Your wedding is a chance for you and your significant other to gather all of your friends and relatives in one place for a celebration of your relationship. Throughout the course of the night, you will hear all kinds of loving messages and well-wishes from your guests. In fact, most weddings are structured to allow certain guests the opportunity to get up and talk about the happy couple. Wedding speeches are an important part of the night, but it can be difficult to figure out exactly when the right time is to start toasting.

If you’re unsure of when to place the speeches in your wedding itinerary, now is a great time to think over your options. Explore these ideas and find the perfect spot in the night’s events for you to slow things down for some sentimental words of encouragement.

Early Toasts

There is no right or wrong place to schedule the speeches. In fact, you can feel free to pick any point during the night you wish. Of course, you’ll benefit greatly by thinking through the placement a bit in advance. Who are the people giving the toasts? In most scenarios, it will be individuals like the Maid of Honor, Best Man, a parent, a sibling, or someone equally as close to the couple. If any of the people providing a toast are planning on drinking throughout the night, you might find it helpful to schedule the speeches as early as possible.

The cocktail hour can make for a perfect time to get some speeches out of the way. At this point in the evening, guests are still warming up to the night ahead and are mingling with others. Planning the toasts for this time can be a wonderful way to kick off the night in a simple, emotional way. You won’t need to worry about anyone being so drunk already that they slur the entire speech. As a precaution, make sure you didn’t already plan other tasks like taking photos during the cocktail hour.

Sprinkled Throughout the Night

In some situations, there will be multiple people providing toasts during a wedding reception. This can make matters a bit more complicated. It is ill-advised to schedule all of the speeches for the same time when you have a number of people involved. Your guests are going to want to eat, drink, dance, and have fun, so keeping them in their chairs for a handful of long-winded toasts can disrupt the flow of the night. A great solution for this dilemma is to sprinkle the toasts throughout the course of the night.

Think of the speeches as a way to keep guests entertained. Dinner is a fantastic time to plan for the speeches because everyone in attendance is more likely to listen when they’re seated and comfortable. This means you can schedule one right after appetizers are served, one after dinner, and one after dessert. There are many natural breaks in the flow of a wedding that lend themselves to a speech. By spacing the toasts out throughout the course of the night, you can help guarantee your guests are engaged and entertained.

Start the Dance Party

Finally, a great way to use your toasts is as a way to get the crowd amped up for the night ahead. Many couples plan the speeches for the minutes leading up to the dance floor opening up. Placing the toasts at this point of the night can get the energy levels high and ensure all of your guests hit the floor dancing and having the best possible time.

Your wedding is going to be a balancing act. Think about the proper time to schedule the speeches so you can make sure the night goes off without a hitch.