We now rent out our chateau as a romantic venue for a french castle wedding. A fairytale wedding castle in the Loire Valley is a perfect location to get married. A destination castle wedding is becoming very fashionable among celebrities, but you do not need to be a celeb to have your own fairytale wedding in a castle in France.

It is amazing the diversity in quality of wedding speeches and how many speakers panic at the thought of delivering their speeches.

Here are a few pitfalls to avoid, and a few tips to heed, when delivering a wedding toast that will leave other wedding guests impressed.

Prepare for Your Wedding Toast

The first key to an impressive speech is preparation. Decide first whether you will you write it out and read it verbatim, use notes for reference, or just wing it?

Generally speaking, just winging is best left to the naturally gifted speakers and unless you fall into that category unquestionably it is most likely to get you in trouble on the day. If you want to wing it on the day, it is worth making some well-rehearsed mental notes before going into it.

Writing Out a Toast

If you're a great writer, there's nothing wrong with writing out your entire toast. Your ease with language and your ability to string together impressive words won't be lost on your audience provided only if you read your toast with conviction. Just don't get too stuffy like Frasier would. Read it convincingly and pause and remember to breath.

Or alternatively you can elect to just to make some notes to keep you on track as you go - this will allow empathy from the wedding party and your fellow guests, and it gives you the flexibility to make changes on the fly as you see what's working and what's not as you deliver your toast.

Here is a simple but universally effective game plan for delivering a fail safe wedding toast.

No-Fail Toast Game Plan

Start by introducing yourself, and your relationship to the bride or groom. Explain how you came to know them, and how far the three of you go back. Next think funny, but don't be obnoxious. Share a witty story about how you met either the bride or groom, and how their lives became better after they were together.

Talk about some quirky characteristic that one of them has which completely complements the other. Remember that wedding audiences are generally easy going. They are all friends, and they're probably a little drunk or even a lot drunk.

A good natured approach will get them smiling and if your lucky laughing with almost no effort. But remember whatever you do, the goal is to NOT embarrass the bride and groom in front of everyone they know. Never mention ex-girlfriends or boyfriends, This is a toast, not a roast.

Make the Wedding Toast Emotional

Talk about what an incredible couple they are, how inspiring they are to all those around them, and how the world is a better place with them together. Bring up the beautiful union of families. You can hint about the expectation of incredible kids down the line.

Keep the Toast Positive

If you are in trouble, go for compliments. The poor wedding couple have been through a lot to get to this day, and sometimes it's just nice to hear how much your friends and family dig you. Also be sure to steer clear of these all-too common snares:

Wedding Toast Faux Pas

Boring your guests, insulting your inlaws, and pronouncing your love for your best friend's wife are all pretty much faux pas in the game of life.

Don't drink too much before your toast - a drink to loosen up is okay, but much more than that and you'll be telling old college stories that are best left in college.

Never use an insult of any kind - this is a festival of love, remember? Don't use any corny one-liners, make sure that any humor in your toast comes from genuine emotions.

Don't hog the limelight - this day is about celebrating the wedding couple, not your toast.Staying Cool During the Toast

But if all this sounds totally daunting and you have broken into a sweat just reading this because you are simply terrified of speaking in front of other people, just keep it simple.

Tell the bride and groom how much you care about them, and how much it means that they have included you in their wedding celebration. Wish them all the success in the world, have everyone raise a glass, and give them a big hug.

Easy, peasy. No sweat necessary.