Crafting The Perfect Best Man Speech

Being chosen as the best man at a wedding is a huge honour, but it also comes with a great deal of responsibility. One of the most important tasks is delivering a memorable speech that celebrates the groom and the couple, entertains the guests, and shows your support.

Writing a great best man speech requires careful planning, personal touches, and confident delivery. It's a chance to unite the guests in shared celebration, provide unique insights into the groom's character, and welcome the partner into your circle of friends.

To craft a memorable best man speech, it's important to start with a strong opening that grabs the audience's attention and establishes your connection to the couple. Share meaningful stories and anecdotes that reveal the groom's character and celebrate their relationship. Add a few jokes, but remember to keep them tasteful and appropriate for all ages.

The best man speech should also include a special shout-out to the bride or partner, showering them with kind words and welcoming them into the family or circle of friends. Finally, conclude with a heartfelt toast, wishing the couple a happy and loving future together.

With thoughtful preparation and sincere delivery, your best man speech will surely be a highlight of the wedding reception.

Include personal stories and anecdotes

Including personal stories and anecdotes in your best man speech is a great way to engage the audience and honour your friendship with the groom. Here are some tips and ideas to help you craft this section of your speech:

Choose the Right Stories

Select anecdotes that showcase the groom's character in a positive light. Opt for lighthearted and respectful stories that highlight his strengths and good qualities. If you're feeling nervous about all the attention, using props, slideshows, themes, or a funny rhyme can help ease your anxiety and make your speech more dynamic.

Keep it Appropriate

While you want to share fun and playful stories, it's important to avoid anything that might embarrass the groom or offend the audience. Stay away from sensitive topics, inside jokes, or anything related to ex-partners. Keep the stories light and suitable for all ages, especially if there are children present.

Include the Bride

While the focus of your speech is the groom, it's important to include the bride and talk about their relationship. Share how the groom has changed since meeting their partner and how they complement each other. You can also add a memory of when you knew they were meant to be together.

Balance Humour and Sentiment

It's great to include some humour in your speech, but don't feel pressured to be a stand-up comedian. Include a few funny stories or jokes, but also share how you truly feel about your friendship with the groom. This balance will make your speech more meaningful and engaging.

Stay True to Yourself

Don't feel like you need to adopt a different persona for your speech. If you're not typically the funny one in the group, that's okay! Be yourself and speak from the heart. Your authenticity will shine through and make your speech more impactful.

Practice and Time Management

Practising your speech is crucial. Rehearse in front of a mirror, with a friend, or even record yourself to get feedback. This will help you refine your delivery, work on your body language, and ensure you stay within the ideal time frame of around 5-7 minutes.

Incorporating personal stories and anecdotes into your best man speech is a wonderful way to celebrate the groom and create a memorable speech that honours your friendship.

Make it lighthearted and positive

Keeping your best man speech lighthearted and positive is the way to go. Here are some tips and tricks to achieve that.

Keep it Lighthearted

• Start with a funny or complimentary introduction.
• Include a short story or two about the groom.
• Use fun, family-friendly humour.
• Avoid risky or inappropriate topics and jokes.
• Keep things positive and lighthearted.
• Avoid insulting the bride or the wedding guests.
• Avoid overly embarrassing stories.
• Avoid the groom's past relationships, drugs, alcohol, insecurities, financial or personal information.

Keep it Positive

• Congratulate the groom.
• Compliment the bride.
• Express gratitude to those who made the wedding possible.
• Admire the couple.
• Summarise your thoughts and highlight your key ideas.
• Toast to the future.

Best Man Speech Structure

• Break the ice with a light-hearted icebreaker or a well-chosen joke.
• Introduce yourself and your friendship.
• Read out messages from friends and family who can't be there.
• Share some amusing anecdotes and stories about the groom/newlywed.
• Give some light-hearted yet sincere advice for the newlyweds.
• Compliment the groom's new partner.
• Acknowledge the bridal party.
• Conclude your speech by raising a glass to the couple.

Balance humour with sincerity

Being the best man at a wedding is an honour, but it also comes with the big task of giving a memorable speech. It's an opportunity to showcase your sense of humour, share heartfelt memories, and celebrate the happy couple. A great speech can be an emotional moment for the couple and the guests.

Preparation

The foundation of a great speech is laid long before the actual event. Preparation is key to delivering a memorable and charming speech. Talk to friends and family to gather funny stories and meaningful anecdotes. Recall your favourite story about the groom that highlights his character and your relationship. This will ensure your speech is both personal and engaging.

Structure

A well-structured speech flows smoothly and keeps the audience engaged. Outline the main points: introduction, body, and conclusion. Keep it concise and relevant to avoid losing the audience's attention.

Humour

Starting with a joke or a funny story can be a perfect way to loosen up both you and your audience. Think of a lighthearted anecdote or a witty one-liner that reflects your relationship with the groom. Steer clear of crude jokes or embarrassing stories that might make the groom uncomfortable. Share funny, heartwarming, or even embarrassing experiences that show who the groom is and your relationship with him.

Sincerity

Sometimes, going straight for the heart can be even more impactful than humour. Share a touching story or a poignant memory that highlights why the groom is such an important part of your life. This approach can set a warm, sentimental tone that resonates deeply with the newlywed couple and the audience.

Balance

A best man speech should alternate between moments of laughter and sincerity. Get the audience laughing, then get them saying "aww". This is the quintessential style of the best man speech, and the more you switch between comedy and sincerity, the more engaging, funny, and emotional it will be.

Delivery

When it comes to delivering your speech, you have three main options:

• Printing out your speech and reading from the script.
• Using bullet points or cue cards.
• Memorising your speech.

All of these options can work, but it's important to practise beforehand to refine your delivery and boost your confidence. Rehearse in front of a mirror or with friends and family who can provide constructive feedback. Practising in front of a mirror also helps you become aware of your facial expressions and body language.

Practice beforehand

Practice is a great way to prepare for giving your best man speech. Even if you don't feel confident, practicing will help you feel more ready than if you didn't. You might still feel nervous, but there are ways to calm your nerves.

Practicing your speech multiple times will help you become familiar with the content, timing, and flow. Rehearse in front of a mirror or with a trusted friend to refine your delivery and body language. The more you practice, the more confident you'll become.

If you're memorising your speech, aim for an hour of practice time per minute of speech. For example, if you have a 5-minute speech and 4 weeks to prepare, that's around 10 minutes of practice (twice through) every day.

Practicing will also help you decide whether to use notes, cue cards, or read from a script. If you're nervous, reading from a script can be a safer option, but be sure to practice sight-reading so you don't sound like you're reading word-for-word. If you use cue cards, make sure to practice with the same cards you'll use on the day so you don't lose them.

If you want to memorise your speech, a good trick is to memorise only the opening and closing lines, so you can begin and end confidently without notes. This gives you the best of both worlds, allowing you to connect directly with the audience at the beginning and end of your speech.

Calming Your Nerves

It's normal to feel nervous before giving a speech, but there are ways to calm yourself. Taking deep breaths and slowing down can help relax you. Visualise yourself as a great speaker, and focus on your breathing to avoid fixating on nervous thoughts.

Having a drink or two before your speech can help calm your nerves, but be careful, as this can also lead to disaster.

Keep it short and sweet

Keeping your best man speech short and sweet is a great way to leave a lasting impression. Here are some tips and tricks to help you craft a concise and impactful speech:

Keep it Brief

Aim for a speech duration of around 3 to 7 minutes. This is the sweet spot to warm up the crowd, share a few choice stories, and land an emotional finish without testing anyone's attention span. Remember, it's better to leave them wanting more!

Start with a Bang

Begin your speech with a captivating introduction. This could be a humorous anecdote, a heartfelt compliment, or an inspiring quote about friendship or marriage. You could also opt for a funny one-liner, such as:

> "I'd like to begin by congratulating the groom for his superb taste in choosing the best man [chuckle]."

Express Gratitude

Thank those who made the wedding possible, including the groom for choosing you as his best man, and the bride for welcoming you into their lives. You can also thank the couple's parents for raising such wonderful individuals and hosting a wonderful event.

Share a Short Story

Share a light-hearted and appropriate anecdote about the groom. Choose a funny but not embarrassing story that showcases the groom's best qualities, such as kindness, loyalty, or a good sense of humour. You could also share a story about how you met or a memorable shared experience.

Highlight the Couple's Relationship

Briefly recount how the couple met and their relationship journey. This adds a heartfelt touch and shows why the couple is so special. You can also mention how the bride has positively impacted the groom's life and how they complement each other.

Offer Advice and Well Wishes

Keep your advice light and positive. Offer sincere thoughts and wishes for the couple's future together, expressing your hopes for their happiness and success in their married life.

Keep it Sincere

Speak from the heart. A shorter speech delivered with genuine emotion will always outshine a longer speech that feels scripted. Focus on celebrating your friend's happiness and welcoming the bride into your extended family.

Practice and Rehearse

Rehearse your speech several times to ensure a smooth delivery. Record yourself to fine-tune your timing and make sure you don't exceed the recommended duration. Practising will also help you feel more confident and calm your nerves.

Frequently asked questions