As you will understand from a previous post, why short best man speeches work best, I am a great believer that inexperienced public speakers should give short best man speeches. By reading the format of a short best man speech you will have a good outline to work from, in order to create your own speech.

Sometimes it is a good idea to let the wedding guests know that you won’t be rambling on with a long-winded speech, you can do this by opening your speech with comments referring to the fact that you won’t be speaking for too long.  The list below provides 5 great examples of lines to use to get this point across.

1. I will be sticking to the 3 most important rules of a good best man speech, I will stand up, I’ll speak up and then I’ll shut up.
2. In the words of Franklin D Roosevelt, I will be sincere, I’ll be brief, and I’ll be seated.
3. I will be giving a short speech as I reckon embarrassing yourself for 2 minutes is better than embarrassing yourself for 10 minutes.
4. My best man speech is going to be short, but just like when it is buffet night in my favorite restaurant, I know what I have to do, just not sure where I’m to start.
5. As a married man I’m not used to speaking without interruption so my best man speech will be a short one.

Catching the attention of the wedding guests from the start is vital so consider these opening lines along with icebreakers for short best man speeches and then choose an opening line that is best for your speech.

Getting off to a good start will ease your nerves and allow you to deliver your best man speech in a confident style which will impress everyone in attendance.

If the answer to question posed in the headline to this post is “yes” then that is not surprising as glossophobia (the fear of public speaking) is a very common phobia, so rest assured you are not alone in that regard. Being a best man should be a privilege rather than the burden that most best men take it for, so today we look at ways to get your sleeping pattern back to normal and help you look forward to giving the best man speech rather than dreading it.

1) Kick-start your confidence with killer opening lines.

The opening lines in a best man speech are the most important lines because they need to hook the listeners from the start and in turn get you off to a confident start.  A warm round of applause after your opening lines will give your confidence an almighty boost so ensure you get off to a flying start. Examples of a couple of good lines to use include “if there is anyone here who is feeling nervous, apprehensive or unsure about the future, that is because you just married the groom”, or as you look at the wedding guests “no wonder you are all smiling, you aren’t up here having to give a speech to hundreds of people.”

2) Provide gifts to get the wedding guests cheering for you.

The likeability factor is important as best man and a great way to have the audience on your side is by providing unexpected gifts to people during your speech. The gifts do not have to be expensive but a bouquet of flowers for the flower-girl or a box of chocolates for the pageboy will ensure that your popularity gets a boost.

3) Don’t forget to be nice to the groom.

Sure humor plays a key role in a best man speech but given 50% of the people in attendance will be made up of his family and friends you are far more likely to receive a warm round of applause if you include warm remarks about his strengths and what his friendship means to you, rather than focusing solely on funny stories to embarrass him.

4) Comment on the bride and groom’s romance.

As the groom’s best man you should have a unique insight into the romance that the happy couple share, so be sure to tell a heartwarming story about their love in your speech. The wedding guests will be interested to hear your take on the romance and the newlyweds will be delighted that you have said some nice words about their love.

5) Best man jokes that will bring smiles all-round.

No best man speech is ever complete without a few best man jokes, a previous post on the top 20 best man jokes will set you right in that regard.

If you are at you wit’s end with the speech then let the experts write one, you can get some great best man speeches for a small price though they will end up being priceless to you.  You will soon be back to getting a full night’s sleep and your worries will be behind you.

As regular readers are aware I advocate giving short Best Man speeches rather than longer ones after all there is a definite truth in the saying, be brief, be brilliant, be seated. A short Best Man speech will ensure your speech doesn’t reach a lull at any stage and should have the listeners entertained from beginning to end.

                                                                                                                                               The opening section of a short Best Man speech.

- an icebreaker for a short Best Man speech.

- welcome guests to the wedding.

- mention what a wonderful occasion the day has been.

- praise the families of both the Bride and Groom.

                                                                                                                                               The middle section of a short Best Man speech.

- compliment the Bridesmaids.

- compliment the Bride.

- tell a short funny story about the Groom.

- then compliment him by referring to the qualities that make him a great friend..

                                                                                                                                                   The closing section of a short Best Man speech.

- tell a short story that showcases why the Bride and Groom are made for each other.

- read any faxes or emails that have arrived, include a fake funny one of your own.

- provide your own humorous advice on marriage to the newlyweds.

- finally offer an uplifting Best Man toast in honor of the Bride and Groom.

                                                                                                                                                      When it is broken down like that the Best Man speech is not as daunting as many people believe it to be so don’t let nerves get the better of you.  You should also include a short Best Man joke here and there but as ever make sure these jokes along with your funny stories are suitable for all, given that there is sure to be children at the wedding.