Toasts: short examples for weddings, dinners and celebrations
The toast is the speech in its briefest form: between 30 seconds and 2 minutes to say something memorable with a glass in hand. On this page you will find original examples for the most common situations, and the rules that make any toast work.
Sample toast for a wedding
I raise my glass to two people who had the luck to find each other and the wisdom to choose each other. May you never lack a reason to laugh together, or the patience to listen to each other, or a table with room for one more friend. To you, and to the love that is built every day: cheers!
Sample New Year’s toast
To the year that is ending: thank you for the lessons, even the ones that hurt. And to the year that is beginning: may it find us healthy, employed, and with this same table full. May the best of this year be the worst of the next one. Happy New Year!
Sample toast for a professional achievement
Behind this achievement there are early mornings, doubts, and a team that did not give up. I toast what was accomplished, but above all how it was accomplished: without shortcuts. May it be the first of many. Congratulations!
How to make a good toast
- One idea, one glass: A toast cannot carry two messages. Choose one: love, gratitude, hope, pride. Everything else is extra. If your toast needs the words “and also…”, it is probably two toasts fighting inside one.
- Start with the reason, end with the glass: The structure is rigid, and that is why it works: “I toast to…” or a brief story, a wish, and the close with the glass raised and the word everyone repeats (“cheers!”, “to you!”). The audience needs to know when to lift their glass: tell them with your body and your voice.
- Look at the guest of honor as you close: The final gesture — looking at the person or couple being honored and raising your glass toward them — is worth as much as the words. Then take a sip: a toast in which the speaker does not drink feels unfinished.
- Mind the volume and the moment: Ask for attention calmly (“a few words, please”) or with a gentle clink, just once. If the event is formal, wait to be given the floor; if it is a family gathering, pick the moment between the main course and dessert, when everyone is seated.
Common mistakes
- Stretching it until it becomes a full speech: it loses its reason to exist.
- Opening with “I don’t drink, but…” or with apologies: go straight to the reason.
- Telling a joke only three people at the table understand.
- Forgetting the close: without the final “cheers!”, the audience does not know when to drink or applaud.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a toast last?
Between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. The perfect toast rarely exceeds 150 words: the reason, the wish, and the raised glass.
What do I say when toasting at a wedding if I am not the best man?
Something brief and warm addressed to the couple: a concrete wish and one line about them. Guests without an assigned role should be especially brief.
Why do people say “cheers” when toasting?
Because wishing health has been the universal wish when raising a glass in many cultures (in Spanish, “¡salud!” literally means “health!”). You can also simply say the guest of honor’s name with your glass held high.
Can I make a toast at a work meeting?
Yes, and it is a valued gesture: for a team achievement, a company anniversary, or the arrival of an important client. In a work setting, keep the toast sober and avoid excessive in-jokes.
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If your toast is part of a longer speech, combine it with the wedding speech or the birthday speech, depending on the occasion.