Being the best man is a great feeling. It is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that comes with a lot of responsibilities. From arranging a perfect stag do for the weekend, to delivering a speech, everything HAS TO be perfect.
Delivering a memorable best man speech is your final duty as the best man. However, speaking in front of a room of strangers and being intoxicated, is how a lot of best man speeches end up going downhill. The mixture of alcohol-fueled confidence and lack of preparation turns a heartfelt speech into a drunken spectacle.
If you don't want to make the same mistake, here are a few pointers to guide you as you prepare for your best man speech:
Not being prepared to give a speech is the top mistake that ruins a best man speech. It is best to start preparing the speech at least a few weeks in advance. Begin by jotting down any stories, anecdotes or quotes you might want to include.
As you continue to structure the content, practice delivering the speech in front of a camera. This will give you an idea of how you look when speaking in front of an audience.
Ideally, you should either open with a killer joke, or by expressing gratitude to everyone in the audience. Either way, the objective of an opening is to gather attention. If you decide to open with a joke, make sure it is something everyone can understand, and does not offend anyone (More on jokes below).
The ideal length of the speech should be close to five minutes. That is enough time to deliver a heartwarming speech, without irritating your audience.
Avoid any ‘adult' jokes, mentions of past relationships of the groom, or any inside jokes. Make sure you only give compliments when you talk about the bride. If you want to make fun, only make fun of your buddy, and remember your limits.
Don't get carried away in order to be funny. Think about the kind of audience you will have, and the kind of humour they would appreciate. You can find examples here.
The ideal best man speech is like a short film. It should include the right mix of funny anecdotes and heartwarming stories. Including real instances from the lives of the couple will ensure everyone connects with your speech.
Here is a rough structure you can follow to construct your speech. Keep in mind, this is not a definitive list and you can include or exclude elements depending on your needs and the nature of the event.
The final piece of advice is be yourself. It is your best mate's big day, and there is no reason to be formal or pretentious. Let it come naturally to you, and use your natural way of talking and mannerisms. As long as the speech is sincere, there is not much that can go wrong.
Date Posted: Monday 19th February 2018
Author: Barry ONeil
