to mirth;
Many feastings and frolics to add to your girth.”
–Robert H. Lord

“May you live to be a hundred years with one extra year to repent.” —Irish

“To wish you joy on your birthday

And all the whole year through,
For all the best that life can hold
Is none too good for you.”

Christmas 
“As fits the holy Christmas birth,
Be this, good friends, our carol still—
Be peace on earth, be peace on earth,
To men of gentle will.”
—William Makepeace Thackeray
“Then let us be merry and taste the good cheer,
And remember old Christmas comes but once a year.”
—From an old Christmas carol

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” —
Hamilton Wright Mabie

“Heap on more wood!— the wind is chill

But let it whistle as it will,
We’ll keep our Christmas merry still.”
—Sir Walter Scott
“Here’s to the day of good will, cold weather, and warm hearts!
Here’s to the holly with its bright red berry.
Here’s to Christmas, let’s make it merry.”
“Here’s wishing you more happiness
Than all my words can tell,
Not just alone for Christmas
But for all the year as well.”
“Holly and ivy hanging up
And something wet in every cup.”
—Irish

“I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous,

pleasant time; a time when men and women seem by one consent to open their hearts
freely; and so I say ‘God bless Christmas.’” —Charles Dickens

“I know I’ve wished you this before

But every year I wish it more,
A Merry Christmas.”
“I wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year
A pocket full of money
And a cellar full of beer!”
“May you be as contented as Christmas finds you all the year round.” —Irish 

Death 
“Oh, here’s to other meetings, And merry greetings then;
And here’s to those we’ve drunk with, But never can again.”

Dinner Party
“Here’s to eternity — may we spend it in as good company as this night finds us.”

“It is around the table that friends understand best the warmth of being together.” —Old
Italian saying

“To friends: as long as we are able

To lift our glasses from the table.”
“A toast to our host
And a song from the short and tall of us,
May he live to be
The guest of all of us!”
“Here’s to our hostess,
considerate and sweet;
Her wit is endless,
but when do we eat?”

Friendship 
“May the warmth of our affections survive the frosts of age.”

“Friendship: May differences of opinion cement it.”

“Here’s to a friend. He knows you well and likes you just the same.”

“May the friends of our youth be the companions of our old age.”

“To our best friends, who know the worst about us but refuse to believe it.”

Going Away Party

“Happy are we met, happy have we been,
Happy may we part, and happy meet again.”
“Here’s to good-byes—that they never be spoken!
Here’s to friendships—may they never be broken!”

“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” —Charles Dickens

Graduation 
“May you never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten.”
—Irish

“If you have an appetite for life, stay hungry.”

“May you live to learn well, and learn to live well.”

“May you live all the days of your life.” —Jonathan Swift

“’Tis not so bad a world,

As some would like to make it;
But whether good or whether bad,
Depends on how you take it.”

“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where
you’re going, and the insight to know when you’re going too far.”

“As you slide down the banister of life

May the splinters never face the wrong way.”

New Year’s
“Another year is dawning! Let it be
For better or for worse, another year with thee.”
“As we start the New Year,
Let’s get down on our knees
to thank God we’re on our feet.”
—Irish

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find
you a better man.” —Benjamin Franklin

“Here’s to the bright New Year

And a fond farewell to the old;
Here’s to the things that are yet to come
And to the memories that we hold.”
“In the year ahead,
May we treat our friends with kindness and our enemies with generosity.”

“May all your troubles during the coming year be as short as your New Year’s
resolutions.”

“May it be the best year yet for you, and everything prosper you may do.”

“May the best of this year be the worst of next.”

“May the face of every good news and the back of every bad news be toward us in the
New Year.” —Irish

“Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring happy bells across the snow;
The year is going, let him go.” —Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“Here’s to the present — and to hell with the past! A health to the future and joy to the
last!” 

Thanksgiving
“Here’s to the good old turkey
The bird that comes each fall
And with his sweet persuasive meat
Makes gobblers of us all.”

“To our national birds — The American eagle, The Thanksgiving turkey: May one give
us peace in all our States — And the other a piece for all our plates.”

“When turkey’s on the table laid,

And good things I may scan,
I’m thankful that I wasn’t made
A vegetarian.”
—Edgar A. Guest

Weddings
“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” —
Franklin P. Jones 

“A toast to love and laughter and happily ever after.”

[Given by a parent] “It is written: ‘When children find true love, parents find true joy.’
Here’s to your joy and ours, from this day forward.” 

“May their joys be as deep as the ocean

And their misfortunes as light as the foam.”

“May we all live to be present at their golden wedding.”

“May you grow old on one pillow.” —Armenian

“May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet; enough trials to keep you strong;
enough sorrow to keep you human; enough hope to keep you happy; enough failure to
keep you humble; enough success to keep you eager; enough friends to give you
comfort; enough faith and courage in yourself, your business, and your country to
banish depression; enough wealth to meet your needs; enough determination to make
each day a better day than yesterday.”

“There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye
keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” —
Homer, Odyssey

“To the newlyweds: May ‘for better or worse’ be far better than worse.”

Miscellaneous/Multi-Occasion
“Cheerfulness, content, and competency. Cheerfulness in our cups, Content in our
minds, Competency in our pockets.”

“May the works of our nights never fear the day-light.”

“The three H’s: health, honor, and happiness. Health to all the world, Honor to those
who seek for it, Happiness in our homes.”

“Love, life, and liberty. Love pure, Life long, Liberty boundless.”

“I wish thee health, I wish thee wealth, I wish thee gold in store, I wish thee heaven
upon earth—What could I wish thee more?”

“It is best to rise from life as from the banquet, neither thirsty nor drunken.”

“Make the most of life while you may,

Life is short and wears away!”
—William Oldys

“May our faults be written on the seashore, and every good action prove a wave to
wash them out.”

“May we be happy and our enemies know it.”

“May we live respected and die regretted.”

“So live that when you come to die, even the undertaker will feel sorry for you.” –Mark
Twain

“To the riotous enjoyment of a quiet conscience.”

“While we live, let us live.”

________________________

Source of the information and the specific toasts above: Toasts: Over 1,500 of the Best
Toasts, Sentiments, Blessings, and Graces by Paul Dickson. Consult the book for more
insight on the history and art of toasting, as well as hundreds of more toast ideas.

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