Raise a Glass
A Toast for Every Table.
The right words at the right moment are worth keeping close. A short collection of toasts for the occasions that call for one, sorted by the table you are sitting at.
Toast & Light
A Hooten Young Series on Rituals Worth Slowing Down For
A toast is a small thing that does a large job. A few words, a raised glass, and a moment gets marked instead of slipping past. It is one of the oldest rituals we have, and one of the easiest to do well once you stop overthinking it. What follows is a collection you can borrow from, grouped by the occasion. Read one as it is written, or make it your own.
A Good Toast, in Four Beats
Stand, or at least raise your glass, so people know to listen. Keep it short; the best toasts run a few sentences, not a few minutes. Say something true rather than something clever. And end on a clear line to raise glasses to, so everyone knows exactly when to drink.
The Client Dinner
Where Business Becomes Relationship
"The best part of any business is the people you meet along the way. Here's to good company, shared success and many more evenings together."
"Good work may bring people together, but good relationships are what make it last. We're grateful to share both with you."
"Tonight, we simply want to say thank you — for your trust, your time and the opportunity to continue building something meaningful together."
The Wedding
For the Day Two People Choose Each Other Out Loud
"May you always find your way back to each other — and never run out of reasons to celebrate. Here's to a lifetime together."
"May your love deepen with time, your laughter carry you through every season and your best days always be ahead of you."
"Here's to finding your person, choosing each other every day and building a life filled with memories worth raising a glass to."
The Friends' Get-Together
For the People Who Have Known You Through It All
"Here's to the ones who have seen us at our worst and stuck around for the best of it."
"Life moves quickly, but nights like this remind us to slow down and appreciate the people who make it all worthwhile."
"Here's to old stories, new memories and the kind of friendships that only get better with time."
The Family Meal
For the Table That Always Feels Like Home
"Here's to loud kitchens, long tables and the family that makes an ordinary night worth remembering."
"May we never take for granted the simple gift of being together. Here's to family, good food and time well spent."
"Here's to the traditions we carry, the memories we're making and the generations who will continue them."
The Takeaway
The words matter less than the moment they mark. Raise the glass, mean what you say, and keep it short enough that the night can carry on. Whatever the occasion, there is always something worth toasting, and someone worth toasting it with.
Save this one for the next time you are handed the floor and a full glass. That is what it is here for.
— Toast & Light
A Hooten Young series on the rituals worth slowing down for.
— Toast & Light
A Hooten Young series on the rituals worth slowing down for.
