So your best mate/brother etc has had the chat with you, took you out for that all important pint and asked you the question you have been probably dreading: “Will you do the honour of being my best man?”.
But now you are wondering where to start. Most of all how to deliver this Best Mans speech confidently, with wit humour and feeling.
Here are some hints and tips to help prepare a Best Mans Speech
- Prepare early, start thinking about stories & antidotes a good few months before the wedding, then write a few brainwaves down.
- Ask around friends/family to see if you can find any visual aids – i.e. photographs that can be used to embarrass the groom (Nothing too rude of course).
- Have a pen and paper next to your bed or dictaphone, usually the best ideas come to you when you are just about to nod off.
- Various websites give you example one liners that can be worth throwing in. For example: "Ladies and gentlemen, to put my nerves about speaking here today into perspective, this is the 5th time this afternoon that I have risen from a warm seat with a piece of paper in my hand!" Provided from www.thebestmanspeech.com
- Look up the basic content that you should cover, who you thank etc, so you can structure your speech properly. Reading out any wedding cards is also the Best Mans responsibility.
- Make sure that you liaise with other wedding party members, such as the Brides Father, to make sure the content of your speech does not overlap. Try to do this within the week of the wedding.
- Once you have completed your speech, take your speech with you everywhere you go so you can get used to the content. Practice on a work colleague and in the mirror.
- And best of all keep it simple; long drawn out speeches can get a bit boring, it is sometimes better to do a 5 minute speech, than a tedious 10 minute version.
- And remember who you are and mostly what sort of personality you have. If you are more conservative, don’t try to be Peter Kay on the day… as it just won’t work. Try and write your BEst Mans Speech speech to suit your personality. It will come across far better.
- Last but not least make sure you speak reasonably loud and clear (don’t shout though) you don’t want to go to all of this effort if no one can hear you
And a final tip is: Consider speeches before your reception dinner, it can alleviate the nerves of the wedding party ie: (Best Man/Groom/Father of Bride) can now relax and actually enjoy their reception meal, after all they are some of the most important and closest people at your wedding!
Article by Laurie Breeze - I DO Wedding Services