How to Write a Best Man Speech? Ways To Make The Wedding Memorable

Congratulations on winning the race to become a best man. From groom shepherding to alcohol distributing, you are the one who will handle it all. But you also gotta present that spectacular best man speech to ensure that you deserve to play that role, and this is exactly why we shall give you an extensive guide on how to write a best man speech. You don’t have to let your pressure mount anymore. Scroll down and stay put till the end of this piece.

Best Man Speech Template

Your mind might be crowded with many things, and you might be confused about expressing your thoughts calmly with proper flow. To this end, below, we will acquaint you with a template that will make your task easier.

• Set A Theme: How to write a best man speech for a friend or a brother or anyone close to you, you ask? Preparation is key when it comes to crafting a meaningful best-man speech. First off, decide what you want your guests to laugh and feel emotional about. Make a list of all the funny, adventurous, and heart-melting stories revolving around the groom and you and your bunch of friends. Remember to add your personal touch and storytelling skills to make your best man’s speech memorable. Now let your eye for detail do its magic and pick a common theme from these little anecdotes. This will help you understand what to say in a best man speech.
• Construct The Framework: Make a roadmap relating to all the essential facts and points you want to speak about first. Once done, describe all those points a little so the audience can understand your message. But make sure that you ain’t digracing from the main points. Ideally, two or three small anecdotes and one big story work wonders. Ensure that the stories you pick are interesting. Remember, public speaking is all about audience engagement.
• Focus On The Wedding Couple: Of course, you wanna speak about your friendship with the groom. But, it is your buddy or your sibling’s big day. The focal point is his union with his beloved. So, it is important to follow proper wedding etiquette and shed light on the newlyweds too. Make sure to display your appreciation for their relationship and offer good wishes to them.

Tips On How To Write A Best Man Speech

Below are some tips that you must keep in mind while preparing a good best man speech and delivering it on the big day. Because you do not wanna mess it up. This toast is a big responsibility, so you gotta do things just right.

• Know Your Audience: Even though the speech will revolve around the would-be-married couple and your relationship with them, knowing your audience beforehand will make your task a lot easier. This will allow you to tailor your content accordingly. Will the hall be full of young people, or will there be grandpas and grandmamas too? And will there be kids too, or people of all ages will bless the newlyweds with their presence? Get these insights from your point of contact (POC) and use words and tone for the speech that fit right well with your audience. Yes, ideally, the groom will be your POC, so start bugging him already!
• Remain True To Your Soul: Be genuine. You are delivering a friendly and warm speech, so be who you are while doing it. Adopting a character is not at all required. Crack jokes if humor is your thing, be emotional if you are. But make sure not to force anything, feelings, or even words. The newlyweds already know you and love the way you are without a doubt. So let them and their guests see the real you because pretense will only ruin the moment. Spread love and joy by being true to yourself.

Quick Tip

Try to start with a great one-liner about marriage or brotherhood that will grab the audience’s attention.

• Make It Positive: Weddings are happy occasions. They should bring joy in abundance to everybody present at the event and let positivity take center stage. Your speech should, hence, be positive too. Cracking jokes is acceptable if the newlyweds give you the green signal. But do not make the audience laugh at the couple, instead allow your speech to help them know the newlyweds better. So refrain from just roasting the couple.
• Take A Chill-pill: Stressing out will not do any good; instead, it will only make your job more tedious. So, relax! Know that you are not out there to act. You are there to speak about the groom, the kind of relationship you share with the newlyweds. Imagine hanging out with your friends and simply expressing those feelings over a glass of wine. Sounds simple, right?
• Appropriateness Is The Key: The best way to judge if the speech is appropriate or not is by putting yourself in the newlyweds’ shoes. Would you want your grandma or your mid-school-going nephew to know something that makes you uncomfy? Of course, you wouldn’t. Therefore, make sure that the speech is appropriate. There might be people of different generations, cultural backgrounds, and the like. You need to tailor the content so that it does not offend anyone at the ceremony.
• Take A Second Opinion: Always go for a second opinion. If you are unsure if the content is good to go, ask your friends or someone close to the groom’s family for their feedback on the speech.

• Rehearse: Stage fright or not, practicing is a must because you don’t wanna fumble while giving the toast. Rehearse before your speech delivery in front of a big audience. You can have a small group of friends with whom you can practice. Do it more than twice. This will boost your confidence and make your tone sound more and more natural when you deliver the speech on D-day.

Quick Tip

It’s good to memorize your speech, but you can also bring a few index cards in your pocket for reference if you get nervous.

• Keep The Content Short: You wouldn’t wanna sit through a long speech at a wedding, would you? So, always keep the content short. A speech of about three to five minutes will do just awesome.
• Have A Limit To You Drink: Now, this is important. Don’t drink too much before you toast. Staying away from alcohol till the speech is even better. You would not wanna lose track of what you’re saying and embarrass all.

The opening of the best man’s speech is the key! Read through some example openers down below for inspiration.

Best Man Speech Openers

Crafting the perfect opening line for a best man speech is crucial. Here are some ideas for openers:

• Humorous Icebreaker: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been instructed to keep this speech to a strict timeline… So in the finest wedding tradition, let’s pretend this is the ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’ part and keep any objections to my jokes until after the speech.”
• Self-Deprecating Joke: “I had to give a speech as the best man and make it unforgettable, but if it doesn’t go well, at least I tried.”
• Playful Tease: “I’ve known the groom for years, and he’s always said that good things come to those who wait. Considering how long he made [bride’s name] wait for a proposal, this marriage is going to be phenomenal!”

Read through examples of whole speeches down below!

Best Man Speech Examples

To help you further write a catchy speech, below we have a few short best man speech examples. You can add your own stories to them and make them a three or five-minute-long speech.

• Hello, everyone! I am (your name), the best man. Before I begin, I would like to thank the groom for choosing me to be his best man.

I have known the groom since my childhood, and literally, we have been inseparable ever since. He’s always been this jolly good fellow, and I’m pretty sure everyone’s seen that side of him. But what is not known to many people is that he is THE MOST romantic human being we can ever come across in our lives. Does this make our bride super lucky? Sure, it does because she loves being pampered a lot too. Who doesn’t?

I was the first among our folks to know about his relationship with the bride. I witnessed how they grew in this relationship and helped each other become the best version of themselves. So, as the best man, I wish them boundless happiness and success in their lives.

Thank you, folks!

• For those of you who don’t know me, well, I am the best of our dashing groom today. First off, I would like to say how honored I am to be his best man. Thanks (groom’s name).

Now lemme go read out loud what he wrote on this paper. “He’s charming, generous, honest, smart”…..ahh, never mind, the list is endless. Yes, people, he just put all those adjectives himself.

Anyway, let’s get to the point now. (Groom’s name) has been my best friend since we were in high school. Yes! I was at a low point in my life back then, and it was he who lifted me and made sure I was doing okay. Ever since he has been my favorite human being, and when he met his life partner back in college, I was honestly the happiest. Maybe because I knew that my wish to be the best man would be fulfilled soon? Hahaha! Also, maybe because (bride’s name) is THE right partner for him. She understands him and showers him with so much love like no other. And today, as I get to witness the beginning of their “happily ever after,” I feel this immense joy that I cannot express in mere words. I have seen my friend grow as a teenager, an adult, and now I am gonna see him grow as a hubby too. So before I conclude the speech, I would like to wish them a lifetime of happiness! I wanna see them grow happily old together.

Ian Sagabaen, a UX designer and blogger, shared the best man speech he wrote and delivered for his brother’s wedding. He writes, ”As with tradition, I wrote him a speech that I gave at the reception dinner. In true nerdy graphic design style, it originally was paired with slides (i).” He mentioned that it was still bright outside, so he had to do the speech without the slides. He started the speech with, “For those who don’t know me, I’m Jones’s older, shorter brother. I’m also a graphic designer, which means that I spend most of my days making charts like this.”

With the guide above on how to write a great best man speech, I am sure you, dear folks, are gonna ace your best man speech. Always remember to keep it simple, authentic, and fun! When delivering the speech, try to stay calm and composed and avoid nervousness. Do not panic. But, yes, rehearse till you get it right and make it sound effortless. Your words should express your love for the newlyweds and fill the event with immense joy and laughter. After all, these little things make a wedding ceremony fun and memorable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does the best man walk with?

The best man walks solo after the groom and groomsmen have entered and taken their positions. The best man then stands by the groom as his right-hand man.

Who does the best man give the rings to?

The best man is given the rings of both the bride and groom and is expected to produce them when the officiant asks. However, the best man and maid of honor may discuss amongst themselves and decide mutually.

When should the best man give his speech?

Traditionally, the best man gives his speech after the maid of honor at the reception. However, these days, couples prefer directing their own wedding and can change up the order.

What is the role of a best man in a wedding?

The best man is in charge of taking care of all the duties on the groom’s end. He is known as the right-hand man of the groom and, hence, his job is to ensure everything goes smoothly on the groom’s side. Mainly, he is responsible for planning the bachelor party, taking the groom suit shopping, and taking care of the wedding rings till the wedding day.

Learn how to write an impressive best-man speech with this helpful video! Get structure, content, and delivery tips to make your address memorable.

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Jeff LannoWedding Planner

   

Jeff Lanno is a wedding planner and a legally certified Canadian travel agent. He has worked in travel agencies for 15+ years, which has now evolved to managing groups and wedding groups. He aims to make the travel and destination wedding experience a beautiful and memorable one for his clients.

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