How to Write a Best Mans Speech

Crafting a memorable Best Man Speech is crucial, not just for the day, but for lasting memories. Some struggle with humour, content, and originality in addressing the couple. This guide simplifies it all – from structure to jokes, handling different scenarios, tips and tricks, and choosing quotes. With a bit of time and creativity, you can easily master your speech.

OPENING LINES

Briefly mention what the audience can expect from your speech and help set the tone for the rest of the speech which creates a blend of respectfulness, humour and anticipation for the stories to come.

EXAMPLE:

"Good evening, everyone! For those who don't know me, I'm [Your Name], the best man and [Groom's Name]'s lifelong partner in crime. First off, let’s give a round of applause to [Bride's Parents' Names] and [Groom's Parents' Names] for organizing this beautiful celebration. And a big thank you to all of you for joining us on this joyous occasion.

I must admit, being the best man is a lot like being a penguin at a wedding – I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to do, but I’m going to waddle my way through this with style.

Now, let's dive into why we're all here – to celebrate the journey of [Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name], and perhaps share a few embarrassing stories of [Groom's Name] along the way."

STRUCTURE

Figuring out the structure of a best man speech can be challenging, especially if you're not an experienced speechwriter. The key is to keep it straightforward and ensure a smooth, logical flow from one topic to the next. Avoid jumping back and forth in the timeline, confusing your audience, or repeating the same topics or stories about people. Simplicity and clarity are your best friends here.

BEING THE BEST MAN

In your best man speech, avoid discussing how you were chosen or your responsibilities as best man, as these are unnecessary details. The speech should be exclusively about the groom. It's also important not to fall into the trap of sharing anecdotes where you are the main subject. Remember, the aim is to keep the focus entirely on the groom for a memorable and effective speech.

HOW YOU KNOW THE GROOM

Immediately following the introduction, it's crucial to explain your connection with the groom to the audience. This not only clarifies your role in the wedding but also provides an opportunity for humour.

BEST MAN IS A BROTHER OF THE GROOM

If you are crafting a speech in this scenario, focus on creating a humorous, broad-strokes picture of who the groom is, rather than delving into deep personal insights. Draw on what you do know about his personality, hobbies, dislikes, profession, and even something as simple as his hair colour to extract humour. With careful thought, this approach can be very effective.

STORIES

To create a truly captivating best man speech, the key is to weave your content into a cohesive narrative rather than relaying a series of disjointed anecdotes. It's often challenging to deliver individual stories with a powerful punchline, as they might not resonate with everyone if they weren't present at the event. A more effective approach is to extract the most amusing elements from these stories and combine them into a succinct, humorous account.

EXAMPLE:

"Ben's transition into adulthood was filled with learning moments, especially about the unspoken rules of manhood. For instance, he learned the hard way that buying drinks during happy hour comes with a risk - like spilling them all on yourself and having to repurchase them at full price after happy hour ends.”

HIGHS AND LOWS

In a best man speech, highlighting the groom's highs and lows offers a rich vein of comedic material. It's better to touch lightly on his real achievements, leaving the more serious accolades for later in the speech. Instead, focus on his amusing blunders and misadventures, which are not true calamities but rather comical missteps in social scenarios or other aspects of his life.

IMPACT OF THE BRIDE ON THE GROOM

In your speech, it's great to humorously highlight how the bride has positively influenced the groom. Focus on how he's improved his lifestyle, updated his wardrobe, and broadened his interests beyond the usual pubs, sports, and late mornings.

THE BRIDE

While the bride is undeniably the star of the wedding day, the best man speech should primarily focus on the groom. However, it's essential to include a segment about the bride. Keep in mind, typically, the groom speaks last, which will cover how they met. To avoid repetition, briefly reference their meeting without delving into specifics, especially if their meeting was online and they prefer to keep it private.

QUOTES

Forget the awful one liners you’ve heard before. Using a unique quote can be an impactful way to conclude your speech, and it's definitely worth the effort to find one that's not commonly used. To discover a great selection of excellent quotes, explore resources like Yoodli, GoodReads and BrainyQuote where you'll find an extensive collection of meaningful and lesser-known sayings that can add a special touch to the end of your speech.

CLOSING LINES & TOAST

This part of your speech is where you bring everything together, highlighting the groom's qualities as a great friend or brother. Emphasise how he's supported you in tough times, shared joy in the good times, and has always been there for you. And even if that's stretching the truth a bit, it's all part of the tradition!

EXAMPLES:

"John, since the day we met, you've been more than just a friend; you've been a brother in every sense. I always look forward to our adventures, particularly when 'Shot Man' makes his legendary appearances. Thank you for being a dependable, loyal, and understanding friend. I'm excited for many more years of shared memories.”

"Frank, with your easygoing, serene, and empathetic nature, you're someone many feel fortunate to know. It's not just your readiness and capability to lend a hand as a friend that makes you special, but also your playful and cheerful demeanour, ensuring you're always fantastic company."

A straightforward and heartfelt toast at the end is the perfect way to wrap up your speech.

TIPS

We recommend checking with the groom if they’re wanting a set length for your speech to ensure the night stays on schedule. We would recommend this speech to sit somewhere between 6-8min. Less is more and ultimately means everyone gets longer to party after the speeches!
HUMOUR - one of the most important factors of the speech. If you can make people laugh you’ll carry the audience through the entire speech. Avoid the oldest jokes in the book at all costs. Think of something funny about the groom which is original and creative.
Keeping momentum is critical to holding the audiences attention. We recommend avoiding props if at all possible.
Positive body language (eye contact, good posture etc) elevates any speech. Therefore we recommend memorising the speech if possible. Otherwise consider using cue cards or reading from sheets and putting each sentence on a new line so you can easily find where you were if you lose track along the way.
What to AVOID if possible:

Too much detail across each of the sections, keep it efficient!
Don’t mention details of the stag. Remember, there is a handful of the audience who were present, and the rest will likely be scratching there heads at the joke/moment which you had to be there for to appreciate it.
Discussing the groom's past relationships, even if it seems like a humorous idea, is a definite no-go in a best man speech. Remember, the wedding day is all about the bride, and anything that might upset her can have serious consequences.
Avoid referencing the groom's previous romantic encounters in any manner. What might seem like light-hearted jesting to some can be uncomfortable for the bride, who wouldn't appreciate reminders of her new husband's past loves.