best man speech

best man speech

The Art of Delivering a Memorable Best Man Speech

1. Crafting an Engaging Opening

One thing that doesn’t work as well is thanking everyone for being there and thanking the hosts for the meal, and with good reason. It won’t grab the listener’s attention as it is not directly related to your speech. You should be thanking the listener by giving them an entertaining speech. This can be done after your opening. The best man speech is generally shorter than others, so time should be prioritized for the speech itself.

Humour works well and sets a good tone for your speech. Telling an entertaining story can grab your listener’s attention and draw them in. Here, the story should be relevant to the speech while being interesting. You could begin with a quote or a proverb and then either agree with it and tell the listener why or why not you disagree with it, and then tie that into your speech. Anecdotes about yourself and the groom, such as how you first met or a funny story about something you two did together, work well and help to create a personal story that your listeners can relate to. Remember to keep your opening concise. Many people make the mistake of taking too long with it and lose their audience’s interest before the speech has even really begun.

A great opening will engage your audience immediately. This can be achieved through a number of methods. Choosing the right one for you depends on your character and what you feel comfortable with.

2. Sharing Heartfelt Memories and Stories

It defeats the purpose to simply stand up and say, “I’ve been Joe’s best friend since kindergarten, let me tell you a story.” This is where most people go start with the cliché “I remember the first time Joe and I…” and then they proceed to tell a doltish story about pulling a girl’s hair or getting in trouble for talking too much in class. While these stories might contain a sentimental message, they do not easily convey it to the listeners. When sharing a memory or story, you should start by briefly painting a mental picture. Do not spend an excessive amount of time working on this, the story itself is the more important part, but if you don’t get listeners into the setting of the story, they may not be able to grasp the full relevance of it. Following this, you should tell the story in scenes, effectively narrating the entire scene and then explaining why the scene is so memorable. This method applies to either a very short story or a portion of a longer story. By expressing the story in the method, you make the listeners feel like they were present at the time of occurrence, which is the ultimate way to have them understand the sentimental value. Depending on how energetic the story is to the speaker, some may consider acting out a portion of the story. While this can be risky if it is not done in good taste, it does effectively help the listeners to better visualize the story and make it more memorable to them.

3. Adding Humor and Entertainment

Funny and satirical writing has always been a popular method of making collective public statements, of preventing societal approach avoidance debacles and of lampooning various ritualistic folkways over the centuries. When it is your turn to contribute to this great genre of humor, don’t start to panic and run for the hills, it is not as daunting as it sounds. Just think of all the great humorous words that have stood the test of time; Shakespeare’s wonderful literary farces, the great satirical writers such as Voltaire and Swift. Oh wait a minute, forget these guys, they were far too high brow and intellectual for us, let’s just shoot for a little chuckle or a mild guffaw. In the context of a wedding speech, humor is significant as it allows a collective loosening of the girdles, breaking wind of formality and provides a comfort zone for the speaker. A well-told humorous anecdote can be the highlight of a speech and what people will remember it for. Aim to make the bride and groom the focal point of your humor and have no fear of a little benign self-deprecation, just make sure it is in good taste. Also, an excellent method of exploring the bride or groom’s humorous side is to get some inside information from their friends and use it. Pet names, unchivalrous deeds, and drunken escapades are usually a safe bet, but be warned, tread carefully so as not to rankle the wrath of the blushing bride.

4. Acknowledging the Bride and Groom’s Love

Best men need to give some thought to the appropriateness of any anecdotes and in particular, the groom’s ex-girlfriends. Generally, this is a topic to be avoided and any humorous tales involving past relationships with other women should only be used if they have been discussed with the groom beforehand. Dignity of the bride is of course of paramount importance and best men should avoid anything that might paint her in a less than perfect light (often easier said than done!). Avoid any bathroom humor concerning the bride and if there are parents or grandparents present, mild innuendos are to be kept just that. When telling a story about the groom, always check that it is ok to share it with those in attendance. If you are not sure, then it is best to err on the side of caution. Finally, the drinks that the best man has shared with the groom and the resulting antics are often a reliable source for entertaining material. This is an area full of material for the best man, though certain discretion should be applied!

It is important to make mention of the love and devotion that has brought the bride and groom to the altar, and with a little bit of homework, it is possible to gather some touching insights that will be invaluable to a best man’s toast. This is also a good opportunity to show the groom in a less masculine light. Women tend to think that their men are at their best when they are not trying to be men. By making mention of a more emotional or soppy side of the groom’s personality, you will get a laugh from the audience and a warm smile from the bride. For example, it was when the groom was watching ‘Terms of Endearment’ and sobbing like a little girl when we knew how much he cared for Jenny.

5. Ending on a Touching and Inspirational Note

The future – It’s also a good idea to compare the couple to successful people and say you can see a bit of them reflected in the couple. For example, (Budding entrepreneurs aspiring to Dragons Den) and wish them all the best for the future.

Every silver lining – Use positive affirmation. Reflect back on the injustices and hard times the couple have overcome and reassure them that they have what it takes to succeed.

From the heart – You really do need to speak from the heart and sum up what the occasion means and how much it means to you. The guests will be able to tell if you are sincere or not and your best mate will appreciate your kind words.

It is always good to end your speech on a touching note. An appropriate quote or a witty one-liner is the ideal way to sum things up. It is what follows, which will have a lasting impression on the couple and your words.