The Best Man's Speech: Honoring The Bridesmaids

The best man's speech is a highlight of any wedding, and while it only lasts around 10 minutes, it's a once-in-a-lifetime moment that will be remembered forever. The best man is expected to thank the bridesmaids on behalf of the groom and father of the bride. This can be a tricky task, as one wrong move can make the best man seem lecherous. The key is to keep it classy, brief, and complimentary, with a touch of humour. While it's fine to acknowledge the bridesmaids' beauty, it's important to use refined language and veer towards words like beautiful and elegant rather than stunning or cute. It's also a good idea to shift the focus to self-deprecating jokes instead of objectifying the bridesmaids. For example, the best man can joke about how the bridesmaids are out of his league or how he'll have to compete with the other single guys to get their attention. This adds a touch of humour while respecting boundaries and maintaining a tasteful tone.

Thanking the bridesmaids

General Tips:

• Avoid making lewd or creepy comments about the bridesmaids' appearance. Keep your comments respectful and classy.
• Make the bridesmaids feel appreciated by acknowledging their hard work and support.
• Inject some humour into your speech, but be careful not to embarrass or objectify anyone.

Examples:

• "Now it's my duty to thank the bridesmaids for all of their hard work today. I know that Sam and Kerry also organised the hen party. By all accounts, you had a great time in Blackpool, especially when a 'fireman' called Nick mysteriously appeared in the pub. Something about a magic hose, apparently. Is that right, girls? Sam, you've turned as red as a fire engine."
• "I'd like to echo what Gary said and thank Mel, Violet, Cathy, and Leah for not only helping my wife prepare for today but also making such a huge effort and looking so magnificent. Not that any effort was needed, mind. Unlike myself, who had to spend hours grooming, plucking, waxing, and scrubbing to bring myself up to the standard of your average dole queue."
• "Firstly, I would just like to say how beautiful the bridesmaids look, who have only been outshone by the bride herself, who looks amazing today."
• "Thank you to both Ian and Liam for their kind words regarding my services, those of my fellow groomsmen, and the bridesmaids this evening. You were correct; we have indeed done a bang-up job, and it feels good to receive validation. However, Liam, my friend, you could've gone further with your compliments towards these beautiful young women. You could've called them sexy, ravishing, titillating, or jaw-dropping, but I respect the fact that you didn't. As a married man myself, I can see you've learned your place faster than I ever did. Well played, sir, well played."
• "Also, it would be remiss of me not to thank the bridesmaids, who look wonderful and have performed their roles well, despite the well-known rivalry that tends to erupt between such ladies. In fact, just before the service, I overheard a furious sisterly argument about who was going to be first to dance with the Best Man. But ladies, this was all for nothing. Phillip (Father of the Bride) and I intend to buck tradition once and for all; we've been practicing the Foxtrot for months. Then you can all take a number and wait your turn."

Complimenting their appearance

As the best man, you must acknowledge how lovely the bridesmaids look. Here are some ways to do this without sounding lecherous:

• Opt for general, non-specific comments that veer towards beauty rather than sexuality. Words like "beautiful" and "elegant" are better than "stunning," "cute," and "gorgeous." Avoid commenting on body parts.
• Be refined, generous, and gentlemanly in your praise. This will make you come across as a sophisticated and charming older man. For example: "On behalf of myself and my wife, I'd like to thank Imogen's bridesmaids for everything they've done for our little girl. Not just today, which was a considerable effort in itself, but throughout your years of friendship. No doubt you've been a drunken shoulder to lean on many times for our Imogen, and I expect that'll be evident shortly after the bar opens... but for that, and all the support you've given her over the years, we thank you."
• If you're confident a more risqué tone would be well-received, try something like: "Martha, Harriett, Joanne, Alannah; what can I say. You four look magnificent. Honestly, if I were twenty-five years younger, I'd be too scared to talk to any of you and I'd spend the whole night sitting in the corner nursing a beer and eating a whole pizza to myself."
• If you're the groom, keep it classy, brief, and complimentary. You should also aim to be hilarious. Your speech often follows a toast to the bridesmaids from the father of the bride, so riff on that and continue the acknowledgements. For example: "I'd like to echo what Gary said there and thank Mel, Violet, Cathy, and Leah for not only helping my wife prepare for today but also making such a huge effort and looking so magnificent. Not that any effort was needed, mind. Unlike myself, who had to spend hours grooming, plucking, waxing, and scrubbing to bring myself up to the standard of your average dole queue."
• If you're the best man, you can get away with a bit more than the father of the bride. You could say something like: "Thank you to both Ian and Liam for their kind words regarding the services of myself, my fellow groomsmen, and the bridesmaids this evening. You were correct; we have indeed done a bang-up job, and it feels good to receive validation of that fact. However, Liam, my friend, one thing I would say is that you could've gone much further with your compliments towards these beautiful young women. You could've called them sexy, ravishing, titillating, or jaw-dropping, but I respect the fact that you didn't. As a married man myself, I can see you've learned your place faster than I ever did. Well played, sir, well played."

Mentioning their hard work

As the best man, you are expected to thank the bridesmaids for their hard work and support. Here are some ideas for how to do this:

"Now it's my duty to thank the bridesmaids for all of their hard work today. I know that [names of bridesmaids] also organised the hen party. By all accounts, you had a great time in Blackpool, especially when a 'fireman' called Nick mysteriously appeared in the pub. Something about a magic hose, apparently. Is that right, girls? [name], you've turned as red as a fire engine."

"I'd like to echo what [father of the bride] said and thank [names of bridesmaids] for not only helping my wife prepare for today but also making such a huge effort and looking so magnificent. Not that any effort was needed, mind. Unlike myself, who had to spend hours grooming, plucking, waxing and scrubbing to bring myself up to the standard of your average dole queue."

"Thank you to both [names] for their kind words regarding the services of myself, my fellow groomsmen and the bridesmaids this evening. You were correct, we have indeed done a bang-up job, and it feels good to receive validation of that fact."

"Also, it would be remiss of me not to thank the bridesmaids, who look wonderful and have performed their roles well, despite the well-known rivalry which tends to erupt between such ladies. In fact, just before the service, I overheard a furious sisterly argument about who was going to be first to dance with the Best Man. But ladies, this was all for nothing. [Father of the Bride] and I intend to buck tradition once and for all; we've been practicing the Foxtrot for months. Then you can all take a number and wait your turn."

"Firstly, I would just like to say how beautiful the bridesmaids look, who have only been outshone by the bride herself, who looks amazing today."

"And as for the bridesmaids, well, ladies, you've been a wonderful help to [bride's name], and I know that if the brutally patriarchal wedding customs allowed it, she'd thank you herself. But they don't, so thank you from me instead."

Joking about rivalry between bridesmaids

As the best man, your speech is a big deal, not just for the groom but for the bride, too. It's your chance to make her feel special and to welcome her into your crazy crew. It's also an opportunity to inject a little fun into the proceedings.

The Attention Seekers

"I'd like to thank the bridesmaids for their hard work today. They all look fantastic, and they've been vying for my attention all day. I've had to be strict and remind them that I'm taken and very much off the market. Sorry, ladies!"

The Fashionistas

"I have to give a special mention to the bridesmaids, who look incredible today. I heard them discussing who will be the best dressed today. Each one was convinced it would be them. And you know what? They're all right! Well done, ladies!"

The Dance-Off

"I'd like to thank the bridesmaids, who have been arguing about who will be the first to dance with me later. I'm touched by their enthusiasm, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint them all. I'm happy to be by the side of the groom, my best friend, this evening."

The Flirtatious Friends

"The bridesmaids have been an absolute credit to the wedding today. They've been on hand to help with every detail and have been a lot of fun. In fact, they've been so fun that I've lost track of time chatting with them. I'm sure the groom will thank me for keeping them entertained!"

The Competitive Crew

"A big thank you to the bridesmaids, who have been a fantastic support network for the bride today. They've been competing to see who can make her laugh the most. I think we can all agree that they've succeeded—the bride has been beaming all day!"

Dancing with the chief bridesmaid

As the best man, you are expected to dance with the chief bridesmaid. You could make a joke about how you are required to dance with the chief bridesmaid, and how male pride requires you to try to seduce her at some point during the night.

"Thank you to both Ian and Liam for their kind words regarding the services of myself, my fellow groomsmen, and the bridesmaids this evening. You were correct, we have indeed done a bang-up job, and it feels good to receive validation of that fact. However, Liam, my friend, one thing I would say is that you could've gone further with your compliments towards these beautiful young women. You could've called them sexy, ravishing, titillating, or jaw-dropping, but I respect the fact that you didn't. As a married man myself, I can see you've learned your place faster than I ever did. Well played sir, well played."

If you want to be a little more risqué, you could try:

"I'd like to echo Gary and thank Mel, Violet, Cathy, and Leah for not only helping my wife to prepare for today but also making such a huge effort and looking so magnificent. I know that some effort was needed, but not from me. Unlike myself, who had to spend hours grooming, plucking, waxing, and scrubbing to bring myself up to the standard of your average dole queue."

You could also make a joke about the competitive nature of the bridesmaids:

"Also, it would be remiss of me not to thank the bridesmaids, who look wonderful and have performed their roles well, despite the well-known rivalry that tends to erupt between such ladies. In fact, just before the service, I overheard a furious sisterly argument about who was going to be first to dance with the Best Man. But ladies, this was all for nothing. Phillip (Father of the Bride) and I intend to buck tradition once and for all; we've been practicing the Foxtrot for months. Then you can all take a number and wait your turn."

Frequently asked questions