One of the main priorities of a best man speech is to entertain everyone who has the pleasure of being at the wedding. If you are successful then the rewards of the crescendo of applause coupled with a possible standing ovation will be memories that will last with you for a lifetime. 

Giving a best man speech that entertains through a mixture of wit, nostalgia and creativity is difficult. These 5 steps will help you give great best man speeches that not only entertain but will have guests congratulating you throughout the day and as best man that is a feeling that cannot be bettered.

1) Never underestimate the value of some great icebreakers for best man speeches.

Getting off to a good start is not just important, it is essential if you want to hook the audience from the beginning. You will most likely be fraught with nerves at the start of your speech but a warm reception to your opening lines will build up your confidence. Choose your icebreaker with care and then continue your speech in a positive mood.

2) You can be funny without causing humiliation.

Humor plays a key part in all best man speeches but this can be achieved without causing humiliation for anyone. The groom will expect best man jokes and funny stories at his expense, just make sure that they don’t go over the top. Inappropriate remarks might humiliate the bride and that is something that you cannot afford to happen so be funny without being humiliating, it is best for everyone’s sake.

3) Ensure you speak for the right length of time.

A common mistake made by best men is to either speak for too short a period of time leaving guests to believe that a lack of preparation was put into the speech. On the other hand speak for far too long and you will lose the attention of the wedding guests. An earlier post on the correct length of a best man speech will help you get the time right.

4) Save a section of your best man speech for sincere comments.

Aside from offering praise to the bride and various other members of the wedding party, tell a loving story about the happy couple.  While many in attendance will be listening to your speech for jokes and humor, there will also be a large group who are more interested in stories about the love the bride and groom have for each other.  Do not disappoint, tell a brief story that leaves nobody in any doubt about how happy the newlyweds are.

5) Finish with a great best man toast suitable for an entertaining best man speech.

The final act of your best man speech will be to deliver an uplifting best man toast. Bear in mind that a great toast can be the difference between a good speech and an outstanding best man speech, so spend time on selecting a toast that best suits your wedding.

Chances are you will only be a best man once in your life so embrace the occasion. Spend time rehearsing your speech and then deliver an entertaining best man speech that will leave the wedding party beaming with delight and you overjoyed at the reception you receive.

Short best man speeches have been a favorite of best men throughout the years for a number of reasons but just like any speech, for maximum impact you need to know the right things to say in order for them to be a success. 

There are a number of things that need to be said in a short best man speech and they are listed below.

1. Open with an attention-grabbing icebreaker for short best man speeches.

2. Continue with some welcoming remarks for the wedding guests.

3. Be sure to include flattering comments about the bride.

4. Tell a few funny Best man jokes.

5. Share a funny best man story about the groom.

6. Talk about the groom’s qualities.

7. Include some complimentary remarks about the bridesmaids.

8. Refer to the reasons that the bride and groom are perfect for each other.

9. Thank the bride and groom for choosing you to be best man on their special day.

10. Offer a great short best man toast to wish the bride and groom all the best for a happy life together.

By giving short best man speeches, best men can rehearse their speech to better effect as they have less material to remember with the upshot being a more confident best man providing the guests with an entertaining best man speech before taking delight in the ovation that follows.

Once the honor of being Best Man has been bestowed upon you, your heart will probably flutter at the thought of delivering the Best Man speech. The agony of trying to captivate the wedding guests with a sensational Best Man speech for up to 5 minutes will cause many sleepless nights unless action is taken on your part to ensure you are fully prepared to give an outstanding Best Man speech.

Knowing the popular topics for a Best Man speech will be a starting point for you to write your speech or perhaps take the easier option of buying some ready-made funny Best Man speeches and automatically feel the weight lifted off your shoulders.

The Best Man’s speech is, for most people, the most anticipated of all the wedding speeches so embarrassing yourself is not an option, so make sure you are aware of the top 10 Best Man don’ts to avoid making mistakes during your toast.

You should be aware of the format of a Best Man speech and given that humor plays an integral part in Best Man speeches, be sure to include a funny wedding joke or two in your speech. Aside from humor another great way to have the audience eating out of the palm of your hand (metaphorically speaking of course) is to praise often throughout your toast. Apart from the Bride and Groom, flattering comments should also be reserved for the Bridesmaids, Maid Of Honor, and the newlywed’s families amongst others. Be sure to spend a minute talking about the love the Bride and Groom share, how they make such a great couple, and mention the positive impact the Bride has had on the Groom since meeting her.

Apart from everything else it is important that you enjoy your time as Best Man, the Bachelor Party will be a fun event and I am sure you will have a few nights out with the Groom and your buddies before the day of the wedding. The Best Man speech will be the culmination of a memorable time for you so don’t spent the joyful months in the build-up to the wedding exasperated with worry over the speech. One final post that I advise reading is the top 5 items the Best Man should have with him on the wedding day to ensure no last minute hiccups on the morning of the wedding.