If you are Best Man then come the morning of the wedding your mind is sure to be whirring with a mixture of tension and adrenalin, with all that going on in your mind it is perhaps understandable if you overlook something. 

There are certain things the Best Man cannot afford to overlook, his Best Man speech being a prime example.  In order to ensure that you overlook nothing I have provided a checklist below that should prepare you for the day while a previous post on duties for the Best Man on the day of the wedding is also worth reading.

A Wedding Day Checklist For The Best Man

• have a list of key contact phone numbers with you in case any are needed at the last minute.
• make sure you look the part, you are the Best Man after all.
• call the Groom see if everything is good at his end and ask if there is anything you can assist with.
• call the other Groomsmen to make sure there are no last minute hitches with anyone.
• check you have your Best Man speech with you, and bring a copy to give to a friend or relative in case you lose your own one, that’s how important it is.
• if you are using props in your Best Man speech then make sure they are brought to the wedding. 
• should you be the person driving the Groom to the ceremony then the keys of the car would be helpful.
• similarly if you happen to be transporting the ring to the ceremony, then double-check that you have it, without it there won’t be a wedding.
• a piece of paper with important names such as the family members of the happy couple will be handy.

Being as well prepared as possible will have you in confident form on the wedding day and this will bode well for your Best Man speech. You should be doing everything you can to avoid a last minute crisis, so help yourself in that regard by remaining calm before delivering an awesome Best Man speech to massive applause.

One of the key elements of a successful Best Man speech is to be aware of what should be included in it. Best Man humor will be expected but knowing when and where to use this humor is equally important in order to avoid offending anyone so with that in mind let us look at what goes into a Best Man speech. I have broken this up into 5 sections to help you put it into practice for your speech.

1. The Introduction.

•  welcome the wedding guests.
•  introduce yourself and mention your relationship to the Groom.
•  tell a quick joke about speechmaking.
•  refer to the great day and praise the parents of both the Bride and Groom.

2. The Groom

•  talk about your friendship with the Groom.
•  tell a story that highlights the Groom’s qualities.
•  tell a story that makes fun of the Groom, though be careful not to offend.
•  mention your delight and pride at being his Best Man.

3. The Bride

•  describe how beautiful the Bride looks.
•  praise her Bridesmaids and offer a toast in their honor.
•  tell a story that highlights the Bride qualities.
•  mention why you think she is the perfect Bride for the Groom.

4. Their Relationship.

•  tell a cute story about when the Groom told you that he was in love.
•  offer funny marital advice to the Bride and Groom.
•  share a romantic story about the newlyweds.
•  talk about how the Groom has been since the Bride came into his life.

5. The Toast.

•  invite everyone to be upstanding as you are about to deliver the toast.
•  raise your glass in the air.
•  invite everyone else to do likewise.
•  offer the all-important toast in honor of the happy couple.
•  thank everyone for listening.

Keep in mind that any stories you tell during your Best Man speech should be short stories, otherwise there is a danger that the wedding guests may become disinterested. You can include Best Man jokes and wedding one-liners in various sections within your speech just make sure they don’t cause offence.

Short Best Man speeches can provide humor, warmth, love and special memories for all concerned, particularly you as Best Man. Your words will be eagerly anticipated by the wedding guests so it is worth investing both time and effort to ensure your speech is not a let down, the 7 tips outlined below will help you craft a successful Best Man speech.

1. Get the time right.

Your Best Man speech should fall somewhere between the 3 to 5 minute mark so make sure you time yourself when practicing your speech at home.

2. Flatter the Bride.

Most Best Men focus their attention on mocking the Groom, humor is fine but it is just as important to praise the Bride during your Best Man speech. Compliment the way she looks and refer to some of her special attributes. This is important as the wedding guests will appreciate your kind words as will the Bride and her family.

3. Keep jokes and stories short.

If you plan on giving a short Best Man speech you do not want to rely on one story or joke to take up the bulk of your time, instead stick to one-liners and brief stories, that way you can include a couple of each, meaning double the laughs.

4. Include some lines about your friendship with the Groom.

It is the Groom after all who asked you to be his Best Man so return the compliment during your Best Man speech by including some sincere remarks about the friendship you share. These words will stay with the Groom for a long time so be kind when discussing his positive traits.

5. Consider the option of Best Man props.

Whether you are giving short Best Man speeches or otherwise Best Man props can propel your speech to legendary status so consider including one in your speech.

6. Talk about the romance between the Bride and Groom.

A heartwarming story about the romance between the Bride and Groom will go down a treat in your Best Man speech so ensure you include one that reflects the love they share.

7. Close your speech with an uplifting Best Man toast.

Choose your words carefully when you get to the toasting section of your Best Man speech as these are the words that will be remembered most so ensure your toast is a fitting tribute to the Bride and Groom.

The chance to be Best Man may only come once in your life so rather than live in fear of the Big Day, consider buying some short Best Man speeches written by a professional speechwriter and ooze confidence when you are delivering your Best Man speech.