Best Man speech
Discussion
I've done two - one just a few weeks ago. I learnt a lot since the first one. I'm not a very good or experienced public speaker so I chose a more modest speech rather than trying to bring the house down in fits of laughter. This helped me have the confidence to deliver it. I spoke less about the past and more about the future of them as a couple and how much she has brought into his life rather than dwelling on the past stuff ups.
But if you're a good confident and funny speaker then by all means go ahead and do one in that style
I would just be sure to be respectful of the new bride and family (older) members. And you don't want to outright insult the groom, just poke some fun - nothing more than you'd say at any other time in their company.
But if you're a good confident and funny speaker then by all means go ahead and do one in that style
I would just be sure to be respectful of the new bride and family (older) members. And you don't want to outright insult the groom, just poke some fun - nothing more than you'd say at any other time in their company.
Edited by zac510 on Monday 12th April 16:54
Definitely do the one where all the women have a "spare key" to the groom's place and have to get up and give it back during the speech. Ha! The look on the Bride's face when 40 women including her mum and the 5 yr old flower girl go up with a key is absolutely priceless!! I must have seen it what, 4 times now? Never wears out, that one.
Be sure to wear your food cufflinks too. Classic.
Be sure to wear your food cufflinks too. Classic.
Just get the format and tone right.
Intros - Who are you how do you know the groom.
Thanks - Thank the B&G on behalf of the bridesmaids and thank the groom and fotb for thier words.
Funny Story or two. Don't tell any shagging stories a bit of mild embarresment is fine. Just remember Grandparents and Children are likely in the room. And nothing that needs a long complex intro.
Say how beautiful the bride looks and how happy a couple they are.
Read any messages out.
A closing remark (I did one on being a good husband - 2 rules, 1)Your wife is always right. 2)When shes not, refer to rule one.
Offer a toast (the Bride and groom)
Keep it under 10minutes.
I used this as a guide but it's a bit restrictive to take wholesale http://www.howto.co.uk/family/best-man-duties/plan...
Intros - Who are you how do you know the groom.
Thanks - Thank the B&G on behalf of the bridesmaids and thank the groom and fotb for thier words.
Funny Story or two. Don't tell any shagging stories a bit of mild embarresment is fine. Just remember Grandparents and Children are likely in the room. And nothing that needs a long complex intro.
Say how beautiful the bride looks and how happy a couple they are.
Read any messages out.
A closing remark (I did one on being a good husband - 2 rules, 1)Your wife is always right. 2)When shes not, refer to rule one.
Offer a toast (the Bride and groom)
Keep it under 10minutes.
I used this as a guide but it's a bit restrictive to take wholesale http://www.howto.co.uk/family/best-man-duties/plan...
308mate said:
Definitely do the one where all the women have a "spare key" to the groom's place and have to get up and give it back during the speech. Ha! The look on the Bride's face when 40 women including her mum and the 5 yr old flower girl go up with a key is absolutely priceless!!
Not heard of that one before 
I started off with "I was really nervous about doing this speech so I decided to prepare a couple of lines...[wipe nostrils, sniff]... now that I've had those I feel great", there was a pause for about a second & my arse went because I thought I'd pushed it too far & then everyone burst out laughing
If you are not naturally funny - dont try to be funny... it puts more stress on you and looks terrible.
A couple of quality one- liners that are actually relevant to the groom are so much more impressive and memorable, and thats what it is all about.
Have a look on youtube... and then don't use any of those jokes - I saw a few at different weddings last year, its cheap. Do your groom proud and put the effort in to do something personal about him... stories from your past (ie you and him) are great + have a word with his parents / siblings for stories that will surprise him, these can usually be backed up with very embarrassing family photos that mums will supply!
A couple of quality one- liners that are actually relevant to the groom are so much more impressive and memorable, and thats what it is all about.
Have a look on youtube... and then don't use any of those jokes - I saw a few at different weddings last year, its cheap. Do your groom proud and put the effort in to do something personal about him... stories from your past (ie you and him) are great + have a word with his parents / siblings for stories that will surprise him, these can usually be backed up with very embarrassing family photos that mums will supply!
Cupid Stunt said:
I started off with "I was really nervous about doing this speech so I decided to prepare a couple of lines...[wipe nostrils, sniff]... now that I've had those I feel great", there was a pause for about a second & my arse went because I thought I'd pushed it too far & then everyone burst out laughing
Tee hee, like that one 
And the Keys is very funny if they aren't living together already.
clarkeyboy said:
I am currently trying to put together a best man speech for the end of May, and I was wondering if anyone had any specific tips, or heard any particularly funny speeches from previous weddings that they wish to share.
Thank you and goodnight.Much love
Don't download internet jokes, and especially don't do the key joke. Thank you and goodnight.Much love
I have to do public speaking, and I have never been so frightened as to when I had to do a best man's speech. It didn't help that the father in law nicked my first joke, and the groom nicked my second joke!!
Don't do embarrassing stories either, as you have to stand up comedian to pull them off. The audience's embarrassment will kill you stone dead.
My speech just gave the couple of a bit of advice about the future. Namely that to the groom "your wife is always right" and to the bride that "he can't read your mind". I even got audience participation in that as well.
If you can make any suggestion about the day to the couple I would heartily recommend that you do speeches before the meal rather than afterwards.
Reason for this is very simple. When my friend got married, none of us could enjoy the meal on the top table as we were all so nervous about our speeches. And two of us do public speaking would you believe. By the end of the meal, we were off our food, absolutely nervous wrecks. It also meant that during the meal you had to be careful what you drank - because in an hour's time your were on! And this isn't a speech you can screw up. No second chances.
So when I got married last year we pulled the speeches in before the meal itself, so that we could actually enjoy the meal. Swapping it around isn't as uncommon as you think.
Anyway, just a suggestion.
tim2100 said:
Dont forget the classic of telling everybody that the you slept with the bride first, and that its unfortunate she will end up looking like her mother.
On second thoughts, best not
Was thinking of telling a story about the groom, then saying that it reminded me of the age old wedding phrase "for better or for worse". The reason is that he could not have done much better and she could not have done much worseOn second thoughts, best not
first time I was a best man, the groom and I sat up a couple of nights beforehand writing our speeches. The groom was a very nervous public speaker, so he had written his script exactly word for word, and it was very short. I had written a couple of pages of notes, mainly to refer to.
When he stood up to speak, someone saw the script in his hand and heckled "oh no, it's going to be a long speech". He then responded, off the cuff ... "if you think this is a big one, you should see the size of Andy's". He got soooo much heckling, he almost gave up before he even started!
No real advice, except - keep it short, don't try to be a comedian, be nice to everyone as no-one wants a feud at a wedding.
When he stood up to speak, someone saw the script in his hand and heckled "oh no, it's going to be a long speech". He then responded, off the cuff ... "if you think this is a big one, you should see the size of Andy's". He got soooo much heckling, he almost gave up before he even started!
No real advice, except - keep it short, don't try to be a comedian, be nice to everyone as no-one wants a feud at a wedding.
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