6 Tips to Give the Best Best Man Speech Ever

 Favorite

Compared to the maid of honor, the best man has relatively little to worry about before and during the wedding. That’s why it’s so important to nail your one major duty, the best man’s speech! Your friend and brother is in need. He needs to look charming and romantic in front of everyone gathered, and you are just the person to do that. So what makes a great Best Man speech? We don’t have all the answers but stick to these six tips and you should be off to a great start.

1

BE NICE, and go easy on the jokes

It's surprising how many guys can forget this. The way most guys show love to other guys is to joke around and make fun. This is NOT the time for that.  If you have to get in a quick roast of the groom make sure it is only one joke, and that everyone will laugh at it. Better yet, why not make jokes about yourself and save the compliments for your best bud? Everyone thinks they are a comedian once the microphone touches their hands, but are you really the next Kevin Hart?

2

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Yes I know you have heard it a thousand times. Every public speaking class, Toastmasters, and self-help guru will tell you to prepare. But if you really care about your best friend or brother then why would you not bring your A-game? Your bro is not going to care about all the toasters and blenders in the wedding gifts, but he will remember the time that you made him feel like a king in front of his friends and family, and that is the best gift you can give.

3

Short and Sweet

Between everyone finishing their dinner and downing their second glass of wine, no one is in the mood to hear you give a lecture. Try to keep the speech around 5 minutes. This is the sweet spot that will let you make a lasting impression without everyone falling asleep or checking their phones. Attention is the scarcest resource on earth, don’t waste it.

4

Tell a heartwarming story

You may think, “wait a second”, this goes against Tips # 1 and 3. While you shouldn’t tell stories or make jokes at the bride and groom’s expense, you should tell an amusing story that has a heartwarming message. As long as this story is not too long you still should hit around the five minute mark perfectly. If you have trouble thinking up a good story, think about how the groom changed for the better after meeting the bride, or a time when you first knew your friend was getting serious about his future wife.

5

Save the drinks for later

It may seem like common sense, but many a happy wedding has been ruined by a best man who can’t hold his liquor. If you want people to remember your speech and not how drunk you were save the drinking for later. If your tongue doesn’t move without a bit of alcohol, try to limit yourself to one drink.

6

End with a quote

This is sure to be the one thing that everyone will take away from your speech. There are a lot a quotes floating around the internet these days. Many of them have a nice picture of a mountain in the background. You can go with a famous quote, but often the best quotes are something touching your dad or granddad used to say. People will respect the intimacy of the quote. One popular example is “Don’t marry the woman you can live with, marry the woman you can’t live without”. Remember, timeless and romantic are the way to go.

Hopefully, if you follow all six tips you will have grandmas reaching for their handkerchiefs, and bridesmaids looking to make you the next groom. No one said public speaking was easy, but if you put some thought and care into making your best friend look good you really will be the best best man.