Who gives speeches at a Georgian wedding?

The tamada, the toastmaster, is the central figure of the supra, the feast, and gives a long sequence of toasts in a traditional order: to God, to the couple, to the parents, to the ancestors, to friends, to the children to come. After each of the tamada's toasts, guests may add their own on the same theme, in turn. A Georgian toast is a short speech in itself: a theme, a story or a blessing, a wish, and a glass drained.

Eastern Europe · Georgian

Georgian Wedding Toasts: Cheers, Speeches, and Customs

Q: How do you say cheers at a Georgian wedding?

Gaumarjos (gow-mar-JOHS), meaning "Victory to you." The toast to the couple is "Gaumarjos sakhlis patrons!" (gow-mar-JOHS SAKH-lees pah-TRONS), which means "Victory to the masters of the house, a toast to the couple."

The toastmaster is an art form, and there are twenty toasts before dessert.

Raise a glass

Gaumarjos

gow-mar-JOHS · Victory to you

To the couple

Gaumarjos sakhlis patrons!

gow-mar-JOHS SAKH-lees pah-TRONS · Victory to the masters of the house, a toast to the couple

Who speaks, and when

The tamada, the toastmaster, is the central figure of the supra, the feast, and gives a long sequence of toasts in a traditional order: to God, to the couple, to the parents, to the ancestors, to friends, to the children to come.
After each of the tamada's toasts, guests may add their own on the same theme, in turn.
A Georgian toast is a short speech in itself: a theme, a story or a blessing, a wish, and a glass drained.

How long

Each toast is one to three minutes, and there are many, over hours. The tamada's are longer and more poetic. A guest's toast is shorter and follows the theme.

What you’ll see

The supra: a long table laden with more food than can be eaten, refilled through the night, with the tamada presiding.
Toasts drink wine, often from a horn, and the glass is emptied after each one; 'alaverdi' passes the toast to another guest to continue.
Polyphonic singing, three or four parts, breaks out between toasts and is a point of pride.
A toast to the departed is drunk standing and in silence before the wish.
The couple is toasted as the future of the family, with wishes for children said openly.

If you’re the guest from somewhere else

Do not toast out of turn. Wait for the tamada, or for 'alaverdi' to reach you.
Stand for the toast to the dead and for the toast to the couple.
Pace the wine. The horn is a trap for visitors.

A toast you could give

Short, warm, specific to the couple, and ending on the phrase. Swap in your own names and your own detail; the shape is what matters.

Nino told me that in Georgia a guest is a gift from God, and then proved it for a week. Giorgi, you are marrying the most generous host in the Caucasus. To the two of you, to your families, and to the children who will fill this house. Gaumarjos!

Speaking at a Georgian wedding?

Whatever the tradition, the speech that lands has the same bones: one story, a turn, a word to the partner, a toast. The guides have it for every role, and the free check reads your draft and tells you how it lands.

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