Everything You Need to Know About the Best Man Speech

Is your best friend is getting married? Are you the best man? Great responsibility lies on your shoulders! You have several important tasks assigned to you, such as supervising the groomsmen, making sure everyone gets enough alcohol, and of course, writing and delivering the best man speech.

Writing the perfect best man speech is your chance to show your best friend how much he means to you. It’s your chance to wish him good luck in this new chapter of his life. However, delivering a heartfelt speech in front of hundreds of guests is not an easy thing do. It can be quite overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to sharing your feelings. Here are some tips to help you get started.

1.    Create a Theme

Before writing your speech, create a theme that holds the speech together. The theme is the main idea of the speech. It is the message you want the guests to remember. A good way to create a theme is by remembering anecdotes of the times you and your friend shared. The theme is the primary message learned from those anecdotes.

2.    Take Your Time

Do not leave your speech for the last minute. Start working on it at least two months before the wedding. It’s always better to get the task done in advance. As the wedding draws closer, there will be other time-consuming tasks to attend to that can distract you from writing the speech.

3.    Write a Great Introduction

Start your speech with an attention-grabbing opening line. This line will hold the audience’s attention and create the right mood. But remember, despite being funny, the opening line also needs to be warm and friendly.

4.    Talk About Your Relationship with Your Best Man

During your speech, always remember to stay on point. Most people make the common mistake of talking more about themselves than the groom. The groom should be the focus of your speech. Even when you are telling anecdotes, remember to focus on the groom’s story. Talk about how you met the groom and how you became friends with him. Tell everyone what kind of person he is, i.e., he is charming, funny, caring, etc.

5.    Talk About the Couple

Talk about the couple in your speech as well. You can emphasize how great the bride is for the groom and how happy they look. If you have known the groom a long time, you can epitomize their relationship and talk about when the groom told you they were going to get married.

6.    Don’t Make it Too Long

It’s always best to keep your speech short, so the guests don’t grow restless. As the best man speech usually comes after the maid of honor’s speech and the parents’ speeches, guests usually want to eat, drink and mingle at this point. A short and simple speech will do the trick. Your speech should last about three to five minutes, at max.

7.    Write Down Your Speech

Even though you may feel you know what you want to say, it’s still better to write down the speech and the main pointers (keywords), so it’s easier to read it. Also, practice the speech a couple of times before the big day. This will make it easier to transition from one point to the next. You can also jot down the main points in a small notebook; this will be more orderly than reading it of loose scraps of paper.

The Takeaway

The best man speech and best man toast are an essential part of the wedding reception. Follow the above-listed points to write and deliver the perfect speech. Make sure you don’t use foul language, talk about ex-girlfriends, or tell inappropriate anecdotes. Good luck!