When to give a toast at a dinner party?

You want to make a toast at your dinner party, but when should you do it? Before the soup or salad course? After desert? Some time in between? While doing a toast at any time is better than not doing one at all, there definitely is a best time to raise your wine glass to give a toast.

The best time is after the main course, but before desert has been served. Ensure that your guests have just refreshed their wine glasses, or give guests time to do that if they are pouring their own… you don’t want to give a toast only to notice that over half of the guests are raising an empty wine glass!

This is also the best time because guests are full and happy from the main course… yet haven’t overstuffed which is so often the case when desert is served! This also gives guests the time to digest their meals a bit more before the desert course is served.