The Ultimate Guide to a Best Man Speech
Being asked to be a best man is a totally rewarding experience. You’re being involved in a focal role of someone’s big day and you need to get it right. The best man has more responsibility than the other groomsmen.
You’ll need to be on hand throughout the planning and execution of the wedding to make things easier for the bride and groom. Be that helping choose a suit, collecting required items and being a beacon of moral support throughout.
One of the biggest responsibilities of the best man is, of course, the speech. It can be really daunting to think about speaking in front of a crowd, particularly if you aren’t used to it.
But the best man’s speech is a prominent point in the day and a chance to show the groom how much you care, along with a few funny best man speech jokes of course. We’ve had so many best men’s speeches at Alexandra House and this is why we’ve collated some best man wedding speech tips to get it just right.
Best Man Speech Advice
The first step to any great speech is to be organised. Please don’t write the speech on a paper napkin the night before. Take your time writing a best man speech something that’s really special. There’s no limit on how many drafts you can do, so keep adding and editing until you love it.
Don’t forget there may be moments in the lead up to the wedding reception that you might want to include, such as the stag do. Keep a good balance of old memories, new memories and sweet sentiments about the couple.
Remember you have to write something that everyone will be entertained by, so a whole speech of exclusive inside jokes would be lost on everyone else. Know your audience and think about this when writing jokes. This has to be appropriate for the whole crowd including children, so remove anything that’s too racy. That being said, a few laughs here and there keep everyone happy and laughing.
The day will be emotional so some comic relief from the best man is always appreciated, although avoid dad style one-liners. Don’t allow your speech to drag on for too long, you don’t want people getting fidgety.
Ask a great friend or family member if you’re able to practise the speech on them first. Time it to be about 4/5 minutes maximum with appropriate pauses for laughs. If you’re getting stuck, the internet has a plethora of examples and ideas to draw from.
Best Way to Start a Best Man’s Speech
- Always begin by introducing yourself. There may be some members of the crowd who don’t know you
- One-liners and best man speech jokes are a nice way to open a speech and get everyone warmed up
- You should always thank the happy couple during your speech, preferably towards the start
- Anecdotes are fun and demonstrate the connection between yourself and the groom
- Complimenting the groom’s partner is a vital part of any speech
- Remember to prepare a speech you’ve had fun writing and will enjoy performing
Best Man Tips
As the best man, remember you’ll be in many photos so you need to look the part! Get your haircut, make sure your suit fits perfectly and shine your shoes until they glow. Ask your groom what he’ll need help with on the big day and prepare yourself to help him be as relaxed as possible.
Grabbing him a bottle of water, checking on each groomsman and a few reassuring words throughout the event works wonders. Always remember that no matter how excited the groom is, they’re going to be nervous.
Above everything, you need to make sure they’re having the best time. Make yourself familiar with the guest list ahead of time so you can easily mingle throughout the day. Help people get involved as not every guest will know each other, so it’s great to have someone acting as a buffer.
Socialise and get everyone chatting. It may be tempting to have a few drinks but keeping them to a minimum is preferable so you have a clear head. Once the day is over and the reception begins, you can then relax and enjoy a glass of champagne.
Best Man Advice
Watching your best friend get married is an amazing experience, so make sure you take the time to appreciate it. You’ve been chosen above all others to support the groom throughout one of the most important days and the next step in his life. Take lots of pictures and savour the happy day. Make sure you show the groom how much you appreciate being chosen and how you can make his day special.
If you know anyone else who has been a best man, be that a friend or family member, ask their advice. See what they enjoyed and what they would have done differently. Wisdom is everything so you can get invaluable advice for your own experience. If you are in charge of organising the stag, make sure you stick to something the groom likes.
It’s his day after all so even if the stag party have totally different good ideas of fun, always put your foot down and make a plan the groom will enjoy every second of.
Wedding Venue Swindon
If you’re helping plan your best man’s wedding day and want to recommend a fantastic venue, Alexandra House is for you. We are a gorgeous venue in Swindon with all the facilities to give a fairytale day that no one will forget. Our team are well versed in weddings whether they be intimate or large scale, and we can help your day go off without a hitch.
We also offer a variety of wedding packages that help you make the most out of your day. Our luxury bedrooms are perfect for yourself and wedding guests to unwind in after the celebration, and you can make use of our leisure facilities. Our modern event spaces can be tailored to you so you can choose the day you’ve always dreamed of. We are more than happy to help so get in touch if you need further information on our wedding venue in Wiltshire.
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