How To: Give a Best Man Speech

For most best men, the pride at being selected as best man is tempered with the fear of having to give best man speeches.  This is understandable given that the fear of public speaking (glossophobia) is a regular feature upon lists of the most common phobias.  On the flip side if you give a great best man speech and get a rousing ovation the feeling of pride and adrenalin will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.  With that in mind today’s post is brought to you from an expert on best man speeches, Dave Doran, the co-founder of Best Man Speeches.

Most best men aspire to be funny, after all, funny best man speeches often get the loudest ovation.  There is a certain style of humor that will get wedding guests both laughing and smiling throughout your speech.  There is also a tone of humor that can alienate the wedding guests and possibly insult the bride and groom so this article aims to ensure you give a great best man toast that is funny and memorable.

Best man speeches should not be used in order to hurt the feelings of the groom, if you make a remark that is too close to the bone then the guests will pick up on the groom’s anxiety, so lighthearted humor works best.  It is also worth noting that there are certain topics out of bounds when it comes to best man speeches, primarily stories about ex-partners.

Funny best man speeches can have a wonderful effect on everyone so captivate the guests through these 4 ways to be funny in your speech.

1) Witty observations

- how the groom has changed since getting engaged.

- the contrasts between himself and his wife, such as the contrast in hobbies, musical tastes, etc.  Example – “the bride likes to cook and we know the groom certainly loves to eat”

- how the bride has brought out a previously unseen romantic side of the groom.

2) A previously untold mischievous story

- an embarrassing story relating to the groom as a young boy (perfect for a best man who is the groom’s brother).

- a funny story from the groom’s college life or schooldays.

- a “secret” (but clean) story that you have never told anyone, that will embarrass the groom.

3) Funny best man jokes

- use short jokes as they have the maximum impact.  Example – “When the groom told me he was getting married, I was overjoyed, marriage will teach him loyalty, honor, respect and a host of other qualities he would have missed out on by staying single.”

- funny marital advice for the groom always gets a great reception.

- use funny quotes from famous people and / or from movies.

4) The groom in the build-up to the wedding

- talk about how the groom, a normally confident, macho guy, became a shivering wreck worrying about fluffing his lines at the wedding.

- mention the warnings you got over what subjects were taboo for your best man speech before saying “and those subjects include…”

- buy the biggest tshirt possible and then introduce it by saying “I am not saying the groom lost weight sweating about today, but this is a tshirt he used to own.”

Bear in mind that irrespective of the style of speech you plan on giving, you should make sure to include some respectful sincere comments about the happy couple.  Particular reference should be made towards how beautiful the bride looks, and what a great friend the groom has been over the years.  Funny best man speeches will ensure that you finish your role as best man in stunning form and with an awesome ovation.

About David Doran

Dave is a cancer survivor who lives in Dublin, Ireland.  Dave is the co-founder of some of the web’s most popular speech websites and has recently launched  http://www.best-man-speeches.com/which provides sample best man speeches, toasts, jokes and a host of exclusive guides to aid best men.