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• How To Write The Perfect Speech
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Best Man Speech Ideas

• Opening Lines
• Toasts Examples
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Best Man Speech Magic: Crafting Words that Resonate and Inspire

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Hey there! Your friend’s wedding is just around the corner, and he’s chosen you to be the best man? Crafting the perfect best man speech might seem daunting, but trust us, it’s simpler than you imagine.

Below, you’ll find a wealth of tips and examples from Wedding Forward team to guide you through crafting a best man speech that will leave a lasting impression. Moreover, our editorial team interviewed two distinguished experts in the field: Mindy Weiss, the founder of Mindy Weiss Party Consultants and a best-selling author, and Steven Greitzer, a wedding tech entrepreneur and officiant, serving as CEO of Provenance . Their invaluable tips and advice also have been integrated into this article.

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Top Best Man Speech Examples

It is much easier to write a best man speech when you have some examples to draw upon for inspiration. That’s why Wedding Forward team have prepared variety collection of inspired best man speech to help you craft your own!

Best Man Speech For Friend

Best Man Speech for Brother

“Good evening, hope everyone is having a good time tonight. I feel very privileged and honored to be standing here tonight celebrating this lovely union. Two years ago, Matt gave the best man speech at my wedding and made a lot of awkward jokes. So needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a really long time! For those who don’t know, I am Matt’s brother, Mike. I first met Matt when I was two years old at our parent’s house in Boston. To be quite honest, I wasn’t thrilled because I really wanted a sister. And I think he knew because Matt would do ridiculous things like throw my toothbrush in the toilet, pour water at me when I was asleep and run across the room naked when I had any friends over. This made me less popular than I already was. Matt always excelled in school, was captain of the debate team (apologies to Cara, but he can argue his way out of anything!) and can make a mean steak. The truth is, despite him being an annoying brother at the time, I came out winning in the end. Because of him and this beautiful night, I am getting the sister I always wanted. Cara, you’re beautiful and our family loves you so much. Thank you for making my brother so happy. Let’s celebrate this amazing union and raise a glass to the newlyweds ! On behalf of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, we’d like to wish you a life full of love, happiness, and joy. To everyone who made tonight happen, thank you. You’ve made this night very special.” Source

Short Best Man Speech

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? As the best man, I stand here today to say a few words about the remarkable love story between my incredible friend, [groom’s name], and his beautiful bride, [bride’s name]. [Groom’s name] and I have been through thick and thin together, and I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his growth as a person. But it wasn’t until [bride’s name] came into his life that I saw a change I can only describe as transformative. Their love is like a beacon, guiding them through life’s ups and downs. So here’s to the newlyweds—a couple who have found not just love, but true companionship. May your journey be filled with happiness, passion, and an everlasting bond.”

Funny Best Man Speech Examples

Best man talk for adam and kate.

“Adam and Kate – What a great day to get married! Marriage carries new responsibilities. Kate – from now on, you should never argue or disagree with Adam, because he is now the head of the family and the king of his castle. You will be expected to keep your hair and make-up perfect at all times – to dress in a way that pleases Adam. You should cook his favorite meals every night and encourage him to go out with his friends on a regular basis. Do these simple things and your marriage will be blessed with many years of happiness. Kate – I know that Adam loves you very much… because he spent a long time writing this speech for me. Congratulations to the both of you!” Source

Best Man Presentation for Sarah & Simon

“Sarah & Simon – every great relationship starts with rings. In the beginning, the phone would ring and just the thought of speaking to one another was exciting. Your love grew and so did your commitment to each other. The engagement ring soon came after. There were no doubts… your love was true. The engagement ring has now turned into a wedding ring and we are all here today to celebrate your marriage. Now of course… the suffer-ring begins. (smile and raise your glass) Peace and happiness to the new bride and groom!” Source

Speech for Neil and Claire

“Hi my name is Paul and Neil has asked me to be his best man for this wonderful occasion. I would like to say it is a very special honor but with it, comes the responsibility of giving the bloody speech. I would not say it is very comfortable to wear a tuxedo in a 30-degree church, which is not air-conditioned. The church ceremony I’m sure you’ll all agree was a wonderful, wonderful occasion. Maybe a little hot, but I’m glad to see so many of you have replaced your electrolytes with fuel of the alcoholic kind since the reception began. I have known Neil and Claire for_________ [how many years] years. You might say Neil and I met by accident, but it is no accident that Neil met Claire. If you know Neil you know he is an excellent athlete, in fact I noticed his Athletes foot right away. This was a man who had his knees and ankles shaved, for easy taping. I knew this was a hard-core sports fanatic. We both share a tremendous love of football and basketball. For many years, we have had a running bet during the season as to who will score more goals or more runs which of course, I always won. Neil is a ______________ [Groom’s Occupation] in Truro, and I thought__________________________________[Funny or quirky aspect about grooms occupation] Neil is a man who has dedicated his life to __________________[Grooms occupation] And now I’m sure will use his experience with ___________________________[what the Groom does in his occupation] in his marriage with Claire. It is great that Neil found Claire. He has always been looking for someone young, dynamic, intelligent, attractive, and with good health insurance. Neil and Claire met_________________________ [where they meet], But I have it on good authority that Neil started looking for a wife on the internet. And with a multitude of resources at his fingertips, he found some really great stuff, but sadly was unable to find himself a suitable partner. That is, until I mentioned to him that the correct category to be looking should be Woman Seeking Man. I explained the way it works, send an old picture when you still had lots of hair, lie about your height and weight, and at all other times be sincere and honest. I imagine that when Neil and Claire met and introduced each other he said I’m Neil and she said, “I need a Diamond.” So, Neil said, sure let’s pick one out. Claire is a Diamond. Neil is a gem; I think together they make beautiful jewellery. No Marriage would be complete without some brotherly advice to help set you on your way… So I canvassed the room and got some really good stuff for you! Love, honor and cherish each other, and don’t forget to take out the garbage. Your wife is always right. Just in case she is not right, refer back to #2. Always, yes always, notice every new hairstyle or dress. Do something nice for each other every single day. If she asks if something makes her look fat the answer is categorically, NO. Flowers are always a good Idea, even if you are not in trouble. There is really nothing better than a good foot rub or massage. Your wife is more important than sports. I guess. Even the cup final. It is a great joy for me to see Neil and Claire so happy. You learn things when you get older. Hmmm, I mean more mature. You make better decisions, isn’t it great that two people would entwine and commit to each other for life. Love, isn’t that what it is all about? We are here to celebrate that glorious event and this ceremony is all about letting the world know how much Neil and Claire’s love for each other is a reflection of one’s own soul in another’s. Anyway, it is time to celebrate the joyous and unbridled love that these two spectacular people will share the rest of their lives. Would you please stand now and join me in a toast. To love and laughter and happily ever after.” Source

What are the key elements that should be included in a memorable and heartfelt best man’s speech?

That is what Steven Greitzer, wedding tech entrepreneur and officiant, CEO of Provenance, said:

“There are many key elements to take into account when pulling together a great toast:

• Include 2-3 stories in your speech that capture the essence of the groom and your friendship.
• Make sure your speech is appropriate by discussing “no-go’s” with the couple beforehand.
• Acknowledge the groom’s partner in your speech and speak about how the relationship has helped the groom grow (more on that below).
• Offer a thematic takeaway, such as the importance of friendship or the strength of the couple’s love.
• Be sure to practice

The Provenance Toast Builder is the best and easiest way to make sure your wedding toast captures what you’re trying to say.”

Try the Toast Builder

How to Write a Best Man Speech

For a great wedding speech, there are some simple rules you have to follow. Here you will find examples of best man speeches Dos and Don’ts from our editors.

• Plan your speech ahead (think about your best man speech structure, choose formal or funny style) and practice.
• Tell a short story ( keep the speech to about 5 minutes or less ) with jokes (2 or 3 will be enough).
• Get sentimental at some point, make compliments to the bride.
• Finish on an optimistic note (end your speech with love quotes or wishes for the happy couple).
• Be thankful (express gratitude towards the couple, their family, and anyone who helped make the wedding happen).

Don’ts

• Do not cross the 2-5 mins time limit.
• Do not make it about you.
• Avoid dirty jokes.
• Do not ignore the bride. Let her know how happy you are, that she is ending up with your friend.
• Avoid rude remarks. Keep your manners in check, even if it’s for a day.

Infographic

Best Man Speech Templates

Click here to download free printable templates of best man speech!

When creating the Best Man speech outline for your talk, include the following elements to involve everyone, making one and all feel that they are important participants in the merrymaking for the newlywed couple:

Use a Magnetic Opening Line

The opening words of your Best Man presentation should grab everyone’s attention. If you favor a romantic approach to start off a speech, you can start with a statement like, “True love wins all,” and then list the various ways the Groom, through his true love for his Bride, has won all her attention and affections.

• If some of the Groom’s favorite hip singer-songwriters date back to the 1960s and ’70s, you can quote from Bob Dylan: “ Love is just a four-letter word ,” going on to mention the many words of just four letters that relate to feelings of true love like “ kiss, hold, keep and ever. ” Be intent and clever with the use of language, and you will achieve better engagement with your audience.
• If your tastes (or the tastes of the newlyweds) are somewhat more classical, you can start by quoting the familiar line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “ How do I love thee, Let me count the ways. ” This popular line has been repeated in many variations by countless poets and songwriters ever since, so have no fear of labeling yourself as an egghead when quoting it. This opening line will also give you a chance to mention the main virtues and attributes of the Bride.

Thank the Other Speakers

It is always appropriate and appreciated if you thank the other speakers for the occasion. These speakers usually include the Maid of Honor and the Bride’s Father as well as any other members of the wedding party that the Bride and Groom ask to speak.

It is always good form to express your gratitude for their contributions to this special moment and event. Never criticize or make jokes about what they say or how they say it. Just thank them politely and continue with your own remarks since you know very well how to write a best-man speech.

Congratulate the Newlyweds

Congratulate the wedding couple on this exciting first chapter in their lives together. This is the ideal time to tell the guests how you met your great friend, the Groom. If you happen to be the Groom’s brother or cousin, you can recreate moments of hilarity from your younger years together or shared experiences of suspense or intrigue.

Recalling funny incidents or telling best man speech jokes involving the Groom is totally acceptable, so long as you keep the format and content clean and respectable.

Expert tip from Steven Greitzer:

“A great best man speech strikes the perfect balance of humor and sincerity. You want it to be memorable, but for the right reasons. Check with the couple to see if there are any topics you need to avoid or any topics that might be of particular concern to anyone in the audience. In the Provenance Toast Builder , the couple has the option to call out any topic they do, or don’t, want you to include. If you have any jokes in your speech you are unsure about, run them by someone who is close to the couple who you trust. And if you have a feeling that a joke might upset them or not land well with the audience – err on the side of caution. It’s their big day, not yours! There’s a way to have a funny best man speech that doesn’t upset grandma. Find the balance.”

Compliment the Bride

Now it is time to pull out the stops and give high praise to the Bride using your knowledge of how to write a best man talk. Highlight and emphasize her finest qualities, talents, and accomplishments.

Let them know just how overjoyed you are to celebrate the marriage of these two special people of whom you think so highly. Then give the Bride another charming compliment using top-quality speech writing tips.

Read Messages from Absent Guests

Take time to read some messages from invited guests who could not attend the wedding. This gesture is always appreciated by the absent guests and the Bride and Groom, alike. It also includes their congratulatory thoughts and best wishes for the newlyweds in the day’s special events.

Include a Famous Quote or Poem

Enchant your attentive audience of wedding guests further by reciting a well-known quote or poem that suits the occasion. This adds a creative literary element to the post-wedding celebration for the honored couple. You may want to consult other templates, including a listing of groomsman speech examples.

Best Man Speech Quotes

Choose Best Man speech quotes that reflect the couple’s personality, add humor, and keep them relevant.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop. H. L. Mencken

Marriage is a workshop where husband works and wife shops.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Mignon McLaughlin

Propose a Toast to the Wedding Couple

Raise your glass of champagne so the guests can eagerly follow your example as you deliver a heartfelt toast of optimistic good wishes for the excellent health, increasing wealth, and everlasting happiness of the newlyweds.

The toast should be given with gusto and true sincerity and may include mild best-man speech jokes. Remember that you speak for all the well-wishers in the room who want all the best for this newly married Bride and Groom, so put your best energy, spirit, and talents for convincing elocution into this featured Grand Finale.

The “Thankful” Speech

“Hello everyone, it’s such a pleasure to be here tonight as [Groom’s] best man. And I want to begin with saying what an honor it is that I was chosen to stand by your side today. You’ve always been someone that I looked up to and I am just beyond grateful that I get to share in this moment with you and [Bride]. [Groom] is someone that I’ve come to care for greatly over the years and I am so happy that he’s found someone to share his life with and start a family with. [Groom] has always been my right hand throughout the biggest moments of my life and I can’t wait to be able to watch everything beautiful unfold for the two of you. Cheers to a lifetime of happiness!”

The “Smart Move” Speech

“There’s an old saying about friendship that reads, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them,” and goodness that couldn’t be more true for me and my boy, [Groom]. I could go into all the funny stories that include some of that stupidity but instead I’d rather focus on all the smart moves he’s made. His friendships, the relationship he has with his family, his career, it’s all a reflection of the incredible man he’s become. But really, the smartest move he’s made is marrying you, [Bride]. Let’s toast to the best decision [Groom’s] ever made. I wish you a lifetime of love, happiness and success.”

The “She Was the One” Speech

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming out tonight to celebrate the wedding of two people we all love, [Bride] & [Groom]! When I first met [Bride], I knew that she was the woman [Groom] would end up marrying. Even if it hadn’t dawned on him quite yet, it was obvious to everyone around just how smitten he was with her. They talk about a bride’s glow, but this man was shining since the moment he met [Bride]. He changed for the better without realizing it. And we all could see it. He couldn’t stop talking about her. We’d go out with the boys and [Bride’s] name would be brought up every two minutes. So, when he came to me to tell me that he would be proposing my only response was, ‘Well, it’s about time!’ There’s something special about these two. They go together without forcing it. They love each other without fighting it. And they care about each other without thinking about it. She was the one from the very beginning [Groom], and we’re all so happy to be able to take part in your big day. Cheers!”

Best Man Speech Opening Lines

Your opening lines are your best-man speech icebreakers, so it’s important that they are good. Grab the attention of your guests with witty best man speech openers such as these.

• “I would like to begin by congratulating the groom on his excellent taste in best men. He has really outdone himself this time, and I’m pleased.”
• “I have been asked by the bride and groom not to share any embarrassing stories, crude jokes, or pranks during my best man’s speech… so I guess that’ll be it from me! Thank you all for listening.”
• “If you cannot hear me at the back, nothing to worry about. By the complete silence in the front row here, you can rest assured that you’re really not missing much.”
• “Is anyone here this afternoon feeling nervous and queasy at the thought of what lies ahead? If you are, it’s probably because you’ve just married (groom’s name).”
• “All of you here who really know the bride must know that she is a wonderful person who deserves a good husband. Thank goodness (groom’s name) married her before she found one.”

Best Man Speech One-Liners

I am about to make the groom cry. I just received the food bill.

He is smart, tall, kind, generous….. Who am I actually talking about?

Hi, the groom is a great friend. Our friendship is 2hours old. I was hired as he’s got no friends.

His colleagues describe him as a first-class banker – I may have misheard them.

I heard some time that marriage is a 50/50 affair. Believe that at your own peril. We have factors called women and improper fractions.

One-liners are sharp jokes delivered in one sentence. A good one-liner is concise and meaningful. It is instant but loaded with humor that can keep the guests laughing for a while. It is important that the best man speech jokes contain one-liners.

Best Man Toasts Examples

“It’s been an emotional day, even the cake is in tiers.”

“Folks, I have been told I am not allowed to have a drink until AFTER my speech. If I seem like I’m in a hurry to finish, it’s because I am.”

“I hope the two of you have the two essential things it takes to have a successful marriage 1) a sense of humor 2) selective hearing.”

“Psychiatrists say that girls tend to marry men like their fathers. That must be why mothers cry at weddings.”

“Love is not about how often you say I love you, but how often you show that it’s true.”

Best Man Speech Jokes

“They say marriage is a journey, and tonight we celebrate the beginning of an epic road trip for the bride and groom. Just remember, guys, never forget to ask for directions!”

“They say the key to a successful marriage is patience, understanding, and a remote control with fresh batteries. Groom, make sure you always keep that remote handy!”

“Let’s raise our glasses to the newlyweds: may their love be like Wi-Fi, strong and never disconnecting, even in the midst of Netflix binges!”

“As the best man, it’s my duty to share a piece of advice with the groom: in marriage, always remember that a happy wife means a happy life… and also remember to nod and agree, even when she’s wrong!”

“Marriage is a lifelong commitment, just like the gym membership the groom signed up for and rarely uses. But this time, there are no cancellation fees!”

Best Man Speech Delivery and Presentation Tips

When delivering your best man speech, it’s essential to captivate the audience with your words and presence. Here are some tips to ensure a memorable and engaging delivery:

• Maintain good eye contact with the audience: Look directly at the guests while speaking. Eye contact helps establish a connection and shows that you are genuinely engaged with them.
• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace: Enunciate your words clearly and avoid rushing through your speech. Speaking at a moderate pace allows the audience to understand and absorb your message effectively.
• Use appropriate gestures and body language to enhance your delivery: Use hand gestures and body movements to emphasize key points and add energy to your speech. However, be mindful of not going overboard and distracting from your message.
• Incorporate pauses for comedic timing and to allow the audience to react: Timing is crucial, especially when delivering humorous anecdotes or punchlines. Pause before and after delivering a joke to build anticipation and give the audience time to laugh and react.

By implementing these delivery and presentation tips, you’ll engage the audience, leave a lasting impression, and make your best man speech a memorable highlight of the wedding celebration.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid, and how to overcome nervousness or stage fright?

According to wedding planner Mindy Weiss, “speeches can help make or break a wedding” . And we agree with this opinion. Speeches have the power to elevate the celebration, bringing tears of joy and laughter to guests, while also creating cherished memories that last a lifetime. However, poorly delivered speeches can disrupt the flow and energy of the event, leaving guests feeling disconnected and the couple disappointed.

Steven Greitzer convinced that one of the biggest mistakes is when the person giving the wedding speech only talks about the partner they’re closest with, unintentionally making the other partner feel left out and unimportant: “To help remedy this, the Provenance Toast Builder gives you the option to either talk about each partner 50/50, or to talk 70% about your person and 30% about their partner (which is a good rule of thumb). The Toast Builder also has thoughtful prompts to encourage you to share why they’re both 1) good people and 2) a great match for each other.

What is the best man supposed to say in his speech?

The best man should share anecdotes about the groom, praise the couple, thank everyone, and propose a toast. Keep it lighthearted and sincere.

What do you say in a short speech for Bestman?

In a short best man speech, express gratitude, share a memorable moment about the groom, and toast to the couple’s happiness. Keep it concise and impactful.

How do I write a good man speech?

Write a good best man speech by including humor, expressing genuine sentiments, avoiding inappropriate content, and keeping it focused on the couple. Practice for smooth delivery and timing.

There is truly something for everyone today to create the perfect Best Man Speech for that very special couple and their after-wedding reception, dinner, and celebration. Fond remembrances, amusing stories and anecdotes, humorous quotes, and emotional phrases end with the joyful ring of a clever, yet heartfelt Best Man Toast to the Bride and Groom. The contemporary wedding is truly a work of love and art with all the trimmings and enticing treats for one and all to treasure and enjoy.

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Rock Your Best Man Speech Using Our Expert-Approved Advice

• Chapelle writes articles for The Knot Worldwide. She covers all things wedding-related and has a personal interest in covering celebrity engagements and fashion.
• Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Chapelle was an editorial intern for Subvrt Magazine.
• Chapelle has a degree in English writing from Loyola University New Orleans.

Pat yourself on the back—you're the best man. It's a good feeling when one of your loved ones asks you to be their right hand for the wedding. Beyond the fun best man duties , like planning an epic bach party , you'll have to give a rousing best man speech. We believe it's arguably the most meaningful duty, but don't let that get you nervous. Whether you're a public speaking pro or have only delivered speeches while on the eighth-grade debate team, boost your chances of making your best man speech a hit by using our helpful tips, ideas and examples for inspiration.

In this article:

Printable Template | How to Write | Examples | Tips | FAQs

Printable Best Man Speech Template

Delivering a best man wedding speech doesn't have to feel like a chore. Use the template below as a checklist while you're writing your best man speech.

How to Write a Best Man Speech Outline

We're guessing the thought of crafting a flawless best man speech from scratch feels pretty overwhelming right about now. Start by drafting a bare-bones outline (trust us, drawing up a rough outline is way more palatable than writing a fully fleshed-out speech). You don't need to include every element in your wedding speech . Instead, customize it to fit the couple, the event and your relationship with the groom.

1. Have a killer opening line.

Successful best man speeches always start with a good opener. Introduce yourself and explain your connection to the happy couple. Have fun with this part by sharing a quick joke or quoting a poem so your speech doesn't start off stale. For example, "Hello everyone! For those of you who don't know me, thank you so much for coming to my wedding. [pause for laughter] Sorry about that...I'm a little nervous."

2. Thank the other speakers.

Once you address the audience, give props to the previous speaker to help lead into your speech. If you know your speech has a sillier sentiment, now's your chance to warn your audience in the change of direction. Here's an example: "Let's give it up to the amazing speech given by the wonderful maid of honor . If you enjoyed how thoughtful and sweet her speech was, you better get the tissues ready for this one!"

Next, express your gratitude to the couple's parents. Thank the couples' parents for not only raising incredible adults and, if they helped pay for the wedding, for hosting such a great party. Here's an example: "I'd like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to the couples' parents for raising such amazing people, who I'm fortunate to call my best friends. I would also like to thank their parents for hosting such an awesome celebration for all of us to enjoy this evening."

3. Say a few words about your friend's new spouse.

Another writing a best man speech tip is always to give a special shoutout to the new spouse so they feel welcomed and included. Yes, we know you most likely have a closer relationship with the groom, but don't let that stop you from showering them with kind words––it's their big day too. Talk about the qualities you like about them and why you love them in the groom's life. Try this, "I'm so happy [Spouse's Name] fell in love with [Groom's Name]. Firsthand I've seen the grace, intelligence and confidence [Spouse's Name] has, which explains why [Groom's Name] knew he wanted to marry [Spouse's Name] after their first date."

4. Share personal stories.

What's going to make your best man speech stand out are personal stories. We suggest adding one or two anecdotes, like your favorite memories with the groom (and their partner, if you want). Avoid choosing a story that rambles on and has no sentimental or funny ending—keep it lighthearted and short. Here's a silly example, "I remember when we first met in first grade. [Groom's Name] had just glued his hand to his face but still used his free one to shake my hand and ask if I wanted to be his friend."

5. Talk about the couple's relationship.

This is the time to speak about why the groom and their new spouse are a great couple. Share how they first met and how their relationship has grown so other guests can get a better insight into the newlyweds. If you helped the love birds meet, say something like this in your best man speech: "I know I said earlier I'm the best man, but I lied. I'm actually Cupid because I'm the one who introduced these two eight years ago."

6. Propose a toast.

Finally, close out your best man speech with a heartfelt toast. Ask everyone to raise a glass and provide well wishes to the newly married couple. Steal this wedding toast : "Everyone, please join me in raising a glass to such a wonderful couple. I wish you a lifetime of peace, love and happiness. Love you guys!"

Find your kind of venue

Best man speech examples.

Now that you know how to write the outline, let us provide you with some inspiration. Here are four best man speech ideas for every type of delivery.

Short Best Man Speech Example

Short best man speeches can make the grade just as much as long ones. Try this short but sweet example.

As the poet, Dante once said, 'A great flame follows a little spark.' When [Groom's Name] met [Spouse's Name], there was a little spark. I know because I talked to him the next day.

From the way he talked about [Spouse's Name], this stranger he chatted up at a Halloween party, I could tell this spark was something special.

You two are fantastic together. May the flame burn long, and may sparks continue to fly. Cheers to the newlyweds!

Funny Best Man Speech Example

Funny best man speeches are our favorite. You get to show off your comedic skills while giving loving well-wishes to the happy couple.

Hello! For those who don't know me, I'm [Your Name], the best man. I've known [Groom's Name] since middle school, which means that it was before we learned mullets weren't a good look for either of us.

[Groom's Name] and [Spouse's Name] told me there are some topics I should avoid in this speech so…[Look through cue cards, then shake head and dramatically drop them all to the floor but one.]

[Reading from the remaining cue card] [Groom's Name] is really the best friend I've ever had. He's done so many wonderful things it would be difficult to name them all. Hey, [a Groomsman's Name], I can't read your handwriting here!

But seriously, it's all true. This guy is a great friend, the best I've got, and I'm very proud to stand by his side today.

[Spouse's Name], I was hoping to be the best-looking person in the room today but obviously, I failed miserably. You look beautiful and radiant. I'm beyond happy for the two of you.

May you always find joy in the little things, like your Xbox and 'Star Wars.' Oh wait, that's my personal goal. You should actually find joy in each other, and do everything you can to have a lifetime of happiness together. Let's toast the newlyweds!

Best Man Speech for Brother Example

Need best man speech examples for your brother? Use our speech below as a guide to delivering a sweet message to your older or younger brother.

On my fourth birthday, my parents got me a brother…I wanted a puppy.

But seriously, as a kid [Groom's Name] wanted to do everything I did. He used to follow me around. He used to sneak into my room and play with my Matchbox cars. Our parents could get him to eat his broccoli by making me eat my broccoli.

It wasn't until after I went to college that he started going down his own path. He started doing volunteer work. He found a job he loves, a pretty killer apartment and, of course, he found [Spouse's Name].

[Spouse's Name], you're the nicest person I've ever met, and my brother is so blessed to have someone like you in his life. Thank you for being there for him.

I'm so happy you two found each other especially because I'm gaining a sister today. Oh, and I want to set the record straight. I'm glad I didn't get a puppy that day. I love you, little bro.

Congratulations to both of you. I wish you lots of laughter, love and joy as a married couple. Cheers to the newlyweds!

Best Man Speech for Best Friend Example

For those who need a best man speech sample for their best friend, we got you covered. Here's how to tell your BFF you're happy for them on their special day.

Good evening, everyone! I'm [Your Name], and I'm extremely honored to call myself [Groom's Name]'s best man. Also, please excuse the puffiness under my eyes, I've been happy crying since before the ceremony.

I first met [Groom's Name] while working at a pizza joint called Domenica's while in college. I hated being a server with all my heart, but whenever [Groom's Name] and I were scheduled together, it made it so much more bearable.

We laughed until we cried, ate hundreds of garlic knots and I can't tell you the amount of times we accidentally got pizza dough stuck to the ceiling during our pizza toss competitions. But even after we both quit and moved on to bigger and better things, we still kept in touch and I'm eternally grateful.

One of those bigger and better things was [Spouse's Name]. [Groom's Name] really discovered the perfect piece to his puzzle. [Spouse's Name] laughs at his bad jokes, listens to his long monologues about Batman vs. Superman and most importantly, loves him no matter what. [Spouse's Name] is a phenomenal and caring person who deserves the world, and I know [Groom's Name] will do everything he can to give it to them.

Thank you both for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful wedding, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for you in the future. Love you guys, and cheers to the handsome couple!

Best Man Speech Tips

Good news! We got how to give a best man speech tips from Dominic Bliss, wedding writer and author of Being the Best Man for Dummies. Study up on these helpful pointers below to minimize pre-speech jitters and ensure a smooth delivery.

Plan ahead.

The first tip in our guide on how to write a best man speech is to get started in advance. (As in, do not procrastinate.) "Start writing a best man speech at least two months before the wedding," Bliss says. "As the wedding nears, there are lots of events—suit fittings and a coed shower, perhaps—that could distract you from getting your writing done." Brainstorm and write down any stories, jokes or best man speech quotes you want to include. The more time you have to prepare your best man speech, the better. This way, you'll be able to be fully present at upcoming wedding festivities.

Be genuine.

Whether the wedding guests are strangers or family, it can feel nerve-racking to deliver your best man speech with all eyes on you. To ease the awkwardness, provide anecdotes and stories about your relationship with the couple. Everyone loves a bit of nostalgia, and the guests get to know you better.

With that said, stay true to how you normally act while making your speech. There's no need for you to change who you are for some made-up public speaking persona. If you feel more comfortable cracking jokes throughout your speech, do it. If you are better at being sentimental and don't mind leaving everyone misty-eyed, take that approach. Remember, the couple chose you to speak at their wedding because they felt you could add something special to their big day. As long as you deliver a heartfelt speech, the newlyweds and guests will love it.

Know what topics to avoid.

There are a few topics to omit from the best man speech. No matter how funny you (and even the groom) might think they are, someone is bound to be offended or put off if you mention:

• Negativity about marriage in general.
• Past relationships.
• Previous marriages/divorces.
• Drinking, drugs, gambling.
• "Adult" humor or any other mention of sex.

After all, your best man speech should celebrate the newlywed couple and their love rather than causing future friction. Keep it PG.

Consider adding jokes.

If you want to deliver a funny best man speech, consider poking some fun at the groom. "Every groom will have some funny characteristic or quirk you can ridicule," Bliss notes. "As long as it's something everyone can appreciate, it's sure to get a laugh. Avoid obscure references or inside jokes. You want older guests and those who don't know him well to see the funny side too." Be strategic about your jokes too. You can make jokes about the groom but leave their new spouse alone.

Write it down.

Even those with a great memory will feel more confident with a written speech or at least a few bullet points to keep them on track. Nerves can mess with your memory, so don't think you're a failure if you have to bring notes with you. (Even CEOs do this at corporate events.) Bliss suggests using small note cards instead of a sheet of paper since they "won't flap around."

And yes we know many groomsmen will want to read off their cell phones out of convenience, but wedding planners recommend against it. The lighting from your phone screen can ruin the wedding photographer's photos and can be distracting to guests. Practice writing down your speech instead—it's quite soothing.

Practice with an audience.

This tip is a must when it comes to writing a best man speech. Even if you think you have this whole thing in the bag, practice delivering your wedding speech aloud at least three times. When you're by yourself, take a video and watch the playback to get a feel for how your speech is going. (Do you say "um" between every sentence? Are your gestures a little robotic?) If your friends can't offer critiques in person, "send [the video] to a close friend who won't be going to the wedding and who can give you honest feedback," Bliss recommends.

Finally: don't mumble. A great best man speech becomes boring if it's monotonous or guests are straining to hear you. Speak confidently and slowly.

Best Man Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time giving a best man speech, you might have a lot of questions. Here are answers to the top wedding speech inquiries.

How Long Should a Best Man Speech Be?

In general, the best man speech length should be at least three minutes, but no more than five minutes. This is enough time to say something meaningful before guests get too antsy. Of course, you should adjust your speech length to the event. If you're speaking at a last-minute wedding, it might require a brief speech, while a formal affair could call for a longer toast. But you might also be wondering, "how many words should a best man speech be?" We suggest between 700 to 1000 words.

How to Start a Best Man Speech

Begin your speech by addressing the audience and thanking them for attending the wedding. Here's an example, "Hello, everyone. On behalf of the newlyweds, I want to thank everyone for attending this amazing celebration." You can even butter up the crowd by saying how lovely everyone looks this evening. Then, introduce yourself and how you know the groom or couple. This is a great opportunity to add a funny story or memory you have with them that can lead you into the rest of your speech.

How to End a Best Man Speech

Raise your glass and offer a toast wishing the couple a lifetime of happiness, excellent health and success. Your toast can include one final joke or be a marriage quote from your and the groom's favorite movie. Either way, take this chance to sincerely express the newlyweds well. Remember, concluding the speech is the easiest part.

Does the Best Man Have to Give a Speech?

It's not required, but it's expected that the best man gives a speech—especially if the other honor attendants are giving one. If speaking in public makes your stomach turn, consider showing your appreciation for the couple in a different way. We've seen best men do upbeat choreography, sing the couple's favorite song or even present a wedding video they made.

When Does the Best Man Give His Speech?

Following the traditional wedding speech order , the best man speaks after the maid of honor and is the last speech during the reception. There's no need to use this itinerary since the speech order depends on your reception timeline and wedding party size. The to-be-weds might even ask you to deliver your speech during the rehearsal dinner, which most likely will be in front of a smaller audience (score!). Before the wedding and during, double-check with the couple to ensure you know when to give your best man speech so no one has to hunt you down when it's your turn.

Amazing Tips & Themes For Your Magical Wedding

• Magical Words

The Ultimate Best Man Speech Guide (Examples And Templates Included)

• Posted by by Lisa Plaitt

Being picked to be the best man is such a great honor. You will feel blessed that the groom has thought of you, and considers you the best man and friend for the job.

But, as the wedding draws nearer, there’s one thing on your mind. No, it’s not the bachelor party… It’s the best man’s speech(see also: Best Ways to End Your Best Man’s Speech ). 

As the best man, you will likely have many responsibilities in the run up towards the wedding. You’ll have to try on suits, organize the bachelor party, but the best man speech is the thing that most look forward to, or dread!

Standing up in front of many guests, some of which you may not have met before can be nerve wracking to say the least. It’s such an important task, and a part of the wedding that many guests look forward to. 

A best man speech needs to hook the audience in, reveal some funny stories about the groom, and even the bride, but also wish the couple well, and spread some laughter amongst the audience.

But, you have to do all of this in one single speech that can’t be too long, and can’t be too short! 

So, how can you nail the best man speech? Well, that’s where we come in handy. We can offer you this ultimate guide to creating a best man speech, including tips, structure and examples you can take inspiration from. 

How To Structure A Best Man Speech

Not everyone is gifted with the ability to speak clearly and confidently to a crowd. It can be very nerve racking, and make you anxious to say the least.

If you’re unsure of how to go about planning your best man speech, then we can help you out with this simple structure to follow and keep yourself on track. 

This structure is a sort of guide, you don’t have to use it, but it’s a good idea to follow the structure so you cover all bases when doing the speech.

It can also help you when actually performing the speech, as you’ll know what needs to come next and in which order to go over your stories and anecdotes.

A good best man speech begins with:

• An Introduction

Use the introduction to introduce yourself to the crowd. Not everyone will know who you are in the wedding, so it’s a nice way to break the ice and get rid of any awkwardness.

Try introducing yourself with a funny one liner about who you are and how you know the happy couple.

• Talk About How You Met/Know The Groom

Next, it’s a good idea to briefly cover how you met the groom, or how long you’ve known each other. You can give a little history of how far back you go, and mention how honored you are to be the best man. 

• Anecdotes About The Groom

Here comes the fun part! Now is the time to start telling a funny story about the groom. The emphasis here is on funny and not too embarrassing or gross. Choose two or three short anecdotes or stories, but don’t overdo it. 

• Balance Poking Fun With Sincerity

After you’ve had your fun, balance this out by saying something meaningful and sincere about the groom, his qualities or your friendship. 

• Briefly Talk About How You Know The Bride

In this section, you can talk about your first meeting with the bride, how she came into the groom’s life, and how great of a match you believe them to be. 

• Wish Them All The Best

Finally, wish the couple all the best for their future together with a sincere, caring comment. Then, toast to the happy couple! 

Best Man Speech Do’s And Don’ts

There are definitely a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to speaking at someone’s wedding. You’ll want to keep it concise, funny, but not too over the top jokey. Here’s our recommendations of what to do, and what not to do. 

First things first, you’ll want to plan ahead, and write a few stories and anecdotes down that you can remember. Do this for a few weeks before the wedding, so it gives you time to come up with the right memories to share. 

Try brainstorming ideas with other members of the family or bridal party to come up with the best things to share about the groom and his bride. Then, you can narrow down the list and find the most impactful or most important things to talk about.

You should also consider who this speech is going to be said around.

If the groom’s very traditional great aunt or grandma is there, it could be a good idea to avoid any crass, rude stories that could make family members uncomfortable. Save those lines for the bachelor party! 

Do pause for reactions. You don’t want to talk too fast or fly through the speech as those who have laughed at the last line may miss the next one. Always leave small gaps or pauses for reactions, applause or responses. 

Finally, make sure you focus on the couple, not just the groom.

This day is about the two of them. While you are doing a speech because you are the best man to the groom, it is important that you bring in the bride/partner in your speech so that overall you are wishing both of them well on their new adventure. 

What Not To Do

Don’t wing it! You may have some liquid courage on the night, but you need this speech to be a crowd pleaser, so be sure to take your notes and go over the speech in your head just before you have to do it. 

Don’t use foul language, or inflammatory language. You don’t want to cause a dark cloud over the event by offending anyone or causing a scene.

The same goes for mentioning exes (who could well be at the wedding) or bringing up sore subjects during the speech. Keep it fun, lighthearted, and hilarious. 

Don’t use cliches like The groom is like a brother to me. Instead, demonstrate your close bond by telling a story or giving an example of when he treated you like family, and made you feel welcome.

This is far more impactful and will really get the audience involved in your speech. 

Finally, and this is an important one- don’t make it about you. This is not your shining moment, your time will come.

Ensure you’re not talking about yourself too much, and always bringing it back to the bride and groom, because that’s what the audience really wants to hear about.

It’s a chance for them to see the couple in a different light, from your perspective, not learn everything about you. 

Tips For Writing A Best Man Speech

We’ve also got some brief tips for writing and performing your best man speech!

• Practice before the actual speech
• Don’t include inside jokes- they will fall on deaf ears
• Keep it short and sweet – don’t go over the top with long stories/memories
• Don’t use cringey cliches
• Don’t mention exes- even as a joke
• Use clean language
• Don’t say anything political/inflammatory
• Tell a story about the groom and the couple as a pair
• Don’t just focus on the groom
• Always end on a high – make a nice toast and comment about the couple

Qualities To Talk About In The Best Man Speech

Throughout your speech, it is important to keep a running theme. If the joke you are telling is unrelated, it won’t have as much drive and impact.

For instance, if you’re talking about the groom’s thoughtfulness, use funny anecdotes that relate to this, and bring it back to that whenever possible.

Here are some other qualities that are worth mentioning:

• Sense of humor: If the groom is known for his quick wit and humor, be sure to incorporate this into your speech. Share a funny story or two that showcases his sense of humor and make the guests laugh.
• Generosity: If the groom is known for his kindness and generosity, talk about a specific instance where he went out of his way to help someone in need. This will show the guests the type of person he truly is.
• Loyalty: Mention the groom’s unwavering loyalty to his friends and family. Talk about how he has been there for you and others in the past and how this trait is so important in a relationship.
• Intelligence: If the groom is intelligent and knowledgeable, highlight this in your speech. Talk about his impressive achievements or interests that show his intelligence and passion.
• Adventure: If the groom is someone who is always up for a new adventure, talk about his love for travel or exploring new things. This will show the guests his spontaneous and adventurous side.

For example, you could say:

Where do I begin with the groom’s sharp sense of humor? He’s a true master of wit, who can leave even the most experienced comedian in awe. A particularly memorable instance was when him and his bride went on a picnic; after he inadvertently dropped their sandwiches into a nearby pond, he remarked ‘Well, it looks like we’re having fish sandwiches today!’. The bride couldn’t help but laugh out loud at how quickly he turned an unfortunate situation into something humorous – that is simply the type of person this groom is. 

Groom has always had a very caring, loving nature. He would do anything for anyone. Except that one time I asked him to water my plants while I was on vacation. He brought all of the guys over to ‘water my plants’! Thanks for that, Groom. Just kidding, Groom is incredibly thoughtful and compassionate towards all who meet him, which is a quality I believe brought him closer to Bride. 

You want to talk about his great qualities, poke a little fun, or share a funny story, but then talk about how these qualities have translated into his relationship with his partner, or how they have brought them closer together. 

Best Man Speech Examples

Good evening everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Tom, younger brother and best man of the groom. For those of you that do know me…heeeeeeey! 

I have known Jack for…X years now (your age) and have always looked up to him. He had it all, the career, the intelligence, the sense of humor, and now the girl. Then again, I got the good looks. 

In all seriousness, I have always looked up to my big brother. He’s always had a flair for sports, and genuinely has a heart of gold.

Being the youngest of the two of us, Jack has made me a better man, mainly because of the character building he put me through as a child. Jack would love taunting me by stealing my favorite stuffed animals. 

I cherished my favorite, Mr. Snuggles, until one day Jack told me to come downstairs and see the new toy that our Rottweiler had been given.

I was so excited to see our little furry boy happy and playing with his toy until I realized that Jack had offered up Mr. Snuggles in sacrifice with a huge grin on his face. It was a day I won’t forget. 

Despite the taunting and the terrorizing, Jack has been the man that I’ve always aspired to be. In all of the years I’ve been around Jack, he’s always been tenacious and worked hard for what he wants. And he’s always gotten it.

After asking Jenny out the first time, and she said no , he didn’t give up. He knew she was the one for him! It’s a good thing he has the patience of a saint, as it took another 3 attempts to get the first date! 

With Jack being the older, but not often the wiser brother, he managed to get himself into some mishaps in the past.

When he did finally get a chance to take Jenny out on a date, he turned up at the wrong house, and managed to slip and break his shoulder all in one fantastic, first meeting with the parents.

Smoooth, brother. At least he made it an unforgettable start to their journey together. 

With Jenny at his side, Jack’s clumsy mishaps are less and less. You truly bring out the best in him, Jen. I would say welcome to the family, but you’ve been a part of our lives for some time already, and I am truly blessed to be able to call you my new sister. 

From day one, you’ve fit right in, as you too have taken on the role of teasing Jack just as I wanted. Let me tell you guys, there have been many pranks that Jenny and I have pulled off on Jack.

One time, we hid all of his left shoes, until the confusion nearly drove him to madness…and he had to deliver his board meeting like some kind of two right footed lunatic. 

Other times, we’ve hidden around the house just when Jack is coming home from a long day at the office, to ambush him with Nerf guns until he pleads for mercy! Let’s just say justice has been served for Mr. Snuggles. 

I quickly realized that Jenny and Jack were cut from the same mold. You two are a real example of what it means to marry your best friend, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the two of you.

So everyone, if you could raise your glass…and toast- to the bride and groom! 

Hi everyone! For those of you who don’t know me already, I am Zach, the best man of James! When James asked me to be the best man I felt like it was such an honor.

Then he reminded me that it’s not just about organizing the bachelor party and I have to actually come to the wedding so…here I am. 

I’ve known James for so many years now, having met him at high school. In those years, it’s become clear what a fantastic friend he is. He’s handsome, kind, brilliant, funny…and sorry (looks at Groom) mate I can’t read your handwriting here. I’ll just wing it. 

Just kidding. Me and James have been through thick and thin. I’ve watched him go from a weedy, awkward teenager to a less weedy, awkward adult!

Britney would probably argue with me over the adult part! James has always had that boyish sense of humor that’s often gotten us into trouble over the years. 

I remember James would always be the class clown in high school. But for some reason, it was always me getting in trouble. One day, I glanced over in class to see James scribbling away on his desk.

He’s probably carving out some obscenity in the wood I thought.

This is why it came as such a shock when later that day it was I who was called into the principal’s office, and as I walked with my head hung in shame to my fate, James smiled wide and proudly.

Little did I know it was my name he had carved into the wood, so I could sit in detention after class!   

Ever since that day, James and I have been at war with one another to get the other one back! But deep down, I know that James would do anything for me. If I needed someone at 4am, James is that friend.

Despite our differences, I know he’s as good as family to me, and all of the Henderson’s have welcomed me into their home on many occasions, and now Britney gets to have that same privilege. 

Britney brings out the absolute best in James, and has given us an incredible gift in bringing two wonderful boys into our lives. With Britney, James gets someone who is beautiful, smart, caring, and Britney…well, you get James. 

In all seriousness, if Britney gets half as much joy in being married to James, that I have had in being his friend over the years, then she will be incredibly lucky indeed. 

On behalf of all the groomsmen, bridesmaids and myself, I would like to thank James and Britney for having us be a part of their special day. I know how hard you’ve worked to make this a day to remember, and you’ve definitely succeeded. 

I wish you both all of the happiness, joy and good luck in the world, as you take these steps towards your future together. To the bride and groom, everyone! (Cheers). 

Hello everyone. My name is Joe and I’d just like to thank John for finally confirming that I am in fact – the best man, after 20 years of friendship. 20 years is a long time.

Just think, back then…Low rise jeans were in fashion, Spiderman was the favorite superhero, and Ben Affleck and J-Lo were together. So really, nothing has changed in 20 years, and the same goes for our friendship. 

If I ever needed building up, or bringing back down to earth, John was the man to do it. He’s always been there for me, through thick and thin. And let’s face it…during the college years, we were more thick than thin!

But, we had each other’s backs no matter what.

I remember one time in college, we decided that reading books and writing our own essays just wasn’t for us anymore. We decided to pay someone to write us an essay, and we would switch it up to pass the class.

From that day on a keen businessman was born- be careful everyone- you’ll probably get a bill for your food! 

It all would have gone swimmingly if John hadn’t forgotten to change the name on the essay, but he never took me down with him!

Since then, I’ve realized what a tenacious person, good friend and loyal individual John was, and it’s an absolute blessing to be up here with you tonight as your best man. 

There is one very important person who is not sitting on this top table with us today, and that is John’s mother, Cathy, who sadly passed away just last year.

I’ve joked a lot about John tonight, but I know that Cathy would be incredibly proud to see the man that you have become, and over the moon of how happy you are today with Mia.

So, if you wouldn’t mind joining me in raising a glass to John’s mom, who can’t be with us today, but is with us in spirit. Cheers. 

On behalf of the wedding party, I would just like to say a huge thank you to John and Mia, for including us in their special day.

It’s been a wonderful day so far, and all Mia’s hard work planning and prepping has truly paid off. John, you just sit there and look pretty. 

In addition, I’d like to thank both Mia’s parents, and John’s dad who have helped make this day extra special for the happy couple, which I’m sure they are eternally grateful for. 

I’d also like to say that the bridesmaids have done an incredible job helping Mia plan the perfect wedding, and for making sure that Mia looks every bit as beautiful as she does today.

They also had the difficult task of getting Mia to the church on time, which if you know Mia is a very big achievement, indeed. 

Finally, I’d like to thank the groomsmen for organizing and completing the best bachelor party Miami has ever seen. I only hope it was the send off John was hoping for before he begins the next stage of his life with Mia. (But I highly doubt it) 

John, I’ve loved being your best friend, and I thank you for bringing Mia into our lives. She’s a beautiful person, intelligent, and brings out the best in everyone she meets. Her only downfall is her taste in men! Just kidding. 

Seriously, I think everyone will join me in saying that we wish you only the best for your future together, and that we all can share one day in a love like yours. Cheers to the bride and groom! 

Ladies and Gentleman, I have an announcement to make. If there is anyone here tonight that is feeling nervous, apprehensive, or maybe even a little nauseous at what lies ahead…then it’s probably because you’ve just married Adam. 

For those of you who don’t know who I am, I am the best man, James. There are few words to describe Adam. Handsome, funny, but smart isn’t one of them. You see, Adam was my best man, at my wedding, and boy he did not hold back!

So, as we stand here today, know that my time has come for me to get you back!

Before I start the character assassination that is my best man’s speech, let me just thank Adam and Olivia for having us be a part of this very special day.

I know how much work has gone into making today as great as it has been, so thank you both for pulling it off! To be honest, I never thought Adam would find someone to marry, let alone someone as beautiful and amazing as Olivia!

I’ve known Adam for a very long time, all the way back to when he still had hair! We first met during our studies at X University. At first I thought we had nothing in common, but I quickly found out that we did. We would both likely fail our first year!

Our time at University was one of the best in my life, and I’ve far too many stories to tell you about our lovely Adam here. 

But, as the BEST man, I won’t do to him what he did to me. Instead, I’ll talk about his lovely qualities over the years. First up, is his beautiful singing voice. I can’t tell you how many times I heard the works of Marvin Gaye after he met Olivia.

We quickly banned singing in the shower at our dorm because of all the love songs he would belt out after going on a date with Olivia. To say he was smitten from the start is an understatement. 

And why wouldn’t he be? All those who know Olivia know what a lovely, and caring person she is. She deserves a good husband. Thank god Adam got there first before she could find one! 

Another defining quality that drew Olivia to Adam is his caring nature. We’re incredibly proud of Adam for working as an EMT and helping people every day.

I’ll never forget the time a few years back during a friendly soccer game where I slipped and fell over on my side, snapping and breaking my ankle.

Adam was at my side within SECONDS…to let me know he caught my fall on video. Emergency Medical Services *Scoff*. Only when he saw the angle of my ankle did his medical training kick in.

All jokes aside, Adam and Olivia have always been there for me, and I them. I’d like to think of them as family rather than friends, and can only hope that continues going forward.

Adam and Olivia…I’ve never met two people more perfect for one another. You are both kind, old souls, and you make each other incredibly happy. So, if you all could raise your glasses with me, and toast to this amazing couple…to the bride and groom!  

Hello everyone. My name is Kane, and I am the best man, and longtime friend of Rob. I was, however, somewhat surprised to be asked to be the best man, as Rob has never been able to admit this over the years.

At first, I thought this was great. I get to plan a bachelor party for Rob, but then he reminds me I have to write a killer speech that would likely make everyone laugh. 

I had no idea where to start, so I decided to trawl the internet for inspiration. After a few hours, I found some really….really…great stuff. But then I remembered I needed to write a speech, so I got off YouTube. 

I asked friends and family for advice, and according to tradition, I am supposed to sing Rob’s praises and tell you all about his fantastic qualities. Well, sorry to tell you, but I can’t sing and I don’t lie. So that’s out of the window. 

But, Sophia told me I can’t say anything too rude or controversial about Rob. Instead, I can only say nice funny things, so with that in mind, thank you and goodnight all. 

Just kidding. Seriously, Rob is one of the most kind, funny, caring and compassionate people I have ever met. This is a quality that I think brought Sophia closer to him.

His willingness to do anything for anyone, without accepting anything in return is what makes Rob extra special, and a joy to be around. 

In turn, Sophia is one of the sweetest, and funnest ladies I have ever met! We’ve shared many great memories together, with my partner included, as Sophia and Rob are actually our children’s godparents. 

I’ve known Rob for years. We grew up only a few doors apart on our street. I thought there was no kid cooler than Rob. He had all of the best hot wheels, Pokemon cards, and I had a huge crush on his big sister, Natalie *winks at groom’s sister*.

Looking back, I was probably a big nuisance always wanting to go play over his house, but I had some of the best time of my life growing up with Rob by my side. We’ve been there for every big moment of each other’s lives.

Graduation, getting our first jobs, our first cars, and now I get to be here for the biggest day of his life, where he gets to marry the beautiful Sophia. 

Sophia and Rob, your love for each other shines through you. Sophia, I’m happy to step down as I can see that you two are truly best friends, and meant to be.

I can’t think of anyone better to look after my Rob here, and I know he will do everything he can to look after you for the rest of his days. 

Thank you both so much for a fantastic day. If the rest of your lives is half as good as today has been, then you are in for a joyful marriage indeed. Please join me everyone in raising a glass to the newly weds, Rob and Sophia. Cheers! 

Best Man Speech Frequentl Asked Questions

Does the best man have to do a speech.

The best man does not have to give a speech if he really does not want to, or if there isn’t enough time because there are other people doing speeches, but it is tradition and expected of the best man to do a speech. 

When Does The Best Man’S Speech Happen?

The best man speech will typically happen after the groom has said a few words. However, every wedding is different, and the bride and groom may organize the day differently depending on how they think the speeches should flow. 

How Long Should A Best Man Speech Be?

A best man speech should be short and sweet, but not too short, and not too long. A happy medium is about 5-6 minutes in length. You don’t want it to be shorter than 3 minutes as it may seem too brief.

The point is to keep the audience engaged, and deliver a few anecdotes, thank the bride and groom, and raise a toast. 

What Should You Include In A Best Man Speech?

There are a few things that you should include in the best man speech. This is who you are, and how you know the bride and groom.

In addition, you need a fun story about the groom and you, and why you think the bride and groom are an excellent match, followed by your best wishes for the couple and a toast to their future together. 

Who Should You Thank In A Best Man Speech?

In the best man speech, you should thank the bride and groom of course, but you can also thank the bridesmaids or groomsmen for their efforts, or say thank you to the parents of the bride and groom, especially if they have contributed a lot to the wedding.

To summarize, writing a best man speech is not all as bad as it seems.

With this ultimate guide, you’ve got all of the tools you need to succeed, and successfully deliver a hilarious, fun, lighthearted speech that is sure to wish the couple all of the best for the future.

Whether you are looking for examples, tips, what to do, or what not to do, we’ve covered it all in this handy guide.

Now, instead of stressing out about what you are going to say, how you are going to say it, you can look forward to the wedding planning process in the run up to the big day, and most importantly…the bachelor party!

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Lisa Plaitt

Hello, I’m Lisa Plaitt and I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost five years. We met almost a decade ago now and I love him more everyday. But on my wedding day - the day that was supposed to be about celebrating us - I was far too stressed to enjoy it. My husband proposed to me in spring and it was a very lowkey setting, in our backyard without anyone else around to see it. It was a perfect proposal. But then everything got real, and I was suddenly thrust into planning mode.

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Best Man Speech Examples for Friends

Oliver Lucas

Published 12 Sep 2023

Welcome! Looking for a bit of inspiration for your friends best man speech? You’re in the right place.  Here you will find real-life examples of best man speeches written by one friend to another.  There’s a selection to choose from depending when the friendship was formed and whether your style is a brief or longer.  Whatever your situation, you will find some food for thought here that can help you in constructing your friend’s best man speech. There’s also a link where you can download even more like this at the end of the page. Hope this helps!

Best Man Speech for a School Friend

Thank you Norman and Nick for your excellent speeches or as some would see them, my warm up act.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen sit back, relax and make yourself comfortable as I intend to speak for roughly an hour…

For those of you that don’t know me I’m Scott, one of Nick’s close friends and today I have the honour and pleasure of being his best man.

Can I start by thanking everybody here today, coming together to share in what has been a truly special occasion, witnessing Nick and Simelia becoming Mr and Mrs Taylor.

I would also like to thank Keaza on her wonderful reading and the Chuckle Brothers also known as Dan and Lee on not making too much of a mess of directing people to their seats before the ceremony, well done boys.

I think everybody sat in this room will agree when I say that the bridesmaids Kirsty, Neesha and Kelly look truly amazing today.  And well Simellia, I always knew you would look stunning but wow you look beautiful today Sim. As for Nick, well what can I say, we tried our best……I’m only human. No really ….You don’t scrub up too badly mate, although I am slightly annoyed that you copied my outfit.

It is of course a great honour to be asked to be asked to be best man, But from the moment Nick asked me it was clear that the best man’s speech would be the most challenging part of the day for me personally….. So I had to prepare…. I took the standard approach which most men do when faced with a task they know little about and looked on the internet for ideas…. well I’m sure I’m not the only bloke in the room who has found far more interesting things to look at on the internet. So I drew a blank.

But I did read somewhere that a best man speech shouldn’t take any longer than it takes the groom to make love. So ladies and gentlemen – I give you Mr and Mrs Taylor. (Take drink and sit down).

I did however find a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to writing a best man’s speech, which rather narrowed down my options:

Don’t mention ex-girlfriends *throw away card*.

Don’t swear *throw away card*.

Don’t tell rude jokes *throw away card*

Don’t tell lies *throw away card*

Do tell mostly positive stories about the groom.  *throw away card*.

Another thing I read whilst doing my research, was that I should now give you Nick a few tips and pointers to start you off in married life. Being a married man myself, I thought I’d be perfect for the job, so please remember the following simple rules:

First, set the ground rules and establish who is boss…………. Then do everything Simelia says from now on.

The best way to remember your anniversary……… is to forget it once.

From this day forward your wife always knows a better way of doing things.

Also, it is very important to get on with your mother-in-law. I haven’t spoken mine for two years, not because I don’t like her, I just don’t like to interrupt.

So where do I start with my friend Nick?

Well for starters he’s… Handsome, Witty, Intelligent. He’s Char… Charm…. Sorry…Nick …. I’m having trouble reading your handwriting here pal, you can tell me the rest later.

I first met Nick in March 1998 in Italy on a school ski trip, Stoke had just been thrashed 5-1 by Oxford, and I can vividly remember Nick coming off the phone from his dad, Andy, and telling anybody that would listen that Stoke had just taken a beating! Our friendship really started to begin though a year later in 1999 at Fenton 6th form college as we found ourselves classmates studying A level geography – this was short lived though as we were then moved to separate classes for fear of giving our teacher at the time a nervous breakdown with our foolish and rowdy behaviour. Hard to believe I know.

In the following 17 or 18 years that we have known each other, we have found many a common interest – music, food and if any of you knew the Nick Taylor from his university days, boy could he pack away the food!

Enjoying a good night out and of course football – from playing the game or, should I say, our best interpretation of it.

This is how Nick’s ex-football manager described his game: “I have found Nick to be useless in every position.”

I just hope Simellia has more luck later.

To watching Stoke at home, usually courtesy of Andy Taylor getting us in via the back door – thanks Andy!

Over the years we have had some memorable away trips to places such as Highbury, Villa Park, and Cardiff’s Millennium stadium – where a rather heavily built Nick managed to nearly crush a young child to death who was sitting two rows in front, celebrating Stoke scoring against Brentford. This was partly down to the excitement of the goal but more down to the fact that he had drunk a bottle of vodka and orange while tucking into his hearty breakfast at Hanley bus station earlier that day! To Istanbul, Wembley, Germany (I won’t tell the tale of the sunglasses and the 6 stone Chinese waiter) to Thun in Switzerland where Nick thought it was good idea to jump into the fast flowing river wearing the only pair of trousers that he had for the entire trip. To Valencia – the pigeon episode… Lee our animal loving friend is still scared to this very day by that! The list goes on and on… You get the picture. The guy’s a bit of an idiot.

Seriously though, anybody who knows Nick will know that what you see is what you get. There are no airs or graces about him, he is a real decent guy with decent values and he cares for the people around him. He will go out of his way to help others and he can be a very generous guy – BUT get 5 pints of beer down Nick’s neck and all that goes out of the window as you have just heard!

Nick, I would like to use your love of football, mate, to point out that you can base your marriage around football by following these simple tips:

• Ensure you are fully committed every week.
• Try your best to score every Saturday.
• Don’t put your tackle in too hard – you may get injured.
• And no tackling from behind – especially on your wedding night.

We have all, of course, been brought here today to celebrate the wedding of Nick and Simelia. They were first brought together, though, through work, around 5 years ago while working at Phones 4 U. I can remember having conversations with Nick at the time about a girl at work who he was friends with who turned out to be Simelia. It was quite clear how he spoke about Sim that he was very smitten with her also. Over time he plucked up the courage to try and move from just being friends to starting a relationship with Simelia. As the saying goes, what is meant to be, is meant to be and I think that Nick and Simelia are definitely meant to be together. They make a great warm and loving couple and bring out the best in each other. They are both really positive people to be around and are great with children. I am sure that when the time comes and they are ready to start a family they will make brilliant parents together.

It has to be said Nick, you are really lucky to have found a beautiful, loving and caring wife in Simelia. And Simelia how lucky you are also… Well the rain held off for the ceremony.

So here we are ladies and gentleman, Nick and Simelia are married, for better or worse. Which is quite appropriate really, because Nick couldn’t have done any better and Simelia couldn’t have done any worse.

On a more serious note, Nick, we have had some excellent times together and I know that we will continue to have more in the future. You have been more like a brother to me over the years and it’s been a real privilege to be your best man today… so thank you. I know how much Simelia means to you and that you will always be there for her. I know you will make a great husband and I’m sure that you will be extremely happy for many more years to come.

And on that note, ladies and gentlemen, could I ask you to stand with me, and raise your glasses in a toast to Nick and Simelia, the new Mr & Mrs Taylor.

Best Man Speech for a Recent Friend

Ladies and gentlemen, if there’s anybody here this afternoon who’s feeling nervous, apprehensive and queasy at the thought of what lies ahead…… it’s probably because you have just married James Rank.

To those of you who don’t know me yet. My name is Stu and I would like to thank James for finally confirming that I am actually the BEST man!

I’ve actually looked forward to this moment for a long time. It will be the first time I’ve been able to speak for five minutes in James’ presence without being interrupted!

Now it’s not that I’m saying that James is loud but he does seem to break a fundamental law of physics that light travels faster than sound…. because with James, you very definitely hear him before you see him.

It’s great to see that everyone is enjoying the wedding today, but I have to say that being best man you get to see behind the scenes – and let me tell you it isn’t pretty. Tears, hissy fits, chucking lipstick and mascara all over the place… luckily, I’ve heard that Sam was better behaved than the groom.

Quite clearly, no expense has been spared in creating this wonderful occasion for us all to enjoy. And by the way, please don’t worry if you have heard any unusual noises during the speeches…..  it’s only James’ wallet groaning in agony.

Looking around this packed room, it’s surprising just how far some people are prepared to travel for a free lunch. It’s a good job James didn’t choose the menu, otherwise you would have been very disappointed to have come all this way for cheese sandwiches washed down with ALDI lager.

Now I am supposed to use this opportunity to recall embarrassing moments to ridicule James. But I’ve been put under strict instructions not to mention the time James’ fiesta door changed colour, the time that we had the winner’s podium from Northwood stadium on our heads or the time that James’ Nova started smelling of fish.  

Of course… James….. I won’t say a thing. My lips are sealed. The theme of my speech is this: why marry James Rank? What is so special about him?

Over the last few months I’ve made extensive investigations and I think I’ve found the answer.  One reason to marry James is that he’s exceptionally thoughtful – he’s always thinking about friends and family. In fact, he starts thinking from the moment he gets up…… and doesn’t stop until he opens his mouth!

I’ve been told that at School, his sporting prowess was legendary. In fact, when he graduated he was recognised as having made a major contribution to the School’s football first team..… by sticking to swimming.

He’s academically bright. I once visited him when he was at Imperial College.

“I’m done here,” he told me, confidently, “They can’t teach me any more.”

Now, initially, I put that down to his inflated ego. But, curiously enough, one of his Uni mates knew the Dean of the University at the time and when he asked him about James’s leaving his words were exactly the same,…..

‘We simply couldn’t teach him any more’.

Another reason to marry James is that he’s very caring – especially about his appearance. It’s easy to see from today that James, impeccably dressed, has always been an image-conscious sort of guy. You know, he once admitted to me that his favourite forms of entertainment were TV, Football and mirrors ….  In reverse order.

He is most known however for his care of money. As he has often told me: ‘The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it back in your pocket’.

But marriage changes a man and his approach to spending is shifting. Just yesterday, while mulling over a purchase, he blurted out,

‘Well, if you’ve got it why not spend it! I’m not extravagant enough!

It’s a lot of money, but hey, you only live once! I’m going to buy this right now! I don’t care how much it costs!”

I was really impressed by this. And dramatically James threw the packet of Jaffa cakes in the shopping trolley and marched off.

Now I’m not saying James is a skin flint but it’s a well known fact that when he suggested getting married at Alton Towers it was because he thought he could pay using his Merlin Pass and his family’s local residents tickets.

I can only assume that the reason for Sam choosing James was that opposites attract. I mean, one of my fondest memories is walking into their garden for a party to see James in the kitchen wearing a floral apron making cocktails and Sam in the garden chopping firewood with an axe…… They certainly are opposites…

If the theme of my speech had been: why marry Sam? It would have been straightforward. She is beautiful, intelligent and funny. She can cook like Nigella Lawson and she’s got the patience of a saint. James, I can say with my hand on my heart that you’re one of the luckiest men alive. And she writes a cracking best man speech as well.

Joking aside, it’s a wonderful honour being best man today as James is a very special person to me. He is a true friend who never ceases to amaze me with his kindness. He has listened to me through many a crisis. He gives without any thought of reward. He is a super guy and a role model of a friend. And yes, we’ve had our differences… but nothing that two lawyers and a judge couldn’t sort out.  I’d like to wish the happy couple well and toast their future happiness.  Ladies and gentlemen, to the bride and groom.

Best Man Speech for a Film Buff Friend

Hello, I’m Ben, I’m Jack’s Best Man.

Amy has told me about the timings of the speeches so much like the Groom, I’ll keep it short.  

*High Five Bride*

Of Course I would like to Thank Jack & Amy for asking me to do this and giving me this amazing opportunity to wear a suit in August.

Just a quick reminder that there is a wedding guest book so feel free write some nice messages to the happy couple,  but be warned, as a teacher, Amy will be checking your spelling later on.

Aww Amy, The Beautiful Bride: Amy always reminds me of a Swan: Graceful, Elegant, a vision in white………and if you annoy her she will break your arm.

Now Jack & Amy are two of biggest movie Geeks you’ll ever meet. At home they’ve got over 450 DVDs and everything up until now can be retold from all those films

Jack & Amy: Beauty and The Beast, The Fox and the Hound and on some days ‘Lady and the Tramp’

Amy: Little Miss Sunshine, My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman

and Jack ….a Footloose, Clueless, Desperado. But Hey Looks Who’s Talking

So for them the story goes they were Just Friends but it was Fatal Attraction then 28 Weeks Later they are having Cocktails, Dirty Dancing, Risky Business, Every Which Way But Loose. (Shame!)

So now they have decided to Hitch, Brave ! Some call it Entrapment, others Judgment Day But not me, No, No, this is My Best Friends Wedding and all The Usual Suspects are here:

The Father of the Bride, Bridesmaids, Layer Cake, The Ring.

Tonight will be BIG but T he Day After Tomorrow , The Hangover .  

Amy, We all know that there are A Few Good Men and Jack may very will be Dumbo and The Littlest Hobo but he’s also your Last Action Hero , your Dark Knight and your Batman Forever , he’s also your ‘ Iron Man 2 ’

Jack, for you Amy is now For Your Eyes Only as she is Taken , She is your Cinderella , your Princess Bride and your National Treasure .

However, if you have a Death Wish and Amy has a Short Circuit and goes Psycho then she’s your Apocalypse Now and she’ll probably take your Face/Off with a Lethal Weapon .

There Will Be Blood so remember She’s The Man .

The two of you together are The Incredibles, The Untouchables and Unstoppable . Simply they are in A League of Their Own .  

And as you go on your Never Ending Story and your Excellent Adventure always remember this trilogy.  

It’s a Wonderful Life, So Love Actually and Kick-Ass.

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Wedding invitations, follow this perfect best man speech: tips + examples.

Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Oct 12, 2018

You’ve been chosen as the best man. Congratulations! It’s a great feeling to know that your friend or relative wants you to take part as his right-hand man in one of the best days of his life.

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One of the most important duties as best man is the best man speech. Traditionally the speech is given during the reception before the guests eat. Whether you are great with public speaking or a little intimidated by standing in front of a large group, we have all the tools you need in order to be best prepared, so don’t sweat it.

The Do’s and Don’ts For Preparing Your Best Man Speech

Don’t wing it..

Find a time a couple of months before the wedding to think about the things you want to talk about and write an outline. Most likely you’ll get caught up in best man activities with the groom and it will leave you with less time as the date approaches.

Do write a great intro.

The intro is the most important part of the speech because it grabs the audience’s attention. Try a funny one-liner, a story about you and the groom or even a compliment to his lovely new wife.

Don’t bring up past relationships.

Not only is it disrespectful to his wife but his wife’s family will also be there and will not want to hear about the groom’s litany of ex-girlfriends.

Do have a plan B.

Make sure you have the speech written down or outlined and have some jokes or points to cover if you are facing a tough crowd.

Don’t make negative jokes about marriage.

Even if you and the groom have an inside joke or if you have negative ideas about settling down, the audience doesn’t need to know. Also, don’t use curse words at any point during the speech, as you don’t know who in the audience you might offend.

Do practice.

Practice makes perfect. Going over the speech several times will ensure that you are comfortable with what you are saying and it will sound more natural.  Pro tip: record your speech on your phone’s voice memos and play back.

Don’t talk about the groom in compromising situations.

So you’ve seen the groom embarrass himself but you should keep that to yourself. You don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable or upset his wife.

Do congratulate the couple.

Make a toast, congratulate them and say what your wishes are for them in their new life.

Don’t make it longer than 7 minutes.

Although speeches are a fun part of the reception, making it too long can bore the hungry guests. If it’s a casual reception keep it to about three minutes, for a more formal setting seven minutes is more than enough time.

Do thank the guests.

As the groom’s right-hand man, make sure you thank everyone who attended and even the people working the event. It’s a nice gesture that will be appreciated.

A Simple Best Man Speech Outline

If you want a speech that is short, sweet and simple that is perfectly acceptable as well. This works well for smaller wedding receptions, weddings that will have more than two speakers or those that are a little more private. Following these simple steps will ensure a great and memorable speech:

• Opening line
• Introduce yourself
• Talk about groom/Compliment bride
• Propose a toast
• Thank the couple

Short and simple speech

Since I have everyone’s attention I’d love to say a few words to this amazing couple sitting right in front of me. For those who don’t know me, I’m Ed. Mike’s closest friend and sidekick.  We’ve known each other for about 11 years and have been on many adventures together. During that time, I got to know him well and can honestly say, he is the most selfless and stand-up guy I’ve ever met. I am thrilled to be standing here and celebrating him and his beautiful bride, Linda.

I am sure this union between two honest and caring people makes you all smile. Let’s raise a glass for everlasting love! Thanks for making us all part of this beautiful day.

Best Man Speech Template

Typically, a best man speech should last about 4-7 minutes depending on the party. While short and sweet is welcomed, a best man speech can also include more details such as how you know the groom and the bride, funny jokes, heartfelt stories and your well wishes.

Whether you want your speech to make the crowd laugh or shed a little tear, you may be wondering how to get started. We’ve pointed out several tips in our template below. Remember, a speech should always come from the heart.

How to Write the Perfect Best Man Speech

1 Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. It’s lovely to see some familiar faces. On behalf of the gorgeous bridesmaids and not so gorgeous groomsmen, we’d like to thank you all for coming. 2 It’s amazing to see how far people will travel for free cocktails.

3 For those who don’t know me, my name is Adam. I am the best man and Sam’s very best friend. It’s an honor to be here and to be part of such a beautiful event. 4 I met Sam 20 years ago. We grew up together as neighbors in San Diego and attended the same school all throughout college. 5 He was the nice kid on the block who would go home and do his homework while all of us were out doing, well, the things we shouldn’t be doing. Can you believe it took me two months to convince him to toilet paper Mrs. Carter’s house? Mrs. Carter isn’t here, is she?

Luckily, as we grew up, he started making better decisions; one of them being this very special day. He is marrying his best friend 6 and the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on. Sarah, he said this to me just the other night and I promise no more than three drinks were involved.

7 When Sam introduced us to Sarah , we knew right away she was the one. For starters, she made him get rid of that horrible, beer-stained couch that he had since college. That alone got our stamp of approval. But mostly, we saw how happy she made him and how every time he talked about her, he would have a huge smile. We started seeing a little less of him, but that’s okay because we were getting tired of buying his drinks anyway.

For that reason, and the reason we are all here today, 8 I’d like to raise a glass to Sam and Sarah. May you have the life you always dreamed of, continue to fight over the remote and cherish making beautiful memories together. Find joy in the small things like Portlandia and expensive coffee and may sparks continue to fly forever. 9 Thank you guys for allowing me to be part of this special day and for trusting me not to ruin this beautiful moment (phew!). I’d also love to give a huge thanks to the staff who have helped make this night memorable.

10 Cheers, everyone! Continue to have a great night and come hang out with me on the dance floor.

Always address the audience and welcome them.

A quick opening sentence to welcome guests helps everyone feel at ease.

Throw in a silly joke.

A wedding should be fun and enjoyable. A joke will help to break the ice.

Introduce yourself.

It’s best to not assume that everyone knows who you are. A short and simple introduction will allow everyone to get familiar with the wedding party.

Talk about how you know each other.

Whether you are a relative or friend, talk the audience through how you got to be a special person in the groom’s life.

Talk about groom’s personality.

Use this time to make a joke about the groom or share a sweet sentiment. Mention any sports, skills or funny stories that people will appreciate.

Compliment his bride.

Acknowledging the bride is a must, especially because she makes the groom so happy. A mention of her dress, personality or the first time you met her is ideal.

Talk a bit about them as a couple.

Share things you like about them as a couple. It helps the audience get to know their dynamic a little better and it will make the couple smile as well.

Give a toast.

Raise a glass and cheers to the new couple. Including a bit of tradition makes the speech much more special.

Thank the couple and staff.

Everyone spent a lot of time preparing for the special day. Make sure to thank the couple for allowing you to be part of it and the staff for making it all happen.

This closing allows for any sort of instruction such as dancing, dessert or simply to tell them to enjoy the party.

Best Man Speech for Brother

Good evening, hope everyone is having a good time tonight. I feel very privileged and honored to be standing here tonight celebrating this lovely union. Two years ago, Matt gave the best man speech at my wedding and made a lot of awkward jokes. So needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a really long time! For those who don’t know, I am Matt’s brother, Mike. I first met Matt when I was two years old at our parent’s house in Boston. To be quite honest, I wasn’t thrilled because I really wanted a sister. And I think he knew because Matt would do ridiculous things like throw my toothbrush in the toilet, pour water at me when I was asleep and run across the room naked when I had any friends over. This made me less popular than I already was.

Matt always excelled in school, was captain of the debate team (apologies to Cara, but he can argue his way out of anything!) and can make a mean steak. The truth is, despite him being an annoying brother at the time, I came out winning in the end. Because of him and this beautiful night, I am getting the sister I always wanted. Cara, you’re beautiful and our family loves you so much. Thank you for making my brother so happy.

Let’s celebrate this amazing union and raise a glass to the newlyweds! On behalf of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, we’d like to wish you a life full of love, happiness, and joy.

To everyone who made tonight happen, thank you. You’ve made this night very special.

Sentimental Best Man Speech

If I can have your attention everybody, I’d like to say a few words. Thank you all for being here to celebrate this lovely couple. Now I would like you all to take out some tissues, because you are going to need them after this. For those of you who have not met me I am Rich, Joe’s best man. Rich and I have known each other for over 30 years, we met when we were both just two years old. We lived on the same street and our mothers were friends so naturally we also became friends.

I am an only child so Joe was like a brother to me. We became inseparable. We played in T-ball together and then graduated on to baseball throughout high school. When we weren’t throwing the ball we were skateboarding, watching movies or challenging each other in video games.

Joe was always hanging out at my house and I grew up thinking he was just part of the family. I remember asking my mom why Joe never goes home and mom would always say “Rich, Joe is the brother you never had, take good care of each other.”

What my mom didn’t tell me at the time was that Joe’s mom was really sick and his dad worked double shifts just to stay afloat with all the medical bills. So, having Joe around was our way of helping out.

Even though we were only in high school, Joe made it very clear that he wanted to have a wife and family of his own. His mother’s death at such a young age was really challenging and in some ways, he learned to cherish the women he had in his life more.

He knew he wanted a strong, nurturing and kind woman to be his wife. When Joe met Sarah he almost broke it off with her because he was afraid of losing her. I remember Joe coming to me and saying, “I’m in trouble, I’ve met the one but don’t know what to do.” “Scared is good”, I said, “It means you won’t mess this up”.

Sarah’s greatest strength comes from losing her father to cancer at a young age. When Joe and Sarah met, their commonalities bonded them immediately. Both missing the connection with their parents and understanding each other’s experiences brought them very close. I’ve never seen two people more meant for each other. From the moment they met in college, there has been an incredible and magical bond.

When I look at both of you I can see how your experiences have led you to one another. It’s as if your parents were orchestrating this all along. Even though your parents are not here with us tonight, they are in spirit and will continue to guide you in the right direction and are so very proud of you.

As we all gather here to enjoy this dinner tonight, I’d like to make a toast to Joe and Sarah. Two souls meant to meet and fall in love. I want you to know that mom misses you hanging out at the house and she told me to tell you that you are always welcome in her home.

Joe, thank you for being my friend and brother all these years. You are the very best friend a guy could ever have and I love you so much.

Sarah, Thank you for loving this great man and for taking Joe to be your husband. I know you both will take care of each other and keep the memories of your parents alive together.

Now that our napkins need replacing, I’d like to thank all the staff and event coordinators for taking care of this beautiful event.

Cheers to everyone, enjoy your night and if you have a chance, come find me and say hi.

Funny Best Man Speech

Ladies and gentlemen if I can have your attention for a few moments, I would like to give a toast to Mark and Melissa. I was a little surprised that Mark asked me to be his best man, after all, he knows how much I love to embarrass him. I’m thinking, “what a great time to leave a lasting impression of who Mark really is” in front of all his closest friends and family. If for some reason you did not know, Mark was chosen as the class clown in high school. He even got his picture immortalized in our class yearbook for this very title. Let me tell you, having Mark as a best friend was very entertaining!

He was always laughing, pulling pranks, and sometimes getting us in trouble (I certainly won’t tell them how we barely made it out of jail because you thought streaking through the grocery store parking lot was a good dare). We all had a bit of clowning around within us, but the one thing Mark always had over any of us was his way of making girls laugh. And I mean really laugh, not just a quick chuckle but downright laugh out loud, spit-up-your-drink kind of laugh. While we were all worried about how we looked to girls, Mark’s concern was always how to make them crack up. I remember Mark saying “how come you get all the girls and I don’t?” I never had a straight answer for him. Looking back now though, my track record only lasted a few months and for Mark? Well, what he didn’t know was that his “clowning around” was preparing him for the show of his life.

When Mark introduced me to Melissa I knew she was special. I knew this was who Mark was going to marry. She not only has a very infectious laugh, but she gets Mark to laugh just as much.

They say a marriage can’t truly survive without laughter and I don’t believe there will be a shortage of that with these two. Mark, remember when you asked me why you don’t get all the girls? Well, the answer is right there next to you. While you were out figuring out jokes and funny one-liners, Melissa was saving up for the greatest show on earth!

If anyone tells you that you’re a bunch a clowns just smile and say….who’s got the last laugh now? Let’s raise our glass to Mark and Melissa! Here’s to a lifetime of love and laughter! You are both class acts and I am proud to call you my best friends. I love you both very much and thank you for having me here.

To all who were in charge of organizing this awesome night, great job on making this wedding shine. I challenge everyone to a dance-off later tonight.

Hopefully these tips will have you on your way to writing a heartfelt speech. If you still need a little more inspiration, don’t forget to check out our wedding quotes . These are great to incorporate into your speech, write in a card or simply share as advice to the newlyweds.

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Writing a Best Man Speech: Outline and Guide (+3 Examples)

• by Marisa Jenkins
• January 24, 2024

Being chosen as a bridal party member —especially as a best man or maid of honor —is a big deal. You have been given the opportunity to support someone in such a momentous part of their life. Your role comes with plenty of responsibilities, including making a speech at the reception.

Having an outline for your speech as a best man can be really helpful when you start writing the draft. Here is a classic and timeless example of an outline:

• Self-introduction
• Short icebreaker ( optional )
• Stories about the groom
• Talk about the partner
• Talk about their relationship
• Well-wishes and advice

Below is a more detailed explanation of each part of a best man speech outline, followed by a step-by-step guide—with tips—for writing the speech itself. Some examples are also provided to help you in the process. 

Best Man Speech Outline: Easy Template to Use

Greet everyone present (1–3 sentences).

Before anything else, make sure to greet the guests, bridal party, and vendors at the venue. Acknowledge their presence and the effort they put into being there on the newlyweds’ special day.

You can keep this part brief but upbeat to get your guests engaged and listening to your speech as a best man.

Example : Hey everyone! Thank you for making the time and effort to attend Ben and Stephanie’s wedding.

Introduce Yourself (1–2 Sentences)

At the reception, odds are most people—but not all—will know who you are. For everyone’s benefit, briefly introduce yourself and your relationship with the newlyweds.

Example : For those of you who don’t know me—first of all, how dare you? Kidding aside, my name is Ryan Drews, Mike’s best friend and life coach. We’ve known each other since high school.

(Optional) Short Icebreaker (1–3 Sentences)

If you feel like you still need to capture your guests’ attention, consider adding a short joke or anecdote before you get into the body of your best man speech. You can get a good laugh and set the tone for the rest of the speech. 

Example : Honestly, I was a bit nervous about giving this speech. People said it should only be as long as Gavin’s attention span. So… I guess that’s all for my speech, goodnight!”

Personal Stories and Memories With the Groom (1–3 Paragraphs)

Share a personal story that showcases your relationship and closeness with the groom. It does not necessarily have to be relatable, but make sure the memory will highlight the groom’s personality and positive traits.

You can also talk about the groom’s growth and development over the years. How much has he changed? How has he changed? Shed light on the positive changes you have observed since he and his partner got together .

Example : [Compare the groom’s personality during high school and today. He might be more mature, patient, and mentally strong than before. If you have one, share a story that illustrates these changes.]

Talk About the Partner (1–2 Paragraphs)

Do not forget about the star of the night—the other newlywed. Talk about your first impressions, the day you were first introduced, and any striking memories you have with them.

Example : [Where did you meet each other for the first time? Did you have dinner somewhere? What did you think of her initially, and how did this impression change?]

Talk About the Newlyweds (1–2 Paragraphs)

Compliment the couple and talk about their relationship. Highlight their strengths, share how you think they complement each other, and tell them how they make you—and everyone around them—feel.

Example : You two are an example of how a healthy dose of annoying each other can actually go a long way in making a relationship better. But all jokes aside, you guys inspire everyone around you to be kinder to one another and themselves.

Conclusion: Well-Wishes and Advice (1–2 Paragraphs)

The last part of a best man speech’s outline can contain well-wishes, advice, or both. Share any wisdom you have regarding marriage, and tell them that you are praying for the best for their future.

Example : Always remember that marriage is a two-player game: both of you must put in the same amount of effort to keep the game going. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Linnehan! May the future be bright and boundless for you. 

Writing a Best Man Speech: Steps and Tips to Follow

Step 1: Gather Material by Reflecting

Take a trip down memory lane and think about your relationship with the groom over the years. Write down any funny stories, milestones, and incidents that come up.

At the same time, think back on what you know about the groom’s relationship with his partner. How did they meet? How did you meet his partner for the first time? What makes their bond and journey special?

As you reflect, think about their qualities as individuals and as a couple. These traits will be a great addition to your best man speech.

Tip: Start Early

Do not leave your speech as a best man to the last minute. Ideally, start brainstorming and thinking of what to say as early as a few weeks before the wedding day. This will give you plenty of time to write, revise, and revise some more.

Step 2: Structure Your Speech

The outline above will help you structure your speech. However, feel free to add any personal touches or make changes to the order.

Tip: Decide What Tone You Want to Use

Spend a moment to decide how you want to deliver your speech. Do you want to be funny and witty? Do you want to sound casual? Do you want to flex your poetic muscles? Do you want to incorporate multiple styles and tones?

Step 3: Start the First Draft

Eventually, you have to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Write everything that comes to mind, letting your past reflections guide you as you compose your best man speech.

Do not worry about making it perfect on the first try—no one ever gets it perfect on the first try. Let yourself word vomit until you have written everything you have in mind.

Tip: Do Not Go Too Heavy With Inside Jokes

Although you understandably want to show how well you know the groom and make your guests laugh, avoid sharing inside jokes. Everyone will not get it without explaining the necessary context; you simply may not have the time to do so.

Step 4: Edit and Refine Your Draft

Start with any obvious grammatical errors. Fix faulty subject-verb agreements, incorrect uses of prepositions, and whatnot. You can use apps like Grammarly or built-in grammar checkers to help you with this part.

As you go along, read the speech aloud or in your head to see if there are any awkward spots. You may have to rephrase certain parts or rearrange sentences to make your speech flow better.

Be patient with yourself, as it might take multiple revisions before you get a speech you are satisfied with.

Tip: Keep It Concise

Aim for a best man’s speech that does not exceed 4–6 minutes. Any more than that and you risk losing your guests’ attention.

Step 5: Practice Giving the Speech

After a few revisions, start practicing the speech out loud. One benefit of this is that you will spot more ways to revise your speech to make it better. 

At the same time, a practical tip is to mark points in your speech where you will pause for a moment and take a breath. This will make the delivery more relaxed and natural-sounding.

If possible, ask for a close friend or another bridal party member to listen to your speech. They can give you constructive criticism and feedback to further improve the content and your delivery.

Tip: Read the Room

As you practice your delivery to a test audience, pay attention to how they react to what you wrote. They might think that a certain anecdote is too embarrassing for the groom or that your speech has more humor than sincerity.

You might unintentionally humiliate yourself or the groom if you include stories that are too personal. Likewise, you might come across as insincere or performative if you try too hard with your speech.

Adjust your speech and delivery accordingly. As mentioned above, the revision process never stops—even as you give the speech at the reception, odds are you will make a few changes off the cuff.

Step 6: Make the Final Preparations

Print a few copies of your speech on high-quality stationery, as it is good to have extras in case something happens. If nothing else, it can be a wonderful keepsake for the newlyweds.

Make sure to have some positive coping mechanisms for stress as well. Look into breathing practices to help you manage your anxiety and stage fright.

Tip: Engage the Audience

Do not just read off your copy, since this will make you sound robotic. Pay special attention to making eye contact with guests, pausing for reactions, and ad-libbing when the opportunity presents itself. 

Speech from the Best Man: Heartwarming Examples

1. Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention for just a few moments? Before I continue with my speech, I want to thank everyone for being here tonight. We know it isn’t cheap to attend a destination wedding, so we do want to make it clear that we will not be offering any rebate or cashback.

Anyway, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Brian Mills. Nolan’s my cousin, and he has given me the honor—and stress—of being his best man. We actually only became close in high school when we both tried out for the basketball team.

Needless to say, both of us didn’t get in. We did continue practicing in our free time. These games allowed me to get to know Nolan better.

A lot has changed since then, huh? In high school, Nolan was wild, impulsive, and a bit irresponsible—we both were. Now, though, Nolan is reliable, clever, and puts everyone’s needs before his.

I remember when Nolan first introduced me to Lisa. His eyes were lit up in a way that I’d never seen before… not even when the Lakers won that championship in 2020! The more I got to know Lisa, the more I understood how perfect they are for each other; they’re both kind, adventurous, and passionate.

Lisa, I want to officially welcome you to the madness that is our family. We promise not to share too many embarrassing stories… at least until after your first anniversary.

Kidding aside, I have never seen Nolan as happy as he is with Lisa. You both bring out the best in each other, and it’s clear to all of us here that you share a love that is deep, genuine, and enduring.

So, let’s raise our glasses in a toast to Nolan and Lisa. May your love be modern enough to survive the times and old-fashioned enough to last forever. Cheers!

Thank you, everyone. Enjoy the rest of your evening!

2. Good evening, everyone! How’s your night going so far? I hope the food and drinks are all to your liking; we worked very hard tasting every dish our lovely caterer had to offer.

I’m Alex, and I have the great privilege of being David’s best man. Before I start, let’s give another round of applause to the beautiful couple. David, my man, you look sharp tonight! But I think I speak for everyone when I say: Emily, you’ve definitely stolen the show.

I’ve known David for almost 20 years now. We first met in middle school, and our friendship has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. From camping trips that turned into survival missions to late-night study sessions that rarely involved studying, I can say we’ve had our fair share of memorable moments.

But today, I want to focus on the biggest adventure David has had: his adventure with Emily. I still remember the day David told me about Emily. He said, “There’s this incredible woman.” And he was right. Emily, your kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor make you a perfect match for David. And David, well, I guess he isn’t too bad.

Together, you two are like a fine wine—you just keep getting better with time. David, you’ve found your soulmate in Emily. Your partnership is a testament to what every love should have—support, laughter, and a lot of patience (especially when David tries to cook or crack a joke).

Emily, welcome to our small, silly, but very loving friend group. You bring out the best in David, and for that, we are all grateful.

David, I have one piece of advice for you as you enter this new chapter: a happy wife is a happy life. Always remember that.

As we stand here in this beautiful venue, surrounded by friends and family, I am reminded of a quote I once heard: “Love isn’t about finding the perfect person. It’s about realizing that an imperfect person can make your life perfect.”/

So, let’s raise our glasses to David and Emily. May your life together be filled with endless love, laughter, and luck. Cheers!

Thank you, everyone. Let’s make this a night to remember!

3. Hi, everyone! I just want to take a few minutes of your time to say some words about our lovely newlyweds. My name is Charles, and Manny chose me as his best man.

The love story I’ve witnessed over the past six years is nothing short of magical. First of all, their growth as individuals is very laudable; I’ve seen Manny go from a slightly reckless and clueless college student to a calm and collected man. I can confidently say that Jenny’s presence has been transformative to Manny.

Jenny, it is clear that you and Manny are soulmates. Thank you for taking care of him, keeping him in check, and humbling him whenever he needs it.

May your love be a sturdy lighthouse amidst a rough and rowdy sea, shining a light that will guide you through the darkness and unpredictability of life.

Congratulations to you two! Cheers to the future!

Final Thoughts

Being someone’s best man is a huge honor; it means you occupy such a special part of their life they wanted you to have this major role in their wedding.

When preparing a best man speech outline, the most important thing to keep in mind is authenticity—stay true to yourself. If you want to write an amazing, unforgettable speech, just focus on pouring your heart onto paper. Everything else will follow.

Marisa Jenkins

Marisa Jenkins is a wedding planner and event coordinator. Her main goal for WeddingFrontier.com is to simplify the wedding planning process by sharing her years of expertise in the industry.

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The ultimate best man speech guide

10 minutes you’ll remember forever.

The Best Man Speech is one of the highlights of any wedding, but getting it right is essential, because whilst it’s just 10 minutes or so on the day, the memories of this speech will  last a lifetime . Most Best Men are weighed down by the expectation to be funny, and have no idea where to start, what it should really contain, how to end it, or how to talk about the bride and groom in a meaningful and non-clichéd way. This page is the definitive guide on how to write your best man speech, from the structure, to the jokes, how to handle two men, props, format and quotes…it’s here. All you need is some time, a creative burst and the rest will take care of itself.

Quick Links

Opening lines.

• Being Best Man
• Relationship to Groom

Triumphs and Disasters

Closing lines.

• Joint Best Man

Best Man for Brother

• Girlfriends

How to write a great best man speech

Here is a short video with my thoughts and ideas on writing a great best man speech. I’ve expanded on those ideas below to give as much advice, hints and tips on writing a really great speech. Enjoy!

Many best men race to get that first funny line in there, and usually at the expense of quality. Keep it warm, funny and never edgy.

1. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, for those who of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Chris and I am officially Paul’s second best man…second best ladies and gentlemen…nobody likes to be second best do they? Well, Paul, looking at his career, he should know better than most…anyway where were we?

2. Good evening ladies and gentlemen before I begin I’d just like to introduce myself: my name is Chris and it is my very great honour and privilege to be the first of Mark’s two Best Man…we had to split it…46 years is quite a long time to cover all in one go! Over the course of the next few minutes I’ll be taking you through Mark’s sporting heroics, dealing with incredible loss and being caned by people dressed as nuns…which in fact had nothing to do with the stag do

3. Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, over the next few minutes we’ll be talking about the man for whom Scottish Independence now means asking his English wife if he can go to the pub at the weekend. I can’t help but thinking that an English woman telling a Scottish man he can’t go to the pub, would be a new low in this country’s rich cultural history.

4. Over the next few minutes I’ll be taking you on the rollercoaster ride that has been Sean’s life to date, and there are some amazing stories; like the time he was playing A ball with David Cameron in Mexico and his dog ate the Prime Minister’s guinea pig and he had to sell my passport to repair his own nose…actually I’ve known Sean 30 years…I might have muddled a few things up there…

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO….

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, before I begin I would just like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those of you I haven’t yet met. My name is Dave, and this Bob, and together it is our very great pleasure and privilege to be Colin’s best men for today’s celebrations.

At this point I thought I would be nervous at doing Leigh’s speech but I am now looking forward to ripping him a new arse hole in front of all his family and friends and better yet he has to sit there quietly.

This is the most puzzling part because unless you’re a seasoned speech writer, why should you have idea about structure? There are a few ways to tackle this, but the best idea is to keep things simple and form a logical progression from one piece to the next, don’t let the timeline jump around, don’t confuse the audience, and don’t cover topics or people multiple times.

Talk about being the best man

Now you’ve got to get from the introduction into the main part of the speech and this is the bridge, and in many ways the trickiest part of the whole speech, particularly if you’re trying to link everything together. Again, simple is good – don’t make the guests think too hard!

1.Over the next few minutes I will be guiding you though what amounts to one great big cry for help: Paul’s life. The inglorious acting career, the ridiculous hair, owning a ridiculous car, the persistent alcoholic over indulgence and drunken profane outbursts – he was quite simply South West London’s answer to David Hasselhof…just not as successful.

Neil is a special friend and special friends deserve one thing: three stag dos. The weekends of Istanbul, London and Leeds will live long in the memory of not just those who went, but also those who read about us in the national papers. The mass chants of ‘feed the snake! Feed the snake!’ and the enduring company of our new best friend Bianca the stripper are, I have to say, completely unrelated. I would also like to say that for the record Brian accepts and welcomes people from every country around the globe. Almost. AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO….

Now a wise man once told me the best man speech should last as long as it takes for the groom to make love…So thank you everyone for coming

Firstly, I would just like to say how beautiful the bridesmaids look who have only been out shone by the bride herself, who looks amazing today.

If everyone could be upstanding, and raise a glass, know as some of you may know Kerry wanted to have the wedding a lot earlier than this, so that a certain something could be involved in the wedding, and unfortunately after a long and hard fight that couldn’t happen. I am of course talking about mikes rapidly thinning hairline, you will be sadly missed.

How you know the groom

This comes directly after the bridge and establishes a connection with the audience – they can immediately understand why you’re there, what you mean to the groom and it’s always an opportunity to have some fun with it, especially if you’re a brother!

• My first mistake was going to stay in the shared house in London where he lived. My second was to comment on the hair. As a glass bowl of pot pourri went sailing past my head and smashed behind me giving off a wonderful burst of sandalwood fragrance, I was given enough time to realize that this was a troubled, sensitive character who didn’t take criticism that well. Perfect friend material.
• I first properly met Nick way back in 1994 when we started secondary school together. Little did we know it at the time but it was the start of a beautiful relationship, which, for me, EVENTUALLY proved worth pursuing years later when I was able to borrow all his notes and pass my A Levels. Of course, Nick didn’t need them because he might look quite cool now but he was in fact a complete square at school.  The day when he could read without putting his finger on the word and then count without using his hands, were both real breakthrough moments in his life, only to be capped a few weeks later when he passed his driving test.
• I first met Brent when we attended the University of Texas and pledged a fraternity together. It was here amongst the upside down beer bongs, ritual humiliation and complete lack of sleep that I knew I had met a friend for life. This may sound overly emotional and slightly premature but when you discover your new buddy is packing his dad’s credit card with no limits, who wouldn’t want him as a friend for life? Just for the record Mr. Schakett, I know at times you may have been concerned about the amount of money Brent spent on alcohol and food on that card. You shouldn’t have: the Shot Man Schakett never wasted any of your money on food.

The trick to writing a really entertaining speech is to make the whole thing a story, rather than dragging the audience through endless stories. Recounting anecdotes is really hard to do because they require a lot of detail and all the time you’re getting to the punchline without making them laugh can prove really counterproductive. Of course, this can all pay off if you have a killer punchline, but all too frequently they aren’t that ‘killer’ and require you to have been there.

Instead take out the good bits from the stories and condense them, even embellish slightly into one neat burst of comedy…

1. Now as he embarked on adult life Nick was to learn the hard way just what it is to be a man, and the number one rule is: if you are going to offer to buy the drinks in happy hour, it’s best not to drop the entire lot down yourself as you get back to the table thus meaning you have to go and buy it all again just after happy hour’s finished. Also you should only ever do a runner from a restaurant via the roof if you HAVEN’T actually paid the bill. Leaving Prezzo’s this way one evening after settling up and leaving a good tip, still doesn’t make any sense to anyone.

2. Anyway when Mark wasn’t failing to hit the top spot in the classroom he was also finding it difficult to do that on the sports field as well. However, with a modest talent and even less interest, he did the only sensible thing to do: saved up all his skill and enthusiasm for one split second of genius. Quite how he managed to catch the impossible cricket ball as it left our sports master’s bat, is still completely unknown. But with, uncharacteristic razor sharp reactions and gazelle like agility, he did just that, and won his side the match. Literally seconds after this Mark retired from all forms of competitive sport – at the very top of his game.

3. There weren’t many highlights to being on minimum wage in the frozen section of nobody’s favourite supermarket, in fact if I remember rightly, there was only one. Nick had been asked to use his initiative to dispose of a 2 litre tub of chocolate ice cream – no big deal you might think. Well, Nick decides to take it into the staff toilets and empty it into the loo. Ladies and gentlemen, a big tub of melting chocolate ice cream can make a big impression when poured into a toilet and can only ever give the next person in there the wrong idea. And it did. From then on half the people thought he had dodgy guts the rest thought he ate on the toilet. Both of which, are in fact, true.

These are ripe areas for comedy material, and whilst you can hint at his accomplishments that should really come later in the speech, when it all gets a bit more meaningful. Of course, the disasters aren’t real disasters just areas of his life and social situations he’s got catastrophically wrong…for comedy effect.

It wasn’t all academic and sporting mediocrity though, there have been lots of other things he wasn’t good at too. Forget school discos and trying to speak to girls, Mark had computers eating out of his hand. And it’s easy to see why: with computers you can eventually work out what’s bothering them, they usually only ever break down for legitimate reasons and if you get fed up with them, you can just switch them off. You see, nothing made his heart beat harder or his mind race faster than a computer with a problem. It is a love affair that has endured to this day.

The impact the bride has had on the groom

This should be a fun look at the way the groom as upped his game, changed his wardrobe and started showing an interest in things outside of pubs, football and waking up late.

1. But when he’s not trying to track the dark forces behind his least favourite football club in the world, he also likes to go on holiday. Now going on holiday for Frank is nothing new but the way he goes about it now is very different from the Frank of old. Thanks to his beautiful new wife Emily, Frank now does something called globe trotting which actually involves going to lots of different far flung countries and immersing yourself in their culture, rather than a two hour flight and immersing yourself at the bar.

2. It’s always tricky that first stage of the relationship as you go about discovering whether it’s going to work or not. However, for Sean and Lucinda it was a lot trickier, as soon after he met her and became smitten, he had the romantic task of making her redundant. Sean was taking the old addage “if you love them set them free” to ridiculous conclusions, which resulted in Lucinda losing her job.

3. Cassie, can I just say that you look absolutely beautiful today, I think we can all agree Brent is one lucky guy. I always had a sneaking feeling that Brent was batting way above his average, now I know he is! I have seen over the years just how happy you both are together and I am so thrilled for Brent that he’s met such an amazing woman to share his life with. Also if you could find it in your big, warm heart to allow The Shot Man and that credit card to come out to play, then you would make some grown up, financially independent men, very happy too.

The wedding day really is only about one person, and even though the Best Man Speech should mainly be about the groom, the bride does of course have her part in it as well.

The thing to remember here is, that unless you live in Australia, the best man always goes last, and so the groom will already have extensively talked about how they met. You’re really looking to avoid repetition, so allude generally to how they met, and I’d avoid details…and if they met online and aren’t advertising the fact, then you shouldn’t either.

1. Seriously when Mark met you Emily, everyone could see just how happy that made him. He’s always been a great bloke waiting for the right girl and everyone who knows you both will tell you just what a great couple you are together. Mark I couldn’t be happier for you today, we’ve known each other such a long time and I hope that friendship lasts for many more years to come.

2. Ali, I know you make Neil incredibly happy – you must do, he’s stopped dressing like a middle aged freak. But seriously, you both make a great couple and I know that he’ll already have the next few years planned out on spreadsheets but if you can fit me in I’ll look forward to spending a lot happier times together.

3. The fact that Dave also looked like Kevin Keegan’s love child, also didn’t help his dating days. That was until that fateful night, on the last train from London when he met the lovely Katie and smooth talked her after another mate of ours offered her a complimentary chicken nugget, and the rest is history. In a world, which looks down upon fast food, I think we all need to think again.

4. I can see how incredibly happy you have made my old friend over these last eight years and just how much you have helped to change his life for the better. He’s always been a great guy buy now he has wider horizons and a greater sense of adventure. And I know just how much of a support you’ve been to him through the tough times. I think you are a great couple and I look forward to many more happy times together in the future.

There should really be only one toast in a best man speech and that’s at the very end. Tradition states that best men should reply on behalf of the bridesmaids at the beginning of the speech in response to the bridesmaids toast by the groom – but it’s just confusing and not necessary. A simple but effective toast at the end and you’re done.

All that remains for me is to wish you all a long and happy life together, with all the luck in the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom.

This is where you tie all the strands together, and say what a great friend/brother the groom is, how much he’s been there for you through difficult times, laughed with you through the good times, and always had your back….and if he hasn’t…just lie!

1. John, you have been a good friend to me ever since we first met, and not just in the form of free shots and hosting parties. We’ve had great times going to the games, hanging out and making that journey from college to adult life. I know there will be less time for me in your life as I’ve now been replaced by a small dog called Ben, but you’re catholic, and now you’re married – I can’t see that dog getting a look in for months anyway. However, I will always look forward to the time we spend together especially when for old time’s sake the Shot Man is once again unleashed. Thanks for being trustworthy, loyal and understanding friends and I hope to spend many more times together for many more years to come…maybe also with that doctor wife you promised me Julie.

2. With your laidback, calm and sensitive approach to life Frank, you’re somebody that many people count themselves lucky to have in their lives. Not just because of your willingness and ability to help them out as a friend but because you’re fun and light hearted ways mean you’re always a great guy to be around.

3. I am so happy that you’ve found each other to share your lives with and all that remains for me to say is that I hope you have a great day today and enjoy a long and happy life together.

4. Sam, we’ve known each other for such a long time and been through such a lot together that it’s hard to know where to begin. All I can say is that I couldn’t have wished for a better bloke to share those years with and I hope that there’s going to be plenty more of them to come. Thanks for being a great friend, and thanks for letting me copy your homework.

Other things to consider

From a vast amount of experience you should avoid using props at all costs. It might seem like a great idea to have films, photos, a man in a gimp suit taking the heat off you in a pressurised situation, but it only ever serves to make the day a lot trickier and the speech less effective. As soon as you start holding up pictures or invite people to look at pictures you’ve left on the table they will immediately stop looking at you and start zoning out or talking amongst themselves.

If you give anyone the opportunity to divert their gaze you then have to work really hard to get it back again, and props will only ever make your speech longer and more tedious to endure. They also usually rely heavily on cables, Bluetooth connections, wifi etc etc…or at the very least everyone being able to see what you’re holding up…and they never can. Suddenly you’re getting heckles about not being able to see/hear/understand and it makes the speech the longest 10 minutes of your life.

A great idea if you’ve got funny photographs is to pin them up by the seating plan so that everyone will get to see them and then you can reference those in your speech.

Forget the awful quotes that you normally hear such as ‘it’s not somebody you can live with, it’s somebody you can’t live without, there are some great quotes out there if you look hard enough. Just one for each speech as you don’t want it to become some sort of English Literature GCSE essay.

The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it. - Hubert Humphrey

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. - Thomas Aquinas.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one. - AA Milne.

Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends. - WB Yeats.

Quotes can be a really powerful way to end a speech, and it’s worth going that extra mile to find something that very few have used before, so check out sites such as BrainyQuote and GoodReads for an endless supply of great quotes.

You are always going to get a heckler or two so it’s worth thinking in advance how to deal with them so they don’t upset your flow, and even better, give you an opportunity to get some extra laughs. The most simple method is just to pause, wait until they’re done and carry on, but if you can get a bit of mileage out of it, so much the better.

A good way of having some fun is simply to ask if they’re looking for assistance in going to the bathroom, this works particularly well if they happen to be on the slightly older side. If it’s a younger person you can assume some vocal surprise that their carers have let them out for the day, or suggest that whatever medication the system has got them on, they need to cut the dose. Anything along this sort of gentle fun vein, always works a treat…as long as they don’t really have a carer and aren’t on medication.

In my experience best man jokes are probably the least effective addition to any best man speech that wants to be classed as superior. By best man jokes, I am alluding to about 100 or so gags that were written over the years specifically to get a laugh from wedding guests. You can do so much better than these, because they’re old, tired an dpeople have heard them all before and the last thing you want to do is land one of these at the start of your speech to a luke warm ripple of polite laughter.

To identify exactly what I’m talking about I’ve listed some of the most prolific offenders.

It’s an emotional wedding, even the cake is in tiers.

It’s not the first time today I’ve got up form a warm seat with a piece of paper in my hand.

If there’s anybody here this afternoon who’s feeling nervous, apprehensive and queasy at the thought of what lies ahead, it’s probably because you have just got married to the groom.

Complete rubbish. You need to work out what it is that’s funny about the groom in an original and engaging way, people will love your creativity and laugh much more!

Burning deep within his sole was a dream, what he wanted more than anything, more than being a cowboy, professional tennis player or A ball star…was to be an office manager in the NHS. What can I say? He’s not dreaming any more ladies and gentlemen.

This is one of the most important factors and it actually depends on quite a few things, so we’ll start off with the very general scenario of 3 speakers at a wedding – Father of the bride, Groom and Best Man. If this is the case and it’s in the UK, then the best man speech should be a stand up to sit down time of no longer than 10 minutes. If this is in America, that will be about 5 minutes maximum. Americans like their speeches shorter and more efficient, and that’s no bad thing.

However, these timings will then change the more speakers that are added to the line up, because what the groom should be doing is making sure the section of speeches doesn’t run into hours of your life you’ll never get back. If there are 4 speakers, aim to be in and out in around 8 minutes, 5 speakers you’re looking at about 6 minutes, and so it goes on.

You have to bear in mind also that as you’ll be the last speaker, apart from Australia where you’re up second, and so the guests are at the limit of their concentration endurance, so if they’ve been sitting through 90 minutes of speeches, and it happens, make it REALLY funny, and REALLY short.

If you are two best men making a joint speech then you should be stood for about 12-13 minutes, and that remains the case the more best men are added to the line up. If you’re a co-best man and you’re making separate speeches, then your speech should be about 7 minutes. The timings in Australia are identical to the UK except that the best man goes after the father of the bride.

Joint best man

Being a joint best man is pretty common these days, and you really need to tackle what you’re going to go about things as early as possible, because trying to coordinate two guys to write and deliver a speech whilst they juggle their own lives can prove next to impossible.

The first thing you have to decide is if you’re going to make a joint speech or separate ones. The best method is to make a joint speech as it means you won’t double up on gags or content, and nobody has that last dreaded speech spot. A great joint best man speech should consist of about 4 chunks of content each and you bounce from one best man to other all the way through the speech.

However, for many reasons making a joint speech might prove impossible. Maybe there’s no time to coordinate it, maybe you don’t like the guy, or maybe there’s a fundamental clash of ideas. In that case make sure your speech is efficient, tight and punchy and comes in at around 7 minutes, and whatever you do, make sure you get on first.

Quite a lot of grooms make their brother the best man, and that does throw up a few problems – the main one being that although you’ve grown up in the same family/house etc. you don’t really know that much about him! When I’m writing speeches, this doesn’t really affect the creative process because I’m looking for a very funny comedic overview of who the groom is, not a granular introspection. If you’re facing this very common problem, then just take everything you know about his character, passion, dislikes, job and even hair colour and get the funnies out of that. It can be done but it really needs thinking about.

Of course, there is some fun to be had with the introduction and you need to allude to that fact how upset you were when your number priority spot was completely usurped by a noisy, ugly ginger baby called Dave. If you’re younger than talk about the time you realised the bigger toddler in the house who kept bashing you over the head every time your mum left the room, was in fact your older brother Steve.

Former Girlfriends

As tempting as it may seem to have a quick chronological run through of the groom’s former loves, this will only ever end in disaster. This comes back to my point that the wedding day is really only about the bride – if you do anything to upset her, then it’s pretty terminal. Mentioning former conquests in any way shape or form is something I completely avoid, you might think it’s all light hearted fun but no bride likes to think of their brand new husband being the love interest of someone else!

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Best Man Speeches – Examples, One-Liners, & Tips

Are you the best man looking to deliver a speech that everyone remembers? We know how important the moment is, and we’re here to help.

We’ve put together some great outlines of how you can build your best man speech. In each of our speech examples, we’ve highlighted a foolproof way to accomplish your desired tone.

Whether you want your best man’s speech to be funny and lighthearted or serious and inspirational, you’ve come to the right place to find ideas that will jumpstart the creative process. We will teach you how to relieve a bit of the pressure with a joke initially, get into some details about how you met the couple and what they mean to you, and then ultimately deliver the final epic toast that gets people on their feet.

We’re excited to share with you all the tips, tricks, and planning tools needed to create an excellent best man speech, including awesome examples to guide you along and inspire you.

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• Funny Best Man Speech Example
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How to Write Your Best Man Speech

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Best man speech dos & don’ts, best man speech videos.

• One of the Funniest Best Man Speeches
• Awesome Non Traditional Best Man Speech
• Best Man Speech – Get A Standing Ovation

Best Unrehearsed Best Man Speech

• Best Man Speech – Irish Guy at Italian Wedding

3 Examples of Funny Best Man Speeches

Relieve a bit of the pressure from creating a chuckle-inducing best man speech using these three examples below as inspiration. Whether you focus on the bride a bit or pick out the most embarrassing story of the groom, you know, some solid one-liners scattered throughout your sentiments will get the job done.

The “Shower Her With Compliments” Speech

“Isn’t [Bride] looking absolutely gorgeous tonight? Not only is she beautiful, though, she’s also caring, sweet and she deserves one hell of a husband. Thankfully for [Groom], she agreed to marry him before she found one.

[Groom] gets to leave tonight having gained a wife with all of the qualities one could dream about having in a partner. [Bride] leaves tonight with a bouquet of flowers she can pop in a vase at home and cherish for a few days to come.”

The “We Go Back” Speech

“For those that don’t know me, [Groom] and I go back all the way to middle school. This means we go back to a time when [Groom} looked more like Chunk from The Goonies and less like the suave man sitting before us tricking [Bride] into thinking that watching him do the Truffle Shuffle in the mirror isn’t in her near future.

[Groom] really is the best friend I could have ever asked for. Growing up, we lived across the street from each other, so he was always really more convenient than anything else. The fact that there was an inground pool in his backyard didn’t hurt the relationship either.

But now we sit here [x] years later, [Groom] has grown into a wonderful man, and he’s sure to be a wonderful husband to you [Bride]. As long as you can get past his infatuation with Teletubbies and the fact that he went as Tinky Wink for Halloween in the fourth grade, I think you’ll make it through anything!”

The “Reasons to Marry the Groom”Speech

“Good Evening, everyone! I trust that you’re having a superb night racking up the bar tab. Sorry about that, [Groom].

Ya know, the best man speech is known for throwing out some of the most embarrassing aspects of the groom’s past. Funny stories from middle school or bringing up bad haircuts, but that’s not really my style. Instead, I’d rather make it clear to everyone just why [Bride] has decided to marry [Groom].

There are three rather simple reasons.

Firstly, he’s got really great taste. He did choose me as his best man, after all. He even decided to wear the same outfit as me today.

Secondly, when he loves, he loves hard. There’s nothing this man wouldn’t do for me. In fact, he’s spent 20 years doing nothing for me. See what you have to look forward to [Bride]?

And finally, he’s a handsome fellow. Although standing up here looking at him next to [Bride], you could have done a bit better, hun.”

3 Examples of Heartfelt Best Man Speeches

If causing a riot of laughs isn’t your style, or you want to instill just how much this day means to you and your family, go with something more serious. Your heartfelt best man speech can make just as big of an impact with a heartfelt sentiment as it can with chuckles from the crowd.

The “Thankful” Speech

“Hello everyone, it’s such a pleasure to be here tonight as [Groom’s] best man. And I want to begin by saying what an honor it is that I was chosen to stand by your side today. You’ve always been someone that I looked up to, and I am just beyond grateful that I get to share in this moment with you and [Bride].

[Groom] is someone that I’ve come to care for greatly over the years, and I am so happy that he’s found someone to share his life with and start a family with. [Groom] has always been my right hand throughout the biggest moments of my life, and I can’t wait to be able to watch everything beautiful unfold for the two of you. Cheers to a lifetime of happiness!”

The “Smart Move” Speech

“There’s an old saying about friendship that reads, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them,” and goodness that couldn’t be more true for me and my boy, [Groom].

I could go into all the funny stories that include some of that stupidity, but instead, I’d rather focus on all the smart moves he’s made. His friendships, the relationship he has with his family, his career, it’s all a reflection of the incredible man he’s become. But really, the smartest move he’s made is marrying you, [Bride].

Let’s toast to the best decision [Groom’s] ever made. I wish you a lifetime of love, happiness, and success.”

The “She Was The One” Speech

“Ladies and gentleman, thank you all for coming out tonight to celebrate the wedding of two people we all love, [Bride] & [Groom]!

When I first met [Bride], I knew that she was the woman [Groom] would end up marrying. Even if it hadn’t dawned on him quite yet, it was obvious to everyone around just how smitten he was with her. They talk about a bride’s glow, but this man was shining since the moment he met [Bride]. He changed for the better without realizing it. And we all could see it.

He couldn’t stop talking about her. We’d go out with the boys, and [Bride’s] name would be brought up every two minutes. So when he came to me to tell me that he would be proposing, my only response was, “Well, it’s about time!”

There’s something special about these two. They go together without forcing it. They love each other without fighting it. And they care about each other without thinking about it. She was the one from the very beginning [Groom], and we’re all so happy to be able to take part in your big day. Cheers!”

3 Examples of Upbeat Best Man Speeches

An upbeat best-man speech will keep the celebratory vibe of the evening going without too many tears or glares from Grandma when the jokes go too far south. Check out our easy list of lighthearted cheers that relay your love of the couple and appreciation for your spot as best man.

The “Great Flame” Speech

“I’m so happy to see that everyone is having such a great time tonight! [Bride] & [Groom] really know how to throw a party, don’t they?

They also know how to light a fire. Dante once said, “A great flame follows a little spark,” and we’ve all seen that spark since the very beginning. And tonight, we see the fire.

Cheers to the happy couple, may the flame burn long, and sparks continue to fly!”

The “Brother” Speech

“[Groom] is my brother, so naturally, I have the long list of blackmail quality ammunition to scatter throughout this speech tonight. Don’t get scared, though [Groom], I’ll keep 2005 under wraps and not mention it.

But seriously, when we were younger, we’d do everything together. Attached at the hip, even when we were in a fight, it wasn’t until college that we parted and went down our separate paths. We grew up, started our careers, and he found [Bride]. And I couldn’t be more thankful for you [Bride] and couldn’t be happier for the two of you.

We’re gaining such a beautiful new family member today. You look stunning tonight, sister. Congratulations, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness. Cheers!”

The “Great Man” Speech”

“What a night it has been! Will everyone please raise their glasses as I toast to [Bride] & [Groom]?

Although my first thought today was, if I’m the best man here, why is [Groom] getting to marry [Bride]?

On a more serious note, [Groom] you’re not only a great man, you really are the best man for [Bride]. And she is the best woman for you. I could sing both your praises all evening, but since I’m a terrible singer, I’ll leave that up to the band and allow everyone to keep their eardrums intact. I’m honored to be by your side today [Groom]; I wish you many years of happiness. Salute!”

Short Best Man Speech Examples

A great best man speech doesn’t have to be long to pack a punch. Add a clever one-liner with a few thoughtful sentiments, and you can get the job done while making it memorable. Here are some incredible examples of short best man speeches .

“Good evening, everyone! Let’s lift our glasses and toast to the newlyweds!

Don’t worry; your arms won’t get tired. My speech is going to be like a mini-skirt: long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to hold your attention.

[Groom], thank you for being such a stable force in my life, a great friend and an even better brother. [Bride], I think we can all agree that you’re stunning this evening and [Groom] won the lottery.

[Bride] & [Groom], tonight we celebrate you. We all wish you a lifetime of happiness, love, health, success, and laughter. May you continue to find humor in the bad and appreciation for the good. May your friendship continue to grow throughout all the years to come. Cheers!”

Medium Best Man Speech Examples

Of course, you can always go the medium-length route. If you’re looking for a best man speech that covers all of the necessary points but gets you out of there before you start to sweat, try out something like this below!

Witty Best Man Speech

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is X, and I was chosen as [Groom’s] best man. Now, the more I think about that title, the more uncomfortable I get. It sort of implies that [Groom] has lots and lots of men, and I’ve been dubbed the favorite of the bunch. If it wasn’t for [Bride], I’d be watching my back later tonight but also a bit flattered, admittedly.

[Groom] and I grew up together. But we weren’t actually friends until we hit high school. And we didn’t become best friends until our 20’s. He needed to grow up a bit before I could take our relationship to the next level.

On a more serious note, this man is one of the highest-quality people I know. You’ve snagged yourself a good one here [Bride]. Hardworking, clever, and he’s a handsome devil too; I have no doubt that he’ll be a great husband and an even better father.

[Bride] balances his awesomeness out quite well. She’s beautiful, obviously. But getting to know her over the years, I’ve found her to be just as hardworking but also an amazing example of what it is to have a kind, giving heart. I watched [Groom] change for the better when they started dating. She softened him. And now look at them; they’re happy, wide-eyed newlyweds that we’re toasting to tonight.

[Groom], I’ll leave you with a little bit of advice that my father gave me the morning of my wedding.

“A real man never stops trying to show a woman how much she means to him, even after he’s got her.” 

I wish you years and years of happiness and love. Never stop going the extra mile for one another. When you feel yourself getting a bit too comfortable and complacent, remember that quote. Spice things up, do small things for one another, and always remind the other of how much you love them.

Cheers to you!”

Long Best Man Speech Examples

Finally, there is the long best man speech. This is a great move for someone extremely close to the groom, or even both the groom and the bride. A brother with lots of stories or a best friend that has seen a lifetime of highs and lows, you can capture it nicely in a lengthy toast to the happy couple.

“If you have no idea who I am yet, I’m [Groom’s] best friend. I’ve been around for a while, about 20 years now. So, naturally, I can tell you a lot about him. He’s handsome, witty, charismatic, intelligent … oh wait … wrong wedding.

There’s a rule, you know, there’s a certain bit of wedding etiquette we guests have to follow. No woman should look better than the bride. And no man should look better than the groom. I’d like to personally thank the ushers for abiding by that rule to the fullest. I’d also like to extend my thanks for showing up sober. You did a great job today, fellas.

Let me go ahead and get some thank you’s out of the way as well. To all of the guests, I want to personally thank you for taking the time to travel here tonight. I know some of you had to take planes or get in the car for several hours to make it and, on behalf of the lovely couple too, we’re so grateful. For everyone who helped to get this party going tonight, from the catering staff to the wedding planners, your professionalism has been superb; thank you. To all of the bridesmaids and the rest of the groomsmen, thanks for helping make everything go off without a hitch today. We nailed it. To the bride and groom’s parents, thank you for raising these two amazing people we’re all here to celebrate tonight. None of our lives would be the same without them, and that’s all thanks to you. And lastly, [Groom] wanted me to thank [Bride] for showing up today. It means more than you know.

[Groom] and I truly do go way back. We go back all the way to middle school. Sitting in homeroom, we watched as the 7th-grade wish list was being passed around the classroom. The problem with this scenario was that we were both in 8th grade, and somehow both ended up sitting in the wrong class with no one that looked familiar for nearly an entire period. We were soulmates.

And for the past two decades, he’s been by my side for every wrong move, every high, every low, and all the biggest moments. I’m so grateful that I was able to be here tonight to celebrate alongside not only [Groom] but [Bride] too.

Their relationship is something to admire. It’s always been easy with the two of them. And I believe that when something is meant to be, there doesn’t need to be a fight. You can see how easy it is for them to love one another, and it’s something that we should all strive for one day, to find a person that is so easy to love you do it without even being conscious of it. [Groom] wakes up in the morning with his heart beating, his lungs breathing, and his entire body-loving [Bride]. It just is. And that’s a beautiful thing.

The night [Groom] came home after his first date with [Bride], he wouldn’t shut up. I was studying for midterms, and he came in with the goofiest, biggest grin on his face. Actually, he almost looked guilty of something. I asked him, “What did you do?”

You want to know what his response was [Bride]?

He said, “I just fell in love.”

And the rest is history. I’ve been saving that tidbit of knowledge for years now. I didn’t want my man to lose any of his street cred, but the jig is up friend, you’re a huge romantic, sap, and we all love you for it.

Now it’s time to raise our glasses and toast to the future of this newly-married couple. May your lives be filled with adventure, overwhelming amounts of movie dates and Friday night pizza, children playing in the backyard, beach vacations, love, laughter, and a blissful marriage through and through. Cheers!”

10 Introductions for your Best Man Speech

Get your speech started eloquently with one of these introductions. Use some of these ideas to jumpstart your writing process and personalize it to your liking. Welcome the guests in style and calm your nerves right from the start.

• “First, allow me to introduce myself. I’m [Best Man], and it’s both an honor and a pleasure to be standing beside [Groom] today as his best man this evening.”
• “Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to formally welcome you to the wedding of [Bride] and [Groom]. Thank you so much for coming out and celebrating with us tonight.”
• “Good evening, everyone! It’s now the point in the evening where some of us have to get up out of our seats and make fools of ourselves. Looks like I’m up first.”
• “Firstly, I’d like to personally thank you all for coming and celebrating such a special occasion with us.”
• “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen; I want to thank you all for coming such a long way to celebrate with us. For those that don’t know me, I’m [Best Man] [Groom’s] brother/best friend/etc.”
• “Hello everyone! For those that haven’t bought me a drink yet tonight, my name is [Best Man], and I’m a fan of Jack and Coke.”
• “Hello ladies and gentlemen, I’m [Best Man], and I was chosen to be [Groom’s] best man tonight. Or I was the best he could do. Or I was just the only one that would agree to do it.”
• “For those that don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself. I’m [Best Man]. And for those that do know me, I apologize.”
• “I’ve got to say it, ladies and gentleman. Does [Bride] not look absolutely stunning tonight? [Groom] you look alright.”
• “Good evening, everyone! Before I begin my duty to give [Groom] an uncomfortable, embarrassing few minutes, I want to take the time to say thank you for coming out and celebrating tonight.”

10 One-Liners for Your Best Man Speech

Add a joke or two into the mix of your best man speech and get everyone relaxed and chuckling. This part of the evening is all about light-hearted laughs, and the best man is the go-to choice for getting the party started. Here are 10 one-liners and jokes you can scatter throughout your best man toast.

• “I heard there was a bet going around about how long the best man speech was going to be. I went in with a 20 on 45 minutes, so get comfortable, everyone.”
• “The time has come for the groom to get quite uncomfortable in his seat and maybe even shed a tear or two. That’s right; I’m about to hand him the drinks bill.”
• “[Groom] is the kind of guy you don’t have to worry introducing the parents too. That’s why [Bride] didn’t worry about doing it until today.”
• “As best man, it is my duty to start telling you all about all of the embarrassing things that have happened to [Groom] in all [x] years of his life up until the happiest day of his life until I started this speech.”
• “[Bride], you are a wonderful woman who deserves a wonderful husband. And I won’t stop until I get to the bottom of what’s happened here.”
• “[Groom] has so many wonderful attributes. He’s charming, handsome, witty …. Ummm … I’m sorry [Groom] I’m having trouble reading your handwriting.”
• “I’m quite nervous. Just ask the people sitting at my table. It truly is possible to smell fear, isn’t it, folks?”
• “I’m sure you all can agree that it’s been an emotional day. Even the cake is in tiers!”
• “I was told that the best man speech needed to last for as long as the groom takes to make love. Raise your glasses, everyone!”
• “Everyone, let me just preface this by letting you know how nervous I am. I’m really not used to public speaking, and when I get nervous, I’ve been known to mispronounce some of my words.”

10 Toasts for Your Best Man Speech

And finally, end your best man toast with an uplifting quote or wish for the happy couple. Toast to the newlyweds and do it in a way that’s both memorable and personal with our help.

• “Now, please join me in raising your glasses as we toast to the Bride and the Groom. I give your Mr. and Mrs. [x]!”
• “I would like to wish you a lifetime of health, wealth, happiness, and love. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s toast to the bride and groom.”
• “What an honor it has been to serve as [Groom’s] best man. And it’s even more of an honor to ask you all to join me in toasting the newlyweds. Cheers!”
• “Allow me to leave you with this, “there is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved.” May your happiness last a lifetime. We toast to you.”
• “Now remember this. There are two things that will make a marriage last: a sense of humor and selective hearing. Cheers!”
• “Ladies and gentleman, let’s toast to the bride and groom. And leave off with a thought from John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney, “Love is all you need.”
• “Let us all wish [Bride] and [Groom] years and years of happiness. May you be friends to each other only as lovers can, and may you love each other only as best friends can.”
• “Congratulations on this big step in your lives. Let’s all raise our glasses and toast to the happy couple. May years of happiness and amazing memories await you!”
• “For this is [Bride] and [Groom’s] time. And it’s time to raise your glass high in the air. To the bride and groom! We wish you a long and happy marriage.”
• “To my very best friend and brother, and to his beautiful new wife, we salute you! Now let’s dance, drink and have a slice of cake!”

Easy Best Man Speech Template to Follow

If you’re starting from scratch, use this fool-proof, easy best man speech template. Follow along as you fill in your own quips and memories throughout your speech. We’ve already inspired you with different examples and even some one-liners to fit inside; now it’s time to start writing!

• Welcome the guests
• Talk about you and the groom’s history / Introduce yourself
• Add in a bit about the groom’s personality, character, and accomplishments
• Speak about the bride and them as a couple
• Toast to a happy marriage

10 Things Not To Say In Your Best Man Speech

It’s common knowledge, and expected, for the best man to give the groom a bit of a hard time. Teasing and sharing embarrassing stories are all a part of the fun. But, some things should be avoided completely. When writing out your best man speech, these are 10 things to not ever say or include in the spiel.

• Leave out the ex-girlfriends – or ex-wives. If there’s an ex at all, don’t mention it.
• Nix the curse words. Phrases involving any of those four-letter creations should be left out.
• Never, under any circumstances, embarrass the bride. She should never be a part of the punchline.
• Don’t mention anything about the bachelor party, especially if it could get him in trouble. Leave it in the past.
• Dig on the groom a bit but don’t dig on marriage. Your jokes shouldn’t downplay what a big, GREAT step this is for them.
• Don’t dig on the in-laws either – on either side. Besides, they’re most likely footing the bill for the entire event.
• “Drunken night” shenanigans can be left out of your walk down memory lane as well.
• A long list of “umms” or “likes” shouldn’t take center stage.
• Compliment the bride but don’t be creepy or cross the line.
• Juvenile jokes like, “We all thought he was gay for so long!” should be left back in middle school.

7 Tips for Writing Your Speech

When it comes time to sit down and write out your speech, take a big, deep breath, you want to sprinkle in some creativity, originality, and some hard work too. It’s okay if you don’t finish it in your first sitting. Allow yourself to become inspired, follow these 10 tips for making writing your best man easy, and you’ll have it ready in no time!

• Give yourself time. Don’t wait until the night before. You’ll allow your nerves to take over and may get writer’s block if you start writing the last minute. Choose a night when you’re relaxed and let your creativity flow. Try writing out a rough draft a few months before the wedding before you get caught up in all the pre-event activities.
• Pay attention to your intro. If you start out strong, whether with a great story or a funny one-liner, you’ll have everyone’s attention throughout the entire speech.
• Write it down. Write it down. Write it down. Yes, this is about writing your speech, but we also want you to make sure you practice it and have it on paper the day of, just in case.
• Don’t forget a joke . Even if you want to go with a speech that’s a bit more serious and heartfelt, add a few quips or jokes about the groom in there. It helps break up the emotion and provides comic relief.
• Have a Plan B up your sleeve. Whether it’s a joke or turning to the bride and shining a light on how stunning she looks, plan for a misplaced speech or a case of stage fright.
• Take a walk down memory lane . Extended family and friends may not know who you are. Let them know and let them in on why you were chosen as the best man.
• Thank everyone. Finally, you must extend a grateful hand. It’s a nice gesture from the bar staff to the bridesmaids, and it will plump up your speech.

The best man speech format is pretty straightforward. The first part of the speech is geared towards getting guest attention. Ideally, the best man should have a great one-liner to open up the best man speech. See our best man one-liner examples for some inspiration. The next step is to introduce yourself personally and explain who you are to those who don’t know you. Make light of the occasion, maybe talk about the location, the idea of marriage, or something regarding the ceremony. These are all excellent opportunities for amusing asides.

The next part of the best man speech structure is focusing on the groom. To be specific, this is the chance to poke some fun at the groom. Talk about your relationship with the groom, offering guests a funny and entertaining version of how you first met, your first impressions, and why you’re still good friends now. Remember, it can’t all be a comedy, you need to something nice about the groom.

Next, it’s time for the bride. Don’t poke fun at her. Talk about how gorgeous she looks, how much you like her as a friend. This is an excellent time in the speech to talk about why the newly married couple will be so great together.

At this stage, you’re coming towards the end of the speech. Get ready for your toast (see example best man toasts ). You might want to give the bride and groom some sage advice, potentially an amusing observation about marriage. Finish up with a light-hearted toast to the bride and groom.

How To Write a Best Man Speech

Start by writing down thoughts freely about the bride and groom and your relationship with them.

• How do you know them?
• Why did they choose you as the best man?
• How would you describe each of them? What are the first five adjectives that come to mind?
• What was the groom like before he met the bride? How has he changed knowing her?
• How did they meet? How did the groom tell you about her?
• You may wish to think about marriage advice you’ve received or have learned if you are married.
• Are there any particularly amusing anecdotes that illustrate who the bride and/or groom is?
• Read through this gallery of sample classic wedding toasts and highlight any that seem particularly appropriate to you.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to craft those ideas into a heartfelt and entertaining toast. You should have a great framework with which to work.

There are some easy-to-follow tips when preparing your best man speech. Follow these for a seamless and great best man speech:

Be Prepared & Invest Time: Plan your speech ahead of time. Write it down, get ideas and start thinking about it early. There is nothing worse than a best man who walks into the wedding thinking he is going to speak off the cuff. It is evident when you do that, and it usually sucks, so don’t.

It Is About Your Friend & His Wife: It is so easy to come up with jokes and poke fun at your close buddy for 10 minutes. That’s no fun for the rest of the guests, and while you’ll enjoy it, it doesn’t focus on what’s important, which is that your buddy just married the woman of his dreams. Think of stories from you and your buddy’s past that show what a great guy he is, and remember that the speech’s goal is to celebrate the couple and make them look good.

Stay Sober(ish) : Liquid courage is great in moderation. Sure, have a few drinks to calm your nerves, but don’t go crazy early and be messy for your best man speech. It is a pretty simple rule, but just make sure you’re not sloppy drunk.

Open Strong: There is no shame in using a one-liner to get things going. It is essential that you have guests excited, and you build the confidence to deliver an excellent best man speech. Once you have your opening line down, immediately thank all the guests who made the day possible. Single out the bride and groom’s parents by name, and offer a toast to them for not only putting on the wedding but for raising two fine people. Start your speech like this, and you’ll be the best man everybody loves.

Be Yourself (Unless You’re an A**hole) : No need to get formal or try to be someone you’re not. And there’s no need to follow these instructions exactly either. Simply use them as a guide and be yourself. Let it flow naturally. Use your natural voice and mannerisms. Make it personal and sincere and say things from the heart, and you should be golden.

Tell A Nice Story & Make A Connection: The ideal way to structure a best man speech is to find a connection between a story about your friend and your support for the couple. Share a story about how your friend would always lament that he would never find a woman with x,y, and z qualities, but how he finally did in his new bride. Or tell a story about the moment when you were hanging out with the couple, and you realized your friend had found his match. Another good angle is to talk about the way that the bride and groom balance one another.

Don’t Talk About The Groom’s Exes : Keep your speech on topics that aren’t controversial, offensive, or embarrassing. Don’t talk about the groom’s past girlfriends. This is an easy tip to follow; just use some common sense.

No Inside Jokes: This is a crucial rule, yet very hard to execute. You and your friend have stories, inside jokes, and things only the two of you (or a select few of your friends) know about. Now isn’t the time to bring that stuff up. Think about the audience and ensure that whatever you talk about is something that most people can relate to.

Short is Sweet: Everybody hates long speeches. There will be many speeches, and the best man speech usually is last, so guests will be eager for you to finish so they can grab another drink or have a dance. Aim for no more than 7 minutes, max.

End With A Toast & Quote : Don’t reinvent the wheel. There are hundreds of wonderful quotes about marriage, love, and weddings, not to count the Irish toasts you can use to end your speech (we’ve assembled some example toast quotes you can use). Find one that wraps the toast up nicely and leaves people feeling the warm and fuzzies.

It is essential to be aware of the things you need to do to deliver an excellent best man speech and things that you need to stay away from at all costs. There aren’t that many, but you better pay attention. You must understand that best man speech is a very popular source of entertainment for weddings today. The more suitable you can make the best man speech for the occasion, the better.

DON’T: Milk it and make it about you. Remember, it is about the bride and groom, not you. A great best man speech should be less than 7 minutes and should focus on the couple.

DO: Limit Anecdotes. If you do decide that an anecdote is worth relating – and some definitely are – make it the centerpiece of your speech, not one of several stories that get lost in the mix. Also, only use stories that are relatable to most people.

DO: Be funny, but not that funny. The best man gets to poke some fun at the groom, but remember, this is his day. Don’t destroy him in front of 200 people. Balance friendly digs with praise and well-wishes. A good best man speech is all about balance.

DON’T: Mention Ex Girlfriends. Yep, the second time we’re mentioning this one on the same page. There’s a reason. Stay away. If you can’t see why talking about your buddy’s exes on his wedding day might upset some people (not least the bride), then you’re an idiot.

DO: Compliment the bride. No making fun of the bride other than to point out her poor choice in companion as a husband. It is REALLY her day, so don’t mess with her. This is how best men go missing and get hurt badly.

DON’T: Swear . The language you and your buddies use when telling stories may be appropriate over beers at a BBQ, but not at a wedding. You’re addressing a lot of guests from a wide range of backgrounds and ages. This isn’t the time to push it when it comes to language.

DON’T: Read from a piece of paper the whole time. Practice your speech, learn it and get comfortable. Learning your speech may not be your idea of fun, but it will make all the difference in how the guests perceive you. Can’t remember the whole speech? Then work on the stuff that really makes a difference, the opening line and the closing toast.

DO: Go out with a bang . It is pretty easy to get the opening line right, but you need to be ready to go out hard as the speech ends. It’s your closing comments that people will remember the clearest. Speak up, stand tall and deliver that final toast with gusto.

DO: Choose a short and sweet story . Don’t tell 5-minute stories. If it can’t be said in less than 30 seconds, toss it out. Stories that require a lot of background (no matter how funny or relevant) just aren’t going to keep people’s attention.

Video Examples of Some Great Best Man Speeches

While researching best man speeches, a friend recommended we check out Youtube. Smart idea! We found loads of great best man speeches that were terrific examples of what to do. Everybody has their delivery and approach so keep that in mind.

One of the Funniest Best Man Wedding Speeches Ever!

We’re still laughing at this best man speech we found online. We are definitely stealing some lines from this one.

Our Favorite Best Man Speech Ever – Not Traditional!

The sheer creativity and uniqueness of this best man speech are worth watching. It is a long video but well worth it. This is how you get over 13 million views on YouTube!

How to Get a Standing Ovation

CJ Abeleda delivers a heart-warming, funny, and emotional best man speech for the groom of his only sister that culminates in tears, laughter, and a standing ovation.

It is rare that somebody unprepared can pull off an epic best man speech like this guy. I know I couldn’t do it if I wasn’t prepared, which is why this is super-impressive.

Hilarious Best Man Speech – Irish Guy at Italian Wedding

Matt Gunn gives a funny Best Man speech at his best friend Paul’s wedding. When I say Irish and Italian, I mean their heritage. Very funny.

Best Man Speech Template

Concerned that your best man speech is too sporadic? It often helps to set a theme that runs through the whole thing. Not only does this give you a thread to hold onto, it means you can build jokes up over the course of the speech. We've created 27 best man speech templates to help you tie material together in a fun and entertaining way. Even if you don't use the whole template, these will give you ideas for topics. Whether you have a lot to say about the newlyweds or not much at all, you'll find a template that gives your speech a structure and theme. If you're seeking guidance on how to arrange your ideas in a logical sequence, see our Speech formats .

Relentless Dig in Disguise

Bury the Groom in a barrage of one-liners with this machine gun approach to Best Man speeches.

I have stood side-by-side with Paul for many years now, through many highs and the odd low. In all that time, I’ve never seen anything but a man of integrity, honour and all-round excellent character. That's why, instead of giving him a roasting on this most special of day, I’d like you to join me in celebrating some of his finer characteristics and moments.

Best Man Brother

Deep down, everyone knows you love him (but, having known him for so long, you will have a much better idea of just how far you can go). Wisecracks about the Groom’s early years, schooling and personality are to be expected from a sibling. Here, a famous brother is in action!

Of the two of us, Will has always been the goodie-goodie. After excelling at school, he made it into a top university, and later aced his RAF pilot’s test. Not bad for a boy who grew up in state accommodation and technically still lives on benefits.

Groom's Achievements

Remember Mark Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral? This is the direct opposite. The Best Man protests that he's not here to dig dirt on the Groom, then pulls out a shovel and digs like a mole on crack.

I could trot out the usual embarrassing stories, such as when Paul woke up in a football field wearing nothing but a red thong, or when he cried at an episode of Charlie and Lola, or when he wet himself in the back of a car... but as you can tell, it's been an eventful morning for the groom, and I'm sure he now wants to put all these things behind him.

Best Man's Check List

It's not just their big day, you know; it's yours too! A checklist of the Best Man's many wedding-day responsibilities provides plenty of opportunity to tease the Groom.

After this speech, there still remains one final duty that Linda reminded me about a little earlier. I’m supposed to dance with the bride after the groom, her father, and her father-in-law. Linda, that would be my pleasure, but I’m not sure how comfortable I’d feel dancing with all those men.

Investigating Groom's Past

Schooldays and early life are vividly remembered in a touching portrait of the Groom as a young idiot. OK, so none of it actually happened, but there are greater truths revealed, right?

Paul, you leave here today having gained a wife that is warm, loving and caring, a wife whose outer beauty is surpassed only by her amazing inner radiance. Linda, you on the other hand, leave today with, well, a gorgeous dress and a lovely, lovely bouquet.

Instructions from the Bride

There's so much for the Best Man to remember! Fortunately, in this speech, the blushing Bride has provided a list of dos and don'ts for the big day... For the Best Man, it's a reminder of the perils of his role. For the Groom, a warning that now that he's married, someone else is in charge!

I'm sure a number of the guys here today have been best man at a wedding before. But I wonder how many of you ever received written guidelines from the bride-to-be? Looks like you’ve already messed up on the first one Paul… “I don’t want that insolent friend of yours ruining our special day…”

Wedding Guests

For the jet-setting or geographically mobile Groom with an international wedding crowd, a speech that takes those admirable global networking skills, and uses them as a comedy cosh to beat him into submission.

Weddings don’t just happen, you know. A lot of work goes into making them work. Bringing all of those people, suppliers, venues and decorations together is no mean feat. So forgive me all this has made me forget some small, insignificant detail. Now, could the groom please stand up and identify himself. I've forgotten which one you are.

Best Man's Duties

The traditional duties of a Best Man are explored, providing a springboard for playful Groom-bashing and mild character assassination.

Having accepted the role of best man I thought I’d better familiarize myself with the duties involved. I was astonished to learn, that by tradition, I am supposed to bring a cheque book or credit card to settle any payments the bridegroom may have forgotten. So, a week ago, I made a list of all the obvious wedding expenses; venue, flowers, chauffeur, handcuffs etc and checked whether or not they’d been paid. Everything seemed in order. But what if I’d missed something? I’m not the sort of person who can spot an opportunity to spend money in a way not obvious or rational. So I got my wife to double check it!

Aspirations for Married Life

So you're married to the woman of your dreams! All that remains is to sit back and bask in the warm glow of togetherness for the next forty years, right? Wrong! Here, the Best Man lets the Groom know what he's let himself in for.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's an honour and a pleasure to be Paul's best man. Whether he feels the same way by the time I'm through with this speech is another thing. Personally, I've got a feeling this thing is going to go viral when I post it up online.

Groom's Diary

The Groom's diary entries provide a very personal insight into the blossoming of his relationship with his new Bride. What a tender and emotional soul... What a flaming sissy!

Paul, it's heartwarming to know that you kept a secret diary at the time you were first courting Linda. And it must be heartbreaking for you that it wasn't hidden well enough...

Advice for the Groom

A break from the Groom-bashing for Best Men who's buddy is either too well behaved or much bigger than them. In this speech, the illusive secrets of a happy marriage are revealed. Your audience might want to take notes.

What a beautiful ceremony that was earlier. I particularly enjoyed the contemporary twist where Paul said “I do”, and Linda replied “You'd better”.

Groom's Passions

Who is the Groom? What are his passions? What makes his eyes light up and his heart beat faster... and are you sure you really want to know?

Having been to a few weddings now, I find it curious that all the best man speeches I've heard, without exception, blatantly and disgracefully set out to demolish the character of the groom. Still, who am I to start bucking the trend...

Admiration for the Groom

It goes without saying that as Best Man, you must have deep personal admiration for the Groom, so why not share it with the world on his wedding day? I'll tell you why not; because it's boring! It's much funnier to knock his top hat off and leg it out of the church. This speech sits somewhere between those two extremes.

It's rather baffling that I've been given the title of 'best man'. If I'm the best man, why is Linda marrying Paul? I'm just happy saying that I am a pretty good man, because today Paul is the best man. And now I'm going to tell you why...

Preparing the Speech

For the post-modern Best Man, a deconstructionist speech about the process of writing the speech! This one would be 'art' if there weren't so many cheeky digs at the Groom hiding on every line!

Watching the two families of the bride and groom is a fascinating experience. Linda, it's clear where you get your beauty, grace and sharp sense of humour from. Paul, seriously, who actually raised you?

The delightfully innocent world of children's picture books is invaded by a marauding Best Man, who quickly puts the inhabitants of Happyland to the sword and installs a puppet government devoted to taking the mickey out of Groom.

It is an honour for me to be Paul's best man. He is a class act, a great friend and lifelong confidant. We were like brothers, although to be honest, the way he bossed me about all the time, it was more like having a sister.

Significant Dates

A useful template than can be adapted to any Bride and Groom, though it gets significantly harder to make this speech work if either of them were born on a leap year.

Weddings are really family occasions, and the last thing I want to do is cause offence by talking in too much detail about the Groom’s colourful past. I’ve therefore decided to edit out anything that might be considered inappropriate, uncouth and downright sinful. Thank you and goodnight!

Happy Couple's Romance

From the first kiss to the big day, we take a trip down memory lane, reliving the epic romance that brought us to this happy juncture. The truth is the first casualty in this light-hearted look at the happy couple's courting. The second casualty is, of course, the Groom. This is an ideal template for a Best Man who has very little to say about the Groom.

We've now reached that moment in the speech where I am meant – in good taste, of course – to give the groom the ribbing of a lifetime. It was, however, Linda's wish that I go easy on the groom today, and refer only to his laudable qualities. Linda, I'm going to need your help here...

Goals in Life

OK, so at this point it looks likely that the Groom's never going to be an astronaut. But what of his other ambitions? A light-hearted look at the shifting dreams and aspirations of the Groom, from school days to the present.

On such an illustrious day as this it seems odd for me to be called best man. Let's face it I have to play second fiddle to Linda and Paul, and their families. Then the bridesmaids and page boys are next in line for compliments. I've been so attention starved this afternoon, I've been pretending to be a waiter for the last two hours.

Groom's Attributes

The best man is instructed not to mention the Groom's shady past and to talk only of his positive attributes - which he does to great comic effect!

With the groom delivered to the church on time and sober, I think I've so far completed all my duties correctly. And now there’s just one more to go, which is to give a speech and make a complete fool of myself at the same time. Again, I think I’m not doing too badly on that, either.

Wedding Behaviour

As a quirky way of dishing the dirt, the Best Man provides a run down of odd behaviour from the Groom that the wedding guests should be on the look out for.

I agreed to be Paul’s best man on the condition that it wouldn’t interfere too greatly with my own enjoyment of the wedding day. Unfortunately, he still insisted on turning up.

Singling out a Groom Trait

A speech that finds that one loose thread, then picks away at it until the Groom's self-image unravels all over the reception room floor.

Paul, it’s been an honour and a privilege to be your best man today, especially since you’ve already returned the same honour to me. But let’s face it, I have even less friends than you.

Why Marry Groom

The Best Man lists the virtues of the Groom in an attempt to explain why the Bride has made a good choice of husband. Not necessarily the easiest job in the world ...

The main theme of my speech is this: Why marry Paul Wilson? What exactly is so special about him? Well after months of extensive research and investigation I can conclusively say... Linda, can you enlighten us?

Social Networks

Bring the Best Man's speech bang up to date with a rib-tickling Facebook spoof.

In any other generation, Linda and Paul’s courtship would have been a personal matter, conducted on the back rows of cinemas and night buses. But 21st century lovers leave an online trail. One that we can follow to gain a tender insight into the private lives of this most romantic couple… At this point Paul, I will kindly ask you for your Facebook password. Only joking mate. I already know it.

The Institution of Marriage

Tradition is a wonderful thing; it offers so many opportunities to take the Mickey. For bachelor best men in particular, an offbeat look at the institution of marriage ...

Marriage is a sacred, age-old institution. In fact, some people think it’s the very backbone of our society. I know the bride does, anyway. Every time in the past I asked her why she and Paul weren’t married yet she told me it was because he was “totally spineless”. Today, Paul you finally become a vertebrate.

Advice for Chocolate Lovers

Forrest Gump's words of wisdom are given a very British spin in this short speech, full of quick fire gags and Christmas cracker groans.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is – of course – an honour and a privilege to represent Paul as his best man. But while I’m very happy and proud to be here today, I must admit that public speaking makes me feel as clumsy and tongue-tied as Forrest Gump. Which got me thinking … I’m sure you all remember Forrest’s most famous line: Life is like a box of chocolates. Well, it struck me that marriage could be described in similar terms. So here are a few words of wisdom that I hope will steer Linda and Paul well on their long and happy voyage together.

Robin Hood & His Married Men

The Legend of Robin Hood as you've never heard it before; a cautionary tale for young brides.

Having been given the opportunity to speak, I’d like to address the bride herself with a cautionary tale from English folklore. You may think you’re sitting next to Mr. Right, but time and testosterone do funny things to a bloke. For you, Linda, I present the legend of Robin Hood and His Married Men. Paul mate, it doesn't look like you're sitting comfortably, but I'll begin anyway...

The All-Purpose Groom Roast

Have a dig without having to worry about getting too close to the bone, with this one-size-fits-all Groom roast.

I have known the Groom for several years. And during this time I've heard him being compared to many great men. I say men... I suppose you'd refer to them as dictators really...

The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Amazing Best Man Speech

Get ToastWiz's tips and templates for writing a best man speech.

Writing an amazing best man speech can be a daunting task, but with a little bit of planning and preparation, you can deliver a speech that will be remembered for years to come.

Here are some tips on how to write an amazing best man speech:

• Start by thinking about the couple . The best man speech is not about you, it's about the happy couple. Think about the special moments you've shared with them, and how they've grown as a couple. Use these memories to personalize your speech and make it more meaningful.
• Begin with a strong opening . The first few sentences of your speech will set the tone for the rest of it, so it's important to make a good impression. Start with a funny or interesting story, or a quote that relates to the couple.
• Be yourself . The most important thing is to be yourself and speak from the heart. Don't try to be someone you're not, or use someone else's words. The couple will appreciate your speech more if it comes from a genuine place.
• Use humor wisely . A little bit of humor can go a long way in making your speech more engaging. Just be sure to avoid anything that might be offensive or hurtful.
• Practice, practice, practice . The more you practice your speech, the more confident you'll be when it comes time to deliver it. Practice in front of a mirror, or record yourself and listen to the playback.
• Keep it short and sweet . A good rule of thumb is to aim for around 3-5 minutes. Any longer and you risk losing the attention of your audience.
• End on a high note . The last thing you say will be what people remember the most, so make sure it's something memorable and heartfelt. Thank the couple for the honor of being the best man, and wish them a lifetime of happiness.

By following these tips, you'll be able to write and deliver an amazing best man speech. Remember to be yourself, practice your speech, and most importantly, make it about the couple.

Here are 12 best man speech templates you can use for your best man speech:

Best Man Speech Template #1

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family, I am honored to stand here today as the best man for [Groom’s Name]. [Groom’s Name] and I have been friends for [X] years, and I have had the privilege of watching his relationship with [Bride’s Name] grow and flourish.

[Personal Anecdote 1]: I remember the day [Groom’s Name] first told me he was dating [Bride’s Name]. He was so excited and couldn't stop talking about her. It was clear to me from that moment that she was special and that he had found someone truly amazing.

I have seen the way [Groom’s Name] lights up when he talks about [Bride’s Name], and it is clear to everyone here that they are meant to be together. [Bride’s Name], you have brought so much joy and happiness into [Groom’s Name]’s life, and for that, we are all grateful.

[Personal Anecdote 2]: I will never forget the time when [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name] went on a camping trip together and [Groom’s Name] was convinced he could start a fire using only two sticks. It took him hours and he almost set the whole campground on fire, but [Bride’s Name] never once lost her patience or her sense of humor. It was clear to me then, just as it is clear now, that they are a perfect match.

[Groom’s Name], you have always been there for me, and I am honored to return the favor by standing by your side on your wedding day. I know that you and [Bride’s Name] will have a lifetime of happiness together.

To [Bride’s Name], welcome to the family. You have married not just [Groom’s Name], but also his family and friends. We are all here to support and love you both.

And to the happy couple, [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], I raise my glass in a toast to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happiness. May your marriage be filled with joy and may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day. Cheers!

And now let's all raise a glass to the happy couple, and enjoy the rest of the celebrations!

Best Man Speech Template #2

I remember the first time [Groom’s Name] told me about [Bride’s Name]. His eyes lit up and I could tell she was special to him. I was there for the first date, and I have to say, I wasn't surprised when he told me he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Fast forward a few years and I have had the pleasure of getting to know [Bride’s Name]. She is kind, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor. It's clear to see why [Groom’s Name] fell in love with her. I am so happy for the both of you and I know you will have a lifetime of happiness together.

[Groom’s Name], you have always been there for me, and I am honored to return the favor by standing by your side on your wedding day. I remember all the good times we had together, like the time we went on that road trip, and we got lost in the middle of nowhere, or the time we went to that concert and we ended up singing at the top of our lungs. Those memories will always stay with me, and I'm looking forward to making many more.

Best Man Speech Template #3

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family, I am honored to stand here today as the best man for [Groom’s Name]. [Groom’s Name] and I have been friends for [X] years, and I have had the privilege of watching his relationship with [Bride’s Name] grow and flourish. But let's be real, most of that time was spent trying to convince him to settle down and stop dating every woman in a 50-mile radius.

But when [Bride’s Name] came into the picture, it was clear that [Groom’s Name] had finally met his match. And I have to say, [Bride’s Name], you have done wonders for him. He's stopped leaving the toilet seat up and he's actually started doing his own laundry. Miracle worker!

[Groom’s Name], I remember the time we went to that bachelor party together, and let's just say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for the pictures, those are on Facebook. But don't worry, I won't show them during the speech, I'll save that for the reception.

I have to say, I never thought I would see the day when [Groom’s Name] would settle down, but I'm glad he did. And [Bride’s Name], you are the perfect match for him. You two are like peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, or [Groom’s Name] and beer. A perfect combination.

And to the happy couple, [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], I raise my glass in a toast to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happiness. May your marriage be filled with joy, and may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day. Cheers!

Best Man Speech Template #4

Good evening, everyone. It is an honor to be here today as the best man for [Groom’s Name], a dear friend, and a brother to me.

As I stand here before you, I am reminded of the power of love and the transformative nature it can have on our lives. [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name] have found that in each other, and it is a privilege to witness their union.

When [Groom’s Name] first told me about [Bride’s Name], I knew that she was something special. He spoke of her with a sense of wonder and awe that I had never seen before. And as I got to know [Bride’s Name], it became clear to me that she is a remarkable person, with a kind heart and a sharp mind.

[Insert personal anecdotes about the couple or their relationship here]

[Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], you both have shown us all what true love looks like. You have taught us that love is not just about being together, but about supporting each other and lifting each other up. You have shown us that love can conquer all, and for that, we are eternally grateful.

So, let us raise a glass to the happy couple, [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name]. May your love continue to flourish, and may your life together be filled with joy, love, and happiness. Cheers!

Best Man Speech Template #5

[Groom’s Name], when you first told me about [Bride’s Name], I could tell that she was special to you. I have been lucky enough to witness your love story unfold and it has been an honor to be a part of it.

[Insert personal anecdote about the couple here]

[Bride’s Name], you have brought so much joy and love into [Groom’s Name]’s life, and I know that he will be forever grateful to have you as his partner. I have no doubt that you two will have a lifetime of happiness together.

Best Man Speech Template #6

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, I stand before you today as the best man for [Groom’s Name], feeling both honored and humbled by the privilege of being a part of this special day.

As I look around at the assembled guests, I am struck by the realization that we are all here today because of love. [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name] have found something truly special in one another, and it is a privilege to witness their union.

I have known [Groom’s Name] for many years, and in that time, I have seen him weather the storms of life with grace, and emerge victorious. But I have never seen him as happy as he is when he is with [Bride’s Name]. It is clear to me that she is his other half, his complement, his perfect match.

And so, as we raise our glasses in celebration of [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], let us also raise our glasses in celebration of love. It is a force that can bring us together, that can lift us up, and that can inspire us to be our best selves.

To [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day. Cheers!

Best Man Speech Template #7

Good evening, everyone. I'm honored to be standing here today as the best man for [Groom’s Name], a man who, for the past [X] years, I've had the pleasure of calling my friend.

When [Groom’s Name] first told me about [Bride’s Name], I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical. I mean, [Groom’s Name] has been known to have some questionable taste in women, but I was willing to reserve judgement. And then I met [Bride’s Name] and I knew that this was it, this was the one.

[Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], I have to say, you two are the perfect pair. You're like a hand in a glove, or a lock and key. You complete each other in a way that I've never seen before. I can't wait to see what the future holds for the two of you.

And to the happy couple, let me just say, you have set the bar high for the rest of us. We'll all be looking to you as our relationship role models. And let me tell you, it's not going to be easy. But I have faith in you.

So please raise your glass with me, and let's toast to [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], the happy couple. May your love continue to grow and flourish, and may your life together be filled with joy and laughter. Cheers!

Best Man Speech Template #8

My dear friends, it is a privilege to stand before you today as the best man for [Groom’s Name].

As I look around at the assembled guests, I am struck by the realization that we are all here today to witness the joining of two souls in the bonds of holy matrimony. [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name] have found something truly special in one another, and it is an honor to bear witness to their union.

I have known [Groom’s Name] for many years, and in that time, I have seen him grow and mature into a fine and honorable man. It is clear to me that [Bride’s Name] is his perfect match, and together, they will build a future filled with love, happiness, and prosperity.

As we raise our glasses in celebration of [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], let us also raise our glasses in celebration of love. It is a force that can bring us together, that can lift us up, and that can inspire us to be our best selves.

Best Man Speech Template #9

Good evening all, I am the best man, and it is an honor to stand here today, on this sacred ground, to witness the union of two souls, [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name].

Their love is a story written in the stars, a tale of devotion, and sacrifice, and a promise to walk together through the trials and tribulations of life.

[Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], your love is a beacon in the darkness, a light that guides us, and a reminder of the beauty and power of true love.

As we raise our glasses in celebration of this union, let us also raise our glasses in celebration of love, for it is the one thing that truly endures, through all the trials and tribulations of life.

To [Groom’s Name] and [Bride’s Name], may your love be as constant as the North Star, and may it guide you through all the days of your lives.

Best Man Speech Template #10

Good evening everyone, it's an honor to be standing here today as the best man for [Groom's Name].

As I look out at all of you, I'm reminded of the incredible power of love. It can change our lives in ways we never imagined, and that's certainly true for [Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name], who have found something truly special in each other.

When [Groom's Name] first told me about [Bride's Name], I knew that she was someone special. His face lit up when he spoke of her, and I could tell that she was the one for him. And now, as I see them standing here together, I couldn't agree more.

[Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name], your love is a story worth telling. A romance that will inspire others, and a bond that will endure through all of life's twists and turns.

As we raise a glass to the happy couple, let us also raise a glass to love, in all its forms. May it always guide you and bring you joy. Cheers!

Best Man Speech Template #11

Good evening everyone,

First of all, I want to congratulate the happy couple on their special day. [Groom], [Bride], you both look absolutely stunning, and I know that you have a lifetime of love and happiness ahead of you.

I have known [Groom] for many years now, and I can honestly say that he is one of the most genuine and kind-hearted people I have ever met. He is a true friend, and I am honored to be standing here as his best man today.

[Groom], I know that you and [Bride] have been through a lot together. You have supported each other through the good times and the bad, and you have always been there for each other. You have built a strong foundation of love and trust, and I know that you will continue to build on that foundation for many years to come.

[Bride], I want to say that you are truly blessed to have found such a wonderful person in [Groom]. He is not only a great friend, but a loving and dedicated partner. He is truly one of the good guys and you two together is a perfect match.

As we raise our glasses to the happy couple, let us also raise our voices in a toast to the future. To [Groom] and [Bride], may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day, and may your happiness be as boundless as the love that you share.

Best Man Speech Template #12

Good evening everyone, my name is [Name], and I have the honor of being the best man for [Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name] on their special day.

I have known [Groom's Name] for many years, and I have had the privilege of watching him grow and change into the amazing man he is today. I have seen him fall in love with [Bride's Name], and I have seen the way she makes him a better person. They are truly meant to be together, and I am so happy to be here to witness their union.

I have also had the pleasure of getting to know [Bride's Name] over the past few months. She is an incredible person, with a kind and loving heart. She is the perfect match for [Groom's Name], and I know that they will have a lifetime of happiness together.

[Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name], you are both amazing people, and I am so happy to call you my friends. I have no doubt that you will have a long and happy marriage, filled with love and laughter.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the parents of the bride and groom for the love and support they have given to [Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name]. And, of course, a big thank you to the beautiful bride and groom for choosing me to stand by their side on their special day.

So, let's raise a glass to the happy couple, [Groom's Name] and [Bride's Name], may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day, and may you have a lifetime of happiness together. Cheers!

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• Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception? How to Write a Wedding Toast Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech How to Write a Best Man Toast Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech What to Know About a Newlywed Toast Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips 60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

How to Write the Perfect Best Man Speech

Two experts share the best tips for writing a winning toast.

Photo by Sydney Noelle Photography

In This Article

First of all, congratulations on being asked to be the best man. You, of course, have many important responsibilities —like groomsmen shepherding and bachelor party planning , among others—but there's only one task that will secure your proud ascension into the ranks of becoming the MVP: Giving a killer toast.

The best man's speech traditionally follows the groom's speech and is a chance for you to say some sweet words about your relationship with the couple and your best friend. But, if the thought of public speaking has your kneecaps sweating, we found you two coaches with years of experience to help ease your nerves.

Ahead, with the help of President Barack Obama's former speechwriter David Litt, and Pete Honsberger, author of Wedding Toasts 101: The Guide to the Perfect Wedding Speech , here are the best tips for writing a perfect man speech, in order to pull off the most amazing toast ever.

The Best (and Worst) Best Man Speech Ever

Meet the Expert

• David Litt was the speechwriter for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2016 and is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Thanks, Obama.
• Pete Honsberger has been a serial groomsman, speaker, and wedding toast advisor for most of his adult life. When it comes to wedding toasts, he's seen just about everything—you can read about it in his book, Wedding Toasts 101: The Guide to the Perfect Wedding Speech .

Best Man Speech Template 

Getting all your thoughts and feelings down on paper can be overwhelming, especially if you're not used to sharing those sentiments with the guys. And for those who are unsure of what to write for the big day, here is a guideline to help you find your flow.

Find a Theme

A theme is a unifying idea that ties the whole speech together. Think of it as the takeaway of your speech, or the one thing you want guests to remember. The best way to identify your theme is by making a list of your favorite stories. "You’re not going to just write a speech from scratch. Start by brainstorming stories. Most importantly, what you’re looking for is the theme that comes out of those anecdotes," says Litt.

Build a Framework

The best way to organize your thoughts is to create a blueprint of the key points you want to hit first, sort of like a toast skeleton. After you've established the roadmap, fill it in with pertinent details and memories while still ensuring you're staying on point. "Think about it in terms of ideas," says Litt. "You can get in one or two short anecdotes, maybe three, and one big idea. If those are good, you don’t need more."

Instead of thinking of yourself as the speaker, imagine that you're actually standing in the audience. Think about what the audience would like to hear, rather than what you want to do.

Focus on the Newlyweds

Most best men will include a story or two about their friendship with the groom, but don't center the whole speech on it. "Remember the relationship that you’re celebrating is the one between the two people getting married. You’re giving the speech because you can shine some unique light on that relationship," says Litt. "If the relationship that you’re really giving the speech about is the one between you and the groom, things [will get] awkward."

Share Your Feelings

Deliver something more meaningful than one joke after another. "Generally speaking, men think of the best man speech as a funny speech to give because we’re very uncomfortable sharing how we actually feel. But, what makes a good best man speech is the part where somebody shares how they feel. Humor is just the icing on the cake," says Litt. The newlyweds chose you to speak because you have something notable to add to their big day. Embrace your personal insight into their bond and don't try to dilute it by just being funny.

Best Man Speech Tips

Ahead, find our best tips for making sure your speech is as polished as possible.

Consider Your Audience

You can't nail a speech if you have no idea who to tailor the content to. "Feel free to ask beforehand. When I was writing speeches for the president, we had a point of contact where the speech was happening to say who exactly is in the audience. You can do a smaller-scale version of that. Your point of contact is probably your friend getting married . But, the nice thing about giving the best man speech is that, ideally, it’s both specific to you and universal to the couple," says Litt.

"I would say almost never start with talking about how nervous you are. I’d also say just relax. That’s a hard thing to tell someone to do. But remember, you’re not putting on a show," says Litt. "You're simply talking about your best friend and the love of their life, two people that you've probably spent a lot of time with. In the end, it should just flow and come out easily." Litt also suggests, "imagine you’re just telling a story to a group of friends because, really, you are."

Stay True to Yourself

Stick with who you are and how you would normally act around your friends; you don't need to adopt a character just because you're giving a speech. For example, if you aren't normally the comedian in the group, don't try to tell a bunch of jokes. If you're not usually a super-sentimental person, don't force it. There's nothing wrong with keeping your speech more lighthearted . The couple already knows (and loves) your personality, so the more genuine you are, the better your speech will be received by both the newlyweds and their guests.

Don't Rely Solely On Humor

While a few jokes sprinkled in can be a great tool for loosening up the crowd, don't make these the meat of your toast—especially if comedy doesn't come naturally to you. "Let me put it this way. There’s such a thing as too many bad jokes, and that number is about one. The more you treat it as an open-mic night, the less happy everyone involved is going to be. You don’t need to go in thinking, 'How do I get invited back next week?'" explains Litt.

Keep Things Positive

Even if you think it's well-meaning, don't turn the toast into a roast or make jokes at the couple's expense. "I’ve seen best man speeches where someone thinks, 'Oh, my job is to roast the groom .' Unless the couple specifically told you that’s your job, that’s not your job. The way to think about jokes is that you don’t want people to be laughing at the groom or at the couple. You want people to be laughing because they suddenly know the groom better than they did before." says Litt.

Don't Upstage the Newlyweds

Litt's previous boss (former President Obama) really enjoyed telling other people's stories at speaking engagements, and this ultimately strengthened his messages. "His speeches are not really about him. They’re about other people," says Litt. Channel Obama by keeping your speech focused on the couple. "You’re not performing. You’re there because you know someone and care about them, and you’re sharing that with a bunch of other people. Even a great best man speech is not supposed to steal the show. If somebody says, 'That speech was nice but almost forgettable because we were so focused on the bride and groom,' that’s a win. You don’t need to be the star," advises Litt.

Keep Things Appropriate

"My general rule for wedding speeches is: If you have to ask yourself, 'Is this appropriate?' it’s not. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t know, ask a friend. If they give you that slightly horrified look, listen to that look," explains Litt. Keep in mind that your audience will include guests of various generations and cultures, like your friend's grandparents, boss, and colleagues. Refrain from mentioning anything that you wouldn't want your grandma or boss to know.

Get a Second Opinion

Remember, you'll be delivering this toast in front of an audience (as if you could forget, right?). So it doesn't hurt to get some feedback on what you're planning on saying. "If you’re the kind of person who has a track record of going a little too far with your surprises, you should be self-aware enough to run this by a third party—maybe another close friend or a friend of the bride ," says Litt.

The last thing you want to do is stand up and give a speech that you've never said out loud. "The best thing to do is practice with a friend. Anybody giving a big speech rehearses beforehand. If you’ve already gotten good feedback from field-testing your remarks with a smaller group, then you’re going to come out on the wedding day comfortably knowing you have a good speech. It's that uncertainty that can be scary when you’re up there speaking," says Litt.

Keep It Short

Let's be realistic: Super-long wedding toasts annoy guests. "I’ve never been to a wedding where anyone said, 'That was a great wedding, but the best man speech was just too short and that ruined it.' I would say five minutes is the absolute maximum. Three minutes is fine. There’s no question that if you’re reading this, you’ve sat through a speech that was too long. But when you start writing a speech, you almost never think, 'Is this going to be too long?'" explains Litt.

Limit Your Drinks

Don't embarrass yourself by slurring through your toast. "Being one drink in works for some people, but being more than one drink in is never a good idea. At that moment when you’re like, 'You know what I need? Another couple of shots.' That is never what you need," advises Litt.

Best Man Speech Openers

Now that you understand the fundamentals of creating a great toast, your next step is to sit down and start writing. If you need a little help getting your speech going, though, our experts share a few ideas to kick-start the process.

Introduce Yourself With a Twist

Want to tell the crowd exactly why you're the best man? Honsberger says to get straight to the point and tell them how you know the groom . Most importantly, add some flavor to the first few lines. Spice it up a bit, as anyone can do the standard, “For those of you who don’t know me….” Simply put, ask yourself what a twist would look like in your own introduction. 

“Good evening, if you’re in this room and don’t know me by now, then you’re probably at the wrong wedding. I am, of course, [your name], and I’ve been best friends with [groom] for 25 years…”

“Hello and welcome to tonight’s reception. [name of groom], YOU truly are MY biggest fan. Wait, that didn’t come out right…As I was saying…”

Crack a Joke, Even a Corny One

Remember the audience when determining whether your joke should be said, but ultimately, try and see if you can get the crowd to laugh in the first 30 seconds. To achieve this, Honsberger says to simply reach into your own bag of jokes or look one up online. "I’d encourage you to first spend a little time reflecting on your own comedic ability. If you’re coming up empty, then consult outside resources," he notes.

"Hello, I’m the best man [your name]. This entire day has been beautiful so far. In fact, I’m getting emotional. The wedding cake has me in TIERS. (looking at a three-tiered cake).” 

"You’re probably wondering why I asked you all here tonight…well, I can promise it’s not for my 'Magic Mike' performance. You’ll have to stick around to the last song for that."

Be Hilarious With a Straight Face

While still technically a joke, this is you working hard to sound serious while saying something absurd. And if you get this right, you’ll hear a little giggle immediately, followed by laughter from the rest of the crowd once they figure out what you said was a joke.

“Good evening, I am [your name], the best man and [relationship to groom] of [name of groom]. Tonight we’re in a room full of great men –doctors, lawyers, military veterans, and successful businesspeople –yet I am the 'best.' His words, not mine.” 

"As Abraham Lincoln once said, [say something outrageous than Lincoln obviously never said—an inspirational quote, movie line, piece of advice, etc.] … and that’s what brings us all together tonight to celebrate [couple's name].”

Introduce a Recurring Theme

Choosing an overall toast theme can help you start strong. If you decide that your relationship with the groom can be summed up by sports, college, vacations, a mutual love of running, or whatever fits you, that can be your theme. And if that’s the case, your opener is simply the first, or the best, story you have related to that specific topic. 

“Hello and welcome, my name’s [your name], and I’m here to talk about my amazing friends Mike and Liz. They are truly a story of opposites attracting. 

For example, Liz’s favorite food is french fries, and Mike is allergic to potatoes. Mike has an obsession with ice cream, and Liz is lactose intolerant (pause for laughter).

Thankfully, things have a way of working out, and we are gathered tonight to celebrate the most important thing they have in common…incredibly good looks. I mean, LOVE.”

Just like that, you’ve captured the audience, let them into the world of the married couple, and got them excited for the rest of your toast. 

Ask a Question to Answer Throughout

If you’re questioning your toast opener, try leaning into that approach. Instead of looking for the answer, embrace the question. Think about what you would want to know about the groom if you were a distant relative or family friend sitting in the audience, says Honsberger. What would be an interesting question to explore about the couple? Use that. 

“Good evening. My name is [your name] and I’ve known [groom] for more than [#] years. As I was preparing this toast, one question consistently rang in my mind: How do I summarize a friendship that has lasted since we [when you met]? Believe it or not, [groom] was [name a quirk or characteristic about him] back then, too.” 

“But really, how can I possibly speak to all of our experiences in just a few minutes without turning it into one big inside joke? Do I talk about …?” 

Then, spend the rest of the speech answering that question, and you’ll never lack information to share. 

Rhyme-Master Flex

Really want to capture the intrigue of everyone in the room? Start rhyming your sentences. Honsberger says he tried this in his first-ever wedding toast, and the result was an audience hanging on every sentence, wondering what the next line would be.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am Dan's younger brother, Pete. Many of you, I already know. Some, I have yet to meet.

Dan and Kate, thank you so much for this amazing chance, to speak on your special day … by the way, I call first dance. (crowd boos in jest) Sorry, but I called it! 

I’ve looked up to Dan ever since I’ve had sight. He was always bigger than me, and he was always right. 

Being the oldest of four boys couldn’t have been an easy thing. But in a house full of hyenas, Dan was the Lion King."

Read a Definition from the Dictionary

Here’s a chance to leverage one of the most straightforward and honest resources in existence: the dictionary. All you need to do is find one word that defines the couple’s relationship , says Honsberger. This can be serious and sentimental or funny—your choice. Just make sure it's relevant to the couple. 

“Google’s second definition of the word ‘love’ says, ‘A great interest and pleasure in something or someone.’ I think this is beautiful and an understatement when I think of [bride] and [groom]’s marriage. Although I was a little concerned when, under the definition, the word “love” was used in a sentence as ‘His love for football.’ Hmm, strange…”

“Who’s ready to dance tonight? Wikipedia defines the word ‘dance’ as ‘a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement,’ and those words have honestly never come to mind when I think of [groom] dancing. I might be kidding, but there’s only one way to find out!” 

Tell a Story of How You Met

If the groom is a friend, chances are you have a good story of the first time you met or early in your friendship. If it’s your brother or family member, simply use one of your first memories together, whether playing, adventuring, or getting into trouble.

“The year was 1993, the class was kindergarten. I was building a beautiful tower of blocks when out of nowhere, they were knocked to the ground by a classmate without mercy or even an apology. That classmate was Matt, and we’ve been best friends ever since. And Matt, I’m sorry for throwing the blocks at your head after that.” 

Begin With a Quote

Simple and overused? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. If you want to make the groom smile immediately during your toast, use a quote that you both recognize. If there’s one that his partner appreciates, too, even better. 

The most important reminder when using a quote is to ensure the audience feels like they’re part of it, too. Unless the quote is universally known, briefly mention its origin right after saying it. Let them into the joke and they’ll be with you for the rest of the toast. 

“Good evening everyone, my name is [your name], and I’m the best man tonight. When coach [name] used to tell you to ‘Be an Athlete,’ this is what he meant. When anyone on our team missed a tackle, it was ‘be an athlete,’ when our jerseys weren’t tucked in, same saying. We’ve adopted that as a cure for any issues in life. When [groom] really wanted to introduce himself to [bride], the solution was simple. ‘Be an athlete.’ And he was. So if you see [groom] miss a step on the dance floor later, be sure to remind him to ‘Be an athlete.’"

Read Something in a Different Language

Looking for a way to involve international members of the  family  in your toast? Look no further than practicing a phrase and reciting it in their native language to begin your toast. If that doesn’t apply in your situation, yet you still want to shake things up and be unique, you can translate a wedding-related sentence into another language. It will be intriguing, and you’ll sound smart! 

“Hello and welcome to everyone in both families on such a beautiful day. Me llamo Pedro y necesito que te diviertas porque esta boda es muy cara (wait for laughter from Spanish speakers). If you don’t speak Spanish, I said that I need everyone to have fun because this wedding is really expensive!” 

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, this speech is about the couple getting married, why you love them so much, how happy you are for them, and why you're honored to have this role in the wedding party. Keep things light, positive, and succinct—and also remember that the celebration is all about love, and no one is here to make you feel nervous. Make time to practice the speech, take a few deep breaths before you begin to speak, and focus your attention on the couple. Before you know it, you'll have given a speech for the books!

The best man traditionally speaks at the wedding reception following the maid of honor, though some couples may schedule the speeches during the rehearsal dinner instead.

The best man gives one speech either at the wedding reception or, less commonly, the rehearsal dinner.

The best man's speech serves as a special lens for the audience to better understand the groom, and the newlyweds, through his significant position in their lives. The focus should be to highlight the relationship of the newlyweds rather than the relationship between the best man and groom.

A Guide to Wedding Reception Toasts

Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception?

How to Write a Wedding Toast

Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech

How to Write a Best Man Toast

Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech

What to Know About a Newlywed Toast

Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips

60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

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Best Man Template And Speech Examples

January 31, 2017 By Kate

If you are reading this article, then you have probably been asked to be someone’s Best Man for their upcoming wedding. You might feel incredibly honored to be such an important part of such a special day. Being the Best Man comes with a few responsibilities, including preparing and delivering a speech for the big wedding day at the reception. If you have not been to many weddings, you might be unsure of how to prepare and format your speech.

Best Man Template Guide

While the speech that the Best Man gives is often expected to be a little bit lighthearted and fun compared to the other speeches, you will still want to remember that this is a wedding. You might want to poke a little fun at the groom, but at the same time you do not want to embarrass him in front of his co-workers, family, and friends.

Therefore there are some things you will want to keep in mind when writing up your speech. Some things that you should probably avoid talking about in your Best Man speech include details about past relationships, and talking about any serious shortcoming that the groom might have.

If you are ever feeling in doubt, you can recite your speech to another person to get their opinion. Doing so will help give you a fresh perspective on whether or not your speech is appropriate for your targeted audience.

If you are struggling to figure out how to format your Best Man speech, you have come to the right place. First, introduce yourself to the guests and state your relationship to the bride and groom. You will want to greet the crowd and have an opening line that reels everyone in.

The guests should want to listen to you rather than continue to talk amongst themselves. You should also thank the other speakers who have gone before you.

There are many ways to make your speech enjoyable for the guests. You might even want to use some humor in the beginning to break the ice. Below, you will find some funny quotes that can be used in your Best Man speech. Think about what you want your style to be. Would you rather have a goofy, funny speech or one that is a little more polished and formal?

You will also want to consider the bride and groom’s senses of humor as well as the crowd that you will be speaking to in the room. Thinking about these factors will help you make a Best Man speech that is enjoyable while being appropriate at the same time.

While there is no set way for you to outline your Best Man speech, here are a few ideas that will help you put together a memorable speech that everyone will appreciate. Talk about good qualities of the groom and compliment the bride. At the same time, be careful on how you compliment the bride. You do not want to go overboard and seem inappropriate.

Are there important people who could not make it to the wedding? You might want to include them and even get a quote or a message from those loved ones. Including that in your speech can make it even more heartfelt and personal and it is something that the bride and groom will be sure to appreciate.

Last but not least, do not forget to propose a toast. You can toast to the bride and groom, to their marriage, their love and happiness, or you can toast to all of the above.

To sum it up, introduce yourself, thank everyone for coming, and let everyone know how you know the bride and groom. Include an anecdote about the groom and if you can, a story of how you got to know the bride. Be sure to compliment the bride as well and do not forget to end your speech with a toast to the newlyweds. This is more or less what is expected in a Best Man’s speech.

Starting a speech, even when it has a good opening line, is not always easy, even when you have all of the words written down on paper. Public speaking can be difficult and nerve-wracking for most people so you will want to prepare yourself for the occasion. Instead of rushing to speak, take a deep breath and allow yourself a moment to calm your nerves.

Instead of looking past the people in the crowd, try to make eye content with some of them, including the bride and groom. Doing this will make your speech delivery much more genuine.

These are just a few ways that you can prepare and deliver an amazing and memorable Best Man speech. Use the Best Man speech examples below to help you put together a unique and special speech that the bride, groom, and guests will remember and appreciate.

Best Man Speech Examples

1. [Groom] has always been a great guy for as long as I have known him. It wasn’t until he met [bride] that we all realized that something had been missing all along. With [bride,] he is complete and he is even better than before.

2. [Groom] is a really special guy with a heart of gold. And I am so happy that he found someone as wonderful as he is to share his life with.

3. Love is the 8 th wonder of the world. And I am so happy that [bride] and [groom] found it in each other.

4. Let us toast to a long and merry life for the bride and groom. May they continue to find joy together, grow old together, and laugh together for many, many years to come.

5. [Bride] and [groom,] may the love that you share for each other continue to grow with each and every year that passes. Never forget this wonderful day that made you husband and wife. I know it will be a special, unforgettable day for all of us as well.

Funny Best Man Speeches

6. Since I have never been a best man before, I decided to do some research to find out more about what one talks about in his speech. I learned that the best man is supposed to sing the praises of the groom and talk about his many great qualities. Well, I cannot sing and I certainly won’t lie to you all.

7. [Groom,] I am sure you already know how lucky you are today, because you get to leave with such a beautiful, loving, kind, and caring woman. And [bride,] you’re lucky too. You get too leave this party with a gorgeous dress and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

8. [Groom,] I never got to thank you for giving me the honor of being your best man. I don’t think I have ever told you this, but you are like the little brother that I never wanted.

9. It is a funny thing that when a guy has nothing that he needs to worry about, he then decides to go off and get married.

10. I was asked to give a speech today and as you all know, such speeches end with a toast. And as it so happens, [groom] is the toast to [bride’s] butter. They are great apart, but together they are even better. Together, they are the perfect pair.

11. The most valuable possession that a man can ever have in this world is a woman’s heart.

12. I cannot tell you all how honored I am to be bride and groom’s Best Man. Watching their love blossom has made me hopeful for what my future holds. As this wedding has been approaching I have been thinking how nice it would be to have someone who truly gets me and wants to be stuck with me for the rest of their life. Who knows, maybe by the end of the night you will all see me catching the bouquet!

13. [Bride,] you are a truly remarkable woman you only deserve the best when it comes to having a husband. And I promise you that I will get to the bottom of what has gone wrong here.

14. What is the difference between in-laws and out-laws? Out-laws are actually wanted!

15. How can I adequately describe [groom?] He is handsome, smart, very generous, and…I’m sorry, [groom] I can’t read this part that you wrote, you will have to tell me what it says later.

16. [Groom] is the kindest, most helpful guy that I know. He would do anything for his friends and family. In fact, he even wrote this part of the speech for me!

17. Hello everyone, I am [groom’s] best man. He asked me to stand here today and make a speech. I actually promised [groom] that I would not talk about anything controversial or embarrassing that has to do with him. So that being said, I thank you all for being here tonight and thank you for your time. *sits down*

18. I don’t know if anyone else has heard this story, but [groom] actually proposed to [bride] in a bar. It was actually quite romantic. He got up on one knee and everything.

19. It has been a very emotional day, hasn’t it? Even the beautiful wedding cake is in tiers.

20. So what is there for me to tell you about the groom? He is dashingly handsome, witty, generous, full of charisma, oh wait, sorry everyone, this speech is for a different wedding that I’m going to later. I knew I was talking about the wrong guy!

21. Now of course you all know that I am [groom’s] best man. But for those of you who don’t know how we met, it’s a great story that has made us the best of friends. We actually met for the first time by chance outside of the venue two hours ago, and he asked me to give this speech! He even gave me a hundred bucks to do it but hey, what are friends for?

22. So I know [groom] well as a family member and friend, but for perspective on what he is like as a work colleague, I decided to acquaint myself with some of his co-workers to get a sense of what he is like at the workplace. It turns out that his nickname at work is “The God,’ because it is a complete miracle if he gets anything done!

23. Wise beyond his years, dashingly handsome, full of charm, and extremely generous, a man who many people here admire and adore. But enough about me, I am here to talk about the groom.

24. Hello everyone, I am the best man and I am here to talk about the groom. My parents always told me that if I don’t have anything nice to say, then it is sometimes better to not say anything at all. *Sits down*

25. On their very first date, [groom] wooed [bride] by promising to treat her to a delicious seven course meal. She wasn’t too pleased when it turned out to be a burger and a six pack of beer.

26. Good evening, family and friends of the bride and groom. I am proud to preside over the only 5 minutes of this wedding that the bride did not plan.

27. Watching the bride walk down the aisle today, I think I am not alone when I say that she looked absolutely stunning. The groom, meanwhile, looked absolutely stunned.

28. Hello, everyone. I am the groom’s best man. That, of course, means that one of my responsibilities is giving a speech here tonight. I have been very nervous about it, but not to worry, the groom has assured me that our friendship will continue depending on how well I do tonight.

29. I have to say that I am not sure why they call it being the Best Man. If I am the Best Man, then why is [groom] the one who got to get married?

30. This part of my speech requires some participation from the bride and groom. [Bride,] I am going to ask you to place your hand on this table. [Groom,] now put your hand on top of hers. I hope you enjoyed that because it is the last time in this marriage that you are going to have the upper hand.

31. I would like to inform you all that tonight, we won’t have to worry about [groom’s] ex-girlfriends showing up at this wedding unannounced. In fact, I have just found out that they are all out celebrating.

32. There are two things that a man can never hide: the fact that he is drink and the fact that he is in love. From the day [groom] fell in love, we all knew it and we were so happy for him.

33. There is a funny saying about marriage. At the beginning, all you need is two hearts and a diamond. But by the end of it, you will find yourself wishing that you had a club and a spade. But looking at [bride] and [groom,] I know that all they will ever need is each other.

34. They say that marriage is the lasting commitment made between two grown-ups, but what marriage really is is the process of adopting an overgrown male child whose parents can no longer handle or take care of him. So congratulations, [groom.] And tough luck, [bride.]

35. I love weddings, they’re always really fun. There was one wedding were I had a speech prepared. I asked all of the married men in the room to stand next to the person who has made their life worth living. Unfortunately, the bartender nearly got crushed to death. So I’m not going to do that ever again. You’re welcome, bartender.

36. So as the Best Man at this wedding I know my place. You see, being a Best Man at a wedding is sort of like being the dead body at the funeral. Sure, you are expected to be there. But goodness forbid you start to say too much, because if you do, then all the guests will start to freak out.

37. Good evening, all. As you all may have figured out by now, I am the Best Man at this wedding.

38. Hi everyone, I am [bride] and [groom’s] Best Man. And as you all know, for somebody to be a Best Man, they must be reliable, good-lucking, organized, charming, and funny. And yes, for those of you who are wondering, I am single and still looking. Anyone who is interested can give their number to [groom] and I will be in touch.

But enough about little old me, we are all here for the wedding of [bride] and [groom,] two very special people who happened to fall in love.

39. I have been asked by [bride] and [groom] to be the Best Man for this wedding. Now, this decision was no shock to me as I have known [bride] and [groom] for many years. Throughout the years I have seen them make some great decisions, but tonight I wanted to congratulate them on the best decision that they have made in their entire lives, which is making me their Best Man!

40. Marriages are made in heaven. But so are thunder, hail, and tornadoes. I am only joking. Anyone who has seen [bride] and [groom] together knows that they were destined to be husband and wife.

41. I just want to congratulate [bride] and [groom] on such a lovely wedding ceremony and for finally tying the knot. But [groom,] I want you to know that when [bride] said “I do,” that does not mean that she agrees to do all of the household laundry and dishes for the rest of your lives. Trust me.

42. A real marriage begins when man and wife become one. The trouble is deciding which one the two of you will become. This is where a good old-fashioned arm wrestling match will come in handy.

43. So [bride] and [groom] have finally tied the knot. Or as I, a video gaming nerd like to call it: Game Over.

44. [Bride] and [groom,] I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your marriage. And I also wanted to ask [bride]: do you have any friends that might take a chance on a lonely, handsome bachelor such as myself?

45. While I am the Best Man, [groom] is really like a brother to me. So I wanted to have the chance to say: [bride,] you take good care of him. The guy is sweet and generous, but if you make him cook his own food, there is no way that he will be able to last the year.

Religious Best Man Speeches

46. There is a saying that I learned over the years. It goes something like this: seek a godly man, a man who places Christ at the center of his life. As someone who has known the groom for years, I can firmly say that this is how he lives his life.

47. I would like to thank the bride and groom for asking me to be the Best Man for their wedding. It has truly been an honor and a blessing. As the two of you newlyweds embark on your new life together as husband and wife, I want you to remember this: God is love, and whoever dwells in love also dwells in God.

48. [Groom,] if you remember anything in your marriage it should be this: remember to always love your wife as much as Christ loved the church. Give unto your wife that same eternal devotion.

49. Contrary to popular belief, marriage takes three. Sure, it takes the husband and wife to make a marriage work and last. But it also takes a commitment to God to strengthen that marriage and see it through the good times and bad. And knowing these two, I am confident that they are more than ready for the adventure that lies in marriage. Just remember this, [bride] and [groom,] the closer you move toward God, the closer you move towards each other.

50. To [bride] and [groom,] my wish for you is that your marriage is incredibly blessed. Let us all raise a glass to the happy newlyweds.

Best Man Speeches For Brother

51. Only the best brothers in the world get promoted to Best Man.

52. Being my brother, [groom] has been such a huge influence in my life. He has taught me so much. So you will have to forgive me if my speech isn’t all that funny. I get my sense of humor from my brother.

53. Hello, everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, I am the Best Man and I am also [groom’s] younger brother. Growing up, I was kind of [groom’s] shadow. I wanted to do everything he wanted to do and be everything that he wanted to be. And even now, knowing that he got to marry the girl of his dreams today, he will always be someone that I will continue to look up to no matter how old we get. I know that [groom] and [bride] will be so happy together. Let us all raise a glass to this new chapter in their life together.

54. I am the Best Man at this wedding, though most of you know me as [groom’s] big brother. Ever since he was born, I wanted to protect my little brother and take care of him. When I met [bride,] I knew that my little brother was in good hands. Thank you, [bride,] for making [groom’s] complete. I know that you will take good care of him. Cheers to the bride and groom.

55. Hi, everyone, I am the Best Man. [Groom] is many things to me: a brother, a best friend, a confidante, and someone that I could always rely on. I can count on him to make me laugh, see me through hard times, and we have made so many great memories together over the years. I am honored that I got to stand next to you today as you exchanged your vows with [bride.] That will go down in my memory as one of my favorite memories of you, because you got to marry the woman you love.

I am so proud of you, my brother, and I wish you and [bride] many amazing adventures in this new life that you have built together.

Check out our Wedding Toast Examples.

56. [Groom,] as your Best Man as brother I feel like I have a certain duty to you. Sure, I helped you plan for the wedding, threw you a bachelor party, and helped you pick out a tuxedo. I even helped make sure you got to the wedding on time. But I think I should share with you a few tips about married life.

Marriage is not easy. It is a compromise. Sometimes you will have to say that you’re sorry and you won’t always get things your way. But at the same time, being married to the love of your life also means getting to spend the rest of your life with your best friend. Being married can truly be a blessing and I hope that this marriage blesses you and [bride] in the same way that it has bene a blessing for me and my wife. Let us all raise a glass to the newlyweds.

57. My brother, my best friend, so dear to my heart.

Growing up, were never apart.

But the years have gone by and now we are grown.

And you have happily found a love of your own.

When I look at you and your chosen mate,

You’re perfect together, it’s like it was fate.

What was once two people has now become one,

And I know that you will have lots of fun.

As years go by, as man and wife,

I know you will have an amazing life.

58. When I was a little boy, God blessed me with a brother, who you all know as [groom.] He was my best friend, my little buddy who I was always very protective of. Having a brother was the best and we had some great times together, with occasionally some arguments and tears. But I really have been truly blessed to have my brother in my life. And now that [bride] is a part of our family as of today, I feel even more blessed to be able to call her my sister. Welcome to the family, [bride,] I hope that we make you feel welcome and like you are a part of the clan.

59. I always thought that having a brother was enough for me. I was very content to have my playmate and partner in crime throughout the years. But now that I have gotten to know [bride,] I am glad to have a sister in the mix as well. As I like to say, the more the merrier.

60. There is a saying that when you look at your life, the greatest sources of happiness are the ones that come from family. I can personally attest to that. From our parents to my brother [groom,] I have to say that some of my happiest memories come from family. And today, a new family was made when [bride] and [groom] tied the knot.

[Bride] and [groom,] you were lovebirds and now that you are husband and wife, you are each other’s family. Congratulations to the two of you as you continue down the happy road of matrimony.

Infographics

Write a Heartwarming Best Man Speech: Tips and Examples!

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Published Date : October 30, 2020

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Another wedding is around the corner; this time, it’s your best friend’s or maybe your relatives’ marriage ceremony. You received the honor of being the best man. It is now time to plan an epic bachelor party and prepare to write a legendary best man speech .

Based on statistics , over 77% of people have public speaking -related anxiety. If you are one of the 77%, I will share helpful tips on writing a best-man speech to help you be less anxious about presenting your toast.

You can watch this video to help overcome your fear of public speaking :

In addition to having a virtual speech coach app, Orai’s specialty is public speaking . We will help you get your best man speech structure and presentation organized.

If you aren’t particularly interested in:

• Understanding the intricacies of a remarkable best-man speech
• Getting essential tips for best man speech ideas
• Creating your best man speech template
• Best man speech examples, brother

If you are only interested in my final tips and notes, scroll until the last subheading before the conclusion.

Basic Best Man Speech Tips

The honor of being the best man comes with some responsibilities, although not as much as a maid of honor. However, planning a bachelor party seems trivial compared to giving a speech on your best friend’s most memorable day.

So, how do you start and ace your best man’s speech ? You do it like every other speech type, except with some nuances I will discuss next.

Here are some helpful tips to ensure smooth delivery and reduce your chance of getting jittery.

1. Early Preparation is Crucial

You will need to avoid procrastination. Just because the wedding seems far away doesn’t mean you should not start preparing.

It will be best to avoid the “words will flow when I am out there mentality.” Start writing your best man speech two to four months before the wedding if possible. 

This timeframe seems unrealistic, so why? 

As the wedding approaches, more events keep you very busy. One of the worst things to combine at a wedding is a lack of preparation and anxiety.

Some ways to start preparing include:

• Think of stories that show how a groom is a great person
• Ask for how they met if you weren’t there.
• You can also prepare to reminisce on the first time you met the bride before or after they became a couple.
• Think of jokes and quotes you will share

2. Open With a Cool Line

An excellent way to boost your confidence is to grab your audience’s attention in a friendly and calm manner. The best man’s opening lines set the tone for the speech , so go for an excellent one-liner.

The opening line of your best man speech gives your (most likely tipsy or drunk) audience a reason to listen to you and stay intrigued.

3. Make Best Man Speech Joke with Tact

For the best man speech joke, here are some helpful tactical tips.

• Avoid teasing the bride, except when you all run in the same circle.
• Since you are closer to the groom, he can be the center of jokes.
• Try to avoid inside jokes until you are alone with the groom.
• Being sensitive while joking helps avoid the air of awkwardness

4. Practice Makes Perfect

Let’s start this section by looking at this video: 

Having a well-written speech is only a minute part of the best man speech delivery is crucial. One best practice for delivery is a rehearsal.

Try to present your speech to an audience that can relate to it, like another groomsman or other wedding guests. It is best to ensure that the person you are practicing in front of can give you honest feedback; otherwise, try the Orai app .

Practice will help you get rid of fillers. You could also get tips to reduce using fillers from this video:

5. Writing is an Excellent Memory Aid

As excellent as your memory is, writing down your speech or the toast highlights always helps. Why?

• A written speech helps you feel more confident. 
• You can stay on track when you write down your major points.
• Being nervous can make you forget a carefully planned speech , so writing it out will help.

You don’t need to write out every last detail of your speech , so a large piece of paper may be unnecessary. You can use a notecard or your mobile phone notes app to write.

6. Be Creative with Variety

One of the ultimate weapons of a remarkable best-man speech is variety. It is quite anticlimactic to have a boring presentation that isn’t:

An excellent best-man speech will let you feel all these emotions and more. Your speeches’ emotional multitone makes the couples’ love story more beautiful and makes your toast heartwarming.

7. Enunciate Your Words Properly for Clarity

You should take charge as a best man when you receive the mic. Avoid mumbling, monotonous tones, being inaudible, and talking too fast or slow. 

Think “Zac Efron” vibes, speech pacing, and confidence when giving your best man speech . A monotonous speech will bore the guests, and if people start straining to hear you clearly, they become uninterested.

Even if you are introverted, you can try being confident and apply these tips in your own way. If you feel like you need a shot for a boost of confidence , have one, but avoid being drunk or intoxicated.

This video may help with pacing:

8. Have a Plan B

There is a high chance that your incredible and well-prepared speech won’t be well-received. Or maybe you made a bad joke that only you find funny. 

A plan-b phrase becomes very helpful at this point. Since the day is about the lovely couple, you can compliment them to get your audience gushing again.

If a joke you made ruined the mood the first time, it’s best to avoid it until you have your audience’s full attention. 

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How do you write a best man’s speech?

Whether you have writer’s block or not, the best man’s speech duty has been entrusted to you, so you must deliver. 

The best way to write your speech is to follow the best man speech template discussed in the next subheading as a guide. 

A rule of thumb is to personalize your best man speech template to fit the bride and groom of the day. Without further ado, let’s move on to the outline.

Creating the Best Man Speech Template

Writing anything from scratch without a template or an outline is a leading cause of writer’s block. It is quite overwhelming to start writing a best-man speech . Therefore, we will share the best man speech template or a toast writing design.

An essential idiom to remember as you organize your best man speech template is that “a rough sketch is better than no picture at all.”

Here is an excellent best-man speech template to follow:

• Make an outstanding one-liner to open with
• Express gratitude to the couple and the speakers before you
• Congratulations are in order, so congratulations to the newlyweds.
• Say something nice about the bride, but avoid flattery.
• Tease the groom a bit with a tactical joke
• If it’s part of your duty, read the messages of guests who could not attend the wedding.
• Finish your speech with a lovely poem, quote a book, or share some famous lines (this could end up being an inside joke on their ten-year vow renewal if everyone isn’t too drunk to remember.)
• Don’t forget to propose a toast to the newlyweds.

How Long Should a Best Man Speech Be?

Since the best man’s speech is informal, being extremely serious about it is unnecessary. However, that doesn’t mean you should talk the ears off of the wedding guests. 

The length of your speech will depend significantly on the type of wedding event. A long, formal wedding may call for a longer toast than a wedding on a trip to Vegas.

A five-minute speech can convey everything you want to say and still be meaningful and entertaining. If you need more time, try to keep things brief because your guests may not enjoy your sentiment if they aren’t drunk.

Tactical Topics to Avoid

Although the married couple may know everything about each other, and you may know all about the groom, some topics are off-limits.

Even some topics you and the groom find extremely funny may be offensive to someone else. So, here are some topics to avoid.

Best Man Speech Ideas for Your Remarkable Toast

When coming up with the best man speech , brother ideas and all, you will need to consider:

• The groom’s personality: is he someone who can take or joke, or is he sensitive and serious? 
• Will their guests enjoy a lighthearted joke?
• Can you tell a lovely story about him that the guests may not know?
• A bit of embarrassing the groom is welcome, especially with stories from his youth.
• If you aren’t a standup comedian, don’t force it. It always ends up being a pitiful sight to watch.

Best Man Speech Opening Lines

The speech intro comes next after the best man’s speech opening lines. The direction you decide to go with your introduction depends entirely on you; hence, I will share my best-man speech template for introductions.

• Start with an address directed at the audience, thank them for their attendance, and if you feel nice, you can give some compliments.
• Next, you can thank the couple for the opportunity to give your speech and express gratitude to their parents.
• Next, introduce yourself and share how you know the groom; this is the perfect place to share a memory or tell a joke if you can (no pressure).
• You can credit the previous speaker and add open loops to prepare your audience for your speech .

One-liners and Best Man Speech Jokes

If you want yours to be a funny best-man speech , you can start your one-liner with one of the groom’s funny quirks.

The trick here is to ensure the joke is relatable and funny to everyone so they can all appreciate it.

Here are some inspirations

If you thrive on dark humor, I’d advise avoiding making jokes during weddings to keep everyone happy.

Best Man Speech Examples for Brother

There are many examples of the best-man speech , like the one in this video: 

Unlike the best man in the video, you may not be the bride’s brother, so you may not make the bride and groom go through an emotional roller coaster.

However, here are some examples of the best man speech .

Speech for Different Types of Best Men

There are different types of best man speeches and many categories of best men, so your approach may vary.

A helpful tip is to watch wedding movies where the best man wasn’t high or drunk during his speech . It may inspire you on what to add and things to avoid.

Example Best Man Speech for Best Friend

The best man speech for best friend is unique and can take any direction. You can enjoy the effect of an emotional rollercoaster and go for funny, heartfelt, romantic, or a combination.

The Short Speech

With a short speech , you can go with a symbolic theme like a spark, a sign, or any cute thing people say about relationships.

Here, you can give a quote, talk briefly about the couple, and make a toast.

A Heartfelt Speech

With a heartfelt speech , you can make a joke about the effort it took to try writing and a decision to wing it and speak from your heart at the beginning.

Next, you can go for stories about watching them fall in love each day or how they became your family. The main deal is to give your best man speech from your heart.

Funny Best Man Speech Example

Funny best-man speech examples are challenging to represent since the jokes depend on you and your audience. However, you can joke about your relationship with the groom or imply that he wrote your speech .

What is the Best Wedding Speech for the Brother 

Just like the best friend, the best man’s speech brother has a large room of opportunities. You can make jokes or share heartwarming childhood memories with the groom.

You can choose to be sentimental or take a funny path. To end, you can express gratitude for getting a new sister and finish on a light note.

More on the Brother’s Speech

Some helpful best-man speech brother tips are:

• Since it’s your brother, you can be as personal as you want.
• Don’t avoid practice because it’s your brother. Take time to practice.
• Your whole speech doesn’t need to be centered around jabs.
• Nerves and emotions are typical, so practicing will help you keep them in check.

Final Memorable Best Man Speech Writing Tips and Notes

As promised at the beginning for those that skipped, here are some crucial points to note when writing and presenting your best man speech :

• Be Prepared
• Alcohol may help take the edge off, but being drunk or wasted may make you say things you will regret later.
• Don’t forget to express gratitude
• Stories are helpful
• Creating controversy isn’t right, so avoid topics that could cause disputes.
• Inside jokes are annoying.
• Be brief. Rambling will get tiring since there are other people to listen to
• A nice quote is an excellent way to end.
• Propose a toast with a raised glass
• Be original, and you can let out a sigh of relief for theatrical effects.

How should I structure my best man speech, from the opening to the conclusion?

Master your best man speech ! Greet & thank everyone, introduce yourself with a funny story, and acknowledge previous speakers. Craft your intro based on the groom’s personality: funny anecdotes, embarrassing youth stories, or heartfelt moments work well. Remember to: prepare, express gratitude, use stories, avoid controversy, be brief, and end strong with a toast or quote. These tips will guide you towards a memorable and well-received speech !

How can I prepare a memorable best man speech for a wedding?

Make your best man speech unforgettable! Highlight the groom’s personality with funny stories, unique anecdotes, and genuine emotions. Start strong with a captivating line and heartfelt gratitude. Practice conquering nerves and prioritizing originality, conciseness , and sincerity. Aim for a speech that reflects the groom, adds a personal touch, and leaves a positive mark on the celebration – that’s the winning formula!

Giving a best man speech may be daunting, but you can ensure that yours is memorable and remarkable. You can study public speaking tips beforehand and check out Orai to practice your speech :

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