Short Wedding Toasts: 16 Examples That Take Under a Minute

For a close friend (about 45 seconds)

Hi, everyone. I'm Dev, and I was Jordan's roommate for three years and his emergency contact for ten.

The first time I met Mei, the three of us went out to dinner, and halfway through she was telling a long story and Jordan was holding her coffee so she could talk with both hands. He didn't notice he was doing it. I did. I lived with the man. He never held anything for me in his life.

Jordan, you found the person you hold the coffee for. Everyone, please raise a glass. To Mei and Jordan.

Why it works: one tiny observed moment, a jab at the groom that turns into a compliment, and a callback at the end.

For a college friend (about 40 seconds)

Hi, I'm Lauren. Aisha and I met in an 8 a.m. statistics class that we both nearly failed.

Aisha has always been the friend who remembers. Your mom's surgery date. The name of your first dog. The thing you said you wanted to try three years ago. Kwame, at the engagement party I watched you remember the name of every one of her cousins, and there are a lot of cousins. That's when I knew she'd met her match.

Please raise your glasses. To Aisha and Kwame.

Why it works: one quality, three quick proofs, then the partner shown to have it too.

For the friend who introduced them (about 50 seconds)

Good evening. I'm Marcus, and I'm the reason these two met, which I'll be bringing up at every anniversary.

In my defense, I didn't plan it. I asked Tomás to help me move a couch, and I asked Rachel because she owned a truck. The couch got stuck in the stairwell for forty minutes. They spent all forty minutes arguing about the right way to get it out, and by the time it was out, they'd swapped numbers. I carried most of that couch myself, by the way.

So raise your glasses. To Tomás and Rachel, and to narrow stairwells.

Why it works: the how-they-met story in a few sentences, with the joke on the speaker.

For an aunt or uncle (about 50 seconds)

Hello, everyone. I'm Teresa, Nadia's aunt, which means I was holding her before she could hold her own head up.

At every family party, Nadia was the kid who went around making sure the little cousins had a plate. She was eight. She'd come back to the adults' table and report who had eaten and who was faking. Sam, at dinner tonight I watched you check that her grandmother had everything she needed before you sat down yourself. So now there are two of you. This family is going to be very well fed.

Please raise a glass. To Nadia and Sam.

Why it works: a childhood habit that still fits her, matched to something the partner did tonight.

For a brother or sister who isn't the main speaker (about 35 seconds)

Hi, I'm Chris, Elena's little brother. The maid of honor got the long speech. I got forty seconds, which is fair.

Growing up, Elena stayed up with me before every big test, quizzing me at the kitchen table until midnight. She didn't have to. She just thought nobody should be nervous alone. Priyanka, you're the first person I've seen do that for her. Thank you.

To Elena and Priyanka.

Why it works: it owns being the short speech, then gives the partner one specific thank-you.

For a grandparent (about 40 seconds)

I'm Hiroshi, Emi's grandfather. At my age I've learned that the short speeches are the ones people remember, so this is one of those.

I've been married fifty-two years, and here is all I know. It's the small kindnesses, every day, that hold it together. Emi, Ben, I've seen you do the small ones. Ben scrapes the frost off her car in the morning. Emi saves him the last dumpling. That's the whole secret, and you already have it.

To Emi and Ben.

Why it works: the one speaker who has earned advice, and he ties it to two things he has seen.

For a coworker (about 35 seconds)

Hi, everyone. I'm Dana. I've sat next to Luis at work for four years, which means I know more about this wedding than anyone should.

I heard every vendor call. I saw every spreadsheet. But what I'll remember is that every day around four, David texts Luis to ask how his day is going, and every day Luis reads it and smiles at his screen like a teenager. Four years. Every single day.

To David and Luis.

Why it works: it uses the view only a coworker has. One daily habit beats any adjective.

For a boss or manager (about 35 seconds)

Good evening. I'm Patricia, and I've had the good luck to be Kayla's manager for the last three years.

At work, Kayla is the person everyone calls when something goes wrong, because she stays calm and she fixes it. I've met Andre exactly twice before tonight, and both times he was the calmest person in the room too. I suspect their house is the most peaceful place in the state.

Please raise your glasses. To Kayla and Andre.

Why it works: professional, praises something real, and keeps the partner part light.

Funny, for a friend of the couple (about 35 seconds)

Hi, I'm Ben, and I've known Sophie and Raj since they were just friends, which lasted about two and a half years longer than anyone believed.

We all knew. Their friends knew. Their coworkers knew. Raj's mother knew, and told me so at a barbecue. The only two people who didn't know were Sophie and Raj. I'm so glad they finally caught up with the rest of us.

Everyone, glasses up. To Sophie and Raj. Worth the wait.

Why it works: the joke is on everyone, nobody is embarrassed, and it ends warm.

Funny, about a competitive couple (about 45 seconds)

Hi, I'm Kim. I've played board games with Ana and Will every Friday for five years, so I've seen them at their best and very much at their worst.

These two are the most competitive people I've ever met. They once played a game of Scrabble until two in the morning because neither would accept the dictionary. But here's what I noticed. Whenever we play in teams, they ask to be partners. Every time. And every time, they win.

So raise a glass to the best team at the table. To Ana and Will.

Why it works: it teases a shared habit, not one person, and the turn makes it a compliment.

Sentimental, for a lifelong friend (about 50 seconds)

Hi, everyone. I'm Jess. I've been Claire's friend since we were five, long enough that our mothers still mix up our names.

When I lost my job at twenty-four, Claire came over every night for a month. Some nights we talked. Most nights we watched bad TV. She never once tried to fix it. She just showed up. The first time I met Owen, Claire was having an awful week, and he was sitting on her kitchen floor helping her repaint a cabinet nobody needed repainted, because she needed something to do with her hands. Not fixing anything. Just there. I knew right then.

To Claire and Owen.

Why it works: her kindness, then her partner doing the same for her. The match carries the emotion.

Sentimental, for a couple who waited (about 40 seconds)

Good evening. I'm Femi, Tunde's oldest friend.

For three years, Tunde and Grace lived on two different continents. I know, because I drove him to the airport more times than I can count, and I picked him up again, and the ride home was always quiet. Tonight is the first time in a long time I've seen him in a room with her and nowhere he has to be afterward.

So please raise your glasses. To Tunde and Grace. No more airports.

Why it works: the speaker's small role carries the story, so the three-word wish lands.

For a courthouse wedding dinner (about 40 seconds)

I'll stand up for this, even though there are nine of us and the waiter is pretending not to listen.

I'm Rosa, and I was one of the two witnesses this afternoon, which means my name is on the paperwork next to theirs. I've signed a lot of things in my life, mostly leases and things I didn't read. This is the only one I'd frame.

Mark, Ji-woo, it was a short ceremony, so this is a short toast. To the two of you.

Why it works: it fits the size of the room and uses the speaker's real role as witness.

For a parent at a family-only dinner (about 35 seconds)

I'm not going to make a speech. There are twelve of us, and we all know each other too well for that.

I'll just say this. Lily, when you were little, you used to set an extra place at the table for whoever might turn up. Usually it was nobody. Tonight somebody is sitting in that seat for good. Jo, we're so glad it's you.

To Lily and Jo.

Why it works: everyone knows the speaker, so it skips the intro and goes straight to the welcome.

For a second marriage, from a friend (about 35 seconds)

Hi, I'm Pam. Linda and I go back thirty years, through a lot of chapters, and I've been beside her for most of them.

I'll keep it simple. Since Gary came along, Linda laughs with her whole face. She has started taking the vacations she used to only plan. She stopped apologizing for things that aren't her fault. Gary, that's what you gave her, and I'm grateful.

Raise your glasses, everyone. To Linda and Gary.

Why it works: it shows what changed without pointing at the past. No previous marriage, no 'finally.'

For a second marriage, from an adult child (about 45 seconds)

Hi, everyone. I'm Michael, Ruth's son.

When Mom told us she was getting married again at seventy-one, my sister and I had a lot of questions. Walter answered every one of them by showing up. He came to my daughter's recitals. He learned how Mom takes her tea, which is complicated. He calls on Sundays to ask how we're doing, and he actually waits for the answer.

Mom, you look happy. Walter, thank you for that, and welcome to the family, officially.

Please stand and raise a glass. To Ruth and Walter.

Why it works: honest that the kids had questions, then answered with specifics and a plain welcome.