5 Steps to Nailing Your Best Man Speech

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Your best friend is getting hitched and you are the supportive ‘best man’ at his wedding. Sure you have been his support system, thrown him an awesome stag party (if that hasn’t been taken care of, visit www.stagweekends.com) and helped him pick out his tux. But there is one more thing expected of you- the best man speech.

For decades, the best man speech has been a much awaited highlight after the nuptials. However, gone are the days when you could whip out any gag off the internet and subtly add it to your toast and evoke a laughter from the guests.

You have to get creative with your speech, keeping in mind you are in a tough room of wedding guests who may not get your ‘inside-jokes’ with the groom or cringe at your cheesy one-liners evoking unimpressed groans rather than a genuine laughter or maybe some tears of joy.

Here are 5 steps that could help you nail your best man speech and make the party come to life.

  1. Make Notes

You may have known the groom your whole life, but standing in front of a crowd and raising a toast on his wedding day can be daunting.

It always helps to prepare a speech before hand and even make some notes. There is nothing worse than being speechless and fumbling while raising a toast to your best friend and his bride. Having some cards also keeps you from digressing and makes sure your speech is short and to the point.

  1. Be Humorous

While adding humour to your speech is important, don’t assume the role of a comedian. Make smart jokes. Don’t say anything that might make the guests, especially the bride and the groom uncomfortable.

Keep the ex girlfriends and the details of your stag weekend out of your speech. Remember, your guests will include family, grandparents and children; keep it strictly PG.

  1. Don’t Go On Forever

Your speech must be short, sweet and fun with anecdotes of the groom, but don’t go on and on.

Toasts are meant to be short. The last thing the wedding guests need is long speech of irrelevant details of you and the groom about the time you both passed out on a park bench out of the city. No one needs to know that, no one finds that amusing either.

  1. Acknowledge the Bride

The 2018 bride expects more than a mere ‘she is great’ from the best man. Make sure you include her in your speech; about how she and the groom met and are imperfect and perfect together and bring out the best in each other. This will definitely warm their hearts and whip the guests’ kerchiefs out. You know you have nailed your speech when someone sheds a tear!

  1. End the Speech with a Bang

Having circled through events and incidents, round back up on the wedding, about the groom and how you have seen him evolve and how happy he seems with his bride. Raise you baritone to a call for cheer and raise your glass to celebrate love and hope.

Conclusion

As you stand in front of the big wedding party, with spotlight on you as you get ready to make your speech, it is important to be yourself. It is daunting to sum up your relationship with your best friend in under two minutes, but, remember that genuine stories and speech evoke genuine emotions.

Don’t get drunk to calm your nerves, that is a recipe for disaster. Be confident, be funny and wish your lad good luck for his marital life.