by Dave on November 5, 2008
If you want a certain method of keeping your audience hooked during your Best Man speech then provide the unexpected. No matter how good the rest of your speech it is the unexpected that will make your speech so memorable and enjoyable for all. Think about it, if you go to say a U2 concert and Bruce Springsteen comes out for a surprise duet with Bono, it is more than likely that that is what you will be talking about afterwards rather than the rest of the show. Now while both The Boss and Bono are probably beyond the wedding budget, let us look at 3 other ways of providing the unexpected.
- Have a song interrupt your speech - arrange with either the DJ or the venue to play a certain song out loud for a few seconds at a section of your speech. If for example, you are poking fun at the Groom because he can be a bit “careful” with his money, arrange for a few seconds of the song “Money’s Too Tight Too Mention” to be played.
- Use props- props can bring your speech to life and invigorate the audience. If you haven’t already done so read this post about the magic of props.
- Write a short poem- whilst poems are not totally unexpected at weddings they rarely come from the Best Man. It doesn’t have to be long 6 to 8 short lines in limerick-style will suffice, definitely worth the effort as they are always a big hit with guests. This post will help you; How To Write A Poem For A Best Man Speech.
Best Man jokes are vital to all Best Man speeches but the ability to provide the unexpected can ensure that your speech is an unforgettable one. The wedding guests will be sure to enjoy the speech, and you will too, which means a win/win situation for everyone.
by Dave on October 31, 2008
Humor, as we know, is the trademark of a successful Best Man speech, you have hopefully,by now, read my previous post on The Top 20 Best Man Jokes, so humor will not be a difficulty for you, however another lighthearted method of providing laughter in your Best Man speech is to include a short section ” I Knew The Groom was in Love When..” then include some of the lines below;
..when he bought his own cologne instead of borrowing mine all the time.
..when he went on a diet and actually kept to it this time around.
..when he asked me if I knew where the finest jewelry store was.
..when he evolved into a smiling, happy, carefree person, rather than the grumpy guy I knew so well.
..when he traded nights out in the pub for romantic candlelit dinners.
You could finish this portion of your speech with a nice compliment about the Bride like “it is easy to see why John fell in love with Sarah, as she is a gorgeous person not too mention being a stunning beautiful lady.”
As ever it is vital not to offend so keep your comments good-natured and include a compliment to the Bride, you can then relax, secure in the knowledge that your Best Man speech will live long in the memory.
by Dave on October 28, 2008
Using song lyrics from famous songs is a popular method of adding content to your Best Man speech, particularly if the Groom is a fan of music. Typically there are 3 instances in your speech where this works well;
When you are complimenting the Bride;
example-Even Eric Clapton’s classic wedding song “Wonderful Tonight” fails to accurately describe the Bride tonight as she doesn’t just look wonderful, she is perfection personified.
When you are poking fun at the Groom;
example-John looks great in his tuxedo today but back in the 1980’s his fashion-sense was not so great, it can be best described in the title of one of the biggest songs of the era “Dude Looks Like A Lady” by Aerosmith
When you are commenting on the wedding day itself;
example-in closing my speech I would like to echo the words of Lou Reed “it’s been a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you.”
In between the jokes and the compliments insert a one-liner or two relating to songs and the applause you hear afterwards will be music to your ears.
by Dave on October 22, 2008
In a previous post we looked at Top 5 Topics to Avoid in a Best Man Speech so it is only proper that we balance things up and examine topics that would be suitable for a Best Man speech. Some topics may be more suitable than others, depending on how long you know the Groom, but you will usually find that a successful Best Man speech includes short stories, anecdotes, jokes or one-liners based on some of the following topics;
Your relationship to the Groom- discuss how you met, how many years you have been best friends and what his friendship means to you.
The Groom’s sporting ability- say a few sincere lines about his sporting skills, discuss how he takes sport very seriously, then reveal a prop of a toy wrestling belt, certain to have the Groom squirming.
His college years, or years of study- another opportunity for a prop, announce that you have an old school-report dig deep in your pockets, reveal a tattered brown envelope, and say “the report reads he has hit rock bottom, and started to dig.”
His employment history- don’t offend the Groom’s current employers as some of them may be at the wedding, maybe say something good-natured like ” The Groom’s work colleagues were telling me that they call him God, because he is hardly every seen and it is a miracle if any work gets done.”
The impact the Bride has had on him- expand on the positive influence the Bride has had on the Groom, discuss how happy he is, how happy you are for him and how they make the ideal couple .
Your Best Man speech should include a couple of Best Man jokes and include some funny faxes,which often provide the biggest laugh of the day, though do bear in mind that sincerity is a vital cog in a Best Man speech so ensure your speech treads a fine line between humor and sincerity.
