When it comes to giving a speech on the most important day of your life, namely your best friend's wedding, it's no wonder you're nervous and don't know how to prepare the speech. If you feel the same way, you should always remember one thing and it will definitely help you when putting together your wedding speech as a best man: Don't see the speech as an obligation. Because, on the contrary, it is an honor. She should and will be remembered for a lifetime. We would like to give you some helpful tips that you can use for the speech.
Do not copy the wedding speech as a best man!
Maybe you have already thought about looking for ready-made speeches on the Internet. However, we do not recommend this at all. Your speech should show your respect to the groom and bride and be tailored specifically to the couple. Of course you can look for inspiration and add an idea you find here and there. Another variant is to have the speech written. There are special agencies for this. You simply give the agency enough information about the couple and a professional writer will then do the rest. But here too there is a risk that the speech will ultimately not be personal enough.
Humorous or sentimental?
If you have now decided to write the speech yourself, first think about why the groom chose you as his best man. Well, because you mean a lot to him just the way you are. This realization will increase your self-confidence and allow you to approach writing the speech more relaxed. Of course, this also applies to the speech as a best man. Be who you are with your best man speech. Don't try to pretend. That would just ruin your wedding speech as a best man. Humor is often used because it appeals to the guests better and the best man can easily get them carried away. But not everyone can package speeches accordingly and prepare a funny speech. If you're not the funny type, don't try to force it. Instead, try it with feeling. Since it's also a speech about friendship, you can also put together a wonderful emotional idea. And with this you will not only captivate the guests, but also the bride and groom themselves. Besides lots of laughter, what goes better with a wedding than tears of joy and emotion.
Introduction to the speech
But if you don't want to do without some humor completely, you can include it in the introduction. Mention ironically how much you love speeches, make a guess as to what the groom is trying to get back at you for with this task, or come up with something else funny. As you write the speech, you may think of other funny stories that you can use in the speech. In principle, it is usually the case that the beginning is the most difficult. Once you've found the thread, you'll quickly notice that the right words will just fall into your lap.
In most cases, wedding planning begins a long time before the actual wedding. You will certainly be offered the “position” of best man at this time. This means that you will certainly have enough time to write a creative speech. And we would definitely recommend starting on time. Under no circumstances should you put off speaking. This will only lead to unnecessary stress that will interfere with your writing. Every time you set out to write your wedding speech, you should also find a quiet place where nothing will disturb or interrupt you.
The correct length is an important point in a speech of any kind. It should under no circumstances bore those present. Even the funniest speech would become too much for everyone at a certain point if it was too long. This is especially true if other people have also prepared a speech, which is usually the case. But even a short speech is not the best option. Include only the most important things in the speech. To do this, think about it first. Take notes with interesting ideas that you can later summarize into a text. The ideas should of course come from the lives of the bride and groom. Funny and touching moments are preferable here. But be careful here too. After all, you don't want to embarrass the bride and groom in front of their relatives. Embarrassing moments should therefore simply be left out. Statements about the couple's ex-boyfriends are especially taboo!
Since you're there to support the groom, don't forget to use your speech to praise him and portray him in a positive light (with a few fun exceptions). Mention his loyalty to you, as well as the great love and loyalty he feels towards the bride. A great idea for a creative wedding speech as a best man is to include a poem, but it should be short (approx. 4 to 5 lines). But that depends on whether you have a talent for it and whether it fits with the rest of the statements and the style of the speech. Of course you can come up with an original transition with a poem. It is also original to combine the speech with a slide show. For the duration of a short wedding speech, choose a period between 2 and 4 minutes. Ultimately, you want to be able to deliver the speech as freely as possible, which becomes more difficult with a longer version. You are also welcome to coordinate the duration with the bride and groom.
So that you can speak freely, it is important that you practice them. This is also another reason to start preparing your speech well in advance. In this way you will also strengthen your self-confidence in front of the guests and the bride and groom. The best way to practice is in front of the mirror. Here you can check and perfect your facial expressions and gestures. Ultimately, there will be some spontaneous changes in the real speech, but this will at least create some basis. You can also share your work with a friend (but not the groom or bride) and get an honest opinion. Of course, you can also write the speech down on a piece of paper to feel safe. It's not a bad thing if you take a look at it every now and then. Under no circumstances should you drink up your courage. This can have bad consequences because you quickly lose control, can mix everything up and even spontaneously mention things during your speech that the brewing couple will not like at all. Take it easy.
The moment of speech usually takes place a little later, at a certain time during dinner. This is because all guests can then sit in their seats and give the speaker their full attention. Until this point, as already mentioned, you should not overdo the alcohol. You know yourself best and should know and be able to assess well how much you can tolerate. Once you've got the important thing behind you, you can let the celebration take its course with peace of mind. But first, prove yourself and self-discipline in honor of the bride and groom! In addition, do not forget that nowadays it is customary to record the wedding. The couple will be able to keep and look at their performance for the rest of their lives. So do yourself and, above all, the bride and groom a favor and don't ruin this moment with an embarrassing performance.
Just because all guests are in their seats doesn't mean that your attention is focused on the stage or the bride and groom's table the entire time. Everyone has a conversation with the other guests, is more or less agitated and enjoys the moment of peace. So in order for you to be able to deliver your speech in peace, you must first demand everyone's attention. There are also some rules that you should keep in mind here. You're probably already familiar with the variant where you clink the fork against a champagne glass. Depending on the number of guests and the noise, this may take several times until everyone is aware of it. Also use words to politely ask guests for their attention. Observe the guests and assess whether you can get started.
However, don't start with the speech itself straight away. Even if every guest now knows that you are the best man, you should introduce yourself. Mention that you are the best man. You can also add how long you have known the bride and groom, how and when you met, and so on. This also makes a great introduction. You should definitely be able to deliver this part of the speech freely so that what is said comes across as realistic and does not seem like it has been put together. So this is an important requirement in case you prefer to read the rest aloud. This is not ideal, but possible.
You will also make a good impression if you express your thanks. This doesn't just mean the guests who came, but also the parents who made this wonderful celebration possible. Since, as you know, women like compliments, you can mention how adorable they look too. Of course, this also applies to the bride, but you can also mention her at a later point in your speech to not just compliment her in passing, but to highlight her. With all the appreciative words about the groom, this is also necessary. You don't want her to sound like the groom is too good for the lady of the day. So don't just mention her great looks, but also how much she contributes to the happiness of your future husband. Again, you shouldn't overdo it. Thank you briefly and succinctly but politely and move on to your speech.
You can design the finish from several elements. On the one hand, now that you have mentioned the bride and groom individually, you can praise them as a couple and their relationship with each other. Only mention things that you really mean and are not made up, so that the whole thing doesn't sound forced. Also consider an appropriate quote or, as already mentioned, a poem with which you can end the best man speech and lead into a toast. In principle, the toast can also consist of the last words of the speech. You should definitely wish the couple a happy marriage, a happy life together or something else positive in connection with their new phase of life. And then you don't have to worry about this big day anymore. Because you are guaranteed to leave a wonderful impression and bring great joy to the bride and groom.
