Toasting With Confidence -Tips  On Giving A Great Best Man Speech.

Great Best Man speeches need to cater for a discerning audience, from the love-struck newlyweds to their proud families, relatives and friends from near and far along with your own set of friends. Of this group, the most critical reviewers will be your own friends but this does not mean that you should write a Best Man speech tailored for their pleasure, your speech needs to be crafted with tact and subtlety so that everyone enjoys it and you can present it with confidence.

A successful Best Man speech should be funny, sincere, warm and witty, getting these elements right will ensure a day to remember so let us look at how your speech can achieve this magic blend.

1. Funny
Funny Best Man jokes are essential, get them right and you will have the audience eating out of the palm of your hand, get them wrong however will have the opposite effect so choose jokes suitable for a Best Man speech.

2. Sincere
Flattering comments are appreciated by those that the remarks are aimed towards, and those listening so let sincerity shine through when praising the Bride, Bridesmaids and parents of the Newlyweds. Touching comments leave a lasting mark so don’t be afraid to include them when you are speaking.

3. Witty
Using witty quotes about marriage and weddings is a great way to keep the smiles on the guests faces. There are many famous examples to use, one such being Henry Youngmans quote “Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week she goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.”

4. Warm
As you complete the main section of your speech (before the final toast) make sure to express how proud you were when the Groom asked you to be his Best Man, describe what a great friend he has been over the years before telling a good-natured story that will embarrass him. The toast at the end should be uplifting and one that ends your speech on a high, such as “To the Bride and Groom, may they live long, laugh often and love always.”

A Best Man speech may just be 5 minutes of your life but the sense of achievement after giving a successful speech and the ovation afterwards will have you feeling extremely proud.

5 Classic Lines For Best Man Speeches.

The onus of responsibility when giving a public speech, irrespective of scenario can be daunting indeed, but Best Man speeches in particular are amongst the most nerve-wracking of them all. Everyone wants to give a confident Best Man speech but that is easier said than done when there is an expectancy of your speech to provide laughs, compliments, tributes and a toast in a short-time frame. To help you along the way I have selected 5 examples from my own red-hot Best Man speeches  that will be enjoyed by all.

Light-hearted.

“John loved Sherry but then again he loved whisky, vodka and beer too.”

Fun.

“Not many of you know this but John could have been a pro-soccer player, only 2 things stood in his way, his left-foot and his right-foot.”

Tribute.

“John is a great friend, the first person to turn towards when needing help, a loyal friend who never wavers from your side and speaking on behalf of both myself and the Groomsmen we are lucky to have a friend like John.”

Humor.

“One of the earliest pieces of advice I was given as Best Man was to prioritize my duties in order of importance, so naturally I booked the Bachelor Party first.”

Complimentary.

“Sarah is an adorable person who radiates love wherever she goes, she looks gorgeous today but then again she looks gorgeous  everyday, John is one lucky guy.”

You should enjoy the wedding day but all too often Best Men get so anxious about the speech that they end-up being mere bystanders rather than taking center-stage behind the Bride and Groom on this day of all days. Once you have the right content for your Best Man speech it allows you focus on things other than the speech and then you can enjoy a day to cherish forever.

Being Best Man, despite the privilege, is often seen as an ordeal for Best Men who spend the weeks/days in the lead-up to the wedding worrying about their Best Man speeches. So when the Big Day arrives how do you know if you are giving a good speech? If you notice even a couple of these tell-tale signs when delivering your speech then you can rest assured that your speech is being received extremely well.

 10 Tell-Tale Signs That Your Best Man Speech Is Going Well.

1. When even the employees at the venue have stopped working to listen.

2. When you get some “here, here!” comments after making a generous comment towards the Bride or family members.

3. When after telling a funny joke you have to pause to let the loud laughter die down before you can continue with your speech.

4. When the Bride and Groom are smiling at you rather than glaring at you.

5. When you get laughs at unintentionally funny moments.

6. When you get an impromptu standing ovation before your speech has ended.

7. When props and gifts receive a rousing reception.

8. When as you look out towards the guests and see nobody checking their watch to signify you have spoke for too long.

9. When you look out to the crowd of guests and see the happy proud smile of a close family member.

10. When you are enjoying yourself because chances are the guests will be too.

The sense of fulfillment and pride that you will feel after giving your Best Man speech is immense so choose your words carefully and enjoy a great day. For those of you unsure of what to say then look no further than my very own set of 21 Best Man speeches and look forward to the wedding day with genuine confidence.