Giving the Best Man's Speech -
Knowing What to Say
Knowing What to Say
Congratulations on getting chosen as a best man! While the groom might not be as sentimental as the bride when preparing for a wedding, this is still an emotional and important position to be chosen for. The best man is not just another member of the wedding party – he's the groom's right hand man, the guy who'll get him through the biggest day of his life. One of the most important tasks set before the best man is giving the best man speech.
You might not be too keen on the idea of giving a speech in front of an entire wedding, which can include hundreds of people, but if you take the time to research your speech and write it out, you'll do fine. Remember a few key things – like don't try to be too poetic, or too funny, or too staid, and you can write a great best man speech that will be remembered for years to come.
Try to think of what you would want your best man to say at your wedding. What sorts of topics would you want to be spoken about in front of your friends and family? If you wouldn't want it said about you, chances are your groom and bride won't want to hear it either. Remember that there will be family members of all ages at the wedding, so you won't want to be too controversial. The stories about the groom getting together with tons of women before meeting the bride, for example, are not usually appreciated. Neither are the stories about being arrested in college, or any other “secrets”.
Talk about the fun times, how you met the bride and groom, how you feel about the groom – things of that nature. Tell a somewhat sappy story that seems to sum up the couple's feelings for each other – cute usually is the best way to go. Finally, remember that you are performing a service for the bride and groom, so try to be on your best behavior. Getting drunk before you give your best man speech is not appreciated by anyone, although a glass or two of wine won't hurt in getting rid of some nerves.
The best man's speech is usually the one that is the most remembered in a wedding reception – but remember that it's just a few minutes out of your life – so try to do everything to make the groom happy while speaking.
