110+ Good Toasts for Everyone in Your Life (With Tips & Examples)

Have you been asked to make a toast but aren’t sure how to go about it or what to say? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back. This article gives you ready-to-use toasts for any occasion. Plus, we spoke with certified wedding planners Megan Papageorge and Ivy Summer for their best advice for making a toast at a formal event like a wedding.

Best Toasts for Any Occasion

Here’s to the fire in our hearts and the sparks in our eyes.
May the wind at your back always be your own.
May the most you wish for be the least you get.
May your mornings be peaceful and your coffee be strong.
Friendship: May differences of opinion cement it.

Section 1 of 11:

Good Drinking Toasts for Any Occasion

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Give a toast that grabs everyone’s attention. If you aren’t used to giving toasts, the idea of speaking in front of a group of people might seem a little scary. One way to overcome your stage fright is to take a deep breath and know what you’re going to say. “If you're not someone that speaks off the cuff…don't go that route. Have something…planned out,” recommends Summer.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Ivy Summer
Certified Wedding & Event Planner

Expert Interview} Or, try memorizing a toast—like the ones below—you can use the next time you’re ready to raise a glass:
- We drink to your coffin. May it be built from the wood of a hundred-year-old oak tree that I shall plant tomorrow.
- Cheerfulness, content, and competency. Cheerfulness in our cups, Content in our minds, Competency in our pockets.
- Here’s to the fire in our hearts and the sparks in our eyes.
- May you live to be a hundred years old with one extra year to repent.
- Here’s to those who inspire us and don’t even know it.
- I wish thee health, I wish thee wealth, I wish thee gold in store, I wish thee heaven upon earth—What could I wish thee more?
- Here’s to the future, for it is bright.
- May we live to learn well and learn to live well.
- Here’s to doing what we love and loving what we do.
- May the works of our nights never fear the daylight.
- May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.
- Here’s hoping you live forever. And mine is the last voice you hear.
- May our faults be written on the seashore, and every good action becomes a wave to wash them out.
- May your heart be light and happy. May your smile be big and wide. And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside.

Section 2 of 11:

Funny Drinking Toasts

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Make everyone laugh with a hilarious toast. Humor can be tricky, but laughter is a great way to bring people together and help them relax.^{[2]
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HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.

Go to source} So, if you feel confident being funny in front of a crowd, go for it! It also helps to have some funny material to work with. Here are a few chuckle-worthy toasts to get you started:
- May we all be the people our dogs think we are.
- To the holidays—all 365 of them.
- May you never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten.
- Another day, another bender. No retreat, no surrender.
- Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends.
- Here's to the man who is wisest and best. Here's to the man who, with judgment, is blessed. Here's to the man who's as smart as can be. I drink to the man who agrees with me!
- Here’s to alcohol, which often makes one see double and feel single.
- May our children be blessed with rich parents!
- Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter. Sermons and soda water the day after.
- To your very good health. May you live to be as old as your jokes.
- May we get what we want, but never what we deserve.
- May we all have the chance to prove that money can’t make us happy.
- Here’s to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life.
- May the wind at your back always be your own.

Section 3 of 11:

Good Dirty & Rude Toasts

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Get a little risqué with an off-color toast. If you’re making a toast in a group of adults, you may want to try a little blue humor, or humor that is lewd or sexually suggestive.^{[3]
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Research source} Just make sure you know the sense of humor of the people in the gathering, so you don’t risk offending someone…especially the person you’re toasting. If you’re ready to add a little ribaldry to your toast, try one of these:
- Here’s to those who wish us well. All the rest can go to hell.
- Here’s to the women who have used and abused us…may they never stop!
- May we never go to hell but always be on our way.
- Here’s to being single, drinking doubles, and seeing triple.
- May all your ups and downs be under the covers!
- Here’s to women, beer, and song. May none of them be flat.
- Here’s to you. You may not be as wise as an owl, but you’re always a hoot!
- Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.
- May we never sleep with anyone crazier than ourselves.
- Here’s to it, and from it, and to it again, and if you don’t do it when you get to it, you may never get to it to do it again!
- Here’s to dancing—a vertical expression of horizontal intention.
- To Hell. May the stay there be as enjoyable as the way there.
- Here’s to staying positive and testing negative!

Section 4 of 11:

Good Short Toasts

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Keep things short and sweet with a brief toast. When you’re making a toast, it’s best to get to the point as quickly as possible.^{[4]
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Research source} People at a gathering want to chat, have a drink, and relax, not listen to a never-ending toast. But they’re probably not going to be upset with a short toast like the ones below:
- May poverty always be a day’s march away.
- To the good times!
- May we live respected and die regretted.
- Cheers to the memories!
- Live long enough to be a problem to your children.
- May we never regret this.
- While we live, let us live.
- To the best in life!
- Love, life, and liberty. Love pure, Life long, Liberty boundless.
- To good times and great friends!
- May we be happy, and our enemies know it.
- Cheers to happiness!
- Take everything in moderation, including moderation.
- May our glasses be ever full.
- To the road that lies ahead.
- May the most you wish for be the least you get.

Section 5 of 11:

Good One-Word Toasts

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Cut to the chase with a one-word toast. Sometimes, even a short toast is a little too long, especially as the night wears on. Still, that’s no excuse to give up on toasting entirely! Try one of these brief yet effective one-word toasts in a variety of languages to pay tribute in a simple way:
- Cheers! – English toast.
- ¡Salud! – Spanish for “to your health.”
- Prost! – German for “cheers.”
- 乾杯! (Kanpai!) – Japanese for “cheers.”
- Sláinte! – Irish and Scottish Gaelic for “health.”
- לחיים! (L’chaim!) – Hebrew for “to life.”
- Santé! – French for “to your health.”
- 건배! (Geonbae!) – Korean for “bottoms up.”
- ΥΓΕΙΑ! (Yamas!) – Greek for “to our health.”
- Skål! – Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish toast that means “cheers.”

Section 6 of 11:

Good Toasts for Friends

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Pay tribute to a special friend with a moving toast. Whether you’re making a toast for a friend’s birthday or just because you want to salute your ride-or-die, it’s good to have a few words ready to go. Check out the list of touching—and teasing—toasts below to see if any are a good fit to honor your bestie:
- Here’s to friends and family who know us well but love us just the same.
- Here’s to eternity—may we spend it in as good company as this night finds us.
- When climbing the hill of prosperity, may we never meet a friend coming down!
- May the warmth of our affections survive the frosts of age.
- May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends!
- May the friends of our youth be the companions of our old age.
- May the roof above us never fall in. And may we friends gathered below never fall out.
- Friendship: May differences of opinion cement it.
- Here’s to the nights we’ll never remember with our friends, we’ll never forget.
- To friends: as long as we are able to lift our glasses from the table.
- Some ships are wooden ships, but those ships may sink. The best ships are friendships, and to those ships, we drink.
- Here's to those who've seen us at our best and seen us at our worst and can't tell the difference.
- May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

Section 7 of 11:

Good Wedding & Engagement Toasts

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Celebrate the happy couple with a heartfelt toast. If you’re responsible for giving a toast at the wedding reception or asked to speak at their engagement party, it might be tempting to surprise the couple with your comments. Instead, Summer suggests you “share with a couple the kinds of stories you might refer to just to ensure that there's no room for accidental embarrassment.”^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ivy Summer
Certified Wedding & Event Planner

Expert Interview} Here are a few good toasts that honor the happy couple:
- Please make sure your glasses are charged and join me in toasting the new Mr. and Mrs. [NAME]. Ladies and gentlemen, to the bride and groom!
- To the lamp of love – may it burn brightest in the darkest hours and never flicker in the winds of trial.
- To the bride and groom, may we all be invited to your golden wedding celebrations.
- May you never lie, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie with each other. And if you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink with us. Cheers to the newlyweds!
- Let us raise our glasses to the happy couple. May you grow old on one pillow.
- To the lovely newlyweds, here are my wishes for you. May you always have a place to call home, and may you always be surrounded by those you love.
- May your wedding days be few and your anniversaries many.
- May ‘for better or worse’ be far better than worse.
- Here’s to the bride: May your hours of joy be as numerous as the petals of your bridal bouquet. And to the groom: May you always keep your head even though you lost your heart.
- May the hinges of friendship never rust, or the wings of love lose a feather! Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and the groom!
- May they live happily forever.
- Here’s to the happy couple! May your joys be as deep as the ocean and your troubles as light as its foam.
- Here’s to the new husband, and here’s to the new wife. May you remain lovers for the rest of your life.
- On your wedding day, here’s to the past for all that you’ve learnt. Here’s to the present for all that you share. Here’s to the future for all that you’ve got to look forward to.

Section 8 of 11:

Good Retirement Toasts

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Give them a memorable send-off with a great toast. When you make a toast at a retirement party, try to keep it brief and upbeat. It’s also a good idea to avoid telling inside jokes that the retiree’s family or non-work friends might not understand. Here’s a list of toasts that are perfect for retirement celebrations:
- A toast to the Houdini of the corporate world, who has successfully escaped the 9-to-5 handcuffs.
- Here’s to our newly minted Expert Relaxer. May your days be as chill as your evenings.
- Here’s to boundless horizons. May your days be filled with new experiences and joyous discoveries.
- Here’s to swapping spreadsheets for new streets. May every day be a new adventure.
- Here’s to new beginnings. May retirement be the open road that leads to fulfillment and joy.
- May retirement be the gateway to new passions, inspiring endeavors, and the contentment you richly deserve.
- Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s raise a glass to [Name], who now has the freedom to forget what day of the week it is.
- May your retirement be a harbor of happiness, where the tides of joy bring in waves of contentment each day.
- May your mornings be peaceful and your coffee be strong.
- Cheers to the newly crowned monarch of the kingdom of Unlimited Paid Time Off.
- Here’s to turning the page to a new chapter filled with endless possibilities. May your story continue to inspire us all.
- A toast to starting the longest lunch break in history. May your snacks be plenty and your chores be few.
- May your days be filled with late mornings, hobby marathons, and zero emails.

Section 9 of 11:

Best Irish Blessings

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Be inspired by the Emerald Isle with a toast that’s also an Irish blessing. The Irish people have been using short poems and blessings to celebrate special occasions and bring comfort for centuries.^{[6]
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Research source} These Irish blessings are commonly used as toasts both in Ireland and around the world:
- May the leprechauns dance over your bed and bring you sweet dreams.
- Always remember to forget the things that made you sad. But never forget to remember the things that made you glad.
- If God sends you down a stony path, may He give you strong shoes.
- May you have love that never ends, lots of money, and lots of friends. Health be yours, whatever you do. And may God send many blessings to you!
- May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.
- May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours that stay with you all the year long.
- May the dreams you hold dearest be those that come true, and the kindness you spread keep returning to you.
- I drink to your health when I’m with you. I drink to your health when I’m alone. I drink to your health so often that I’m starting to worry about my own!
- Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint and another one!
- Lucky stars above you. Sunshine on your way. Many friends to love you. Joy in work and play. Laughter to outweigh each care. In your heart a song. And gladness waiting everywhere all your whole life long.
- May you escape the gallows, avoid distress, and be as healthy as a trout.
- If you're lucky enough to be Irish…you're lucky enough!
- May peace and plenty bless your world with a joy that long endures. And may all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.
- May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields. And, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Section 10 of 11:

Giving a Good Toast

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1
Stand up and raise your glass to get everyone’s attention. People often give toasts at parties or events that might be loud. When you want to give a toast, you have to get everyone’s attention. The best way to signal you’re about to toast, stand up and raise your glass to about shoulder height. This usually gets at least a few people’s attention, and they will start alerting others.^{[7]
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Research source}
- Do not clang silverware against your glass. Not only is it a little rude, but it’s also possible you’ll break the glass.
- If standing doesn’t get their attention, say something like, “Can I please have your attention?” in a loud voice.
2
Introduce yourself and then tell a positive story connected to the event. It’s possible there are people in the room who don’t know who you are, especially at larger events like weddings. Introduce yourself with your name and how you’re connected to the host. Then, tell a short story that is connected to the event in some way. Don’t worry about being funny. It’s better to be sincere.^{[8]
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Research source} For example, you might say something like:
- “I’m Sara Gilliam, and I’m the maid of honor and the bride’s sister. When Mom was pregnant with Emily, I used to practice holding my baby dolls so I would be ready to hold her when she was finally born. I was just so excited to have a sister. I’m still just as excited to have a sister today…and with a bonus brother-in-law!”
- “My name is Gerald Smith, and I’ve worked alongside Russ for over 10 years. On my first day at Arlington, Inc., I was just a wide-eyed kid who had no idea what I was doing. Russ noticed right away and took me under his wing, showing me how to do my job with kindness and patience. He’s shown me, and everyone else on the team, that same patience and kindness to this day, his retirement day…when he showed me how to work the new copier.”
3
Conclude with a thank you and an invitation to toast. “The one thing that everybody forgets is to actually toast, so remember to raise your glass,” advises Papageorge.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Megan Papageorge
Certified Wedding Planner

Expert Interview} All you have to do is lift the glass a little higher and encourage others to join you in making a toast.^{[10]
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Research source} Say something simple and cheerful, like:
- “Cheers to the happy couple!”
- “Here’s to the birthday boy!”
- “To the next stage in your journey!”

Section 11 of 11:

Toasting Etiquette

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There are a few polite guidelines for giving and taking part in toasts. While toasts at a casual gathering don’t really have rules, more formal events like weddings and dinner parties have some simple guidelines for good manners, including:^{[11]
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Research source}
- At dinner parties, the host or hostess has the option to give the first toast. If they choose not to, you can propose a toast to them for hosting.
- Only the person making the toast stands unless they ask everyone to stand in their toast.
- At the end of the toast, everyone except the person being toasted raises their glass and drinks. Don’t clink your glasses together.
- The person being toasted should acknowledge the toast with a smile or nod.
- Alcoholic drinks aren’t required, and you only need to take a sip of your drink.

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Tips

Don’t use profanity or roast someone in your toast, especially at large events like weddings or funerals. Keep it positive and kid-friendly.

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When giving a formal toast at a wedding or other event, prepare it in advance and practice before the day.

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Keep any speeches for your toast to 30-60 seconds, or your audience may start to lose interest. You can go up to 3 minutes at more formal occasions, like weddings.

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