A good toast will never be the most talked about part of a wedding, but a bad toast will be — for all the wrong reasons. Surely we all remember the scene in Wedding Crashers, when Rachel McAdams's character awkwardly silences the room with her jabs at her sister's money-grubbing tendencies.

If you've been asked to stand up and say a few words, don't fret. Just follow these simple tips to make a toast with the most.

• The first rule: remember it's a toast, not a speech. Make it five minutes at most, preferably shorter.
• Prepare. Whether you write out your toast or just outline your major points in your head, having an idea of what you're going to say before you raise your glass works wonders.
• Be funny, but not if you don't want to. Toasts with humorous anecdotes or tasteful jokes are always crowd-pleasers. But if you're not known for your comedy, don't force it. Sincerity goes over just as well.
• Try not to outshine the more important toasters. If you're a bridesmaid, edit your toast so it's not longer than the maid of honor's, the mother of the bride's, or other VIPs who might toast before you. And it's OK to edit on the spot, or have a longer and a shorter version on hand.
• Don't be crude. Profanity and off-color jokes won't go over well with the bride, the groom, or guests with kids in tow.
• Tell a story. Offer a funny, touching, or telling anecdote about the couple, the bride, or the groom. If you don't have a story, give your toast a story arc, with a catchy beginning that builds to a climax.
• Make it about the couple. If you're friends with the bride, it's natural for your toast to focus on her, but don't forget, this wedding is about the two of them. Relate your words about her back to their marriage — not back to yourself.
• Don't toast drunk. A drink might help loosen you up, but don't wait until you've had several to share your sentiments.
• A nice touch is to have a copy of the toast (handwritten or printed) to give to the couple for a keepsake.

Got more tips from toasts gone well or wrong? Share them below.

Being a wedding guest doesn't guarantee you'll have suitors falling over you left and right, but there's a reason wedding hookups are a stereotype. Receptions tend to be full of young, single people — mostly friends and friends of friends — who have romance on the brain and a dance floor nearby. Here are 10 rules to help you succeed at a quickie courtship and ensure you don't embarrass yourself in the process.

1. Show up single. Even if your invitation welcomes a plus one, showing up without a date — even a friend date — makes it more likely you'll go home with one.
2. Ask for help. Nudge in-the-know members of the wedding party to point out potential paramours or, better yet, seat you next to them.
3. Be focused. Figure out who's single (one advantage of the dreaded singles table) and center your efforts on the one who strikes your fancy. Nothing says gauche like a girl flirting with every guy on the dance floor.
4. Speaking of the dance floor, go there. You'll have more opportunity to mingle than if you park yourself by the food table, and even if you don't meet someone, at least you'll have fun.
5. Know when to back off. If your flirtation isn't reciprocated, let it go. Being pushy is even more off-putting with a roomful of people watching.
6. Get tipsy, but don't get drunk. If it loosens you up to knock back some bubbly, fine, but don't set yourself up for slurred speech and wardrobe malfunctions.
7. Confirm single status. Before bedding down with anyone, please, confirm that he or she is single. This rule is essential when your pool of potential hookups includes the friends and family of the bride and groom.
8. Get a room, or something. Even if the entire reception has watched you flirt doesn't mean they have to witness your PDA too. Keep it classy.
9. Don't show up to the wedding brunch in your dress from the night before. Enough said.
10. Also, save the kissing and telling for later. If you want to dish with your friends about your conquest, save it for after the wedding-related festivities.

Share your tips (and your juicy wedding hookup stories) below.