best wedding speech quotes

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• Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception? How to Write a Wedding Toast Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech How to Write a Best Man Toast Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech What to Know About a Newlywed Toast Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips 60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

60 Wedding Toast Quotes for Every Speech

Raise a glass and write these down.

Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and makeup artist whose work has appeared on HelloGiggles, Slate, Elite Daily, and Bustle.

Photo by David Bastianoni

In This Article

Wedding day jitters  aren’t just for the couple. If you’ve been asked to give a  wedding toast , you may feel just as nervous on the big day as the couple getting married in anticipation of your speech. Public speaking is a nerve-wracking experience on its own, but when someone you’re extremely close to asks you to give a speech on what’s supposed to be the best day of their lives, the pressure is most certainly on. 

Unless you’re a standup comedian or an exceptionally gifted writer,  writing a wedding toast  can feel like a truly daunting task. If you can’t find the words to adequately express the emotions you felt watching these newlyweds get together, tie the knot, and eventually plan a future together, don’t sweat it—just borrow someone else’s. 

Incorporating famous  wedding toast quotes and sayings into your speech is a great trick to get the audience to laugh or tug at their heartstrings, which are both qualities of a memorable toast. Sure, you’ll also want to include a few personal anecdotes, but don’t feel the need to overdo it: The best wedding toasts are short, sweet, and make everyone in the room believe in true love.

If you’re not sure where to start with writing a wedding toast , we’re here to help. Get inspired with these 60 memorable wedding quotes for every speech. 

Classic Wedding Toast Quotes

• "There is only one happiness in life: To love and be loved." — George Sand
• "Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction." — Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• "The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time." — Julia Child
• "Where there is love there is life." — Mahatma Gandhi
• "The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now." — Rick Warren
• "A  happy marriage  is a long conversation which always seems too short." — Andre Maurois
• "There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage." — Martin Luther
• "Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." — Oscar Wilde
• "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." — Audrey Hepburn
• "When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too." — The Alchemist
• "You don't marry the person you can live with—you marry the person you can't live without." — Unknown
• "May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day in paradise." — Rumi

Funny Wedding Toast Quotes

• "It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." — Rita Rudner
• "Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." — Benjamin Franklin
• "Marry a man your own age; as your beauty fades, so will his eyesight." — Phyllis Diller
• "May she share everything with her husband, including the housework." — Unknown Proverb
• "The man who says his wife can't take a joke, forgets that she took him." — Oscar Wilde
• "Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?" — Groucho Marx
• "By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher." — Socrates
• "Getting married is like trading the adoration of many for the sarcasm of one." — Mae West
• "Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed." — Albert Einstein
• "My husband and I have never considered divorce ... murder sometimes, but never divorce." — Dr. Joyce Brothers
• "Being a good husband is like being a stand-up comic. You need 10 years before you can call yourself a beginner." — Jerry Seinfeld
• "Marriages are made in heaven. But so again, are thunder and lightning." — Clint Eastwood

Romantic Wedding Toast Quotes

• "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." — Mignon McLaughlin
• "Grow old with me. The best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made." — Robert Browning
• " Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get—only with what you are expecting to give—which is everything." — Katharine Hepburn
• "In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine." — Maya Angelou
• "Being married is like having somebody permanently in your corner. It feels limitless, not limited." — Gloria Steinem
• "To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness." — Robert Brault
• "Love seems the swiftest but it is the slowest of all growths. No man or woman really knows what perfect love is until they have been married a quarter of a century." — Mark Twain
• "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." — Romeo and Juliet
• "You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." — Dr. Seuss

Famous Wedding Toast Quotes

• "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." — When Harry Met Sally
• "The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return." — Moulin Rouge
• "To me, you are perfect." — Love Actually
• "It’s like at that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together." — Serendipity
• "Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy." — My Best Friend’s Wedding
• "True love is the soul's recognition of its counterpoint in another." — Wedding Crashers
• "I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone." — The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
• "It doesn’t matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other." — Good Will Hunting
• "May you never steal, lie, or cheat. But if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows. And if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life. And if you must cheat, then please cheat death. Because I couldn't live a day without you." — Leap Year
• "To love another person is to see the face of God." — Les Miserables
• "The heart’s not like a box that gets filled up. It expands in size the more you love." — Her

Religious Wedding Toast Quotes

• "Two are better than one." — Ecclesiastes 4:9
• "Through love serve one another." — Galatians 5:13 
• "I found the one whom my soul loves." — Song of Solomon 3:4
• "Follow the way of love." — I Corinthians 14:1
• "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away." — Song of Solomon 8:7
• "Deep love is stronger than life." — Jewish Proverb
• "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." — 1 John 3:18
• "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." — Genesis 2:24
• "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." — Corinthians 13:4-5
• "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." — 1 John 4:18-19
• "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." —Corinthians 13
• "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs." —Proverbs 10:12
• "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." — 1 Corinthians 13:13
• "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." — Matthew 19:6
• "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." — Romans 12:9
• "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life." —Psalm 143:8

A Guide to Wedding Reception Toasts

Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception?

How to Write a Wedding Toast

Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech

How to Write a Best Man Toast

Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech

What to Know About a Newlywed Toast

Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips

60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

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Wedding Speech Quotes That Will Turn You Into a Star

• MBA in Human Resource Development and Management, Narsee Monjee Institution of Management Studies
• B.S. in Commerce, Accounting, and Finance, University of Mumbai

Speaking in front of a crowd for any occasion needs a little prep, let alone the most important day of a couple's new life together. And giving a toast might seem like small potatoes among all of the things you have to do that day—but you still don't want to goof it up.

Whether you're the best man or maid of honor tasked with making a speech, one of the members of the happy couple wanting to honor your new love or a parent tasked with creating a touching moment, you want the words to come out right. Prevent yourself from becoming an "epic fail" meme all over social media (and you know people will be filming). Incorporate these heartfelt quotations, quick quips, or famous sayings into your wedding day speech or toast. 

Wedding Toast, From the Groom to the Bride

Here's to the prettiest, here's to the wittiest, Here's to the truest of all who are true, Here's to the neatest one, here's to the sweetest one, Here's to them, all in one—here's to you.

To the Groom

Here's to the groom , a man who keeps his head though he loses his heart.

To the Bridesmaids

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Here's to these beautiful bridesmaids.

We admire them for their beauty, respect them for their intelligence, adore them for their virtues, and love them because we can't help it.

To the Bride

May she share everything with her husband, including the housework.

She knows all about me and loves me just the same.

Wedding Toast, From the Parents of the Bride and Groom

It is written: When children find true love, parents find true joy. Here's to your joy and ours, from this day forward.

To the Gathering

Let us toast the health of the bride; Let us toast the health of the groom, Let us toast the person that tied; Let us toast every guest in the room.

To the Bride and Groom

Look down. you gods, and on this couple drop a blessed crown.

Remember that if you ever put your marital problems on the back burner, they are sure to boil over.

Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and they blossom when we love the one we married.

My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.

Marriage: A community consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves—making, in all, two.

May the roof above you never fall in and may you both never fall out.

To the lamp of love—may it burn brightest in the darkest hours and never flicker in the winds of trial.

May 'for better or worse' be far better than worse.

The man or woman you really love will never grow old to you. Through the wrinkles of time, through the bowed frame of years, You will always see the dear face and feel The warm heart union of your eternal love .

May you have many children and may they grow mature in taste and healthy in color and as sought after as the contents of the glass.

Quotes From the Famous

Rainer Maria Rilke A good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude.

Gwendolyn Brooks We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.

Jane Austen , "Pride and Prejudice" Oh, Lizzy! Do anything rather than marry without affection.

Mignon McLaughlin In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing.

Friedrich Nietzsche It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.

Franz Schubert Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage.

Elizabeth Ashley In a great romance, each person plays a part the other really likes.

George Jean Nathan Love is an emotion experienced by the many and enjoyed by the few.

Elizabeth Gilbert To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow—this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.

Robert Anderson ,  "Solitaire & Double Solitaire" In every marriage more than a week old, there are grounds for divorce. The trick is to find, and continue to find, grounds for marriage.

Sydney J. Harris Almost no one is foolish enough to imagine that he automatically deserves great success in any field of activity, yet almost everyone believes that he automatically deserves success in marriage.

Amy Grant The more you invest in a marriage, the more valuable it becomes.

Mother Teresa The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.

Paul Valery Love is being stupid together.

American Proverb You have to kiss a lot of toads before you find a handsome prince.

Dr. James C. Dobson Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without.

Franklin P. Jones Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

Kristen Kappel Love is when you look into someone's eyes and see everything you need.

Lucy Van Pelt ,  in "Peanuts," by Charles M. Schulz All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!

Tony Heath Be presidents of each other's fan clubs.

Dave Meurer A  great marriage  is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.

Madonna To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give; that takes courage. Because we don't want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt.

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The Best Wedding Toasts: 116 Wedding Toast Examples

Want to give a wedding toast? Here are the best wedding toast examples, from toasts from parents to toasts to absent friends, as well as funny best man toasts and heartfelt bride or groom ones.

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If you’re planning on giving a wedding speech , then ending with a wedding toast can be a really nice touch.

Finding the right words for a wedding toast can be tough. It completely depends on what the happy couple are like as to whether you want it to be funny, sentimental or traditional.

We’ve rounded up all our favourite wedding toasts so you’ll have lots of options. You’ll find everything from wedding toasts from parents that are ideal for the father of the bride speech, to toasts from the groom to his new spouse. If you’re a little nervous there’s plenty of short and sweet options; if you’d like something more elaborate, check out some of our rhyming toasts. Most of these traditionally refer to a bride and groom, but it’s easy to mix them up for all LGBTQ+ couples.

The toast marks the end of your speech and the chance to take a much deserved drink, so enjoy it!

If you're looking for wedding toast tips in a hurry, here are five simple and snappy wedding toasts in under one minute - feel free to borrow one of these.

Types of Wedding Toast

Click below for the best wedding toast examples:

Traditional Wedding Toasts

Funny wedding toasts, wedding toast to the newlyweds.

• Wedding Toast from Parents
• Wedding Toast to Bride
• Wedding Toast to Groom

Best Man Toasts

Wedding toast for a second marriage, wedding toast quotes.

First, let’s clear up a few questions about wedding toasts, with some expert input to help you nail ending your wedding speech with the perfect toast.

Who Toasts Who at a Wedding?

In the UK, most people raise a toast at the end of their wedding speech. In America, the wedding speeches are commonly known as toasts, but in the UK the term refers almost exclusively to a few lines at the end of the speech when the guests raise their glass and drink to the newlyweds.

The traditional wedding toast order  is the father of the bride, groom and the best man, followed by any other toasts. This is obviously for a heterosexual couple; but it's not set in stone. For all couples, including LGBTQ+ couples, you can mix speeches and toasts up however you like. 

READ MORE:  Wedding Traditions to Re-Invent for LBGTQ+ Couples

Here’s who each person traditionally toasts:

• The father of the bride toasts his daughter and the new couple 
• The groom toasts his new spouse 
• The best man toasts the bridesmaids and the new couple
• Other toasts may include the maid of honour toasting the groom

It’s totally up to the couple though how many toasts they’d like to have and who they toast to (just make sure not to make it last too long as people want to eat cake and dance!). 

"We’re so pleased that the wedding speech line-up is becoming more diverse. Couples are feeling less constrained by traditional etiquette and the usual three blokes hogging the mic is becoming less prevalent (though it’s still a popular option and could still be the right choice for you)," shares Heidi Ellert-McDermott, founder of Speechy . 

"We’ve worked with adult sons of the bride and teenage daughters of the groom! Kids and grandparents can provide some additional ‘cuteness’ and one trend we’re particularly enjoying is the rise of joint mum & dad speeches."

READ MORE: The Order of Wedding Speeches Explained

How Do You Propose a Wedding Toast?

There’s some simple things to remember when making a wedding toast. First, ensure everyone has their glass full so they can take a drink at the end, then get everyone’s attention. If you’re giving a speech that’s pretty easy to do. If not, the best way to do this isn’t clinking your Champagne glass, but instead go to the master of ceremonies and ask for the microphone.

Introduce yourself to the room and ask for their attention, for example, “Hello, I’m Mark, the bride’s brother. May I have your attention while I raise a brief toast to my lovely sister and her new wife?”

READ MORE: 21 of the Best Best Man Toasts

"If you’re one of the couple getting hitched, this is, of course, your opportunity to thank people. And it’s not just about the people who have helped you with the décor or organised the hen do, this is about the folk who have given you a lifetime of love or supported you through the single years. As a newlywed, your toast is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drop a love-bomb on the people you care about so take advantage and do it with a smile," says Heidi.

Keep your toast short. A few lines, a funny anecdote, a short poem or a quick quotation that’s either humorous or emotional is all you really need. "Don’t turn your speech into one long tedious thank you list. Make sure your thank yous are also unique, meaningful and sprinkled with humour," explains Heidi. 

At the end, either ask guests to rise if they’re seated, or to raise their glass if they’re standing, and take a sip.

If a toast is made just to one of the couple, their partner rises too (e.g. the groom will rise if a toast is made just to the bride). If it’s made to the couple, they both remain seated. 

How Do You Make a Good Wedding Toast?

A wedding toast is a few words of wishes or blessings for the newlywed couple, after which all the guests take a sip of drink in agreement. A good wedding toast is one that strikes the right balance between humour and emotion, is short and sweet, and will be remembered as a great closing to your speech. 

"We encourage everyone to include humour in their wedding toast. While no wedding speaker should be trying to deliver a stand-up routine, all speakers should aim to make their audience smile. And, not a polite smile, but a hearty involuntary one," explains Heidi. 

"When it comes to the sentimental sucker-punch, keep it real too. Think about specific things or moments that give an insight into your relationship and what it means to you."

READ MORE: 51 Toast-Worthy Quotes About Love and Marriage

The number one rule is: be clear-headed. This isn’t a chance to drunkenly slur into a microphone. Always practise what you’re going to say so it’s not an impromptu stream of words and wishes. If in any doubt, use a wedding toast quotation and just end with “To the happy couple!” You can’t go wrong with a classic – these traditional wedding toasts and wedding toast quotes below will make sure you’re never lost for words.

Who Makes a Toast to Absent Friends at a Wedding?

Typically, the first speaker will make the toast to absent friends that could not attend the wedding, with a wedding toast such as: "Please join us in raising a glass to loved ones - those who are here and those who sadly can't be with us."

116 of the Best Wedding Toast Examples

Wedding toasts have been around for centuries. Many of these traditional toasts are either proverbs or blessings from the likes of Ireland or Armenia. Use one of these for a sentimental toast, wishing a bright future on the couple. There's a lot of use of husband and wife so feel free to adapt if you're a same-sex couple.

“Here’s to the past, for all that you’ve learnt. Here’s to the present, for all that you share. Here’s to the future, for all that you’ve got to look forward to.”

“May these rich blessings be your due… A wealth of friendships, old and new, Quiet nights and busy days, time for prayer and time for praise, Some service rendered, some solace given, And gentle peace with God and heaven.”

“May thy life be long and happy, Thy cares and sorrows few; And the many friends around thee Prove faithful, fond and true.”

“May your wedding days be few and your anniversaries many.”

“Please make sure your glasses are charged and join me in toasting the new Mr and Mrs [NAME]. Ladies and gentlemen, to the bride and groom!”

“May you live as long as you like, and have all you like for as long as you live.”

“May the hinges of friendship never rust Or the wings of love lose a feather! Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and the groom May they live happily forever.”

“To the bride and groom, may the roof above you never fall in and may you both never fall out.”

“Let’s drink to love, which is nothing – unless it’s divided by two.”

“May you never steal, lie, or cheat, but if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows, and if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life, and if you must cheat, then please cheat death because I couldn’t live a day without you.”

“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?”

“Here’s to the new husband and here’s to the new wife. May they remain lovers for all of life.”

“To long life and happiness – for your life will be my happiness.”

“To the lamp of love – may it burn brightest in the darkest hours and never flicker in the winds of trial.”

“Here’s to the bride, May your hours of joy be as numerous as the petals of your bridal bouquet. Here’s to the groom, A man who keeps his head though he loses his heart.”

“Live life to the fullest – remember, this is the first day of the rest of your life.”

“Here’s to love, laughter and happily ever after. As (Groom) and (Bride) start their new life, Let’s toast the new husband and wife!”

“Let us raise our glasses to the happy couple. May you grow old on one pillow.”

“Here’s to the bride and the bridegroom, We’ll ask their success in our prayers, And through life’s dark shadows and sunshine That good luck may always be theirs.”

“May your joys be as deep as the ocean, and your troubles as light as its foam.”

(A toast to grandparents) “Let us raise our glasses And then imbibe To the splendid couple Who founded this tribe.”

READ MORE: 45 Funny, Romantic and Wise Love Quotes

Not every couple wants mushy wedding speeches or a soppy toast. If they love a laugh, a funny wedding toast might be much more reflective of their personalities. Just read the room first! Whether you go for a funny one liner wedding toast or a witty poem, we’ve got lots more funny wedding toasts you can explore, but these ones below are our favourites. Switch them up if you're a same-sex couple.

“Raise your glasses to both [daughter’s partner] and me as we’ve each gained something this fine and blessed day. S/he gains a wife and a companion for life – while I gain a whole new stack of bills to pay.”

“To the two secrets to a long-lasting happy marriage: Here’s to a good sense of humour –and a short memory!”

“Before we raise a glass to the newlyweds, I’d like to share a Pauline Thomason quote with you: ‘Love is blind – marriage is the eye-opener.’ To the happy couple!”

“May our children be blessed with rich parents!”

“Here’s to you and here’s to me, I hope we never disagree, But if, perchance, we ever do, Then here’s to me, to hell with you.”

“[Groom] stole [bride’s] heart, so she stole his last name. All in all, I would say that things worked out quite nicely. Let us toast to these lovebirds on their wedding day.”

“Congratulations on the termination of your isolation and may I express an appreciation of your determination to end the desperation and frustration which has caused you so much consternation in giving you the inspiration to make a combination to bring an accumulation to the population.”

“[BRIDE] and [GROOM], before I finish, I’d like you to turn to face each other. You’re now looking into the eyes of the person who is statistically most likely to murder you. To the bride and groom!”

“To keep a marriage brimming with love in the loving cup- When you are wrong, admit it and when you are right, shut up!”

“May all your ups and downs come only in the bedroom.”

“To the bride – may she share everything with her husband, including the housework!”

“Before we raise our glasses to the happy couple, I’d like to make a toast to wives and lovers everywhere – may they never, ever cross paths!”

“I have known many, Liked not a few, Loved only one – I toast to you.”

“For one more time, I’m going to ask everyone to charge their glasses and – for those who still can – stand, and raise a glass to the newlyweds”

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

READ MORE: 35 Genuinely Funny Best Man Speech Jokes

Craig Preston Photography

Any of the toasts on this page could be used for the newlyweds, but this pick are more modern toasts that can be given quickly to round off a speech. Short and sweet doesn’t mean they’re without sentiment – the newlyweds will love these! If you want to write your own, focus on words like adventure, future, happiness, love; these are the hopes you want to pass on. Once again, these are bride and groom heavy so mix them up for same-sex couples.

“A toast: may all sweethearts become married couples, and may all married couples remain sweethearts.”

“The man or woman you really love will never grow old to you. Through the wrinkles of time, through the bowed frame of years, you will always see the dear face and feel the warm heart union of your eternal love.” Alfred A. Montapert

“To the bride and groom – may we all be invited to your golden wedding celebrations.”

“They say you don’t marry the person you can live with, you marry the person you can’t live without. That sums up [NAME] and [NAME] perfectly. To the happy couple!”

“To the bride and groom, may I wish you health, may I wish you happiness, may I wish you wealth – and everything else you could wish for.”

“May your love always be added. May it never be subtracted. May your household multiply and may your hearts never be divided!”

“Watching [bride] and [groom] together has renewed my faith in true love. I am so honoured to be a part of this special day. Let us toast to the two people who have brought all of us together in this room today.”

“May ‘for better or worse’ be far better than worse.”

“Here’s to the bride that is to be, here’s to the groom she’ll wed, May all their troubles be light as bubbles Or the feathers that make up their bed! ”

“To the lovely bride and groom, here are my wishes for you. May you always have a place to call home and may you always be surrounded by those you love.”

“Here’s to marriage, that happy estate that resembles a pair of scissors: ‘So joined that they cannot be separated, often moving in opposite directions, yet punishing anyone who comes between them.'” Sydney Smith

“May you have love, health, and wealth, but most importantly, may you have the time to enjoy them all.”

“Love believes, endures, and hopes. And above all things, love never fails. Let us all raise a glass to [bride,] [groom,] and the unfaltering love that they share.”

“To be able to find your soul mate is a true blessing. Let us raise a glass to the bride and groom. Thank you for sharing your blessing of happiness with all of us.”

“Rich or poor, quick or slow, may you know nothing but happiness from this day on.”

“May all your hopes and dreams come true, and may the memory of this day become dearer with each passing year.”

READ MORE: How to Deliver a Memorable Wedding Speech

Wedding Toasts From Parents

Fiona Kelly Photography

Whether it’s the father of the bride or another parent who wants to toast their child’s marriage, one of these toasts from parents will do the trick. They perfectly emphasise how happy, proud and touched you are to be part of this important day.

“It is written: when children find true love, parents find true joy. Here’s to your joy and ours, from this day forward.”

“Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and they blossom when we love the one we married.”

“Before I take a seat I have one last task to perform, and it’s a task that is both my honour and my privilege. Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses and join with me in wishing the newlyweds a long, healthy and very happy future together. To [Bride and partner]!”

“To the man who has conquered the bride’s heart, and her mother’s.”

“To you both, it’s worth bearing in mind that neither of you will ever be perfect, but you can be perfect together.”

“Here’s to the groom, a man who keeps his head even as he loses his heart.”

“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings. Here is to you soaring together.”

“May you be friends to each other as only lovers can, and may you love each other as only best friends can.”

“May your love be modern enough to survive the times and old-fashioned enough to last forever.”

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

“May the future hold your happiness. May the future hold your health. May your heart hold your love, and may your arms hold your babies, yet to come. Here’s to your future happiness together!”

“Here’s to health and prosperity, to you and all your posterity.”

“May the light of friendship guide your paths together. May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home. May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.”

READ MORE: 23 Tear-Jerking Father of the Bride Speech Quotes and Toasts

Wedding Toast to the Bride

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Traditionally the groom will end his speech by raising a glass to his new partner. The key is to tell her how beautiful she looks and how much you look forward to your new life together. These still work perfectly for an lesbian couple.

“We have been through the better and worse (not always the better prevailed) We’ve seen the richer and poorer (the latter is most often sailed) The sickness has outrun the health (which often has caused much ado) So now I pledge to you my heart, till death do us part, And pray all our dreams will come true!”

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Here’s to you, my beautiful bride. John Keats

“Here’s to the woman that’s good and sweet, Here’s to the woman that’s true, Here’s to the woman that rules my heart, In other words, here’s to you.”

“Every day you look lovelier and lovelier, and today you look like tomorrow.”

“To my wife, my bride and joy.”

“Here’s to the prettiest, here’s to the wittiest, Here’s to the truest of all who are true, Here’s to the neatest one, here’s to the sweetest one, Here’s to them, all in one – here’s to you.”

“Because I love you truly, Because you love me, too, My very greatest happiness Is sharing life with you.”

“To my bride: she knows all about me and loves me just the same.”

“May I see you grey and combing your grandchildren’s hair.”

“Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.”

“Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss within the cup, And I’ll not look for wine.” Ben Jonson

“Here’s to you and here’s to me, I hope we never disagree, But if, perchance. we ever do, Then here’s to me, to hell with you.”

READ MORE: 36 Groom Jokes That’ll Leave Guests in Stitches

Wedding Toast to the Groom

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The bride doesn’t traditionally give a toast but she may choose to add her own. If you do, use one of these or any of the traditional or funny toasts can be adapted to suit your relationship. Again, these are ideal for a groom to say to his groom.

“May we never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten.”

READ MORE: The Ultimate Guide to Giving a Bride Speech

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Best man toasts deserve their own section as this toast will traditionally close out the speeches. You can be much funnier than the groom or father of the bride so make sure you read the funny wedding toasts above too. Also, you can give these an easy and quick switch-up for a same-sex couple.

“To my best friend and his beautiful bride: the new Mr and Mrs [NAME].”

“I’d like you all to join me in wishing the new Mr and Mrs [NAME] all the wealth, health and happiness in the world. To the bride and groom.”

“Raise your glass and join me in a toast, to [NAME] and [NAME] – may you always be friends as well as lovers.”

“To the two things that make a great marriage – having a good sense of humour and selective hearing. To [NAME] and [NAME]!”

“Part of the best man speech involves a toast and for me, the best kind of toast is French toast. So, buvons à ce couple heureux!”

“To [NAME] and [NAME] – we all knew [GROOM’S NAME] had found the one when he started spending more time with [BRIDE’S NAME] than he did playing on his Xbox! It’s wonderful to see them both so happy together – let’s drink to that!”

“It’s been a privilege to be their best man – everyone please join me in raising their glasses to the happy couple.”

READ MORE: 21 Funny Ways to Start Your Best Man’s Speech

It’s not always easy to know what to say when someone has been married before. The most important rule is to not mention their previous partner or badmouth that marriage. Focus on this new union and the prospects it brings. 

“In the words of Samuel Johnson, ‘Here’s to a second marriage – the triumph of hope over experience.'”

“Wedlock’s like wine, not properly judged of till the second glass.” Douglas William Jerrold

“Please can everyone join me in toasting two young – well, quite young anyway – people in love.”

READ MORE: The Rules for What to Wear to Your Second Wedding

The format for delivering a quote as party of your toast should go something like this: “To [NAME] and [NAME] – here’s an Antoine de Saint-Exupery quote to finish on: ‘Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.’ To the happy couple!”

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Mignon McLaughlin

If there is such a thing as a good marriage it is because it resembles friendship rather than love. Michel E. de Montaigne

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves. Victor Marie Hugo

A wife is essential for great longevity: she is the receptacle of half a man’s cares and two-thirds of his ill-humor. Charles Reade

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. George Sand

Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife. Franz Schubert

True love stands by each other’s side on good days and stands closer on bad days.

You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. Dr Seuss

The greatest marriages are built on teamwork. A mutual respect, a healthy dose of admiration, and a never-ending portion of love and grace. Fawn Weaver

A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences. Dave Meurer

A perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other.

To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to be loved by the person you love is everything.

If you live to be a hundred, I wish to live a hundred minus one, so I never have to live without you. Winnie the Pooh

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Grow old with me. The best is yet to be The last of life for which the first was made. Robert Browning

Look down you gods, And on this couple drop a blessed crown. The Tempest – William Shakespeare

I drink to the general joy of the whole table. Macbeth – William Shakespeare

When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. When Harry Met Sally

READ MORE: 35 of the Most Romantic Quotes From Literature

If you’re looking for even more quotes for your toast, we have inspiring quotes about love ; our favourite romantic quotes from movies ; the best Disney wedding quotes and magical Harry Potter wedding quotes !

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Wedding Toasts — 101 of the Best Love Quotes

The Different Types of Wedding Toasts

For best men, being able to wear a custom suit to a wedding is great, but delivering a wedding toast is right up there with waterboarding on their list of tortures. They take all of the anxiety of public speaking, add in the expectation that you display some heartfelt emotions (maybe even choke up a little) while sprinkling in a few one-liners and turn the whole thing into one of the most fear-inducing elements of being a part of a wedding.

But while writing a wedding toast represents one of the biggest hurdles a best man must leap, there is a way to lower the hurdle. As the copywriting guru, Joanna Wiebe says “only rookies write from scratch.” When it comes to your speech, you don’t have to create the whole thing from scratch. A good love quote can be the center of your whole toast and set you up to take your speech in just about any direction. We’ve gathered 101 of the best love quotes out there and sorted them by theme to get you started.

Wedding Toasts to Poke Fun

• “A man is incomplete until he’s married. After that, he’s finished.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor
• “Love is blind — marriage is the eye-opener.” – Pauline Thomason
• “A good marriage is like a casserole, only those responsible for it really know what goes in it.” – Anonymous
• “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

For the groom who’s kind of a wise-ass: “The man who says his wife can’t take a joke forgets that she took him.” – Oscar Wilde

• “Marriage is not just a spiritual communion, it is also remembering to take out the trash.” – Joyce Brothers
• “Always remember to fight with two words, ‘Yes Dear’.” – Anonymous
• “Love: a temporary insanity curable by marriage.” – Ambrose Bierce
• “A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores.” – Terry Pratchett
• “The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret.” – Henny Youngman

Wedding Toasts for Quirky Couples

• “Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner.” – Amy Bloom
• “People are weird. When we find someone with weirdness that is compatible with ours, we team up and call it love.” – Dr. Seuss
• “If it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts.” – Leo Tolstoy
• “Love is the greatest refreshment in life.” – Pablo Picasso
• “Love loves to love love.” – James Joyce

For the couple that’s been together a long time: “Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Wedding Toasts with Classic Blessings

• “May your love be like the misty rain, gentle coming in but flooding the river.” – Traditional African Blessing
• “May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, The sunshine warm upon your face, The rain fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.” – Irish blessing
• “May their joys be as deep as the ocean, And their misfortunes as light as the foam.” – Armenian Blessing
• “Let’s drink to love, which is nothing—unless it’s divided by two.” – Irish blessing

For the older couple: “A heart that loves is always young.” – Greek Proverb

• “Try to reason about love and you will lose your reason.” – French proverb
• “May your love be modern enough to survive the times but old-fashioned enough to last forever.” – Anonymous
• “When love reigns, the impossible may be attained.” – Indian Proverb
• “No road is long with good company.” – Turkish proverb

Wedding Toasts for Life Lessons

• “All that a husband or wife really wants is to be pitied a little, praised a little, and appreciated a little.” – Oliver Goldsmith
• “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” – Tom Bodett
• “Love one another and you will be happy; it is as simple and as difficult as that.” – Michael Leunig
• “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.” – Barbara Johnson

For the couple who only recently met: “Love is not about how many days, weeks, or months you’ve been together, it’s all about how much you love each other every day.” – Anonymous

• “Love is a present, so open it happily.” – Sepatu Usang
• “Whenever you’re wrong, admit it; whenever you’re right, shut up.” – Ogden Nash
• “If you would be loved, love and be lovable.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “True love is wealth…with it, you need nothing else.” – Samuel T. Doyle
• “Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage.” – Allan K. Chalmers

Wedding Toasts With Timeless Quotes

• “Where there is love there is life.” – Mohandas Gandhi
• “Who, being loved, is poor?” – Oscar Wilde
• “To the world, you may be one person, but to one person you are the world.” – Bill Wilson
• “Love doesn’t make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
• “At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.” – Plato
• “Love is life.” – Leo Tolstoy
• “Love is all you need.” – The Beatles
• “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

For the multilingual couple: “So many ways to say, ‘I love you’, never enough to say how much.” – Cameron Rand

• “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” – Victor Borge
• “Love is an emotion experienced by the many and enjoyed by the few.” – Anonymous
• “Once you have learned to love, you have learned to live.” – Anonymous
• “A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” – Charles Dickens
• “He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open.” – Rabindranath Tagore
• “Laughter is the language of the soul.” – Pablo Neruda

Wedding Toasts About Happiness

For the conservative couple: “There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” – Ronald Reagan

• “Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.” – Rabbi H. Schachtel
• “Marriage is the most natural state of man and the state in which you will find solid happiness.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” – Robert A. Heinlein
• “There is only one happiness in life – to love and be loved.” – George Sand
• “Happiness is only real when shared.” – Jon Krakauer

Weeding Toasts With Sappy Quotes

• “A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases: it will never pass into nothingness.” – John Keats
• “You never lose by loving.” – Barbara De Angelis
• “Love is a moment that lasts forever.” – Julie Wittey
• “Love that is true never grows old.” – Elben Bano
• “Love reminds you that nothing else matters.” – Amy Bushell
• “Love is a decision not an emotion or feeling, that if made from the heart, will outlast anything..” – Samantha Juarez

For the groom who’s man enough to admit he’s been to a Celine Dion concert: “Love can touch us one time and last for a lifetime, and never let go till we’re gone.” – Celine Dion

• “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love.” – Sophocles
• “Love is like the wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it.” – Nicholas Sparks
• “Real love stories never have endings.” – Richard Bach
• “Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you.” – Loretta Young
• “Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.” – Alexander Smith

Wedding Toasts About Passion

• “A great flame follows a little spark.” – Dante Alighieri
• “Love must be as much a light as it is a flame.” – Henry David Thoreau
• “Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.” – Bruce Lee
• “Love is like a blazing flame, golden and full of warmth.” – Ben Oliver
• “Romance is the fuel that keeps love burning hot.” – Rusty Silvey

For the intellectual couple: “There is always some madness in love, but there is also always some reason in madness.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

• “We are most alive when we’re in love.” – John Updike
• “Love: a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker.” – Anonymous
• “Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.” – Rose Franken

Wedding Toasts for the Perfect Pair

• “To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” – Mark Twain
• “It doesn’t matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other.” – Good Will Hunting
• “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with a person, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – When Harry Met Sally
• “A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other…Maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever.” – Dave Matthews
• “To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, that’s everything.” – Themis Tolis
• “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For the world traveler couple: “Only one is a wanderer; two together are always going somewhere.” – Vertigo

• “The bond of two people’s love cannot be broken. Bend it, twist it, do what you will with it; If it is true love then the sun will rise another day.” – Cody Heller
• “When two people fall in love…two souls have found a missing part.” – Ben Heap
• “Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.” – Karl Menninger
• “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” – Emily Brontë
• “What’s meant to be will always find a way.” – Trisha Yearwood
• “True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” – Anonymous

Wedding Toasts with Fate

• “We are all born for love. It is the principle of existence and its only end.” – Benjamin Disraeli
• “Love is not in our choice but in our fate.” – John Dryden
• “Live for love. Without love, you don’t live.” – Anonymous
• “If a thing loves, it is infinite.” – William Blake
• “Grow old with me. The best is yet to be — the last of life for which the first was made.” – Robert Browning

For the high school sweetheart couple: “The word forever seems like a long time, but if you’re with the person you love then forever isn’t long enough.” – Daniel Martinez

• “We love because it’s the only true adventure.” – Nikki Giovanni
• “Love is something you can’t describe, like the look of a rose, the smell of the rain, or the feeling of forever.” – Kristen Kappel
• “Love is more than a feeling; it’s a state of mind.” – Lisa Grude
• “You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes everywhere in the world.” – David Levesque

Using these as a jumping off point, you’re ready to rock the mic in your wedding toast. Be sure to rock the sickest look too. After all, when you’re delivering that toast you want to put your best foot forward, right? We’ve got you covered with sharp outfits for any wedding dress code .

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5 thoughts on “Wedding Toasts — 101 of the Best Love Quotes”

very good post, i certainly love this web site, keep on it

Glad to be of service!

Frequently, at a wedding, I will say, “May this be the least happy day of your lives .”

That’s a nice twist. Well done.

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In This Article

Best Wedding Toast Quotes

• Traditional Toast Quotes

Classic Wedding Toast Quotes

• Funny Toast Quotes

Religious Toast Quotes

• Famous Toast Quotes
• Toast Quotes To the Bride or Groom
• Toast Quotes To Parents
• Maid of Honor Toast Quotes

Frequently Asked Questions

• Wedding Party & Reception

Sweet Wedding Toast Quotes for Every Type of Wedding

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Lots of people get nervous when asked to give wedding speeches, so don’t feel out of place if you do. Standing in front of an audience and speaking is never easy, but we do it still. Well, something that could improve your toast or even make it easier is wedding toast quotes.

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The right quote can not only take away all the pressure, it could make your toast more tasteful. If you are not sure where to start with good quotes for a wedding toast, allow this list of sample quotes to help you along.

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A wedding toast is a special moment in the celebration of a couple’s union. It’s an opportunity to share your thoughts, wishes, and sentiments about the happy couple, and it should be done with care. To help you craft the perfect wedding toast, here are some of the best quotes and sayings that will make your words shine on this special day.

• “Please raise your glasses and join me in wishing the new couple good health, endless wealth, and all the happiness they wish themselves.”
• “To the bride and groom. May your marriage be one of love and happiness and may you forever dwell in each other’s arms.”
• “I’d like you all to join me in wishing all the wealth, health, and happiness in the world to the new Mr and Mrs [NAME]. To the bride and groom.”
• “To the new couple and two things that make a great marriage – selective hearing and a good sense of humor. To the bride and groom!”
• “They say you should marry the person you can’t live without, not the person you can live with. That sums up [NAME] and [NAME] perfectly. To the happy couple!”
• “To my best friend in the world and his magnificent bride: the new Mr and Mrs [NAME].”
• “Do raise your glasses and join me in a toast, to [NAME] and [NAME] – may you always be to each other friends as well as lovers.”
• “Let’s drink to the happy couple. May this journey you have begun together be one of love, wealth and happiness!”
• “To [NAME] and [NAME] – I have never seen my friend as happy as he has been since he met [NAME]. May this happiness continue forever – to endless happiness!”
• “Everyone join me in toasting the happy couple. It has been a privilege being your best man, and watching you happy in love.”

Traditional Wedding Toast Quotes

Whether you’re giving best man or maid of honor wedding toast quotes at a traditional wedding, it’s a good idea to stick with conventional wedding toast quotes and not color outside the lines. Below are a few examples.

• “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
• “Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi.
• “There is only one happiness in life; To love and be loved.” – George Sand.
• “The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.” – Julia Child.
• “The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” – Rick Warren.
• “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” – Andre Maurois.
• “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.” – Oscar Wilde.
• “You don’t marry the person you can live with—you marry the person you can’t live without.” – Unknown.
• “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn.
• “May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day in paradise.” – Rumi.

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Sometimes the best wedding toast quotes are the classics that you can always rely on. They have the best words and can be suited to any type of couple or wedding.

• “The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.” Julia Child
• “Where there is love there is life.” Mahatma Gandhi
• “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” Andre Maurois
• “There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.” Martin Luther
• “There is only one happiness in life: To love and be loved.” George Sand
• “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• “Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.” Oscar Wilde
• “The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” Rick Warren
• “May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day in paradise.” Rumi
• “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” The Alchemist

Funny Wedding Toast Quotes

Tasteful humor is always good. So, for some comic relief, you could consider using any number of funny wedding toast quotes to toast the marriage. Such as the ones below.

• “Marriages are made in heaven. But so again, are thunder and lightning.” – Clint Eastwood.
•  “It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” – Rita Rudner.
• “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterward.” – Benjamin Franklin.
• “My husband and I have never considered divorce … murder sometimes, but never divorce.” – Dr. Joyce Brothers.
• “Marry a man your own age; as your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.” – Phyllis Diller.
• “May she share everything with her husband, including the housework.” – Unknown Proverb.
• “By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll be happy. If you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.” – Socrates.
• “Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?” – Groucho Marx.
• “Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed.” – Albert Einstein.
• “Getting married is like trading the adoration of many for the sarcasm of one.” – Mae West.

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To honor a traditional or religious wedding, you could use quotes from a religious book. For instance. bible quotes for a wedding toast of a Christian couple would be most appreciated.

•  “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19
• “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.” Song of Solomon 8:7
•  “Two are better than one.” Ecclesiastes 4:9
• “Through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13
• “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24
• “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” Corinthians 13:4-5
• “I found the one whom my soul loves.” Song of Solomon 3:4
• “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12
• “So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:6
• “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9

Famous Wedding Toast Quotes

A wedding with a classic or vintage theme could do with some old-school quotes and wedding toasts from movie classics. It would be even cooler and nostalgic when the guests recognize the quotes or try to guess who said them.

• “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – Moulin Rouge.
• “To me, you are perfect.” – Love Actually.
• “It’s like at that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together.” – Serendipity.
• “May you never steal, lie or cheat. But if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows. And if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life. And if you must cheat, then please cheat death. Because I couldn’t live a day without you.” – Leap Year.
• “True love is the soul’s recognition of its counterpoint in another.” – Wedding Crashers.
• “I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
• “Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy.” – My Best Friend’s Wedding
•  “It doesn’t matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other.” – Good Will Hunting.
• “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” –  When Harry Met Sally.
• “To love another person is to see the face of God.” – Les Miserables.

To the Bride or Groom Toast Quotes

lucy_till_french_weddings via Instagram

It’s a wedding and the main focus will always be on the couple, so they will get the majority of the toast. Finding unique wedding toast quotes that would be the right amount of sentimental or funny can be challenging sometimes. Here are a few that could inspire you.

• “May the light of friendship guide your paths together. May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home. May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips and a twinkle from your eye.”
• “My wish is that your marriage will be a thing of beauty and a joy forever, always as beautiful as you are today, [Bride]. And may the loveliness of your marriage increase with each year. Here’s to the bride and groom.”
• “May there be a generation of children on the children of your children.”
• “May your joys be as deep as the ocean and your troubles as light as its foam.”

“May your love be modern enough to survive the times and old-fashioned enough to last forever.”

• “May I see you gray And combing your grandchildren’s hair.”
• “Here’s to a sweetheart, a bottle, and a friend. The first beautiful, the second full, the last ever faithful.”
• “Here’s to the groom, a man who kept his head even while he lost his heart.”
• “May all your hopes and dreams come true and may the memory of this day become dearer with each passing year.”
•  “May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.”

To Parents Wedding Toast Quotes

• Sometimes kids or dependents are required to give a toast at their parents’ wedding. And it’s normal to be overcome with nerves or not know what to say. Here are a few wedding speech toast quotes you could consider.
• “Let your love endure beyond the last sunset.”
• “May thy life be long and happy, thy cares and sorrows few; and the many friends around thee prove faithful, fond, and true. May your voyage through life be as happy and as free as the dancing waves on the deep blue sea.”
• “May your heart be warm and happy with the lilt of loud laughter every day in every way, and forever and ever after.”
• “May you grow old together on one pillow.”
• “May God be with you and bless you.”
• “But rich or poor, quick or slow, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.”
• “May your heart be light and happy. May your smile be big and wide. And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside.”
• “May you have love, health, and wealth, but most importantly, may you have the time to enjoy them all.”
• “May you both live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.”

Maid of Honor Wedding Toast Quotes

phuket_wedding_planner via Instagram

Writing a Maid of Honor wedding toast can be a delightful and personal task. Here are some quotes and ideas you might consider incorporating into your speech:

“Love is not just looking at each other; it’s looking in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“A good friend knows all your best stories, but a best friend has lived them with you.”

“Marriage is like a roller coaster – it has its ups and downs, but it’s a hell of a ride!”

“May your love be like the wind – strong enough to move the clouds, soft enough to never hurt, but always never-ending.”

“From the giggles during late-night talks to the shared secrets and countless adventures, I’ve witnessed the beautiful journey of your love.”

“May your love continue to be a shining example for all of us, a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of true love.”

What to say in a wedding toast

The following steps give you an outline that can help when writing your toast .

• Express your happiness for the couple.
• Share a brief, meaningful anecdote or memory.
• Compliment their love and compatibility.
• Offer a toast to their future happiness.

What is a good short wedding toast?

“To love, laughter, and a lifetime of joy together. Cheers to the newlyweds!”

What is a good toast quote?

“May your love be as endless as your happiness, as deep as your commitment, and as timeless as the bond you share.”

If you are going to sweat it giving a toast, it might as well be a good one. This is where wedding toast quotes come in. The right quotes can turn your wedding toast into perfection, using the perfect words to celebrate your loved ones.

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Love and marriage quotes for your wedding speeches and vows

Easy Weddings

If you’re writing your wedding speech or wedding vows and are suffering from writer’s block, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel. Why not just ‘borrow’ a little inspiration from writers, actors, poets and, even, politicians of years gone by?

Here are some of our favourite love and marriage quotes that you can pepper around your vows and speeches.

“Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow–this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

“If I get married, I want to be very married.”  Audrey Hepburn

“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate then when I fall asleep your eyes close.”

– Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. ”

– Dr. Seuss

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

“I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.” – Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“If I had a flower for every time thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” – Alfred Tennyson

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness–and call it love–true love.”

– Robert Fulghum, True Love

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.” – Zelda Fitzgerald

“What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life–to strength each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?” – George Eliot

“We loved with a love that was more than love.” – Edgar Allan Poe

“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.” – Plato

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – When Harry Met Sally

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”

– Marilyn Monroe

“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven

“Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” – Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

“What is Love? I have met in the streets a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, the water passed through his shoes and the stars through his soul.” – Victor Hugo

“When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew.” – Arrigo Boito

“Who, being loved, is poor?” – Oscar Wilde

“A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” – Dave Meurer

“There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.” – Martin Luther

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” – Henry David Thoreau

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10 Short and Sweet Quotes to Use for a Wedding Toast

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Modern weddings require an extraordinary amount of work -- and it's not just the bride and her mother making all the plans. Members of the wedding party are expected to propose a toast, and a simple "To your health!" won't do.

On a day when your closest friends or family members are getting married, you want to offer eloquence, wit and maybe just a touch of sage advice as you toast the happy couple. But not everyone has a way with words. Add in a healthy fear of public speaking, and it's easy to see why so many people struggle to compose a meaningful toast.

While most toasts are directed at the bride and groom, the newlyweds may toast the bridesmaids and groomsmen, as well as their parents. This means that everyone from the best man to the bride herself may be struggling to put together the perfect wedding-day toast.

Rather than trying to write an entirely original toast, why not build your speech around a quote from a noted figure? A timeless quote keeps guests engaged and staves off boredom, and you'll only need to add a few heartfelt words of your own to create the perfect toast. Use one of our 10 favorite quotes to find the inspiration you need to toast your family and friends in style.

• Quote the Great Bard
• For the Father of the Bride
• Offer Advice for Wedded Bliss
• Balance Wit and Wisdom to Toast the Bride
• Share a Religious Verse
• Laugh with the Good-humored Bride
• Share Classic Wisdom
• Remind Them That Marriage Takes Persistence
• Celebrate All That's Still to Come

10: Quote the Great Bard

My heart is ever at your service.

-William Shakespeare

It may be short, but this quote from the famous playwright displays a powerful sense of poignancy. Not only does it perfectly capture the love and optimism of your wedding day, but it also speaks volumes above what any love poem ever could about devotion and commitment. What could any newlywed want more than a well-worded declaration of service and commitment?

Brides and grooms can use this quote to toast each other and offer a sweet, sincere alternative to the traditional rambling wedding toast. And because Shakespeare's name is almost universally recognized, this quote will help you grab your guests' attention after they've been sitting through a long round of toasts and speeches.

9: For the Father of the Bride

It is written, when children find true love, parents find true joy. Here's to your joy and ours from this day forward.

It's hard to find anyone more emotional than the bride and groom on their wedding day, unless it's their parents. Weddings are a loaded time for moms and dads, who experience a wide range of emotions watching their children prepare for a new life. This quote provides a way to toast the new couple and express joy for the choices a son or daughter has made and the person he or she has become. The words are full of warmth and love, but they're not so sentimental that guests will have to break out the tissues. Parents can combine this quote with a few favorite memories, or skip the reminiscing to keep the toast short and sweet.

8: Offer Advice for Wedded Bliss

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

If you're relieved to be done with the wedding planning (and halfway through the reception!), it's easy to forget that the real work hasn't even started yet.

Marriage is a work in progress, and the feelings and attractions that brought you together early on in your relationship are unlikely to hold you together as you mature and your lifestyle changes. Parents or grandparents who incorporate this quote into a toast can offer a gentle reminder that marriage is about growing old together and developing common goals and beliefs.

Saint-Exupéry's famous quote also makes the perfect starting point for toasts between the bride and groom. Promise that you'll build a future together, and that you'll always honor his or her needs and point of view.

7: Balance Wit and Wisdom to Toast the Bride

May she share everything with her husband, including the housework.

-Unknown Proverb

Forget flowers and chocolates -- what most women really want is for their husbands to do the dishes! The classic housewife role has fallen by the wayside as more women work outside of the home. Modern couples eschew traditional gender roles, and it's becoming more common for men and women to share financial burdens and household duties equally.

This quote will elicit a laugh from your guests, but it also provides good advice for the newlyweds. It reminds the bride to ask her husband for help and lets the groom know that he shares responsibility for maintaining the home. Bridesmaids, parents and friends can use this quote to toast the bride, but you shouldn't use it as an excuse to pick on the groom. Keep the tone light, and end with a heartfelt sentiment to balance out your sense of humor.

6: Share a Religious Verse

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.

-1 Corinthians 13:7

Emphasize the deep spiritual nature of a wedding with a quote from the New Testament. Traditional verses like this one allow you to celebrate religion and the role it plays in marriage even if the bride and groom don't share your faith.

At its heart, this quote simply reminds the couple that marriage takes work, optimism and commitment through good times and bad. It paints such a complete picture of marriage that there's no need to add your own sentiments or anecdotes unless you want to. A simple congratulations and a raise of the glass will complement this quote perfectly, fulfilling the toasting duties of parents, friends or other guests.

5: Go Greek

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

Who knew Socrates was a comedian? You'll amuse guests by showing them just how relevant this ancient Greek philosopher can be in our modern times. Just as Socrates was able to balance wit and wisdom, so, too, can a heartfelt toast. Parents, friends and even the best man can choose this quote to toast the groom on his wise decision to marry (and to applaud the perfect partner he picked!).

The groom can also make use of Socrates' words to toast his new bride at the reception or rehersal dinner. Add a sweet touch by daring to disagree with the great philosopher. Remind your guests that a good wife doesn't just make you happy -- the important lessons she teaches you about life, love and leaving the toilet seat down could turn any man into a philosopher.

4: Laugh with the Good-humored Bride

Sexiness wears thin after a while, and beauty fades. But to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat.

-Joanne Woodward

It's hard to argue with this piece of advice from movie star Joanne Woodward. After all, her marriage to the late, great Paul Newman spanned four decades. In this quote, she shares the secret to a happy marriage: It's all about a good sense of humor.

New couples face plenty of challenges in the early days of marriage. What better way to move past newlywed squabbles than learn to laugh about them? This is the perfect quote for a toast by the bridesmaids to the happy couple as they remind their friends what will build a lasting relationship.

This quote also gives the bride an opportunity to celebrate her new groom's sense of humor. Witty, heartfelt quotes like this one help to keep toasts light and happy (and keep tears and heavy sentiment at bay).

3: Share Classic Wisdom

There's nothing more admirable than two people who see eye to eye keeping house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.

As true today as it was 3,000 years ago, this quote by the ancient Greek writer is a testament to marriage. Just as contemporary couples rely on love to build a successful marriage, their predecessors shared the same goals, dreams, struggles and sense of loving commitment.

Homer's words are universal and can be used in toasts given by parents, friends, or even the bride and groom themselves. It also stands on its own as a celebration of marriage. After all, what better goal could a married couple have than to keep a comfortable house, unite against troubles and share love and friendship? Keep your toast simple, and wrap up this quote with, "We're delighted to share this day with you and look forward to the future."

2: Remind Them That Marriage Takes Persistence

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

-Mignon McLaughlin

This quote is appropriate whether you're the mother of the groom or the bride's best friend. It's equal parts warmth and wit, adding a touch of humor to a very serious sentiment. McLaughlin, an American journalist known for her highly quotable works, enjoyed a long marriage to fellow writer Robert McLaughlin.

Her words caution the bride and groom that there are times to come that will challenge their union. Even in the most successful marriages, there are times of doubt, but what holds couples together is an underlying love for each other.

Personalize this quote with an anecdote of your own experiences, or a piece of advice for keeping the love strong over the years. This type of sentiment is particularly poignant coming from someone who's been part of a long marriage, such as parents or grandparents.

1: Celebrate All That's Still to Come

Grow old with me. The best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made.

-Robert Browning

Not everyone can be a poet, but you can borrow a verse from one of the best for your wedding day toast. Victorian poet Robert Browning left hundreds of written works, but it's perhaps this quote for which he was best known. His words hint at the memories still to come, of children, goals and a shared future with limitless opportunity. It's particularly relevant today, when many couples separate before reaching old age. When your chances for success are relatively small, what's more romantic than vowing that your union will last?

It's hard to imagine a more beautiful and romantic image than an elderly couple rocking on the front porch after a long, fulfilling marriage. Anyone can get married, but it takes true love to stay together until the end.

Lots More Information

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• The Coalition for Marriage. Couples and Family Education. "Marriage Quotes." (Aug. 13, 2010).http://www.smartmarriages.com/marriage.quotes.html
• Dickson, Paul. "Toasts." The Crown Publishing Group, New York, 1991.
• Warner, Diane. "Complete Book of Wedding Toasts." The Career Press, New Jersey, 1997

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

25 Marriage Advice Quotes For Wedding Speeches

From audrey hepburn to rumi, a list of our very favourite famous quotes about love....

There's a lot of things to consider when it comes to preparing a wedding speech for your friend or family member's special day. Will you make it funny? What do you open with? Should you take a sentimental route? There are so many directions you can go with writing a speech!

For those wanting to tug at the heartstrings, a bit of sweet advice for the happy couple can make for a great addition and make a memorable speech. To make things a tad easier, we've compiled 20 of our favourite famous marriage advice quotes for wedding speeches to help you do just that!

1. “When you give each other everything, it becomes an even trade. Each wins all." - Lois McMaster Bujold

2. “In every marriage more than a week old, there are grounds for divorce. The trick is to find, and continue to find, grounds for marriage." - Robert Anderson

3. “Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation." - Oscar Wilde

4. "Is the love good?" "Is the silence good?" - Pavarotti

5. “The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.” - Julia Child

6. “Marriage is a risk; I think it’s a great and glorious risk, as long as you embark on the adventure in the same spirit.” - Cate Blanchett

7. “What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life- to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?”- George Eliot

8. “To find someone who will love you for no reason, and to shower that person with reasons, that is the ultimate happiness.” - Robert Brault

9. "The great marriages are partnerships. It can't be a great marriage without being a partnership." - Helen Mirren

10. “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” - Ruth Bell Graham

11. “To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” - Mark Twain

12. “The greatest marriages are built on teamwork. A mutual respect, a healthy dose of admiration, and a never-ending portion of love and grace.” - Fawn Weaver

13. "Marriage has no guarantees. If that's what you're looking for, go live with a car battery." - Erma Bombeck

14. "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." - Mignon McLaughlin

15. "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage."- Lao Tzu

16. “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

17. "Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do. It's the way you love your partner every day." - Barbara De Angelis

18. “A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” - Dave Meurer

19. “A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.” - Pearl S. Buck

20. “Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” - Ursula K. LeGuin, The Lathe of Heaven

21. “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” - Audrey Hepburn

22. “Where there is love there is life.” - Mahatma Gandhi

23. “You don't marry the person you can live with—you marry the person you can't live without.” - Unknown

24. “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

25. "May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day in paradise.” - Rumi

Looking for more ideas on how to write a great wedding speech? Check out our ultimate groom's wedding speech checklist or 30 funny opening lines for wedding speeches .

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Anna g photography, one fab day, see more in:.

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Photobug community, wedding blog, the ultimate guide to wedding speeches and toasts.

Image by Hugo Coelho . See more of this real wedding here . Read on about nailing wedding speeches and toasts

Wedding speeches and toasts may be the most daunting things to write and deliver, but they’re also one of the best parts of any wedding. They give guests a unique perspective on the couple, make you laugh, make you cry, and bring the room together. So, to take some of the pressure off your shoulders, here are some tried-and-true tips for writing a killer wedding speech and toast!

Image by Emily Delamater Photography . See more of this real wedding here

The Basics Of Wedding Speeches and Toasts

Who gives toasts and speeches.

Traditionally, the best man, the maid of honor (MOH), and both sets of parents give speeches for the couple. You’ll also find that the couple gives a welcome and gratitude speech. However, here at Junebug , we believe it’s entirely up to you and what you want for your special day. 

We’ve seen brides give the newlywed speech, and we’ve seen best friends give speeches instead of the MOH or best man. If you’re going the non-traditional route, we don’t recommend an open-mic situation where anyone can speak, and we don’t recommend having more than five speeches or guests will start to get restless.

When do speeches and toasts take place?

Most speeches and wedding toasts are given during the wedding reception , either before or after dinner. If you’d rather they be more intimate or you aren’t having a traditional reception, you can also have them take place at the rehearsal dinner .

What is the correct order for speeches?

Did you know that wedding speeches have a logistical order that is typically followed? While it may seem like such a minute detail, it actually makes more sense than you’d imagine. It usually starts with the couple. This gives you the opportunity to welcome and thank your guests for coming. From there, it traditionally goes in this order:

• The hosts (typically the parents)
• Maid of honor

Every couple has their preferences on who they want to speak and the order in which they want them to speak. As we mentioned earlier, it’s your wedding. If you have a maid of honor who hates public speaking, or you want your best friend to give the speech rather than your best man, go for it. The same goes for the order we just listed.

How long should wedding speeches and toasts go?

No matter how long you’ve known each other, try to keep speeches under five minutes. In fact, three minutes is the sweet spot. Even if you have countless things to say, three minutes can feel a lot longer than you’d expect. Keeping it short and sweet will keep everything, including the newlyweds, happy.

Image by Ana Hinojosa . See more of this real wedding here

Steps For Writing Killer Wedding Speeches and Toasts

The hardest part of writing a speech is knowing where to start. If you’re drawing a blank or having difficulty narrowing down the stories you want to tell, start by making a list of your favorite qualities about the newlyweds. Chances are there are many amazing qualities about them, so making a list of your top three favorites will help you craft a personalized speech tailored to them.

To expand beyond that, you can ask yourself these questions as well:

Questions To Ask Yourself

• Is there anyone speaking before or after you? If so, how will it affect the content of your speech?
• What is the general tone you want to convey in your speech? Emotional? Joy? Funny?
• What are some of your favorite memories with the newlyweds? These memories can be based on the individual getting married or them as a couple
• What do you see when you envision their future with one another?
• Is there any advice that you want to share?

When it’s time to start writing, use the following general outline to help create a great speech from beginning to end.

1. Introduce Yourself

Tell everyone your name and a brief explanation of how and when you met the couple or how you’re related. Everyone may not already know who you are, so a little context will go a long way.

2. Tell A Relevant Story

Go back to the list you created and choose a story that reflects the qualities you love most about the couple. This should be relatable, endearing, and appropriate. Make sure you have a point to the story so that you can seamlessly tie it into your speech at the end.

3. Reminisce about the day you met their partner

Everyone in that room will likely have seen different pieces of the couple’s love story, so tell their story from your perspective. Talk about the day you met their significant other for the first time and the moment you realized this was the person they were going to marry.

4. Talk about what you love about their partner

Although your main responsibility is to talk about one of the newlyweds, every speech should ultimately be about both of them. Tell their partner why they are the best choice for your friend and what qualities you love most about them.

5. Talk about your hopes for their future as a couple

If you’re married, this is where you can insert your best piece(s) of advice for a healthy marriage. If you’re not married, wish them a long, happy, and healthy life together. Make your wishes and your advice personal to their relationship and end on a positive, optimistic, and heartfelt vision of their future.

6. End with a toast

Ending a speech can be just as challenging as starting it, which is why we recommend ending with a wedding toast. Ask everyone to raise their glass and toast to the wonderful couple—and, in your own mind, to the killer speech you just gave!

Junebug Tip:

The Art of Etiquette’s wedding guest books include ten speech sheets that will give a beautiful space for your loved ones to write the perfect speech that is short, sweet, and sentimental. We love that they’ve included these thoughtful speech sheets that will double as a wedding keepsake in your guest book.

Image by Annabelle Agnew Photography . See more of this real wedding here

Tips For Giving Wedding Speeches and Toasts

Don’t drink too much beforehand.

We love open bars at weddings as much as the next person, but you don’t want to be slurring your words or drunkenly rambling in front of everyone. Just a couple of sips of liquid courage will get you through those few minutes in front of the crowd, we promise!

Don’t make it about you

It’s okay to be relatable by telling a story, but remember that this speech is about them . After you’ve introduced yourself, move on to talking about the newlyweds and their relationship.

Don’t humiliate the couple

There’s nothing wrong with jokes. In fact, some of the best toasts and speeches inject humor throughout. However, don’t use crude language, tell inappropriate stories, or mention past relationships. The moral of the story is if there’s even the slightest chance someone could feel uncomfortable about something you want to say, leave it out.

Keep it short and sweet

We mentioned this earlier, but it’s an important one! Chances are there will be at least two other people giving speeches before or after you, so keep your speech to five minutes max . If you go any longer than that, the couple and their guests may start getting a little antsy. If you aren’t sure how long your speech will take, our next tip will help.

Practice beforehand

You practice for speeches for school and work, why should a wedding be any different? Rehearse your speech with a friend or in front of the mirror. It will help get some of the nerves out and allow you to make sure it all flows before the big moment. 

Keep in mind that you’ll naturally speak more quickly when you’re handed the microphone, so as you’re practicing make sure you remind yourself to slow down. 

Write your speech down

With all the excitement and nerves of the day, there is a good chance you’ll blank out or forget parts of your speech. Even if you plan to memorize it, write it down and bring it with you just in case. Nobody will fault you for holding notes–just be sure to look up occasionally!

Pass these tips along to everyone giving a speech and toast at your wedding, and get ready for some pretty epic and heartfelt moments! Then start thinking about how to keep the party going all night with these wedding reception songs guaranteed to get your guests dancing .

Image by Jordan Jankun Photography

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Being the standout at the wedding speeches and toast is quite tricky. You have to be funny for everyone, or even a heartfelt story to tell for the guest and couple. This guide really tick all the boxes for build an ultimate wedding speech.

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Wedding Toast Quotes for The Best Man and Maid of Honor

Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Jan 30, 2018

Wedding toasts give you the opportunity to honor the newlyweds and share your love for the couple. You’ll want your toast to be heartfelt, sentimental, witty and most importantly, you’ll want your toast to make the couple smile. Normally, talking about your best friend is a piece of cake but when it comes to giving a speech about them in front of a crowd, you may not know what to say. Before you invite guests to raise their glasses alongside you, assure that your speech is well thought-out, genuine, and sentimental with a bit of humor.

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Who Gives a Wedding Toast?

While there are a handful of toasts made at each of the events leading up to the big day, the wedding reception toasts are the most formal of all.  Traditionally, the best man kicks off the wedding toasts at the reception followed by a toast from the maid of honor. In addition to the best man and maid of honor toasts, the wedding host or financier usually toasts the couple as well. Parents of the bride/groom may be invited to say a few words too. Before you begin crafting your wedding speech, it’s important to consider who will have the mic before you that way you can ensure the toasts complement each other and flow nicely.

Wedding reception toasts traditionally follow this order:

• The best man toasts the bride.
• The matron of honor toasts the groom.
• The wedding host/financier toasts the couple.
• Parents or parental figures of the bride/groom toast the couple.
• The newlyweds toast their guests.

If you are looking to add something extra to your wedding toast or inspire your ode to the couple, you can do so with these great wedding toast quotes provided below. Borrow words from your favorite writers and personalities as you wish the couple good luck in life and in love.

Best Man Quotes

Use these best man quotes to inspire your writing and impress the bride and groom.

As the best man, you will be starting off the wedding toasts for the evening, no pressure though, we’re here to help you craft the perfect speech. You’ll want your toast to tastefully let your buddy know just how much you care about him and just how thankful you are that he found “the one.” You can begin your toast by thanking the brides parents for raising such an exceptional daughter who complements the groom so well. You may then decide to tell the story of the first time the newlyweds laid eyes on each other making sure to use a bit of humor while doing so. If you’re looking for something extra to take your best man toast over the top, you may even consider adding a few best man quotes to your speech. They may inspire you and they will definitely impress everyone in the venue, especially the bride.

• “The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman’s heart.” – Timothy Titcomb, J.G. Holland
• “You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes are everywhere in the world.” – David Levesque
• “He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open.” – Rabindranath Tagore
• “There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” – Ronald Reagan
• “ It’s not as great a day for the bride as she thinks. She’s not marrying the best man.” – Anonymous 
• “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.” – Sophocles
• “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” – Victor Borge
• “There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage.” – Martin Luther
• ” A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin 
• “But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” – Kahlil Gibran 
• “Whenever you’re wrong, admit it; whenever you’re right, shut up.” – Ogden Nash 
• “To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” – Mark Twain 
• “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn
• “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep, because your reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss
• “When love reigns, the impossible may be attained.” – Indian proverb
• “Love, be true to her; Life, be dear to her; Health, stay close to her; Joy, draw near to her; Fortune, find what you can do for her, Search your treasure-house through and through for her, Follow her footsteps the wide world over, And keep her husband always her lover.” – Anna Lewis

Maid of Honor Quotes

The best wedding toasts are the ones that remind everyone in the room how important and special finding love is. These maid of honor quotes were made with you in mind and will help you create a touching toast for the woman you adore and the man that brings out the best in her.  Give your toast a long lasting emotional impact with inspirational quotes that complete your toast.

• “One of the best things about love is just recognizing a man’s steps when he climbs the stairs.” – Colette
• “Where there is great love, there are always miracles.” – Willa Cather
• “We love because it’s the only true adventure.” – Nikki Giovanni
• “In a great romance, each person plays a part the other really likes.” – Elizabeth Ashley 
• “My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.” – Anonymous 
• “True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” – Anonymous 
• “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds.” – John Green 
• “Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that.” – Michael Leunig
• “Love does not consist of gazing at one another but looking outward in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• “Love is being stupid together.” – Paul Valery
• “Love is blind, marriage is the eye-opener.” – Pauline Thomason
• “My heart is ever at your service.” – William Shakespeare
• “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” – 1 Corinthians 13:7
• “Sexiness wears thin after a while, and beauty fades. But to be married to a man who makes you laugh everyday, ah, now that’s a real treat.”- Joanne Woodward
• “There’s nothing more admirable than two people who see eye to eye keeping house as man and wife, cofounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” – Homer
• “Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.” – Rose Franken
• “Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is.” – Diane Ackerman
• “Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. – Erica Jong 
• “The best marriages, like the best lives, were both happy and unhappy. There was even a kind of necessary tension, a certain tautness between the partners that gave the marriage strength, like the tautness of a full sail.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• “What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined…to strengthen each other…to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.” – George Eliot

Finding the right words to express your emotions can be difficult especially with all of the other obligations on your wedding checklist. Use these quotes for wedding toasts to jump start your writing and craft a wedding toast that’s unforgettable. Quotes about love , marriage and friendship make for a great addition to your wedding wishes for the bride and groom. You can also practice by writing your wedding card early.

While you’re crafting your wedding toast, remember to take this moment in and cherish all of the special memories you share with the bride or groom and the many more to come. When the big day finally arrives, don’t forget to talk slow, breath, and remind yourself how great your toast is. Don’t miss out on our other wedding inspiration  to help you wrap up the rest of your planning.

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Written by Shutterfly Community | View all posts

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World Health Day 2024: Best Short Speech In English For Students

World Health Day is observed globally on April 7th each year to raise awareness about health issues and to advocate for prioritising health and wellness. Short speeches delivered on such occasions often aim to inspire students and others to adopt healthy habits, overcome challenges, and recognise the benefits of making wellness a priority in their lives.

• Updated - 2024-04-06, 11:41 IST

Speech 1: Investing In Your Most Valuable Asset

Speech 2: the power of prioritising your health.

Speech 3: Your Health, Your Future

Image Courtesy: FreePik

Your skin and body like you are unique. While we have taken all measures to ensure that the information provided in this article and on our social media channels is credible and expert verified, we recommend you consult a doctor or your dermatologist before trying a home remedy, quick hack or exercise regime. For any feedback or complaint, reach out to us at [email protected]