Toasting usually begins after everyone has found a seat and been served the first course.
Traditionally the father and the mother of the bride make the first toast (especially if this is “their '' party i.e. they paid for it). If the parents of the groom contributed to the wedding fund they might follow next.
Next up: the best man and the maid of honour.
It is very important that all the other guests and the newlyweds stay seated and focused during the speeches and raise their glasses at the end of each toast, smiling and thanking the speaker. Other guests may intervene with their own speeches but it is not compulsory. We always suggest notifying the wedding planner all the interventions in order to precisely scan the times.
To finish off the groom and the bride, thank the parents, the wedding party and in general all the guests with one final speech.
Toasting is a way of stopping during a beautiful moment to acknowledge your good fortune and is not a rite of passage, it has a precise meaning and it is very important to keep this moment as one of the most solemn of the day… but be careful, not to transform such an important tradition in a marathon where everyone want to speak. Once again, moderation is the key.
