Getting into the festive spirit we have been wondering how a man renowned around the world for delivering the goods, would fare if he had to deliver a best man speech. Would his jokes be funny? How would he perform when providing the toast? Well wonder no more and enjoy our interpretation of Santa’s best man speech.

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

It is wonderful to be here today in a room with a big door rather than a cramped chimney. I know you all have been very good particularly our bride and groom John and Sarah and to hear those lovely wedding bells made my heart glow with joy, they are my 2nd favorite type of bells, after jingle bells of course.

To see so many old friends in attendance is lovely. I checked the wedding list, in fact I checked it twice and given that John and Sarah are heading off on honeymoon I am allowing them be both naughty and nice. I’m sure they won’t have too many silent nights as a happily married couple but if they do just remember the magic words “you’re right dear.”

The ceremony in the church was perfect, to have 4 fathers so heavily involved was marvellous with the father of the bride, the father of the groom, the priest Fr. Murphy and myself Father Christmas all playing our parts.

My own dear wife Mrs. Clause is back in Lapland looking after the reindeer, she will be good at that as she has been reining me in for years. I still remember when we first kissed under the mistletoe, everyone’s hearts melted though as it was a hot day, for the snowmen, it was a lot more than just hearts that melted.

I know you all agree with me that our lovely couple are the ideal match (though try to keep matches away from chimneys at this time of year) so please join me in toasting the bride and groom.

Wishing them as much love as the moment they said “I do”
Not just at Christmas but all-year round too.

Thank you all so very much, Merry Christmas.

Brevity is key in providing a memorable best man speech. Wedding speeches can be notorious for dragging on too long, so the best gift you can give yourself, the guests and the bride & groom is to ensure your best man speech is short. Shorter speeches stay in the mind longer, the jokes within them are remembered more fondly and the constant trickle of laughter and applause builds up to a rousing reception by the time it comes to provide the toast.

When I say “short” best man speeches, I don’t mean a 30 second speech, moreover I mean giving a 3 minute speech instead of a 6 minute one. Those 3 minutes will allow you to;

Introduce yourself with an engaging opening line

Example; Good Afternoon ladies and gentlemen, today marks a sad day for single men around the world as another beauty steps beyond our reach, however girls I’m sure the fact that John now enters married life has barely registered with you. I once heard John described as dark and handsome, oops I meant when it is dark, he is handsome.

Compliment the bride and bridesmaids

Example for the bride; Sarah, you look sensational today and are such a beautiful, caring, loving person. Your delightful personality, glorious smile, and caring nature are just some of the many reasons why John should consider himself the luckiest man in the world”

Example for the bridesmaids; Our bridesmaids today look fantastic, they are outshone solely by our stunning bride and have been a terrific source of love and support to both the bride and groom and I ask you all to raise your glass as we toast the bridesmaids

Tell a few short best man jokes

Example; A woman proudly boasted to her friend, “It is I who made my husband a millionaire”, the friend was impressed and asked what he was before he married her, to which she replied, “a multi-millionaire”.

Add a witty Best Man one-liner

Example; It’s not true that married men live longer than single men it just seems that way.

Finish with a great closing line

Example; Ladies and Gentlemen, in a few minutes we will be raising a toast for the Bride and Groom, and as a man who is willing to raise his glass for anything, I look forward to it. John and Sarah are the ideal couple, and you have been the perfect audience and I am very much honored to stand as Best Man today.

Deliver the best man toast

Example; To John and Sarah, may they live long, laugh often and love always.

The shorter your best man speech, the less likely that you will be fraught with nerves so focus on a short concise witty speech and rest assured that it will have a far better impact than a mediocre long speech. Once you make the decision to go with a short speech you will find your confidence surge, allowing you the opportunity to give the speech of a lifetime.

With all the excitement and nerves that come with the thoughts of giving a best man speech, it is important not to overlook the other duties expected of you in your role as the head of the groomsmen. The wedding day itself will go very quickly believe it or not, and you will have people pulling at you with varying requests so don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked to an extent where you may overlook an essential task.

The Duties of a Best Man on the Day of the Wedding

1. Ensure that the groom, the groomsmen and yourself arrive on time and dressed appropriately.
2. Remind groom about the necessary payments that need to be paid on the day and have them secured in the appropriate envelope (examples might be band, DJ, hotel, etc.)
3. Ensure all guests have transportation to the wedding reception.
4. Securely look after the wedding rings until such time that they are ready to be exchanged.
5. Sign the marriage license and act as legal witness to the marriage.
6. Coordinate with groomsmen to ensure they remain at the church until the photographer has finished.
7. Give the best man toast, and sometimes act as MC for the reception.
8. Dance with the maid of honor.

If you haven’t already done so then it is worth reading this previous post on;  The Top 5 Items A Best Man Should Have On The Day Of The Wedding.

Another task to bear in mind is that if the formal wear is rented, then it is sometimes the best man’s duty to return the rented suits the following day. However the most important duty in my book is to enjoy yourself, you should be proud to be chosen as best man so spend the day with a smile on your face.