The beauty of using props in your Best Man speech is that it further engages your audience into the spirit of your speech. When the correct props are chosen it invariably enhances your Best Man speech, whilst the wrong choice of props could detract from it. You should be using your props during the section of your speech where you are embarrassing the Groom. As ever the golden rule applies that nothing should be used that might cause offense, here are 3 examples where a prop could be used.

1. The Groom is a Sports Fan

Here you could talk about his passion for his favorite team or how athletic he is and his sporting prowess. You could then say that while he fulfills one dream today in marrying Sarah, his other dream is yet unfilled. You could then say “Until now that is, John I now crown you the World Wrestling Champion” holding up a fake wrestling belt that you can get in most toy stores. This should have the Groom squirming with embarrassment and the guests howling with laughter.

2. The Groom is a Fan of Fashion

You may have a photograph of the Groom wearing funny clothes, more than likely it will be a picture from his youth when dress sense was not as important to him. If this is the case check with his Mom first, so as not to offend anyone.

The trick here is not to display the photo on a computer screen, for better effect, when discussing his fashion sense you might say ” We all know John is a fashion-conscious guy but he was not always that way, I’m a great believer in the saying that a picture tells a thousand words” and then produce a poster-style enlargement of the photograph and announce that it will be passed along the tables for everyone to see.

3. The Groom is a College Graduate

John as we all know is a learned man, a scholar and a business-leader of the future, however he was not always that way. When researching my role as Best Man I came across one of John’s old school-reports (now begin searching in your pockets until you unveil a brown envelope) and it did not make for pretty reading. It said “John is popular with peers, not with textbooks, he does not need to try harder, he just needs to try and finally John will go far, just the sooner he starts the better”.

The style of your speech will dictate the type of prop suitable to your speech. If in any doubt about whether your prop may cause offense then omit it. Props, however, can be the catalyst to an unforgettable Best Man speech so choose them wisely and enjoy the laughter and hilarity that they bring to your Best Man speech.

Funny jokes and hilarious stories may make your speech memorable but if you truly want your speech to be unforgettable then include a few lines of poetry in your Best Man speech.

We are not talking about poems that would make Shakespeare proud instead, 4 or 5 simple lines, will suffice. If these rhyming lines are delivered with confidence and poise then you can rightly expect a standing ovation.

There are three windows of opportunity to insert some lines of poetry into your Best Man speech:

1) When complimenting the Bride
2) When poking fun at the Groom’s expense
3) For the Wedding Toast

Here is an example to use for each of those sections of your speech (using John and Sarah as our Bride and Groom).

Few can bring a ray of sunshine the way that Sarah can
John is indeed a very lucky man
Sarah is beauty and elegance personified
Please join me in a round of applause for our stunning Bride.

John can make the finest clothes look tatty no matter what he wears
He gets upset if the team beaten happens to be his beloved Chicago Bears
He is very loyal, well he’s had the same hairstyle since 1981
He has however persuaded the lovely Sarah to marry him and for that I say well done.

We’ve had a wonderful day from the church to the food and the band
Now for the final toast will you all please stand
May John and Sarah share love and laughter
In a fairytale marriage of happily ever after.

Short poems leave a smile on everyone’s face, and if delivered correctly during your Best Man speech, the widest smile of all should be on your face.

1. Delivering your Best Man speech too quickly

With the rush of adrenalin and nerves, once it is your turn to step into the spotlight, your speech is delivered with all the speed of a verbal express train. Now while you may want it delivered rapidly so you can enjoy the rest of the day, you will have alienated the majority of the guests. The trick to delivering a great Best Man speech is not purely about the content, it is about your ability to deliver the speech with poise and swagger.

How to avoid? Practice, practice, practice, in front of the mirror, having a shower, or to a loyal family member of friend. In the case of Best Man speeches practice will most certainly make perfect.

2. Using vulgarity

Nothing my friends will distance you greater from the guests than using vulgarity in your speech. It may be funny with your mates down the pub but the vast majority of both the Wedding Party and guests will be squirming in their chairs if you use offending language. Trust me guys, you do not want to ruin the day for anyone, particularly the irate parents of the Bride and Groom.

How to avoid? Simply ensure at no stage of your speech-building process is vulgarity used. You want a PG rating speech from draft-stage to completed speech.

3. Trying to be the complete comic

We’ve all been guests at weddings where the Best Man tries to be the funny guy from the moment he picks up the microphone until the end of the night. He will certainly have funny moments but they are not what’s remembered, it’s the times his jokes go down like lead balloons that are remembered. There is more to a Best Man speech than cracking joke after joke, heed those words or the joke might be on you.

How to avoid? Make sure your speech is balanced between sincerity, humor and genuine affection for the Bride and Groom.

4. Poor grammar

Right guys I know your old English professor will not be at the wedding but do ensure that your speech is grammatically correct before delivering it. A slip-up here or there may entice hecklers to interrupt your speech. Now even though I have provided you with 5 great responses to hecklers  you want nobody interrupting the rhythm of your Best Man speech.

How to avoid? Show your speech to a family member or friend and ask them to proofread it for you.

5. Discussing ex-girlfriends

It may have been hilarious on the Bachelor Party, but trust me guys if you ruin the Bride and Grooms wedding by discussing his former conquests then the only person squirming with embarrassment will be you.

How to avoid? Never ever even contemplate putting into your written speech which is what you will memorising to deliver your final speech.

Being the Best Man is a fun, enjoyable, wonderful occasion, make sure you keep it that way by avoiding the pitfalls outlined above.