Birthday toasts are the second best thing after the cake and food at birthday parties. A good toast engages and entertains the audience while saluting and showing love for the guest of honor. But small mistakes can ruin the vibe of the party.
It’s not hard to create and give the perfect birthday toast. You just need to prepare well, take your time, and be creative during the writing process.
In this article, we’ll discuss 4 steps that’ll help you write a killer birthday toast. So let’s jump right in!
Don’t Have Time? Check This Summary
First, write your first draft. It can be anything that comes to your mind when thinking of the guest of honor.
Then, write your intro. Start by greeting everyone and then hook them by telling a joke or an embarrassing fact about the toastee.
The following step is to create the body of the toast. Introduce yourself and tell a funny story about the toastee or a good memory of you both.
Lastly, wrap your toast and make your wishes. Invite everyone to toast in honor of the toastee.
Deliver your toast confidently and have fun during the process.
Why Give a Toast?
A birthday toast can be the best gift for the guest of honor. It’s an opportunity to create a memory, full of smiles, laughter, and even tears, that will last forever.
This memory can be a gift to the audience as well. Maybe a funny story about you and the toastee can cheer people up and bring them closer to the guest of honor.
Your toast can also make you the rockstar of the party. Once you put down the microphone, everybody will want to talk to you. So if you want to be a celebrity for 20 minutes or so, this is your chance. But remember not to steal the thunder from the toastee.
Creating the Perfect Birthday Toast
It’s best to prepare for your birthday toast and practice well before actually giving it at the party. The following steps are going to guide you through this process.
Step 1: Preparation
Take a few minutes and think about the guest of honor. What are the first things that come to your mind when you picture this person? What are their hobbies? What is the happiest or most adventurous memory of you both?
Now that you have a clear picture of that person, write these scattered thoughts on a piece of paper. This is your first draft of the toast.
If you need, ask family members or close friends for funny or embarrassing stories that you think could be fun to add to your toast. But don’t choose rude stories that can hurt the toastee’s feelings.
If you can, try to take a look at the guest list or ask who’s coming to the party. This helps you to choose what to include in your toast. It’s also helpful to know if it’ll be a formal or an informal party.
Step 2: Writing the Intro
You need to hook your audience quickly. People usually decide within the first few seconds whether they like the speech or not.
Your intro should start by greeting everyone and letting the audience know that you’re making a birthday toast.
Don’t move on to introducing yourself or your relationship with the guest of honor yet. Instead, capture the audience’s attention with a joke, a funny quote, or an unknown fact about the toastee.
Your intro may look like this: “Good evening, everyone. I’d like to make a brief toast to… But first, let me tell you something funny about…”
Step 3: Creating the Body of the Toast
This is the part where you tell the audience why you’re giving the toast in the first place. Introduce yourself and how you’re related to the birthday boy or girl. Keep this part short, and don’t waste an opportunity for a good joke, but don’t try too hard to be funny.
And now for the best part of any toast: the stories. The stories you give are crucial for an amazing toast. They grab the audience’s mind and keep them focused on your speech.
The best stories to share at a birthday are the embarrassing ones. They could be embarrassing to you, to the toastee, or someone in the audience. But don’t go too far. You want the audience to laugh, not feel awkward.
If you think the toastee can’t take a joke, you can share one of your best memories. Think of a memory that brought you closer to each other and write it down.
Step 4: The Wrap Up
This is the part when you get sentimental and offer your wishes. Don’t forget to thank the host. It’s best to make the audience feel like you’re speaking on their behalf in that part.
This can go like: “Thanks for always being there for me. Thanks for having us here. Wishing you all the best in life. And Happy Birthday!”
General Tips for Giving Your Toast at the Birthday Party
- Discuss with the host ahead of time when would be the best time to make your birthday toast. Most people like to give the toast just before cutting the cake.
- To attract people’s attention, just confidently ask for a few moments to give your toast. You can also ding on your glass with a knife.
- Don’t read from your note cards. Use them as a reference, but don’t hold them in front of your head.
- Make sure to use your body language and make good eye contact.
- Speak loudly and clearly. If you’re using a microphone, ensure that your voice isn’t too loud before you start.
- After you’re done with the toast, hold your glass, lift your hand, and invite everyone to toast in honor of the birthday boy or girl.
To Sum Up
Writing an unforgettable birthday toast isn’t impossible. Just grab a piece of paper and a pencil, take a deep breath, and follow the previously discussed steps.
Close your eyes and start picturing the toastee. Create your first draft and then organize your intro, body, and conclusion. Keep the tone of your toast fun and positive.
After these steps, you’ll be 80% ready to give your toast at the party. To be fully ready, practice your speech with a friend. Our last piece of advice for you is to be confident and have fun!
