The Tradition of Wedding Toasts in Honor of the Newlyweds

It is common at every wedding to have wedding toasts made. It is by tradition and a way of wishing good luck and happy years ahead for the couple. The tradition of toasting dates back to the early 17th century to honor a woman, whose name was seen as figuratively giving flavor to the drink. Another cultural tradition on toasting came from an ancient belief that our ancestors offer sacrificial liquids to gods in the form of blood or wine. The offering is made in exchange of prayers for longer life or healthy living. Since then, toasting became part of wedding celebrations to honor the bride and the groom.

One of the funniest parts of wedding celebrations can be the wedding toasts. Most of the time, it is the best man who delivers the funniest toasts during the party. And most often the jokes are directed towards the groom, lightly teasing him for fun. Such is true perhaps because the best man is a witness to all the ups and downs that the bride and groom went through from the courtship up to the engagement and even during their entire relationship. The best man has always been the groom's best friend so he can see the funny side of the partners' relationship.

The most serious wedding toasts, meanwhile, are delivered by the bride's father. This is perhaps the father is both happy and sad. Happy because his daughter is finally married and will have her own family. The father is sad as well because his daughter will now have a life of her own. However, the bride's father can also do some funny toasts. This is his way of hiding his real emotion over her daughter's marriage. It is common knowledge that fathers of the brides are masking loss with humor during weddings. But most often, the father is serious about the toast and offers advice to the newlyweds.

But perhaps the most emotional wedding toasts are reserved for the mothers, both of the bride and the groom. Mothers are always emotional so it is expected that if they will make the speech, they will cry. This is perhaps the reason why at wedding receptions, the mothers are not making such toasts. They simply go along with the party and have some chat with the guests. However, there are times that the mother proposes a toast and gives a funny speech as well. The bridesmaids as well do the toasts to honor her best friend, the bride, for the wedding.

Although wedding toasts are often done during weddings, this part of the celebration is always spontaneous. When the participants (bride and groom, the best man, the bride's maid, the parents and the entire entourage) are all on a single table that is the time when the toasts are done. But most often, the best man or the father have already prepared for their speech. But the funniest toasts are still those done spontaneously and those that tease either the bride or the groom.

By; Nikki