Best Man Speech: Traditional Guide And Tips

A traditional best man speech is a lighthearted, positive, and congratulatory address that focuses on the couple's relationship and the groom. It is typically given at the wedding reception after the maid of honour's speech and lasts around 3-5 minutes. The best man usually starts by introducing himself and explaining his connection to the couple, followed by thanking the previous speaker and the couple's parents. He then shares personal stories and anecdotes about the groom and their friendship, making sure to include the bride in the stories. The best man also expresses his admiration for the couple and wishes them a happy and long-lasting marriage. The speech is concluded with a toast to the newlyweds, wishing them a lifetime of love, health, and happiness.

Keep it short and sweet

Keeping your speech short and sweet is a great way to ensure that your best man's speech is well-received. While it's an honour to be the best man, it's also a big responsibility, and one of your main duties is to give a rousing speech.

The best man's speech is the perfect opportunity to send your friend or brother your best wishes for their marriage. It's also a chance to share funny, fond memories and anecdotes about the groom, and to a lesser extent, the bride. It's important to keep the focus on the couple and their relationship, rather than your bromance with the groom.

A good best man's speech should be positive, respectful, and congratulatory. It should be light, positive, and succinct, and it should celebrate the couple and their love. A great speech can be crafted in just 15-20 minutes of planning and note-making, and you should aim for a length of 3-5 minutes.

• Have a killer opening line. Start with a funny joke, a compliment, or a quote. You could also share a quick story about how you know the groom.
• Thank the other speakers. Show gratitude to the couple's parents and the couple themselves for inviting you.
• Give a special shout-out to the new spouse. Talk about the qualities you admire about them and why you love them in the groom's life.
• Share personal stories. Add one or two anecdotes, like your favourite memories with the groom. Keep them lighthearted and short, with a funny or sentimental ending.
• Speak about the couple's relationship. Share how they met and how their relationship has grown. If you played a part in bringing them together, be sure to mention it!
• Close with a heartfelt toast. Ask everyone to raise a glass and provide well wishes to the newly married couple.

Remember, it's not a competition to see who can give the longest speech. Keep it concise, and your speech is sure to be a hit!

Include the bride in your stories

Including the bride in your best man speech is a great way to make your speech more meaningful and to make the bride feel special and appreciated. Here are some tips and ideas to help you include the bride in your stories and create a memorable and heartfelt speech:

Share Stories That Showcase Her Awesomeness:

Share embarrassing but endearing stories that highlight the bride's incredible qualities. For example, you can talk about a time when the bride organised a surprise party for the groom. This will show how much she cares and will give a glimpse into her fun-loving personality. It will also be a great way to get the wedding guests laughing and feeling more connected to the bride.

Compliment Her Stunning Appearance:

Talk about how beautiful the bride looks and how she has added a special touch to the wedding. You can say something like, "When [Bride] first walked down the aisle, I swear the whole room gasped. She looks absolutely breathtaking in that dress – like a real-life princess. [Groom], I don't know how you managed to keep your cool up there!".

Give a Shout-Out to Her Amazing Family:

Acknowledge the love and support of the bride's family and share any funny or heartfelt stories you have about them. For example, "I've got to give a special shout-out to [Bride]'s parents, [Parents' Names]. They have raised an incredible daughter, and they have also been like a second family to [Groom]. I'll never forget the time they took us all on a camping trip and taught us how to fish. Well, they tried to, anyway!".

Highlight Her Amazing Qualities:

Think about the things that make the bride unique and special. Is she kind, smart, funny, or always ready to lend a hand? Share these qualities in your speech to paint a picture of who she is and why she is so loved. For example, "I've never met anyone as compassionate as [Bride]. She's always there to help and support those around her. And her wit is unmatched – she can make even the most boring story hilarious!".

Keep It Clean and Genuine:

Remember to keep your stories and jokes clean and respectful. Avoid raunchy jokes or inappropriate stories. Your humour should come from a place of love and respect for the bride and groom. Be genuine in your admiration and speak from the heart to create a meaningful and memorable speech.

Practice and Prepare:

Don't wing it! Practice your speech beforehand and prepare cue cards to help you stay on track. The more you practice, the more confident you will feel on the big day. Run your speech by a friend or family member to get their feedback and make sure your stories and jokes land well.

Don't make it a 'bromance' speech

A best man's speech is a chance to say some kind words about your relationship with the couple and your best friend. While it's a chance to be lighthearted, it's also an opportunity to be meaningful and to wish the newlyweds well.

Don't Make It a Bromance Speech

The wedding is about the couple and their relationship, not the best man's relationship with the groom. It's important to include the bride in your stories and to keep the focus on the newlyweds rather than your friendship with the groom.

You might want to talk about how you met the groom and share some fond memories or funny anecdotes. However, it's best to avoid making your speech all about you and your friendship with the groom. Instead, make sure you talk about the couple's relationship and share how you feel about their marriage.

• Keep your speech positive and respectful. Avoid roasting the groom or making jokes at the couple's expense.
• Don't tell embarrassing stories or share anything too personal.
• Compliment the bride and wish her and the groom well.
• Keep your speech short and sweet—around 3 to 5 minutes is a good length.
• Rehearse your speech beforehand and consider getting feedback from a friend.
• Make sure your speech is tailored to the audience—avoid inappropriate jokes or stories that might offend certain guests.
• Don't drink too much before your speech!

Start with an intro (how you know the groom, etc.)

Starting with an introduction about yourself and how you know the groom is a great way to begin your best man speech. It helps to set the tone and gives the audience an insight into your relationship with the groom. Here are some ways to approach this:

• A simple and direct approach: "Good evening everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm [Your Name], and I'm extremely honoured to call myself [Groom's Name]'s best man. Also, please excuse the puffiness under my eyes; I've been happy crying since before the ceremony."
• A humorous twist: "Good evening, if you're in this room and don't know me by now, then you're probably at the wrong wedding. I am, of course, [Your Name], and I've been best friends with [Groom] for 25 years..."
• A self-deprecating joke: "I'd like to begin by congratulating the groom for his superb taste in choosing the best man [chuckle]."
• A quote: "There are friends, and there is family, but friends also become family. This is so true for [Groom] and me. We've been best friends since we were four years old, and I've always considered him my brother."
• A story: "I first met [Groom's Name] while working at a pizza joint called Domenica's while in college. I hated being a server with all my heart, but whenever [Groom's Name] and I were scheduled together, it made it so much more bearable."
• A playful dig: "As a kid, the groom was so excited to have a younger brother that he quickly crowned me as his servant for the next ten years."

Remember to keep the intro short and sweet—around a minute or less if your speech is five minutes long. You can also include a joke or two, especially if it's lighthearted and not at anyone's expense. This will help to relax the audience and create a warm atmosphere.

End with a blessing/well wishes for the couple

Ending your best man speech with a blessing or well wishes for the couple is a great way to send the newlyweds your love and support. Here are some ideas for this section of your speech:

Traditional Blessings and Well Wishes

• "Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple – to [NAME] and [NAME]]"
• "I’d like you all to join me in wishing the new Mr and Mrs/Mr [NAME] all the wealth, health and happiness in the world. To the newlyweds!"
• "To my best friend and his beautiful partner: the new Mr and Mrs/Mr [NAME]"
• "Please make sure your glasses are charged and join me in toasting the new Mr and Mrs/Mr [NAME]. Ladies and gentlemen, to the happy couple!"
• "Here is a toast to a perfect couple – to a long life together filled with happiness, adventure and lots of wonderful memories"
• "To [NAME] and [NAME] – here is to a lifetime of love and happiness"
• "Raise your glass and join me in a toast to [NAME] and [NAME] – may you always be friends as well as lovers"

Funny Blessings and Well Wishes

• "Time to raise our glasses to the happy couple because I like both of you—do you have any idea how rare that is?"
• "For one more time, I’m going to ask everyone to charge their glasses and—for those who still can—stand, and raise a glass to the newlyweds"
• "Raise a glass to the happy couple. May your marriage be as strong as the drinks in your hand. Cheers!"
• "Part of the best man speech involves a toast and for me, the best kind of toast is French toast. So, buvons à ce couple heureux [cheers to this happy couple]"
• "Please can everyone join me in toasting two young – well, quite young anyway – people in love. To the happy couple"
• "To the two things that make a great marriage – having a good sense of humour and selective hearing. To [NAME] and [NAME]]]"
• "To [NAME] and [NAME] – we all knew [NAME] had found the one when he/she started spending more time with [NAME] than he did playing on his/her Xbox!"
• " [NAME] and [NAME], before I finish, I’d like you to turn to face each other. You’re now looking into the eyes of the person who is statistically most likely to murder you. To the happy couple!"

Quotes for a Great Toast

• "I would like to end on some wise words from Socrates: ‘My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife/husband, you’ll be happy; if not, you’ll become a philosopher.’ To the happy couple!"
• "Here’s one of my favourite Oscar Wilde quotes: ‘The man who says his wife/husband can’t take a joke forgets that she/he took him.’ To [NAME] and [NAME]]."
• "Before we raise a glass to the newlyweds, I’d like to share a Pauline Thomason quote with you: ‘Love is blind – marriage is the eye-opener.’ To the happy couple!"
• "Here’s a poem by Ogden Nash to finish on: To keep a marriage brimming with love in the loving cup, where you are wrong, admit it, and when you are right, shut up! To [NAME] and [NAME]"
• "To [NAME] and [NAME] – here’s an Antoine de Saint-Exupery quote to finish on: ‘Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.’"
• "Before we raise our glasses, I’d like to share this Mignon McLaughlin quote with [NAME] and [NAME]: ‘A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.’"

Frequently asked questions