Best Man's Speech Tips & Example

Follow these "S" rules for a great Best Man's speech. Keep it:

• Sincere - Be a modest and true friend


• Short - The sooner you say "raise your glasses" the more they'll love you. Keep it 3 - 5 minutes in length


• Sober - One drink too many will turn an otherwise great speech into an embarrassment (and often does. Be careful out there!)


• Sweet - Be likeable and pleasant


• Simple - Be clearly spoken. Leave out complex and boring story details


• Secondary - Don't try to be the center of attention. Be remembered for giving a nice tribute and nothing more

Remember the small details:

- Test the sound system in advance, if possible.

- Be sure to have everyone's attention before starting. A clear "Good afternoon/evening everyone. May I have your attention please..." works well. Expect to wait 20-30 seconds until things quiet down.

- Try to avoid unoriginal jokes. They may seem new to you, but seasoned wedding guests have heard them all before.

- Perhaps most importantly, smile and enjoy giving your speech. Your level of energy and enthusiasm will be contagious (surprisingly so).

Allow me to offer you some advice: don't bother buying a pre-written speech. You'll spend the same amount of time modifying it as if you had simply written it yourself. Why? Because your audience can easily tell your words from someone else's. You'll realize this the very moment you have the purchased speech in your hands (it reads much like a highly processed meat product: baloney).

The secret to a memorable Best Man's speech is a fun, personal anecdote about the bride and groom that won't come in a pre-packaged speech.

Crafting a great Best Man's speech is a lot easier than you think. Simply use the outline below and see my example speech. Then check out some of the sites I've listed in the Useful Links section if you need more ideas to fill in the outline.

1. Introduce yourself and mention your relationship to the groom


2. Welcome everyone


3. Thank the bride, groom and their parents for making the day possible


4. Compliment the bride on how she looks and then say something nice about the groom


5. Tell a short story or anecdote (this is the meat of your speech, more on it below)


6. Offer up a memorable/sentimental quote


7. Ask everyone to raise their glasses and propose a toast to the bride and groom

The entire speech should run 3 to 5 minutes in length, and the personal anecdote/short story (#5) should take from 30 seconds to 2 minutes of that time.

The perfect anecdote is a light, funny story relating to how the bride and groom met, an obstacle they overcame, or an experience you shared with them. Use it to highlight positive character traits, the strength of the couple's love or why they are a good match for each other. Aim to be mildly amusing but not particularly embarrassing to either the bride or groom. Avoid risqué subjects and sexual innuendo entirely. Keep unimportant details to a minimum so that the story is brief and easy to follow.

Good luck!

Good evening everyone. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Barry, Charles' Best Man.

First, I'd like to welcome everyone who traveled from near and far to be here today. The large crowd in this room is truly a testament to the love that we together have for Madeline and Charles as well as the love they have for each other. I would like to thank Charles, Madeline, and their families for inviting us to celebrate their marriage with them on this beautiful day.

Charles and I first met a long time ago in the U.S. during our first semester in college. (Or, should I say "university"... they call it university here in Canada, don't they? Ok, university! I like the way that sounds.)

More than just a long-time friend who has always been there for me, Charles is one of the finest people I have had the privilege to know. He's honest to a fault, courageous, sincere, loyal and intelligent. He's the person you can always count on. The guy who comes through for you even in the toughest of times. Charles is a man of his word.

I was speaking with Charles' mother the other day and she reminded me of something that happened back when Charles and I were in college (excuse me, I mean university!). Charles was driving home late one night after a major snowstorm. The roads were icy. As he drove carefully down a very steep hill, his car slid into the side of a parked car.

Charles got out to assess the damage and he noticed 3 things. 1) His car was fine. 2) The other car had significant damage from the impact, and 3) not a single person was in sight because it was about 2 o'clock in the morning. No one had seen it happen.

Now, of course, the proper thing to do in such a situation is to leave a note with an apology and your contact information. However, human nature being what it is most people would not do this, especially when they happen to be a student in university without much money.

But Charles isn't like most people; he left that note. To run off would have violated the moral and ethical standards he believes in and lives by. He would have very disappointed in himself if he hadn't left that note. That's the kind of person he is. Now, that isn't to say Charles was happy when the car's owner sent him a rather steep repair estimate a few days later... but, doing the right thing comes naturally to Charles. It's how he lives his life.

A funny thing: after Charles' mother reminded me of that story, I said "Wow, Mrs. Richards, that was almost 20 years ago! I almost forgot all about it but you remember it so well." She smiled and laughed and said "Of course I remember it. I'm the one who loaned Charles all that money to pay for the damage!" However, I happen to know that he paid her back... eventually.

I think Madeline and Charles are good for each other because her traits complement his in many ways. She is beautiful, charming, smart, funny, loving and caring. She has brought a joy and a light to my friend Charles' life and I will always appreciate her for that. She is lovely and we are all so glad that they found each other.

It has been said that marriage is not about finding a person you can live with; it's about finding the one person you can't live without. On this joyous day we know that Madeline and Charles have found each other.

Everyone, please join me in a toast. To Madeline and Charles: may they have a long life of health, love and happiness together.

I'd like to thank my good friend and Toastmaster extraordinaire, Will Cerebrum, to whom I am forever indebted for his tremendous support, guidance and insight.