You will give a toast somewhere (you probably already have) and it’s the wild card of every big event.

It might be the drunk groomsman, the never-ending colleague at the retirement party, or a friend that brings up politics or religion even after being told not to.

Start with T-O-A-S-T, a helpful acronym from author and award-winning speaker Ramona J. Smith, as reported by NPR, to give a memorable & heartfelt tribute.

🥂 T – Tell a story

Rather than doing a list of accolades, share a vignette about the person, event or couple you’re toasting. Then connect the story to the occasion.

🥂 O – Optimism is your North Star

Yes, you can tell an emotional story BUT shift to the positive. Ex: I coached a proud mother-of-the-groom whose son had overcome Stage 4 cancer… and here he was – standing next to his beautiful bride. She moved from despair to joy in her beautiful toast.

🥂 A – Authenticity (better than humor)

Be honest and vulnerable in your remarks. Ex: Sharing anecdotes of growing up together beats trying to be funny. It’s a toast, not a roast.

🥂 S – Speech means practice

Read your speech aloud to a trusted friend. Try to remember the very first and last sentence so that you are not looking at your notes when you start and finish.

🥂 T – Timing, think brevity

Have you ever thought, “Rats, I wish they had talked longer?” Time yourself when you practice and keep your message to less than three minutes.

🥂 BONUS

• DO give toasts. It makes the special birthday party, annual Thanksgiving meal, or the quarterly girls’ dinner more special.
• DON’T drink before a toast.

🥂  A toast to my faithful blog reader and friend, Dr. Elliot Michael Reisman, for sending this article to me.

Photo credit: Chat GPT