best man speech lines for the bride

Rock Your Best Man Speech Using Our Expert-Approved Advice

• Chapelle writes articles for The Knot Worldwide. She covers all things wedding-related and has a personal interest in covering celebrity engagements and fashion.
• Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Chapelle was an editorial intern for Subvrt Magazine.
• Chapelle has a degree in English writing from Loyola University New Orleans.

Pat yourself on the back—you're the best man. It's a good feeling when one of your loved ones asks you to be their right hand for the wedding. Beyond the fun best man duties , like planning an epic bach party , you'll have to give a rousing best man speech. We believe it's arguably the most meaningful duty, but don't let that get you nervous. Whether you're a public speaking pro or have only delivered speeches while on the eighth-grade debate team, boost your chances of making your best man speech a hit by using our helpful tips, ideas and examples for inspiration.

In this article:

Printable Template | How to Write | Examples | Tips | FAQs

Printable Best Man Speech Template

Delivering a best man wedding speech doesn't have to feel like a chore. Use the template below as a checklist while you're writing your best man speech.

How to Write a Best Man Speech Outline

We're guessing the thought of crafting a flawless best man speech from scratch feels pretty overwhelming right about now. Start by drafting a bare-bones outline (trust us, drawing up a rough outline is way more palatable than writing a fully fleshed-out speech). You don't need to include every element in your wedding speech . Instead, customize it to fit the couple, the event and your relationship with the groom.

1. Have a killer opening line.

Successful best man speeches always start with a good opener. Introduce yourself and explain your connection to the happy couple. Have fun with this part by sharing a quick joke or quoting a poem so your speech doesn't start off stale. For example, "Hello everyone! For those of you who don't know me, thank you so much for coming to my wedding. [pause for laughter] Sorry about that...I'm a little nervous."

2. Thank the other speakers.

Once you address the audience, give props to the previous speaker to help lead into your speech. If you know your speech has a sillier sentiment, now's your chance to warn your audience in the change of direction. Here's an example: "Let's give it up to the amazing speech given by the wonderful maid of honor . If you enjoyed how thoughtful and sweet her speech was, you better get the tissues ready for this one!"

Next, express your gratitude to the couple's parents. Thank the couples' parents for not only raising incredible adults and, if they helped pay for the wedding, for hosting such a great party. Here's an example: "I'd like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to the couples' parents for raising such amazing people, who I'm fortunate to call my best friends. I would also like to thank their parents for hosting such an awesome celebration for all of us to enjoy this evening."

3. Say a few words about your friend's new spouse.

Another writing a best man speech tip is always to give a special shoutout to the new spouse so they feel welcomed and included. Yes, we know you most likely have a closer relationship with the groom, but don't let that stop you from showering them with kind words––it's their big day too. Talk about the qualities you like about them and why you love them in the groom's life. Try this, "I'm so happy [Spouse's Name] fell in love with [Groom's Name]. Firsthand I've seen the grace, intelligence and confidence [Spouse's Name] has, which explains why [Groom's Name] knew he wanted to marry [Spouse's Name] after their first date."

4. Share personal stories.

What's going to make your best man speech stand out are personal stories. We suggest adding one or two anecdotes, like your favorite memories with the groom (and their partner, if you want). Avoid choosing a story that rambles on and has no sentimental or funny ending—keep it lighthearted and short. Here's a silly example, "I remember when we first met in first grade. [Groom's Name] had just glued his hand to his face but still used his free one to shake my hand and ask if I wanted to be his friend."

5. Talk about the couple's relationship.

This is the time to speak about why the groom and their new spouse are a great couple. Share how they first met and how their relationship has grown so other guests can get a better insight into the newlyweds. If you helped the love birds meet, say something like this in your best man speech: "I know I said earlier I'm the best man, but I lied. I'm actually Cupid because I'm the one who introduced these two eight years ago."

6. Propose a toast.

Finally, close out your best man speech with a heartfelt toast. Ask everyone to raise a glass and provide well wishes to the newly married couple. Steal this wedding toast : "Everyone, please join me in raising a glass to such a wonderful couple. I wish you a lifetime of peace, love and happiness. Love you guys!"

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Best man speech examples.

Now that you know how to write the outline, let us provide you with some inspiration. Here are four best man speech ideas for every type of delivery.

Short Best Man Speech Example

Short best man speeches can make the grade just as much as long ones. Try this short but sweet example.

As the poet, Dante once said, 'A great flame follows a little spark.' When [Groom's Name] met [Spouse's Name], there was a little spark. I know because I talked to him the next day.

From the way he talked about [Spouse's Name], this stranger he chatted up at a Halloween party, I could tell this spark was something special.

You two are fantastic together. May the flame burn long, and may sparks continue to fly. Cheers to the newlyweds!

Funny Best Man Speech Example

Funny best man speeches are our favorite. You get to show off your comedic skills while giving loving well-wishes to the happy couple.

Hello! For those who don't know me, I'm [Your Name], the best man. I've known [Groom's Name] since middle school, which means that it was before we learned mullets weren't a good look for either of us.

[Groom's Name] and [Spouse's Name] told me there are some topics I should avoid in this speech so…[Look through cue cards, then shake head and dramatically drop them all to the floor but one.]

[Reading from the remaining cue card] [Groom's Name] is really the best friend I've ever had. He's done so many wonderful things it would be difficult to name them all. Hey, [a Groomsman's Name], I can't read your handwriting here!

But seriously, it's all true. This guy is a great friend, the best I've got, and I'm very proud to stand by his side today.

[Spouse's Name], I was hoping to be the best-looking person in the room today but obviously, I failed miserably. You look beautiful and radiant. I'm beyond happy for the two of you.

May you always find joy in the little things, like your Xbox and 'Star Wars.' Oh wait, that's my personal goal. You should actually find joy in each other, and do everything you can to have a lifetime of happiness together. Let's toast the newlyweds!

Best Man Speech for Brother Example

Need best man speech examples for your brother? Use our speech below as a guide to delivering a sweet message to your older or younger brother.

On my fourth birthday, my parents got me a brother…I wanted a puppy.

But seriously, as a kid [Groom's Name] wanted to do everything I did. He used to follow me around. He used to sneak into my room and play with my Matchbox cars. Our parents could get him to eat his broccoli by making me eat my broccoli.

It wasn't until after I went to college that he started going down his own path. He started doing volunteer work. He found a job he loves, a pretty killer apartment and, of course, he found [Spouse's Name].

[Spouse's Name], you're the nicest person I've ever met, and my brother is so blessed to have someone like you in his life. Thank you for being there for him.

I'm so happy you two found each other especially because I'm gaining a sister today. Oh, and I want to set the record straight. I'm glad I didn't get a puppy that day. I love you, little bro.

Congratulations to both of you. I wish you lots of laughter, love and joy as a married couple. Cheers to the newlyweds!

Best Man Speech for Best Friend Example

For those who need a best man speech sample for their best friend, we got you covered. Here's how to tell your BFF you're happy for them on their special day.

Good evening, everyone! I'm [Your Name], and I'm extremely honored to call myself [Groom's Name]'s best man. Also, please excuse the puffiness under my eyes, I've been happy crying since before the ceremony.

I first met [Groom's Name] while working at a pizza joint called Domenica's while in college. I hated being a server with all my heart, but whenever [Groom's Name] and I were scheduled together, it made it so much more bearable.

We laughed until we cried, ate hundreds of garlic knots and I can't tell you the amount of times we accidentally got pizza dough stuck to the ceiling during our pizza toss competitions. But even after we both quit and moved on to bigger and better things, we still kept in touch and I'm eternally grateful.

One of those bigger and better things was [Spouse's Name]. [Groom's Name] really discovered the perfect piece to his puzzle. [Spouse's Name] laughs at his bad jokes, listens to his long monologues about Batman vs. Superman and most importantly, loves him no matter what. [Spouse's Name] is a phenomenal and caring person who deserves the world, and I know [Groom's Name] will do everything he can to give it to them.

Thank you both for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful wedding, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for you in the future. Love you guys, and cheers to the handsome couple!

Best Man Speech Tips

Good news! We got how to give a best man speech tips from Dominic Bliss, wedding writer and author of Being the Best Man for Dummies. Study up on these helpful pointers below to minimize pre-speech jitters and ensure a smooth delivery.

Plan ahead.

The first tip in our guide on how to write a best man speech is to get started in advance. (As in, do not procrastinate.) "Start writing a best man speech at least two months before the wedding," Bliss says. "As the wedding nears, there are lots of events—suit fittings and a coed shower, perhaps—that could distract you from getting your writing done." Brainstorm and write down any stories, jokes or best man speech quotes you want to include. The more time you have to prepare your best man speech, the better. This way, you'll be able to be fully present at upcoming wedding festivities.

Be genuine.

Whether the wedding guests are strangers or family, it can feel nerve-racking to deliver your best man speech with all eyes on you. To ease the awkwardness, provide anecdotes and stories about your relationship with the couple. Everyone loves a bit of nostalgia, and the guests get to know you better.

With that said, stay true to how you normally act while making your speech. There's no need for you to change who you are for some made-up public speaking persona. If you feel more comfortable cracking jokes throughout your speech, do it. If you are better at being sentimental and don't mind leaving everyone misty-eyed, take that approach. Remember, the couple chose you to speak at their wedding because they felt you could add something special to their big day. As long as you deliver a heartfelt speech, the newlyweds and guests will love it.

Know what topics to avoid.

There are a few topics to omit from the best man speech. No matter how funny you (and even the groom) might think they are, someone is bound to be offended or put off if you mention:

• Negativity about marriage in general.
• Past relationships.
• Previous marriages/divorces.
• Drinking, drugs, gambling.
• "Adult" humor or any other mention of sex.

After all, your best man speech should celebrate the newlywed couple and their love rather than causing future friction. Keep it PG.

Consider adding jokes.

If you want to deliver a funny best man speech, consider poking some fun at the groom. "Every groom will have some funny characteristic or quirk you can ridicule," Bliss notes. "As long as it's something everyone can appreciate, it's sure to get a laugh. Avoid obscure references or inside jokes. You want older guests and those who don't know him well to see the funny side too." Be strategic about your jokes too. You can make jokes about the groom but leave their new spouse alone.

Write it down.

Even those with a great memory will feel more confident with a written speech or at least a few bullet points to keep them on track. Nerves can mess with your memory, so don't think you're a failure if you have to bring notes with you. (Even CEOs do this at corporate events.) Bliss suggests using small note cards instead of a sheet of paper since they "won't flap around."

And yes we know many groomsmen will want to read off their cell phones out of convenience, but wedding planners recommend against it. The lighting from your phone screen can ruin the wedding photographer's photos and can be distracting to guests. Practice writing down your speech instead—it's quite soothing.

Practice with an audience.

This tip is a must when it comes to writing a best man speech. Even if you think you have this whole thing in the bag, practice delivering your wedding speech aloud at least three times. When you're by yourself, take a video and watch the playback to get a feel for how your speech is going. (Do you say "um" between every sentence? Are your gestures a little robotic?) If your friends can't offer critiques in person, "send [the video] to a close friend who won't be going to the wedding and who can give you honest feedback," Bliss recommends.

Finally: don't mumble. A great best man speech becomes boring if it's monotonous or guests are straining to hear you. Speak confidently and slowly.

Best Man Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time giving a best man speech, you might have a lot of questions. Here are answers to the top wedding speech inquiries.

How Long Should a Best Man Speech Be?

In general, the best man speech length should be at least three minutes, but no more than five minutes. This is enough time to say something meaningful before guests get too antsy. Of course, you should adjust your speech length to the event. If you're speaking at a last-minute wedding, it might require a brief speech, while a formal affair could call for a longer toast. But you might also be wondering, "how many words should a best man speech be?" We suggest between 700 to 1000 words.

How to Start a Best Man Speech

Begin your speech by addressing the audience and thanking them for attending the wedding. Here's an example, "Hello, everyone. On behalf of the newlyweds, I want to thank everyone for attending this amazing celebration." You can even butter up the crowd by saying how lovely everyone looks this evening. Then, introduce yourself and how you know the groom or couple. This is a great opportunity to add a funny story or memory you have with them that can lead you into the rest of your speech.

How to End a Best Man Speech

Raise your glass and offer a toast wishing the couple a lifetime of happiness, excellent health and success. Your toast can include one final joke or be a marriage quote from your and the groom's favorite movie. Either way, take this chance to sincerely express the newlyweds well. Remember, concluding the speech is the easiest part.

Does the Best Man Have to Give a Speech?

It's not required, but it's expected that the best man gives a speech—especially if the other honor attendants are giving one. If speaking in public makes your stomach turn, consider showing your appreciation for the couple in a different way. We've seen best men do upbeat choreography, sing the couple's favorite song or even present a wedding video they made.

When Does the Best Man Give His Speech?

Following the traditional wedding speech order , the best man speaks after the maid of honor and is the last speech during the reception. There's no need to use this itinerary since the speech order depends on your reception timeline and wedding party size. The to-be-weds might even ask you to deliver your speech during the rehearsal dinner, which most likely will be in front of a smaller audience (score!). Before the wedding and during, double-check with the couple to ensure you know when to give your best man speech so no one has to hunt you down when it's your turn.

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In This Article

• Top Speech Examples
• How To Write The Perfect Speech
• Speech Template

Best Man Speech Ideas

• Opening Lines
• Toasts Examples
• Speech Jokes
• Speech Delivery Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

• Wedding Party & Reception

Best Man Speech Magic: Crafting Words that Resonate and Inspire

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Hey there! Your friend’s wedding is just around the corner, and he’s chosen you to be the best man? Crafting the perfect best man speech might seem daunting, but trust us, it’s simpler than you imagine.

Below, you’ll find a wealth of tips and examples from Wedding Forward team to guide you through crafting a best man speech that will leave a lasting impression. Moreover, our editorial team interviewed two distinguished experts in the field: Mindy Weiss, the founder of Mindy Weiss Party Consultants and a best-selling author, and Steven Greitzer, a wedding tech entrepreneur and officiant, serving as CEO of Provenance . Their invaluable tips and advice also have been integrated into this article.

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Top Best Man Speech Examples

It is much easier to write a best man speech when you have some examples to draw upon for inspiration. That’s why Wedding Forward team have prepared variety collection of inspired best man speech to help you craft your own!

Best Man Speech For Friend

Best Man Speech for Brother

“Good evening, hope everyone is having a good time tonight. I feel very privileged and honored to be standing here tonight celebrating this lovely union. Two years ago, Matt gave the best man speech at my wedding and made a lot of awkward jokes. So needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a really long time! For those who don’t know, I am Matt’s brother, Mike. I first met Matt when I was two years old at our parent’s house in Boston. To be quite honest, I wasn’t thrilled because I really wanted a sister. And I think he knew because Matt would do ridiculous things like throw my toothbrush in the toilet, pour water at me when I was asleep and run across the room naked when I had any friends over. This made me less popular than I already was. Matt always excelled in school, was captain of the debate team (apologies to Cara, but he can argue his way out of anything!) and can make a mean steak. The truth is, despite him being an annoying brother at the time, I came out winning in the end. Because of him and this beautiful night, I am getting the sister I always wanted. Cara, you’re beautiful and our family loves you so much. Thank you for making my brother so happy. Let’s celebrate this amazing union and raise a glass to the newlyweds ! On behalf of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, we’d like to wish you a life full of love, happiness, and joy. To everyone who made tonight happen, thank you. You’ve made this night very special.” Source

Short Best Man Speech

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please? As the best man, I stand here today to say a few words about the remarkable love story between my incredible friend, [groom’s name], and his beautiful bride, [bride’s name]. [Groom’s name] and I have been through thick and thin together, and I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his growth as a person. But it wasn’t until [bride’s name] came into his life that I saw a change I can only describe as transformative. Their love is like a beacon, guiding them through life’s ups and downs. So here’s to the newlyweds—a couple who have found not just love, but true companionship. May your journey be filled with happiness, passion, and an everlasting bond.”

Funny Best Man Speech Examples

Best man talk for adam and kate.

“Adam and Kate – What a great day to get married! Marriage carries new responsibilities. Kate – from now on, you should never argue or disagree with Adam, because he is now the head of the family and the king of his castle. You will be expected to keep your hair and make-up perfect at all times – to dress in a way that pleases Adam. You should cook his favorite meals every night and encourage him to go out with his friends on a regular basis. Do these simple things and your marriage will be blessed with many years of happiness. Kate – I know that Adam loves you very much… because he spent a long time writing this speech for me. Congratulations to the both of you!” Source

Best Man Presentation for Sarah & Simon

“Sarah & Simon – every great relationship starts with rings. In the beginning, the phone would ring and just the thought of speaking to one another was exciting. Your love grew and so did your commitment to each other. The engagement ring soon came after. There were no doubts… your love was true. The engagement ring has now turned into a wedding ring and we are all here today to celebrate your marriage. Now of course… the suffer-ring begins. (smile and raise your glass) Peace and happiness to the new bride and groom!” Source

Speech for Neil and Claire

“Hi my name is Paul and Neil has asked me to be his best man for this wonderful occasion. I would like to say it is a very special honor but with it, comes the responsibility of giving the bloody speech. I would not say it is very comfortable to wear a tuxedo in a 30-degree church, which is not air-conditioned. The church ceremony I’m sure you’ll all agree was a wonderful, wonderful occasion. Maybe a little hot, but I’m glad to see so many of you have replaced your electrolytes with fuel of the alcoholic kind since the reception began. I have known Neil and Claire for_________ [how many years] years. You might say Neil and I met by accident, but it is no accident that Neil met Claire. If you know Neil you know he is an excellent athlete, in fact I noticed his Athletes foot right away. This was a man who had his knees and ankles shaved, for easy taping. I knew this was a hard-core sports fanatic. We both share a tremendous love of football and basketball. For many years, we have had a running bet during the season as to who will score more goals or more runs which of course, I always won. Neil is a ______________ [Groom’s Occupation] in Truro, and I thought__________________________________[Funny or quirky aspect about grooms occupation] Neil is a man who has dedicated his life to __________________[Grooms occupation] And now I’m sure will use his experience with ___________________________[what the Groom does in his occupation] in his marriage with Claire. It is great that Neil found Claire. He has always been looking for someone young, dynamic, intelligent, attractive, and with good health insurance. Neil and Claire met_________________________ [where they meet], But I have it on good authority that Neil started looking for a wife on the internet. And with a multitude of resources at his fingertips, he found some really great stuff, but sadly was unable to find himself a suitable partner. That is, until I mentioned to him that the correct category to be looking should be Woman Seeking Man. I explained the way it works, send an old picture when you still had lots of hair, lie about your height and weight, and at all other times be sincere and honest. I imagine that when Neil and Claire met and introduced each other he said I’m Neil and she said, “I need a Diamond.” So, Neil said, sure let’s pick one out. Claire is a Diamond. Neil is a gem; I think together they make beautiful jewellery. No Marriage would be complete without some brotherly advice to help set you on your way… So I canvassed the room and got some really good stuff for you! Love, honor and cherish each other, and don’t forget to take out the garbage. Your wife is always right. Just in case she is not right, refer back to #2. Always, yes always, notice every new hairstyle or dress. Do something nice for each other every single day. If she asks if something makes her look fat the answer is categorically, NO. Flowers are always a good Idea, even if you are not in trouble. There is really nothing better than a good foot rub or massage. Your wife is more important than sports. I guess. Even the cup final. It is a great joy for me to see Neil and Claire so happy. You learn things when you get older. Hmmm, I mean more mature. You make better decisions, isn’t it great that two people would entwine and commit to each other for life. Love, isn’t that what it is all about? We are here to celebrate that glorious event and this ceremony is all about letting the world know how much Neil and Claire’s love for each other is a reflection of one’s own soul in another’s. Anyway, it is time to celebrate the joyous and unbridled love that these two spectacular people will share the rest of their lives. Would you please stand now and join me in a toast. To love and laughter and happily ever after.” Source

What are the key elements that should be included in a memorable and heartfelt best man’s speech?

That is what Steven Greitzer, wedding tech entrepreneur and officiant, CEO of Provenance, said:

“There are many key elements to take into account when pulling together a great toast:

• Include 2-3 stories in your speech that capture the essence of the groom and your friendship.
• Make sure your speech is appropriate by discussing “no-go’s” with the couple beforehand.
• Acknowledge the groom’s partner in your speech and speak about how the relationship has helped the groom grow (more on that below).
• Offer a thematic takeaway, such as the importance of friendship or the strength of the couple’s love.
• Be sure to practice

The Provenance Toast Builder is the best and easiest way to make sure your wedding toast captures what you’re trying to say.”

Try the Toast Builder

How to Write a Best Man Speech

For a great wedding speech, there are some simple rules you have to follow. Here you will find examples of best man speeches Dos and Don’ts from our editors.

• Plan your speech ahead (think about your best man speech structure, choose formal or funny style) and practice.
• Tell a short story ( keep the speech to about 5 minutes or less ) with jokes (2 or 3 will be enough).
• Get sentimental at some point, make compliments to the bride.
• Finish on an optimistic note (end your speech with love quotes or wishes for the happy couple).
• Be thankful (express gratitude towards the couple, their family, and anyone who helped make the wedding happen).

Don’ts

• Do not cross the 2-5 mins time limit.
• Do not make it about you.
• Avoid dirty jokes.
• Do not ignore the bride. Let her know how happy you are, that she is ending up with your friend.
• Avoid rude remarks. Keep your manners in check, even if it’s for a day.

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Best Man Speech Templates

Click here to download free printable templates of best man speech!

When creating the Best Man speech outline for your talk, include the following elements to involve everyone, making one and all feel that they are important participants in the merrymaking for the newlywed couple:

Use a Magnetic Opening Line

The opening words of your Best Man presentation should grab everyone’s attention. If you favor a romantic approach to start off a speech, you can start with a statement like, “True love wins all,” and then list the various ways the Groom, through his true love for his Bride, has won all her attention and affections.

• If some of the Groom’s favorite hip singer-songwriters date back to the 1960s and ’70s, you can quote from Bob Dylan: “ Love is just a four-letter word ,” going on to mention the many words of just four letters that relate to feelings of true love like “ kiss, hold, keep and ever. ” Be intent and clever with the use of language, and you will achieve better engagement with your audience.
• If your tastes (or the tastes of the newlyweds) are somewhat more classical, you can start by quoting the familiar line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “ How do I love thee, Let me count the ways. ” This popular line has been repeated in many variations by countless poets and songwriters ever since, so have no fear of labeling yourself as an egghead when quoting it. This opening line will also give you a chance to mention the main virtues and attributes of the Bride.

Thank the Other Speakers

It is always appropriate and appreciated if you thank the other speakers for the occasion. These speakers usually include the Maid of Honor and the Bride’s Father as well as any other members of the wedding party that the Bride and Groom ask to speak.

It is always good form to express your gratitude for their contributions to this special moment and event. Never criticize or make jokes about what they say or how they say it. Just thank them politely and continue with your own remarks since you know very well how to write a best-man speech.

Congratulate the Newlyweds

Congratulate the wedding couple on this exciting first chapter in their lives together. This is the ideal time to tell the guests how you met your great friend, the Groom. If you happen to be the Groom’s brother or cousin, you can recreate moments of hilarity from your younger years together or shared experiences of suspense or intrigue.

Recalling funny incidents or telling best man speech jokes involving the Groom is totally acceptable, so long as you keep the format and content clean and respectable.

Expert tip from Steven Greitzer:

“A great best man speech strikes the perfect balance of humor and sincerity. You want it to be memorable, but for the right reasons. Check with the couple to see if there are any topics you need to avoid or any topics that might be of particular concern to anyone in the audience. In the Provenance Toast Builder , the couple has the option to call out any topic they do, or don’t, want you to include. If you have any jokes in your speech you are unsure about, run them by someone who is close to the couple who you trust. And if you have a feeling that a joke might upset them or not land well with the audience – err on the side of caution. It’s their big day, not yours! There’s a way to have a funny best man speech that doesn’t upset grandma. Find the balance.”

Compliment the Bride

Now it is time to pull out the stops and give high praise to the Bride using your knowledge of how to write a best man talk. Highlight and emphasize her finest qualities, talents, and accomplishments.

Let them know just how overjoyed you are to celebrate the marriage of these two special people of whom you think so highly. Then give the Bride another charming compliment using top-quality speech writing tips.

Read Messages from Absent Guests

Take time to read some messages from invited guests who could not attend the wedding. This gesture is always appreciated by the absent guests and the Bride and Groom, alike. It also includes their congratulatory thoughts and best wishes for the newlyweds in the day’s special events.

Include a Famous Quote or Poem

Enchant your attentive audience of wedding guests further by reciting a well-known quote or poem that suits the occasion. This adds a creative literary element to the post-wedding celebration for the honored couple. You may want to consult other templates, including a listing of groomsman speech examples.

Best Man Speech Quotes

Choose Best Man speech quotes that reflect the couple’s personality, add humor, and keep them relevant.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop. H. L. Mencken

Marriage is a workshop where husband works and wife shops.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Mignon McLaughlin

Propose a Toast to the Wedding Couple

Raise your glass of champagne so the guests can eagerly follow your example as you deliver a heartfelt toast of optimistic good wishes for the excellent health, increasing wealth, and everlasting happiness of the newlyweds.

The toast should be given with gusto and true sincerity and may include mild best-man speech jokes. Remember that you speak for all the well-wishers in the room who want all the best for this newly married Bride and Groom, so put your best energy, spirit, and talents for convincing elocution into this featured Grand Finale.

The “Thankful” Speech

“Hello everyone, it’s such a pleasure to be here tonight as [Groom’s] best man. And I want to begin with saying what an honor it is that I was chosen to stand by your side today. You’ve always been someone that I looked up to and I am just beyond grateful that I get to share in this moment with you and [Bride]. [Groom] is someone that I’ve come to care for greatly over the years and I am so happy that he’s found someone to share his life with and start a family with. [Groom] has always been my right hand throughout the biggest moments of my life and I can’t wait to be able to watch everything beautiful unfold for the two of you. Cheers to a lifetime of happiness!”

The “Smart Move” Speech

“There’s an old saying about friendship that reads, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them,” and goodness that couldn’t be more true for me and my boy, [Groom]. I could go into all the funny stories that include some of that stupidity but instead I’d rather focus on all the smart moves he’s made. His friendships, the relationship he has with his family, his career, it’s all a reflection of the incredible man he’s become. But really, the smartest move he’s made is marrying you, [Bride]. Let’s toast to the best decision [Groom’s] ever made. I wish you a lifetime of love, happiness and success.”

The “She Was the One” Speech

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming out tonight to celebrate the wedding of two people we all love, [Bride] & [Groom]! When I first met [Bride], I knew that she was the woman [Groom] would end up marrying. Even if it hadn’t dawned on him quite yet, it was obvious to everyone around just how smitten he was with her. They talk about a bride’s glow, but this man was shining since the moment he met [Bride]. He changed for the better without realizing it. And we all could see it. He couldn’t stop talking about her. We’d go out with the boys and [Bride’s] name would be brought up every two minutes. So, when he came to me to tell me that he would be proposing my only response was, ‘Well, it’s about time!’ There’s something special about these two. They go together without forcing it. They love each other without fighting it. And they care about each other without thinking about it. She was the one from the very beginning [Groom], and we’re all so happy to be able to take part in your big day. Cheers!”

Best Man Speech Opening Lines

Your opening lines are your best-man speech icebreakers, so it’s important that they are good. Grab the attention of your guests with witty best man speech openers such as these.

• “I would like to begin by congratulating the groom on his excellent taste in best men. He has really outdone himself this time, and I’m pleased.”
• “I have been asked by the bride and groom not to share any embarrassing stories, crude jokes, or pranks during my best man’s speech… so I guess that’ll be it from me! Thank you all for listening.”
• “If you cannot hear me at the back, nothing to worry about. By the complete silence in the front row here, you can rest assured that you’re really not missing much.”
• “Is anyone here this afternoon feeling nervous and queasy at the thought of what lies ahead? If you are, it’s probably because you’ve just married (groom’s name).”
• “All of you here who really know the bride must know that she is a wonderful person who deserves a good husband. Thank goodness (groom’s name) married her before she found one.”

Best Man Speech One-Liners

I am about to make the groom cry. I just received the food bill.

He is smart, tall, kind, generous….. Who am I actually talking about?

Hi, the groom is a great friend. Our friendship is 2hours old. I was hired as he’s got no friends.

His colleagues describe him as a first-class banker – I may have misheard them.

I heard some time that marriage is a 50/50 affair. Believe that at your own peril. We have factors called women and improper fractions.

One-liners are sharp jokes delivered in one sentence. A good one-liner is concise and meaningful. It is instant but loaded with humor that can keep the guests laughing for a while. It is important that the best man speech jokes contain one-liners.

Best Man Toasts Examples

“It’s been an emotional day, even the cake is in tiers.”

“Folks, I have been told I am not allowed to have a drink until AFTER my speech. If I seem like I’m in a hurry to finish, it’s because I am.”

“I hope the two of you have the two essential things it takes to have a successful marriage 1) a sense of humor 2) selective hearing.”

“Psychiatrists say that girls tend to marry men like their fathers. That must be why mothers cry at weddings.”

“Love is not about how often you say I love you, but how often you show that it’s true.”

Best Man Speech Jokes

“They say marriage is a journey, and tonight we celebrate the beginning of an epic road trip for the bride and groom. Just remember, guys, never forget to ask for directions!”

“They say the key to a successful marriage is patience, understanding, and a remote control with fresh batteries. Groom, make sure you always keep that remote handy!”

“Let’s raise our glasses to the newlyweds: may their love be like Wi-Fi, strong and never disconnecting, even in the midst of Netflix binges!”

“As the best man, it’s my duty to share a piece of advice with the groom: in marriage, always remember that a happy wife means a happy life… and also remember to nod and agree, even when she’s wrong!”

“Marriage is a lifelong commitment, just like the gym membership the groom signed up for and rarely uses. But this time, there are no cancellation fees!”

Best Man Speech Delivery and Presentation Tips

When delivering your best man speech, it’s essential to captivate the audience with your words and presence. Here are some tips to ensure a memorable and engaging delivery:

• Maintain good eye contact with the audience: Look directly at the guests while speaking. Eye contact helps establish a connection and shows that you are genuinely engaged with them.
• Speak clearly and at a moderate pace: Enunciate your words clearly and avoid rushing through your speech. Speaking at a moderate pace allows the audience to understand and absorb your message effectively.
• Use appropriate gestures and body language to enhance your delivery: Use hand gestures and body movements to emphasize key points and add energy to your speech. However, be mindful of not going overboard and distracting from your message.
• Incorporate pauses for comedic timing and to allow the audience to react: Timing is crucial, especially when delivering humorous anecdotes or punchlines. Pause before and after delivering a joke to build anticipation and give the audience time to laugh and react.

By implementing these delivery and presentation tips, you’ll engage the audience, leave a lasting impression, and make your best man speech a memorable highlight of the wedding celebration.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid, and how to overcome nervousness or stage fright?

According to wedding planner Mindy Weiss, “speeches can help make or break a wedding” . And we agree with this opinion. Speeches have the power to elevate the celebration, bringing tears of joy and laughter to guests, while also creating cherished memories that last a lifetime. However, poorly delivered speeches can disrupt the flow and energy of the event, leaving guests feeling disconnected and the couple disappointed.

Steven Greitzer convinced that one of the biggest mistakes is when the person giving the wedding speech only talks about the partner they’re closest with, unintentionally making the other partner feel left out and unimportant: “To help remedy this, the Provenance Toast Builder gives you the option to either talk about each partner 50/50, or to talk 70% about your person and 30% about their partner (which is a good rule of thumb). The Toast Builder also has thoughtful prompts to encourage you to share why they’re both 1) good people and 2) a great match for each other.

What is the best man supposed to say in his speech?

The best man should share anecdotes about the groom, praise the couple, thank everyone, and propose a toast. Keep it lighthearted and sincere.

What do you say in a short speech for Bestman?

In a short best man speech, express gratitude, share a memorable moment about the groom, and toast to the couple’s happiness. Keep it concise and impactful.

How do I write a good man speech?

Write a good best man speech by including humor, expressing genuine sentiments, avoiding inappropriate content, and keeping it focused on the couple. Practice for smooth delivery and timing.

There is truly something for everyone today to create the perfect Best Man Speech for that very special couple and their after-wedding reception, dinner, and celebration. Fond remembrances, amusing stories and anecdotes, humorous quotes, and emotional phrases end with the joyful ring of a clever, yet heartfelt Best Man Toast to the Bride and Groom. The contemporary wedding is truly a work of love and art with all the trimmings and enticing treats for one and all to treasure and enjoy.

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Best Man Speech: The Definitive Guide to Smashing it

by Catherine D July 12, 2019

Here’s all you need to deliver an incredible and unforgettable best man speech.

Congratulations!

You’ve just been awarded the highest honor a bro can receive.  You’re the best man! And that’s an honor greater than being knighted by the queen. But I’m sure you know what comes with it.

You’ll have to give that best man speech brosef!

Though, you won’t want to give just any speech off the top of your head that nobody is going to give a damn about.

Just remember what Uncle Ben said to Spidey, “With great power comes great responsibility”. It’s that serious, man.

You’ve probably seen best man speeches like this before. The guy stands up, hits the glass and says something, uninspired, about how he’s bros with the groom, congratulates the bride-to-be, and then sits down.

Or maybe you’ve seen another kind of speech, where the best man stands up and talks about nothing for 10+ minutes, putting you to sleep, because who even cares?

During a reception, there are about a million different things going on. People will forget the things that do not grab their attention, especially at a reception.

Everyone there is busy talking, eating, laughing, and will not care or even remember a boring speech in a few days. But not yours, my friend, you’re going to be the star of the day.

In this guide, we give you everything you need to know in sequence - from the writing process, all the way to delivering that wedding toast. Get your notepad ready for some very important tips on giving your wedding toast!

So How Do You Write the Best Man Speech?

The hardest part is always just getting started. Here are some basic tips on how to write a best man speech so that you can be prepared and dominate when the time comes.

Be Prepared and Plan Ahead

Practice makes perfect. Creating a fantastic speech doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’re going to wow the audience, you’ll need to make sure you’ve done everything you possibly can and covered every base - and man, that takes time.

Generally, 2-3 months is the right amount of time to give yourself when writing for a best man speech to account for the overall writing process and potential rewrites.

Considering all of the events that follow, like the bachelor party and the suit fitting, you’ll be too busy in those final moments to prepare a killer best man speech that’s even half decent.

Record Every Thought

You might be on the bus or in your car and think of an incredible quote or one-liner to say in your wedding toast, but our memories are very limited.

It’s difficult to remember what you even had for lunch two days ago, much less something you thought up some random time.

No matter where you are, record your thoughts. You could write in a journal, use your iPhone’s “Voice Memos” app or an app like Evernote . Scratch them onto a napkin, carve them into a stone near you, just get those wedding toast ideas down!

As long as you start capturing your thoughts, you’ll eventually reach a gold mine.

Think of this more as ‘capturing’ than ‘writing’. It’s easier to capture your raw best man speech ideas than banging your head on the wall trying to ‘write’ something from scratch.

Keep a Positive Tone

When it comes to the best man speech, the main thing to keep in mind is the goal of what you want to accomplish - celebrating the bride and groom. Here are some things to focus on:

• Your best experiences with the groom.
• How great a pair the bride and groom are.
• The best qualities of the groom.
• Possible first thoughts on the bride when they met (If they were good thoughts!)

Focus on the best of times, and further expand upon those points the best you can and maybe you can use those for a few wedding jokes!

With that in mind, here’s what not to say:

What Not to Talk About in Your Speech

While you may be writing to make your groom laugh, you need to remember your audience is diverse. You have children, elders, and teenagers so you wouldn’t want to write something inappropriate.

Generally, it’s best to avoid things like these:

• Any previous relationships.
• Anything about drugs, alcohol, gambling.
• Perverse topics, or anything of a sexual nature.
• Harsh negativity.
• Inside jokes that are too specific.

The idea is to avoid anything raunchy or disheartening during your speech, even if it might be hilarious in your head, you’ll have to avoid it in your best man speech.

Think about how upset Grandma would be if you happened to talk about how her little Jimmy actually hasn’t been saving himself for marriage - what horror!

How Long Should a Best Man Speech Be?

So you have a great speech, and you’ve covered every single talking point that fit. Everyone’s going to love this, right?

Wrong! When writing a best man speech, you’ll want to keep it way, way shorter.

The problem is that what you wrote is almost 30 minutes long! No bueno amigo. Nothing on this Earth could keep people engaged in a wedding toast that long.

You’re not going for a ‘F.D.R. Repairing the American Psyche During The Great Depression’ type of speech. What you want is more like an ‘I Love You, Man’ speech.

It seems like everyone from everywhere throws out an arbitrary number ranging from 1-10 minutes, but really, research shows our attention span is even shorter than a goldfish .

Which means you have 8 seconds to make an impression . Let that sink in.

The best man speech is usually between meals at a reception. That means you have to make your mark - and get in what you have to say in a short time. Meaning that short best man speeches are perfectly fine, you don’t have to overthink it.

It can be 1 minute, it can be 5 minutes.  Keep the audience engaged in your speech and don’t ramble off unnecessarily.

How do you do that? Practice!

It’s All About Practice

You know, it’s okay to feel unsatisfied with what you wrote. After all, you’re not the most accomplished writer in the world. You just want to prepare a great best man speech and get back to Netflix binging.

The writing process can be tough, so here’s an ideal approach that most people use when writing the best material:

• Write a few pages of content just to get the speech ideas out.
• Realize that you’ve written a movie's worth of material.
• Take what you really like.
• Edit until you stop hating it.

Being intimidated serves no purpose.

Get Interviewed Bruh

If you’re not the best writer (or capturer), the previous steps might seem a little intimidating to you. That’s fine. Not everyone can put pen to paper as well as they’d like, and if that’s you, consider having a friend interview you!

Getting a friend or family member to interview you about your experiences with the groom is a great way of getting wedding speech ideas. Here are a few topics to get interviewed on:

• Where did you meet?
• Did you like each other at first?
• When did you become bros?
• What kind of crazy experiences did you have together?
• What kind of bad qualities does he have?
• What kind of good qualities does he have?

Answering these questions with a recording device can help you when you need to put the best man speech together, and you can recall things you might never have just by writing!

Be (Relatively) Sober

Even if you have a Wade Boggs alcohol tolerance, it’s best to keep the drinks to a minimum.

( The guy drank 64 beers on one cross country flight, what the hell? )

Having one or two drinks is fine if it helps calm the nerves, but any more will mess up any chance of giving a decent best man toast, and you’ll just look silly slurring your words or acting strangely. Remember, all eyes are on you during your best man speech.

Try Some Best Man Speech Jokes or Quotes

So suppose you’ve got your speech together, but you have a placeholder like:

[ Put a joke in here! ] in 3-4 spots, and you really have no idea what to put in there.

We got you covered.

Here are some best man speech opening lines you could work with and personalize for whatever you may need, because the opportunity for wedding jokes is a rare thing! These make great icebreakers to warm your audience up.

“Well, where do I even start? [Groom] is just incredible. He’s brilliant, funny, caring… Anyway, I can’t really read your handwriting [Groom], so just tell me whatever the rest was after.”

“[Bride], you really are an incredible woman. You deserve an absolutely incredible husband, so I’m not going to stop until I figure out what’s wrong here.”

“Thank you everyone for bearing with me, I Googled ‘best man speech jokes’ and every site asked for my credit card before showing me any examples, so here goes nothing.”

“For those of you who know the bride, she’s really a wonderful woman who deserves a wonderful man. So good job, [Groom], for marrying her before she found one.”

“For anyone who finds this speech particularly not funny, I got all of my jokes from [Groom] so please, blame that guy.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I wasn’t given a microphone tonight and I deeply apologize. To anyone in the back, If you hear silence at the front, be sure that you’re not missing anything.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, before I begin this speech I’d just like to say I am absolutely thrilled that I beat the bartender at rock-paper-scissors twenty minutes ago for the honor of best man.”

Putting Together a Best Man Speech Outline

Now that you have an idea of how to write a best man speech, it’s just as important to know how to structure it. While there are canned free best man speech templates out there, it's really best to get a bird's eye view on what you want to say and create a structure that works for you personally. Don't just take any random free speech template from online and fire it up. Not every outline or template will work for your needs, so get a good idea of your vision first then begin to structure it.

Flow matters, and it’s the most important thing in putting together great best man speeches. Without good flow, you’ll lose the crowd and people won’t follow what you’re saying.

Here are some great ideas to nail the best man speech structure and make your speech shine.

The Introduction

The introduction needs to serve a single purpose: Getting people engaged! This is the key aspect of any best man speech formula.

The One-Liner Approach

An incredible one-liner is a great way of getting started. A good idea for this would be to roast the groom a little bit, he probably wouldn’t mind.

For example, what faults does he have? You can take advantage of that to make slight jabs at him.

Or you can even make fun of yourself in the process, what do you both suck at? Maybe you want to talk about that awkward mullet phase you both had in high school. Live it up!

The Congratulatory Approach

Alternatively, you can open by showing gratitude to:

• The bride and groom, for bringing everyone together.
• The guests, for attending this incredible event.
• The parents of the bride and groom, for bringing them into this world.

This approach is a good option at the beginning. You can use it as a Plan B if you think you can’t gather an appropriate one-liner.

It’s easy to get lost in thought about what to follow up a good opener in a best man speech, but nothing is safer than a good story to engage your audience.

The idea is to create a connection to the groom and then present it to the guests.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Where you met the groom.
• What makes him a great guy.
• Crazy stories that show who he is.
• Why he’s an excellent fit for the bride.
• How he changed for the better after he met the bride.

Really, anything goes, and they’re all sure to keep people interested. Focus on the organic story of your friendship and don’t be robotic.

You’ll want to accomplish this in a way that stays kosher, though, avoiding unsavory details mentioned in our #4 tip.

Congratulate the Bride

So, you don’t have to do this, but we definitely encourage it. The issue is, not everyone really knows the bride. Honestly, maybe you met her a month ago, or a week ago.

Who knows, you could have met her literally just now. When your buddy gets hitched, it’s quite common to not really know the lady herself.

If this is true, you can handle this two ways:

Stick to something like:

“I knew she was a great fit for you the moment I saw you together”.

“She really is the perfect match for you dude.”

Sure the groom will know you barely know her, but whatever, if he really is your bro, he’ll appreciate that you’re saving face like this.

2. Avoid it.

Look, you’re the best man, it means the groom chose you, he knows you. Which means that he’s most likely expecting your best man speech to be about your experiences together, so keep the content focused around your relationship.

This means that it’s okay to avoid any mention of the bride after the first few words when writing a best man speech.

It works in most cases to just congratulate her in the intro, and then continue on with your speech avoiding her entirely.

This might sound a little underhanded, but it works, and most likely, the audience won’t notice.

If you know the bride, then speak about her.

If you’re just as close to the bride as you are to the groom, then you need to take all of the prior steps to make a compelling speech for the bride too, which won’t make the best man toast easy but hey, you don’t want to piss her off.

You could share a story about her too, or you can talk about one where the bride and groom shared with you, which is always a safe bet.

How to End Your Wedding Toast

Here’s where you wrap up your thoughts, and keep this part short, you don’t have to stress it too much.

It’s as easy as saying something like,

“Jack, Jill, to a lifetime of good health, love, and joy!”

There are a thousand different things you can say here, but the main idea is to keep the tone positive, upbeat, congratulate their love and wish the best for them.

NOTE: It is absolutely acceptable to keep a paper copy of your speech on hand because you’re not remembering your speeches like a world leader at the U.N. You’re just a guy who’s happy for his bro.

Best Man Speech Examples

Even if you have everything else down, it’s always best to have some speech examples of how to tackle your wedding toast.

People have done it before you, so why go in blind? Here are some different types of best man speeches for unique scenarios you may want to try for your best man toast.

Funny Best Man Speech (Example)

“Hello Everyone, I’m John, I’m the best man, and if you find this speech unfunny, [Groom] and I have the same sense of humor, so please blame him.

I’m just joking, of course, I promised [Groom] I wouldn’t roast him too much today or talk about anything too weird, so I’ll just talk about the good parts of his character...

...Thank you, everyone, have a great evening.

But really, [Groom] and I have been friends since before I knew how even to tie my own shoelaces. He’s a brother to me, even more than my actual brother, sometimes.

Sorry, Alex.”

Emotional Best Man Speech (Example)

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I’m the best man, Chris. [Groom] and I go way back, all the way from high school. Through the years, he’s grown from a pain in the ass, into a fine man.

[Groom] was always shy when it came to meeting new people, and that’s sorta hard to hear considering how a guy like that could be such a perfect match with [Bride]. But I can’t imagine him without you, because I’ve seen what it looked like.

[Bride], you are both so dear to me, please take care of [Groom], please keep him out of trouble.”

Short Best Man Speech (Example)

“Good evening, everyone, from the moment that [Groom] met [Bride], I knew that this was going to be something special.

The way you two talk to each other, you’re so alike sometimes that honestly, it kind of scares me.

But to quote Mark Twain, ‘To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.’ May your love be timeless.”

Hopefully these wedding toast examples give you ideas on how to model your own best man speech!

The Presentation - Delivering the Best Man Speech

You have the writing and the flow down. Great! Most of the hard work is all done.

But don’t forget, you’re delivering a best man speech. And grand statements are always accompanied by excellent speech etiquette.

Here are some best man speech tips that’ll help you deliver, so that you don’t look like an uncomfortable 4th grader at a talent show your Mom forced you into.

Practice Your Speech on Camera

You’re noticing a trend, right? Practicing the actual delivery of the best man speech in front of a camera is a great way to see what poor and good habits you have.

And then, you need to keep practicing to eliminate the bad ones. For example, do you notice that you slump too much? Do you happen to mumble? Do you look down a lot?

Take note of all of these when you look at the recording and then try the speech again while mindfully avoiding bad habits and watching out for awkwardly delivered wedding jokes.

Practice in Front of People

Sure, using a camera is an excellent way to correct issues, but there’s nothing better than getting an outsider opinion.

Getting a spectator to sit and watch you deliver your best man toast lets someone tear into your bad habits without any bias. It may be painful, but this is what you want, and a larger group of people is best.

That way, when it’s time to give the best man speech, the concerns an audience member might have are already known to you.

The Honest Truth Man

Remember that a best man speech is a celebration of the love and joy that the bride and groom share. You don’t have to stress about every minor detail, because the audience isn’t (and they’ll most likely all be drunk anyway).

They’re already lightened up, and in the mood for a good few words, so why spend your time being nervous? It’s not worth it. Enjoy yourself up there and just deliver that crushing best man toast.

After it’s through, you can start drinking again, which is what you’ll probably want to do anyway.

Say what you have to say, and raise a toast to the bride and groom. Use this guide as a helpful resource and come back to it as many times as you need to ensure a totally awesome best man speech.

Good luck on your best man speech!

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The ultimate best man speech guide

10 minutes you’ll remember forever.

The Best Man Speech is one of the highlights of any wedding, but getting it right is essential, because whilst it’s just 10 minutes or so on the day, the memories of this speech will  last a lifetime . Most Best Men are weighed down by the expectation to be funny, and have no idea where to start, what it should really contain, how to end it, or how to talk about the bride and groom in a meaningful and non-clichéd way. This page is the definitive guide on how to write your best man speech, from the structure, to the jokes, how to handle two men, props, format and quotes…it’s here. All you need is some time, a creative burst and the rest will take care of itself.

Quick Links

Opening lines.

• Being Best Man
• Relationship to Groom

Triumphs and Disasters

Closing lines.

• Joint Best Man

Best Man for Brother

• Girlfriends

How to write a great best man speech

Here is a short video with my thoughts and ideas on writing a great best man speech. I’ve expanded on those ideas below to give as much advice, hints and tips on writing a really great speech. Enjoy!

Many best men race to get that first funny line in there, and usually at the expense of quality. Keep it warm, funny and never edgy.

1. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, for those who of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Chris and I am officially Paul’s second best man…second best ladies and gentlemen…nobody likes to be second best do they? Well, Paul, looking at his career, he should know better than most…anyway where were we?

2. Good evening ladies and gentlemen before I begin I’d just like to introduce myself: my name is Chris and it is my very great honour and privilege to be the first of Mark’s two Best Man…we had to split it…46 years is quite a long time to cover all in one go! Over the course of the next few minutes I’ll be taking you through Mark’s sporting heroics, dealing with incredible loss and being caned by people dressed as nuns…which in fact had nothing to do with the stag do

3. Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, over the next few minutes we’ll be talking about the man for whom Scottish Independence now means asking his English wife if he can go to the pub at the weekend. I can’t help but thinking that an English woman telling a Scottish man he can’t go to the pub, would be a new low in this country’s rich cultural history.

4. Over the next few minutes I’ll be taking you on the rollercoaster ride that has been Sean’s life to date, and there are some amazing stories; like the time he was playing A ball with David Cameron in Mexico and his dog ate the Prime Minister’s guinea pig and he had to sell my passport to repair his own nose…actually I’ve known Sean 30 years…I might have muddled a few things up there…

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO….

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, before I begin I would just like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those of you I haven’t yet met. My name is Dave, and this Bob, and together it is our very great pleasure and privilege to be Colin’s best men for today’s celebrations.

At this point I thought I would be nervous at doing Leigh’s speech but I am now looking forward to ripping him a new arse hole in front of all his family and friends and better yet he has to sit there quietly.

This is the most puzzling part because unless you’re a seasoned speech writer, why should you have idea about structure? There are a few ways to tackle this, but the best idea is to keep things simple and form a logical progression from one piece to the next, don’t let the timeline jump around, don’t confuse the audience, and don’t cover topics or people multiple times.

Talk about being the best man

Now you’ve got to get from the introduction into the main part of the speech and this is the bridge, and in many ways the trickiest part of the whole speech, particularly if you’re trying to link everything together. Again, simple is good – don’t make the guests think too hard!

1.Over the next few minutes I will be guiding you though what amounts to one great big cry for help: Paul’s life. The inglorious acting career, the ridiculous hair, owning a ridiculous car, the persistent alcoholic over indulgence and drunken profane outbursts – he was quite simply South West London’s answer to David Hasselhof…just not as successful.

Neil is a special friend and special friends deserve one thing: three stag dos. The weekends of Istanbul, London and Leeds will live long in the memory of not just those who went, but also those who read about us in the national papers. The mass chants of ‘feed the snake! Feed the snake!’ and the enduring company of our new best friend Bianca the stripper are, I have to say, completely unrelated. I would also like to say that for the record Brian accepts and welcomes people from every country around the globe. Almost. AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO….

Now a wise man once told me the best man speech should last as long as it takes for the groom to make love…So thank you everyone for coming

Firstly, I would just like to say how beautiful the bridesmaids look who have only been out shone by the bride herself, who looks amazing today.

If everyone could be upstanding, and raise a glass, know as some of you may know Kerry wanted to have the wedding a lot earlier than this, so that a certain something could be involved in the wedding, and unfortunately after a long and hard fight that couldn’t happen. I am of course talking about mikes rapidly thinning hairline, you will be sadly missed.

How you know the groom

This comes directly after the bridge and establishes a connection with the audience – they can immediately understand why you’re there, what you mean to the groom and it’s always an opportunity to have some fun with it, especially if you’re a brother!

• My first mistake was going to stay in the shared house in London where he lived. My second was to comment on the hair. As a glass bowl of pot pourri went sailing past my head and smashed behind me giving off a wonderful burst of sandalwood fragrance, I was given enough time to realize that this was a troubled, sensitive character who didn’t take criticism that well. Perfect friend material.
• I first properly met Nick way back in 1994 when we started secondary school together. Little did we know it at the time but it was the start of a beautiful relationship, which, for me, EVENTUALLY proved worth pursuing years later when I was able to borrow all his notes and pass my A Levels. Of course, Nick didn’t need them because he might look quite cool now but he was in fact a complete square at school.  The day when he could read without putting his finger on the word and then count without using his hands, were both real breakthrough moments in his life, only to be capped a few weeks later when he passed his driving test.
• I first met Brent when we attended the University of Texas and pledged a fraternity together. It was here amongst the upside down beer bongs, ritual humiliation and complete lack of sleep that I knew I had met a friend for life. This may sound overly emotional and slightly premature but when you discover your new buddy is packing his dad’s credit card with no limits, who wouldn’t want him as a friend for life? Just for the record Mr. Schakett, I know at times you may have been concerned about the amount of money Brent spent on alcohol and food on that card. You shouldn’t have: the Shot Man Schakett never wasted any of your money on food.

The trick to writing a really entertaining speech is to make the whole thing a story, rather than dragging the audience through endless stories. Recounting anecdotes is really hard to do because they require a lot of detail and all the time you’re getting to the punchline without making them laugh can prove really counterproductive. Of course, this can all pay off if you have a killer punchline, but all too frequently they aren’t that ‘killer’ and require you to have been there.

Instead take out the good bits from the stories and condense them, even embellish slightly into one neat burst of comedy…

1. Now as he embarked on adult life Nick was to learn the hard way just what it is to be a man, and the number one rule is: if you are going to offer to buy the drinks in happy hour, it’s best not to drop the entire lot down yourself as you get back to the table thus meaning you have to go and buy it all again just after happy hour’s finished. Also you should only ever do a runner from a restaurant via the roof if you HAVEN’T actually paid the bill. Leaving Prezzo’s this way one evening after settling up and leaving a good tip, still doesn’t make any sense to anyone.

2. Anyway when Mark wasn’t failing to hit the top spot in the classroom he was also finding it difficult to do that on the sports field as well. However, with a modest talent and even less interest, he did the only sensible thing to do: saved up all his skill and enthusiasm for one split second of genius. Quite how he managed to catch the impossible cricket ball as it left our sports master’s bat, is still completely unknown. But with, uncharacteristic razor sharp reactions and gazelle like agility, he did just that, and won his side the match. Literally seconds after this Mark retired from all forms of competitive sport – at the very top of his game.

3. There weren’t many highlights to being on minimum wage in the frozen section of nobody’s favourite supermarket, in fact if I remember rightly, there was only one. Nick had been asked to use his initiative to dispose of a 2 litre tub of chocolate ice cream – no big deal you might think. Well, Nick decides to take it into the staff toilets and empty it into the loo. Ladies and gentlemen, a big tub of melting chocolate ice cream can make a big impression when poured into a toilet and can only ever give the next person in there the wrong idea. And it did. From then on half the people thought he had dodgy guts the rest thought he ate on the toilet. Both of which, are in fact, true.

These are ripe areas for comedy material, and whilst you can hint at his accomplishments that should really come later in the speech, when it all gets a bit more meaningful. Of course, the disasters aren’t real disasters just areas of his life and social situations he’s got catastrophically wrong…for comedy effect.

It wasn’t all academic and sporting mediocrity though, there have been lots of other things he wasn’t good at too. Forget school discos and trying to speak to girls, Mark had computers eating out of his hand. And it’s easy to see why: with computers you can eventually work out what’s bothering them, they usually only ever break down for legitimate reasons and if you get fed up with them, you can just switch them off. You see, nothing made his heart beat harder or his mind race faster than a computer with a problem. It is a love affair that has endured to this day.

The impact the bride has had on the groom

This should be a fun look at the way the groom as upped his game, changed his wardrobe and started showing an interest in things outside of pubs, football and waking up late.

1. But when he’s not trying to track the dark forces behind his least favourite football club in the world, he also likes to go on holiday. Now going on holiday for Frank is nothing new but the way he goes about it now is very different from the Frank of old. Thanks to his beautiful new wife Emily, Frank now does something called globe trotting which actually involves going to lots of different far flung countries and immersing yourself in their culture, rather than a two hour flight and immersing yourself at the bar.

2. It’s always tricky that first stage of the relationship as you go about discovering whether it’s going to work or not. However, for Sean and Lucinda it was a lot trickier, as soon after he met her and became smitten, he had the romantic task of making her redundant. Sean was taking the old addage “if you love them set them free” to ridiculous conclusions, which resulted in Lucinda losing her job.

3. Cassie, can I just say that you look absolutely beautiful today, I think we can all agree Brent is one lucky guy. I always had a sneaking feeling that Brent was batting way above his average, now I know he is! I have seen over the years just how happy you both are together and I am so thrilled for Brent that he’s met such an amazing woman to share his life with. Also if you could find it in your big, warm heart to allow The Shot Man and that credit card to come out to play, then you would make some grown up, financially independent men, very happy too.

The wedding day really is only about one person, and even though the Best Man Speech should mainly be about the groom, the bride does of course have her part in it as well.

The thing to remember here is, that unless you live in Australia, the best man always goes last, and so the groom will already have extensively talked about how they met. You’re really looking to avoid repetition, so allude generally to how they met, and I’d avoid details…and if they met online and aren’t advertising the fact, then you shouldn’t either.

1. Seriously when Mark met you Emily, everyone could see just how happy that made him. He’s always been a great bloke waiting for the right girl and everyone who knows you both will tell you just what a great couple you are together. Mark I couldn’t be happier for you today, we’ve known each other such a long time and I hope that friendship lasts for many more years to come.

2. Ali, I know you make Neil incredibly happy – you must do, he’s stopped dressing like a middle aged freak. But seriously, you both make a great couple and I know that he’ll already have the next few years planned out on spreadsheets but if you can fit me in I’ll look forward to spending a lot happier times together.

3. The fact that Dave also looked like Kevin Keegan’s love child, also didn’t help his dating days. That was until that fateful night, on the last train from London when he met the lovely Katie and smooth talked her after another mate of ours offered her a complimentary chicken nugget, and the rest is history. In a world, which looks down upon fast food, I think we all need to think again.

4. I can see how incredibly happy you have made my old friend over these last eight years and just how much you have helped to change his life for the better. He’s always been a great guy buy now he has wider horizons and a greater sense of adventure. And I know just how much of a support you’ve been to him through the tough times. I think you are a great couple and I look forward to many more happy times together in the future.

There should really be only one toast in a best man speech and that’s at the very end. Tradition states that best men should reply on behalf of the bridesmaids at the beginning of the speech in response to the bridesmaids toast by the groom – but it’s just confusing and not necessary. A simple but effective toast at the end and you’re done.

All that remains for me is to wish you all a long and happy life together, with all the luck in the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, the bride and groom.

This is where you tie all the strands together, and say what a great friend/brother the groom is, how much he’s been there for you through difficult times, laughed with you through the good times, and always had your back….and if he hasn’t…just lie!

1. John, you have been a good friend to me ever since we first met, and not just in the form of free shots and hosting parties. We’ve had great times going to the games, hanging out and making that journey from college to adult life. I know there will be less time for me in your life as I’ve now been replaced by a small dog called Ben, but you’re catholic, and now you’re married – I can’t see that dog getting a look in for months anyway. However, I will always look forward to the time we spend together especially when for old time’s sake the Shot Man is once again unleashed. Thanks for being trustworthy, loyal and understanding friends and I hope to spend many more times together for many more years to come…maybe also with that doctor wife you promised me Julie.

2. With your laidback, calm and sensitive approach to life Frank, you’re somebody that many people count themselves lucky to have in their lives. Not just because of your willingness and ability to help them out as a friend but because you’re fun and light hearted ways mean you’re always a great guy to be around.

3. I am so happy that you’ve found each other to share your lives with and all that remains for me to say is that I hope you have a great day today and enjoy a long and happy life together.

4. Sam, we’ve known each other for such a long time and been through such a lot together that it’s hard to know where to begin. All I can say is that I couldn’t have wished for a better bloke to share those years with and I hope that there’s going to be plenty more of them to come. Thanks for being a great friend, and thanks for letting me copy your homework.

Other things to consider

From a vast amount of experience you should avoid using props at all costs. It might seem like a great idea to have films, photos, a man in a gimp suit taking the heat off you in a pressurised situation, but it only ever serves to make the day a lot trickier and the speech less effective. As soon as you start holding up pictures or invite people to look at pictures you’ve left on the table they will immediately stop looking at you and start zoning out or talking amongst themselves.

If you give anyone the opportunity to divert their gaze you then have to work really hard to get it back again, and props will only ever make your speech longer and more tedious to endure. They also usually rely heavily on cables, Bluetooth connections, wifi etc etc…or at the very least everyone being able to see what you’re holding up…and they never can. Suddenly you’re getting heckles about not being able to see/hear/understand and it makes the speech the longest 10 minutes of your life.

A great idea if you’ve got funny photographs is to pin them up by the seating plan so that everyone will get to see them and then you can reference those in your speech.

Forget the awful quotes that you normally hear such as ‘it’s not somebody you can live with, it’s somebody you can’t live without, there are some great quotes out there if you look hard enough. Just one for each speech as you don’t want it to become some sort of English Literature GCSE essay.

The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it. - Hubert Humphrey

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. - Thomas Aquinas.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one. - AA Milne.

Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends. - WB Yeats.

Quotes can be a really powerful way to end a speech, and it’s worth going that extra mile to find something that very few have used before, so check out sites such as BrainyQuote and GoodReads for an endless supply of great quotes.

You are always going to get a heckler or two so it’s worth thinking in advance how to deal with them so they don’t upset your flow, and even better, give you an opportunity to get some extra laughs. The most simple method is just to pause, wait until they’re done and carry on, but if you can get a bit of mileage out of it, so much the better.

A good way of having some fun is simply to ask if they’re looking for assistance in going to the bathroom, this works particularly well if they happen to be on the slightly older side. If it’s a younger person you can assume some vocal surprise that their carers have let them out for the day, or suggest that whatever medication the system has got them on, they need to cut the dose. Anything along this sort of gentle fun vein, always works a treat…as long as they don’t really have a carer and aren’t on medication.

In my experience best man jokes are probably the least effective addition to any best man speech that wants to be classed as superior. By best man jokes, I am alluding to about 100 or so gags that were written over the years specifically to get a laugh from wedding guests. You can do so much better than these, because they’re old, tired an dpeople have heard them all before and the last thing you want to do is land one of these at the start of your speech to a luke warm ripple of polite laughter.

To identify exactly what I’m talking about I’ve listed some of the most prolific offenders.

It’s an emotional wedding, even the cake is in tiers.

It’s not the first time today I’ve got up form a warm seat with a piece of paper in my hand.

If there’s anybody here this afternoon who’s feeling nervous, apprehensive and queasy at the thought of what lies ahead, it’s probably because you have just got married to the groom.

Complete rubbish. You need to work out what it is that’s funny about the groom in an original and engaging way, people will love your creativity and laugh much more!

Burning deep within his sole was a dream, what he wanted more than anything, more than being a cowboy, professional tennis player or A ball star…was to be an office manager in the NHS. What can I say? He’s not dreaming any more ladies and gentlemen.

This is one of the most important factors and it actually depends on quite a few things, so we’ll start off with the very general scenario of 3 speakers at a wedding – Father of the bride, Groom and Best Man. If this is the case and it’s in the UK, then the best man speech should be a stand up to sit down time of no longer than 10 minutes. If this is in America, that will be about 5 minutes maximum. Americans like their speeches shorter and more efficient, and that’s no bad thing.

However, these timings will then change the more speakers that are added to the line up, because what the groom should be doing is making sure the section of speeches doesn’t run into hours of your life you’ll never get back. If there are 4 speakers, aim to be in and out in around 8 minutes, 5 speakers you’re looking at about 6 minutes, and so it goes on.

You have to bear in mind also that as you’ll be the last speaker, apart from Australia where you’re up second, and so the guests are at the limit of their concentration endurance, so if they’ve been sitting through 90 minutes of speeches, and it happens, make it REALLY funny, and REALLY short.

If you are two best men making a joint speech then you should be stood for about 12-13 minutes, and that remains the case the more best men are added to the line up. If you’re a co-best man and you’re making separate speeches, then your speech should be about 7 minutes. The timings in Australia are identical to the UK except that the best man goes after the father of the bride.

Joint best man

Being a joint best man is pretty common these days, and you really need to tackle what you’re going to go about things as early as possible, because trying to coordinate two guys to write and deliver a speech whilst they juggle their own lives can prove next to impossible.

The first thing you have to decide is if you’re going to make a joint speech or separate ones. The best method is to make a joint speech as it means you won’t double up on gags or content, and nobody has that last dreaded speech spot. A great joint best man speech should consist of about 4 chunks of content each and you bounce from one best man to other all the way through the speech.

However, for many reasons making a joint speech might prove impossible. Maybe there’s no time to coordinate it, maybe you don’t like the guy, or maybe there’s a fundamental clash of ideas. In that case make sure your speech is efficient, tight and punchy and comes in at around 7 minutes, and whatever you do, make sure you get on first.

Quite a lot of grooms make their brother the best man, and that does throw up a few problems – the main one being that although you’ve grown up in the same family/house etc. you don’t really know that much about him! When I’m writing speeches, this doesn’t really affect the creative process because I’m looking for a very funny comedic overview of who the groom is, not a granular introspection. If you’re facing this very common problem, then just take everything you know about his character, passion, dislikes, job and even hair colour and get the funnies out of that. It can be done but it really needs thinking about.

Of course, there is some fun to be had with the introduction and you need to allude to that fact how upset you were when your number priority spot was completely usurped by a noisy, ugly ginger baby called Dave. If you’re younger than talk about the time you realised the bigger toddler in the house who kept bashing you over the head every time your mum left the room, was in fact your older brother Steve.

Former Girlfriends

As tempting as it may seem to have a quick chronological run through of the groom’s former loves, this will only ever end in disaster. This comes back to my point that the wedding day is really only about the bride – if you do anything to upset her, then it’s pretty terminal. Mentioning former conquests in any way shape or form is something I completely avoid, you might think it’s all light hearted fun but no bride likes to think of their brand new husband being the love interest of someone else!

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• Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception? How to Write a Wedding Toast Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech How to Write a Best Man Toast Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech What to Know About a Newlywed Toast Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips 60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

How to Write the Perfect Best Man Speech

Two experts share the best tips for writing a winning toast.

Photo by Sydney Noelle Photography

In This Article

First of all, congratulations on being asked to be the best man. You, of course, have many important responsibilities —like groomsmen shepherding and bachelor party planning , among others—but there's only one task that will secure your proud ascension into the ranks of becoming the MVP: Giving a killer toast.

The best man's speech traditionally follows the groom's speech and is a chance for you to say some sweet words about your relationship with the couple and your best friend. But, if the thought of public speaking has your kneecaps sweating, we found you two coaches with years of experience to help ease your nerves.

Ahead, with the help of President Barack Obama's former speechwriter David Litt, and Pete Honsberger, author of Wedding Toasts 101: The Guide to the Perfect Wedding Speech , here are the best tips for writing a perfect man speech, in order to pull off the most amazing toast ever.

The Best (and Worst) Best Man Speech Ever

Meet the Expert

• David Litt was the speechwriter for President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2016 and is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Thanks, Obama.
• Pete Honsberger has been a serial groomsman, speaker, and wedding toast advisor for most of his adult life. When it comes to wedding toasts, he's seen just about everything—you can read about it in his book, Wedding Toasts 101: The Guide to the Perfect Wedding Speech .

Best Man Speech Template 

Getting all your thoughts and feelings down on paper can be overwhelming, especially if you're not used to sharing those sentiments with the guys. And for those who are unsure of what to write for the big day, here is a guideline to help you find your flow.

Find a Theme

A theme is a unifying idea that ties the whole speech together. Think of it as the takeaway of your speech, or the one thing you want guests to remember. The best way to identify your theme is by making a list of your favorite stories. "You’re not going to just write a speech from scratch. Start by brainstorming stories. Most importantly, what you’re looking for is the theme that comes out of those anecdotes," says Litt.

Build a Framework

The best way to organize your thoughts is to create a blueprint of the key points you want to hit first, sort of like a toast skeleton. After you've established the roadmap, fill it in with pertinent details and memories while still ensuring you're staying on point. "Think about it in terms of ideas," says Litt. "You can get in one or two short anecdotes, maybe three, and one big idea. If those are good, you don’t need more."

Instead of thinking of yourself as the speaker, imagine that you're actually standing in the audience. Think about what the audience would like to hear, rather than what you want to do.

Focus on the Newlyweds

Most best men will include a story or two about their friendship with the groom, but don't center the whole speech on it. "Remember the relationship that you’re celebrating is the one between the two people getting married. You’re giving the speech because you can shine some unique light on that relationship," says Litt. "If the relationship that you’re really giving the speech about is the one between you and the groom, things [will get] awkward."

Share Your Feelings

Deliver something more meaningful than one joke after another. "Generally speaking, men think of the best man speech as a funny speech to give because we’re very uncomfortable sharing how we actually feel. But, what makes a good best man speech is the part where somebody shares how they feel. Humor is just the icing on the cake," says Litt. The newlyweds chose you to speak because you have something notable to add to their big day. Embrace your personal insight into their bond and don't try to dilute it by just being funny.

Best Man Speech Tips

Ahead, find our best tips for making sure your speech is as polished as possible.

Consider Your Audience

You can't nail a speech if you have no idea who to tailor the content to. "Feel free to ask beforehand. When I was writing speeches for the president, we had a point of contact where the speech was happening to say who exactly is in the audience. You can do a smaller-scale version of that. Your point of contact is probably your friend getting married . But, the nice thing about giving the best man speech is that, ideally, it’s both specific to you and universal to the couple," says Litt.

"I would say almost never start with talking about how nervous you are. I’d also say just relax. That’s a hard thing to tell someone to do. But remember, you’re not putting on a show," says Litt. "You're simply talking about your best friend and the love of their life, two people that you've probably spent a lot of time with. In the end, it should just flow and come out easily." Litt also suggests, "imagine you’re just telling a story to a group of friends because, really, you are."

Stay True to Yourself

Stick with who you are and how you would normally act around your friends; you don't need to adopt a character just because you're giving a speech. For example, if you aren't normally the comedian in the group, don't try to tell a bunch of jokes. If you're not usually a super-sentimental person, don't force it. There's nothing wrong with keeping your speech more lighthearted . The couple already knows (and loves) your personality, so the more genuine you are, the better your speech will be received by both the newlyweds and their guests.

Don't Rely Solely On Humor

While a few jokes sprinkled in can be a great tool for loosening up the crowd, don't make these the meat of your toast—especially if comedy doesn't come naturally to you. "Let me put it this way. There’s such a thing as too many bad jokes, and that number is about one. The more you treat it as an open-mic night, the less happy everyone involved is going to be. You don’t need to go in thinking, 'How do I get invited back next week?'" explains Litt.

Keep Things Positive

Even if you think it's well-meaning, don't turn the toast into a roast or make jokes at the couple's expense. "I’ve seen best man speeches where someone thinks, 'Oh, my job is to roast the groom .' Unless the couple specifically told you that’s your job, that’s not your job. The way to think about jokes is that you don’t want people to be laughing at the groom or at the couple. You want people to be laughing because they suddenly know the groom better than they did before." says Litt.

Don't Upstage the Newlyweds

Litt's previous boss (former President Obama) really enjoyed telling other people's stories at speaking engagements, and this ultimately strengthened his messages. "His speeches are not really about him. They’re about other people," says Litt. Channel Obama by keeping your speech focused on the couple. "You’re not performing. You’re there because you know someone and care about them, and you’re sharing that with a bunch of other people. Even a great best man speech is not supposed to steal the show. If somebody says, 'That speech was nice but almost forgettable because we were so focused on the bride and groom,' that’s a win. You don’t need to be the star," advises Litt.

Keep Things Appropriate

"My general rule for wedding speeches is: If you have to ask yourself, 'Is this appropriate?' it’s not. And if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t know, ask a friend. If they give you that slightly horrified look, listen to that look," explains Litt. Keep in mind that your audience will include guests of various generations and cultures, like your friend's grandparents, boss, and colleagues. Refrain from mentioning anything that you wouldn't want your grandma or boss to know.

Get a Second Opinion

Remember, you'll be delivering this toast in front of an audience (as if you could forget, right?). So it doesn't hurt to get some feedback on what you're planning on saying. "If you’re the kind of person who has a track record of going a little too far with your surprises, you should be self-aware enough to run this by a third party—maybe another close friend or a friend of the bride ," says Litt.

The last thing you want to do is stand up and give a speech that you've never said out loud. "The best thing to do is practice with a friend. Anybody giving a big speech rehearses beforehand. If you’ve already gotten good feedback from field-testing your remarks with a smaller group, then you’re going to come out on the wedding day comfortably knowing you have a good speech. It's that uncertainty that can be scary when you’re up there speaking," says Litt.

Keep It Short

Let's be realistic: Super-long wedding toasts annoy guests. "I’ve never been to a wedding where anyone said, 'That was a great wedding, but the best man speech was just too short and that ruined it.' I would say five minutes is the absolute maximum. Three minutes is fine. There’s no question that if you’re reading this, you’ve sat through a speech that was too long. But when you start writing a speech, you almost never think, 'Is this going to be too long?'" explains Litt.

Limit Your Drinks

Don't embarrass yourself by slurring through your toast. "Being one drink in works for some people, but being more than one drink in is never a good idea. At that moment when you’re like, 'You know what I need? Another couple of shots.' That is never what you need," advises Litt.

Best Man Speech Openers

Now that you understand the fundamentals of creating a great toast, your next step is to sit down and start writing. If you need a little help getting your speech going, though, our experts share a few ideas to kick-start the process.

Introduce Yourself With a Twist

Want to tell the crowd exactly why you're the best man? Honsberger says to get straight to the point and tell them how you know the groom . Most importantly, add some flavor to the first few lines. Spice it up a bit, as anyone can do the standard, “For those of you who don’t know me….” Simply put, ask yourself what a twist would look like in your own introduction. 

“Good evening, if you’re in this room and don’t know me by now, then you’re probably at the wrong wedding. I am, of course, [your name], and I’ve been best friends with [groom] for 25 years…”

“Hello and welcome to tonight’s reception. [name of groom], YOU truly are MY biggest fan. Wait, that didn’t come out right…As I was saying…”

Crack a Joke, Even a Corny One

Remember the audience when determining whether your joke should be said, but ultimately, try and see if you can get the crowd to laugh in the first 30 seconds. To achieve this, Honsberger says to simply reach into your own bag of jokes or look one up online. "I’d encourage you to first spend a little time reflecting on your own comedic ability. If you’re coming up empty, then consult outside resources," he notes.

"Hello, I’m the best man [your name]. This entire day has been beautiful so far. In fact, I’m getting emotional. The wedding cake has me in TIERS. (looking at a three-tiered cake).” 

"You’re probably wondering why I asked you all here tonight…well, I can promise it’s not for my 'Magic Mike' performance. You’ll have to stick around to the last song for that."

Be Hilarious With a Straight Face

While still technically a joke, this is you working hard to sound serious while saying something absurd. And if you get this right, you’ll hear a little giggle immediately, followed by laughter from the rest of the crowd once they figure out what you said was a joke.

“Good evening, I am [your name], the best man and [relationship to groom] of [name of groom]. Tonight we’re in a room full of great men –doctors, lawyers, military veterans, and successful businesspeople –yet I am the 'best.' His words, not mine.” 

"As Abraham Lincoln once said, [say something outrageous than Lincoln obviously never said—an inspirational quote, movie line, piece of advice, etc.] … and that’s what brings us all together tonight to celebrate [couple's name].”

Introduce a Recurring Theme

Choosing an overall toast theme can help you start strong. If you decide that your relationship with the groom can be summed up by sports, college, vacations, a mutual love of running, or whatever fits you, that can be your theme. And if that’s the case, your opener is simply the first, or the best, story you have related to that specific topic. 

“Hello and welcome, my name’s [your name], and I’m here to talk about my amazing friends Mike and Liz. They are truly a story of opposites attracting. 

For example, Liz’s favorite food is french fries, and Mike is allergic to potatoes. Mike has an obsession with ice cream, and Liz is lactose intolerant (pause for laughter).

Thankfully, things have a way of working out, and we are gathered tonight to celebrate the most important thing they have in common…incredibly good looks. I mean, LOVE.”

Just like that, you’ve captured the audience, let them into the world of the married couple, and got them excited for the rest of your toast. 

Ask a Question to Answer Throughout

If you’re questioning your toast opener, try leaning into that approach. Instead of looking for the answer, embrace the question. Think about what you would want to know about the groom if you were a distant relative or family friend sitting in the audience, says Honsberger. What would be an interesting question to explore about the couple? Use that. 

“Good evening. My name is [your name] and I’ve known [groom] for more than [#] years. As I was preparing this toast, one question consistently rang in my mind: How do I summarize a friendship that has lasted since we [when you met]? Believe it or not, [groom] was [name a quirk or characteristic about him] back then, too.” 

“But really, how can I possibly speak to all of our experiences in just a few minutes without turning it into one big inside joke? Do I talk about …?” 

Then, spend the rest of the speech answering that question, and you’ll never lack information to share. 

Rhyme-Master Flex

Really want to capture the intrigue of everyone in the room? Start rhyming your sentences. Honsberger says he tried this in his first-ever wedding toast, and the result was an audience hanging on every sentence, wondering what the next line would be.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am Dan's younger brother, Pete. Many of you, I already know. Some, I have yet to meet.

Dan and Kate, thank you so much for this amazing chance, to speak on your special day … by the way, I call first dance. (crowd boos in jest) Sorry, but I called it! 

I’ve looked up to Dan ever since I’ve had sight. He was always bigger than me, and he was always right. 

Being the oldest of four boys couldn’t have been an easy thing. But in a house full of hyenas, Dan was the Lion King."

Read a Definition from the Dictionary

Here’s a chance to leverage one of the most straightforward and honest resources in existence: the dictionary. All you need to do is find one word that defines the couple’s relationship , says Honsberger. This can be serious and sentimental or funny—your choice. Just make sure it's relevant to the couple. 

“Google’s second definition of the word ‘love’ says, ‘A great interest and pleasure in something or someone.’ I think this is beautiful and an understatement when I think of [bride] and [groom]’s marriage. Although I was a little concerned when, under the definition, the word “love” was used in a sentence as ‘His love for football.’ Hmm, strange…”

“Who’s ready to dance tonight? Wikipedia defines the word ‘dance’ as ‘a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement,’ and those words have honestly never come to mind when I think of [groom] dancing. I might be kidding, but there’s only one way to find out!” 

Tell a Story of How You Met

If the groom is a friend, chances are you have a good story of the first time you met or early in your friendship. If it’s your brother or family member, simply use one of your first memories together, whether playing, adventuring, or getting into trouble.

“The year was 1993, the class was kindergarten. I was building a beautiful tower of blocks when out of nowhere, they were knocked to the ground by a classmate without mercy or even an apology. That classmate was Matt, and we’ve been best friends ever since. And Matt, I’m sorry for throwing the blocks at your head after that.” 

Begin With a Quote

Simple and overused? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely. If you want to make the groom smile immediately during your toast, use a quote that you both recognize. If there’s one that his partner appreciates, too, even better. 

The most important reminder when using a quote is to ensure the audience feels like they’re part of it, too. Unless the quote is universally known, briefly mention its origin right after saying it. Let them into the joke and they’ll be with you for the rest of the toast. 

“Good evening everyone, my name is [your name], and I’m the best man tonight. When coach [name] used to tell you to ‘Be an Athlete,’ this is what he meant. When anyone on our team missed a tackle, it was ‘be an athlete,’ when our jerseys weren’t tucked in, same saying. We’ve adopted that as a cure for any issues in life. When [groom] really wanted to introduce himself to [bride], the solution was simple. ‘Be an athlete.’ And he was. So if you see [groom] miss a step on the dance floor later, be sure to remind him to ‘Be an athlete.’"

Read Something in a Different Language

Looking for a way to involve international members of the  family  in your toast? Look no further than practicing a phrase and reciting it in their native language to begin your toast. If that doesn’t apply in your situation, yet you still want to shake things up and be unique, you can translate a wedding-related sentence into another language. It will be intriguing, and you’ll sound smart! 

“Hello and welcome to everyone in both families on such a beautiful day. Me llamo Pedro y necesito que te diviertas porque esta boda es muy cara (wait for laughter from Spanish speakers). If you don’t speak Spanish, I said that I need everyone to have fun because this wedding is really expensive!” 

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, this speech is about the couple getting married, why you love them so much, how happy you are for them, and why you're honored to have this role in the wedding party. Keep things light, positive, and succinct—and also remember that the celebration is all about love, and no one is here to make you feel nervous. Make time to practice the speech, take a few deep breaths before you begin to speak, and focus your attention on the couple. Before you know it, you'll have given a speech for the books!

The best man traditionally speaks at the wedding reception following the maid of honor, though some couples may schedule the speeches during the rehearsal dinner instead.

The best man gives one speech either at the wedding reception or, less commonly, the rehearsal dinner.

The best man's speech serves as a special lens for the audience to better understand the groom, and the newlyweds, through his significant position in their lives. The focus should be to highlight the relationship of the newlyweds rather than the relationship between the best man and groom.

A Guide to Wedding Reception Toasts

Who Gives a Speech at a Wedding Reception?

How to Write a Wedding Toast

Tips for the Father of the Bride Speech

How to Write a Best Man Toast

Advice for the Maid of Honor Speech

What to Know About a Newlywed Toast

Public Speaking Experts' Wedding Speech Tips

60 Quotes to Use for Your Wedding Toast

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How to Write a Best Man Speech in 9 Simple Steps

Been tasked to write a best man speech and not sure where to start? Follow these easy rules for how to write a best man speech—and how to deliver it like a total pro.

Valorie Darling Photography

Being enlisted as someone's best man is a big deal, and there are plenty of  best man duties  involved—including figuring out how to write a best man speech. Yes, it’s tradition for the best man to give a wedding speech during the reception, so it’s time to prep for that responsibility. If you’re feeling a little nervous about giving a toast in front of a crowd, that’s totally normal, especially if public speaking isn’t your forte. But with a little forethought, planning, and a lot of practice, you’ll be wowing everyone with your best man speech in no time. Here are nine steps to writing a short best man speech that's sweet and to the point—and how you can ace the delivery. 

How to Write a Great Best Man Speech

Follow this best man speech template to easily get started when it's time to write your own wedding toast. 

1. Plan out your best man speech ahead of time.

Presuming you’re not reading this the night before the wedding, you should give yourself plenty of time—at least one month—to write your best man speech. The weeks leading up to the wedding day, especially participating as such a crucial part of the wedding party, can become hectic. With all of the events you’ll be encouraged or required to attend (on top of keeping up with your own personal life), you may very well lose sight of time. It’s better to plan ahead so you relieve some of the pressure when it's time to write an awesome best man speech.

2. Start your best man speech by expressing gratitude.

If you’re wondering how to write a best man speech, we recommend beginning the speech by stepping onto the dance floor and saying good evening to the crowd (you can write this as a note at the top of your speech as a reminder in case you get nervous). The opening line of your speech should introduce yourself as the best man and then express gratitude to those you think deserve a special shout out. Thank the couple’s parents for raising such great people, thank your friend for having you here, thank the guests for coming, and maybe throw in a one-liner thanking the bartender for a few laughs. It’s a low-key way to break the ice, ease yourself into the best man speech, and make sure those who deserve thanks feel appreciated.

3. Then, talk about your relationship with the groom.

Beyond introducing your name, a big part of how to write a best man speech is talking about your relationship with the groom. Talk about how you met him, how long you've known each other, and what kind of great friend he is. If you can think of an anecdote or funny story that really sums up the kind of person he is, whether that’s charming, warm-hearted, or thoughtful, use it. A funny best man speech is always memorable, but if you’re going to use an anecdote, linking that story to his partner when possible will make it even more meaningful. For example, maybe he’s incredibly outgoing but forgetful, while his new spouse is more thoughtful and organized. If you start with an anecdote of his forgetfulness and later follow up with a time you saw his partner’s organizational skills help him out big time—and that’s a moment you knew they were the real deal—that’s a perfect icebreaker.

4. Focus on the couple's relationship, and not just your own.

Presuming you’ve known the groom for longer than he’s know his partner, you can definitely start your best man toast by sharing an inside joke and recalling the earlier times in your friendship, but then you should skip ahead to when he met his partner. Think of a story that epitomizes their relationship. If you can talk about the exact moment when you realized his partner was “The One” for him, include that. Maybe your buddy told you one week after meeting his partner that they were going to get married, and you thought he was absolutely bonkers, but here you are. Maybe you’ve known the groom for a long, long time—for example, if you’re his brother or you've been best friends since elementary school. You’ve probably always had an idea of what his perfect partner would look like, but the one sitting in front of you exceeds all expectations. Emphasize that he's a great guy and how happy you are for your pal that he’s found someone so perfect for him.

Front Room Studios

5. Keep your best man speech short and sweet.

In terms of  wedding speech order , the best man speech is typically first, followed by the  maid of honor's toast  and parent speeches or  father-of-the-bride-speech . Even though you'll go first, a good best man speech is short and sweet, since you want to avoid people growing restless during the later speeches (guests are ready to eat, drink, and dance at this point of the wedding reception). Aim for a short best man speech between three and five minutes max. Keep in mind that it will feel much shorter to you when you’re actually giving the speech, and you will likely rush through it a little bit in the spotlight. That’s why you must…

7. Practice, practice, practice.

One of the most crucial best man speech tips is that you have to—and we mean  have to— practice your speech  before the wedding. You should read it to yourself out loud at least three or four times ahead of the actual reception. It might feel awkward at first, but would you rather fumble your words alone in private with the chance to make improvements, or give your speech for the first time while being watched by dozens of people with camera phones? Record yourself giving the speech, then replay it for mistakes and things to change. Not only is practice critical to giving the best performance, but it will give you a confidence boost when the big moment arrives. Consider sending the video to a friend, other groomsmen, or relative to give you honest feedback.

7. Write it down.

You should try to memorize your best man toast as best you can, but you’ll feel less anxious if you have it written down. Practice your speech enough so you won’t need to stare at the piece of paper the entire time, but jot down the main talking points to easily transition from one part to the next. Consider using notecards or a small notepad—remember that there's going to be professional photography and videography of your best man speech. Reading from a haphazardly torn piece of scrap paper or worse, your hand, will look sloppy and indicate that you didn’t prepare for the speech.

8. Don’t drink beforehand.

Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum until after you’re finished delivering the best man speech. It's normal to want to calm your nerves, but anything more than one drink during cocktail hour could backfire—alcohol paired with intense nerves and emotions will only amplify them (and you run the risk of slurring your speech!). The more you drink, the less likely you'll be able to remember what you've planned and form cohesive thoughts in the spotlight. Once your speech is over, you'll have time to celebrate all you want. 

9. Finish your best man speech with congratulations and a toast.

This is a foolproof way to end your best man speech. Conclude by congratulating the happy couple on their big day and offer a toast to their lifetime of happiness. The toast can be personal, witty, or a quote. Perhaps there’s a line about love and relationships from one of the groom’s favorite comedians or movies that you can share, or you can simply wish the newlyweds the best and ask your fellow guests to raise their glasses in celebration. 

Things to Avoid In a Best Man Speech

In order to write a good speech, you want to keep the focus off yourself and instead on the happy couple and their future. In general, it's best to steer clear of these things:

1. Inappropriate anecdotes. 

Your pal's grandmother definitely does not need to hear about that one infamous night in college, no matter how relevant or funny it might seem to your buddies. Leave those drunken tales and embarrassing stories for the bachelor party and keep your best man speech PG.

2. Any talk of exes.

Your friend's wedding is absolutely not the time to bring up ex-girlfriends or previous relationships. No matter a how good a story you think it is, or even if it leads directly to the moment you're all in now, just leave it out completely—trust us.

3. Foul language.

Sensing a theme here? You want to make sure your best man speech is well received by everyone, from the 80-year-old guests to the 8-year-old guests. Remember: A wedding is a family event, so it's best to leave out any profanity or other PG-13 talk. 

4. Long-winded stories.

As mentioned previously, you want to keep your best man speech short and sweet. As great as your speech is going to be, the last thing you want is for the wedding guests to tune out halfway through your time in the spotlight. If a story needs more than a few sentences to explain, either pare it down or consider a different approach for writing your best man speech.

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Best Man Toasts, Wedding Speech Closing Lines

End your wedding speech with a bang.

Use these best man toasts to wrap up your wedding speech and deliver a mic-drop moment. Or take a sincere approach to your closing remarks and leave the wedding party touched by your thoughtfulness.

Any way you choose to approach your best man speech, we’ve got you covered!

Simple best man toasts and groomsmen’s toasts

1.) To the happy couple, Mr and Mrs [name]!

2.) Ladies and gentlemen, to the bride and groom!

3.) Now please join me in raising your glasses as we toast to the Bride and the Groom. I give you Mr. and Mrs. [name]!

4.) May you share all your dreams on the same pillow.

5.) May the rest of your lives be filled with magical moments.

6.) To my best friend and his beautiful bride: the new Mr and Mrs [name].

7.) May you both live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live.

8.) Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple — to [bride] and [groom].

9.) I would like to wish you a lifetime of health, wealth, happiness and love. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s toast to the bride and groom.

10.) May you always be friends as well as lovers.

11.) Here’s is to a lifetime of love and happiness!

12.) When the husband drinks to the wife, all would be well; when the wife drinks to the husband, all is. – English proverb

Even more short wedding toasts.

Tactful best man toasts

13.) May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

14.) I’d like you all to join me in wishing the happy couple all the wealth, health and happiness in the world. To the bride and groom!

15.) Let us all wish [bride] and [groom] years and years of happiness. May you be friends to each other only as lovers can, and may you love each other only as best friends can.

16.) May neighbors respect you, Trouble neglect you, The angels protect you, And heaven accept you.

17.) I’d like you all to join me in wishing the new Mr and Mrs [name] all the wealth, health and happiness in the world. To the bride and groom.

18.) What an honor it has been to serve as [groom’s] best man. And it’s even more of an honor to ask you all to join me in toasting the newlyweds. Cheers!

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Sincere best man toasts.

19.) Here is a toast to a perfect couple — to a long life together filled with happiness, adventure and lots of wonderful memories.

20.) Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife. – Franz Schubert

21.) For this is [bride] and [groom]’s time. And it’s time to raise your glass high in the air. To the bride and groom! We wish you a long and happy marriage.

22.) May you live as long as you like, And have all you like as long as you live.

23.) Congratulations on this big step in your lives. Let’s all raise our glasses and toast to the happy couple. May years of happiness and amazing memories await you!

Check out these Marriage Quotes and Sayings.

Useful best man toasts

24.) May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, The foresight to know where you are going, And the insight to know when you have gone too far.

25.) To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with. – Mark Twain

26.) To keep your marriage brimming, With love in the loving cup, Whenever you’re wrong, admit it; Whenever you’re right, shut up. – Ogden Nash

27.) A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. – Mignon McLaughlin

28.) Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate. – Barnett R. Brickner

29.) Always keep the lid down.

30.) A good marriage is at least 80 percent good luck in finding the right person at the right time. The rest is trust. – Nanette Newman

31.) Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that. – Michael Leunig

32.) Never go to bed angry… always stay up and argue.

33.) Don’t marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can’t live without. – James C. Dobson

More popular toasts for any occasion.

Marriage advice toasts

34.) Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threaded, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last. – Simone Signoret

35.) Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly. – Rose Franken

36.) The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. – Audrey Hepburn

37.) The grand essentials of happiness are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. – Allan K. Chalmers

38.) The best way to remember your anniversary is to forget it once.

39.) Always remember the three little words…”You’re right dear.”

40.) The capacity to love is tied to being able to be awake, to being able to move out of yourself and be with someone else in a manner that is not about your desire to possess them, but to be with them, to be in union and communion. – Bell Hooks

41.) Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. – Erica Jong

42.) Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. – Victor Borge

43.) In a great romance, each person plays a part the other really likes. – Elizabeth Ashley

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Funny best man toasts.

For a best man speech ending in a joke, try these on for size:

44.) To the two things that make a great marriage — having a good sense of humor and selective hearing.

45.) Love is blind, marriage is the eye-opener. – Pauline Thomason

46.) Today has been a very emotional day — even the cake is in tiers.

47.) This toast will be like a mini skirt: long enough to cover the essentials, but short enough to hold your attention.

48.) It’s not as great a day for the bride as she thinks. She’s not marrying the best man.

49.) Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out. – Michel de Montaigne

50.) [Bride] and [groom], before I finish, I’d like you to turn to face each other. You’re now looking into the eyes of the person who is statistically most likely to murder you. To the bride and groom!

51.) It’s a funny thing that when a man hasn’t anything on earth to worry about, he goes off and gets married. – Robert Frost

52.) By all means, marry if you get a good wife, you’ll be happy. If you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher. – Socrates

53.) A man is already halfway in love with any woman who listens to him. – Brendan Francis

54.) Before we raise our glasses to the happy couple, I’d like to make a toast to wives and lovers everywhere — may they never, ever cross paths!

55.) The man who says his wife can’t take a joke, forgets she took him. – Oscar Wilde

More funny wedding toasts and cheers.

Best man toasts for a brother

56.) To my very best friend and brother, and to his beautiful new wife, we salute you! Now let’s dance, drink and have a slice of cake!

57.) [Bride], I’ve never seen my brother happier and I know that’s because of you. May the Lord bless you with many, many happy years. Welcome to the family!

58.) To my brother and his new wife, may today be the beginning of a wonderful new and long-lasting chapter in your lives, and may you always love, honor and cherish each other, just as you do today.

59.) Apparently, as best man, I’m supposed to sing my brother’s praises and talk about his good qualities. Unfortunately, I can’t sing and I won’t lie.

60.) You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day. My brother has finally admitted that I am in fact the best man.

61.) We all knew my brother had found the one when he started spending more time with [bride] than he did playing on his Xbox!

The best wedding toasts for raising a glass to the new couple.

Quotes to use for best man toasts

62.) There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage. – Martin Luther

63.) We love because it’s the only true adventure. – Nikki Giovanni

64.) Love, be true to her; Life, be dear to her; Health, stay close to her; Joy, draw near to her; Fortune, find what you can do for her, Search your treasure-house through and through for her, Follow her footsteps the wide world over, And keep her husband always her lover. – Anna Lewis

65.) Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner. – Amy Bloom

66.) There’s nothing more admirable than two people who see eye to eye keeping house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends. – Homer

67.) My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least. – Anonymous

68.) The best marriages, like the best lives, were both happy and unhappy. There was even a kind of necessary tension, a certain tautness between the partners that gave the marriage strength, like the tautness of a full sail. – Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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Love quotes

69.) Love is a fire that feeds our life. – Pablo Neruda

70.) It is written, when children find true love, parents find true joy. Here’s to your joy and ours from this day forward. – Unknown

71.) Where there is great love, there are always miracles. – Willa Cather

72.) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

73.) To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage. – Lao Tzu

74.) The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. – John Green

75.) Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. – Maya Angelou

76.) But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. – Kahlil Gibran

77.) Insomuch as love grows in you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. – Saint Augustine

78.) Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible — it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could. – Barbara De Angelis

Wedding blessings and wishes.

Love sayings

79.) There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. – George Sand

80.) Happy marriages begin when we marry the one we love, and the blossom when we love the one we married. – Sam Levenson

81.) When love reigns, the impossible may be attained. – Indian proverb

82.) You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes are everywhere in the world. – David Levesque

83.) There is no remedy for love but to love more. – Henry David Thoreau

84.) True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. – Anonymous

85.) We never live so intensely as when we love strongly. We never realize ourselves so vividly as when we are in full glow of love for others. – Walter Rauschenbusch

86.) Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination. – Voltaire

87.) Love is the sum of our choices, the strength of our commitments, the ties that bind us together. – Emily Giffin

88.) He who wants to do good, knocks at the gate: he who loves finds the door open. – Rabindranath Tagore

89.) One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love. – Sophocles

90.) Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

91.) Where there is love there is life. – Mahatma Gandhi

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Romantic quotes

92.) Grow old with me. The best is yet to be — the last of life for which the first was made. – Robert Browning

93.) My heart is ever at your service. – William Shakespeare

94.) Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. – Emily Bronte

95.) You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because your reality is finally better than your dreams. – Dr. Seuss

96.) What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined…to strengthen each other…to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories. – George Eliot

97.) The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman’s heart. – Josiah G. Holland

98.) To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow—this is a human offering that can border on miraculous. – Elizabeth Gilbert

99.) We are each other’s harvest, we are each other’s business, we are each other’s magnitude and bond. – Gwendolyn Brooks

100.) After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her. – Mark Twain

101.) There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps. – Ronald Reagan

Wrapping it all up

We hope this list has been useful in finding the right best man toasts for you to use at a wedding. Whether you choose a long or short speech, these lines will have you closing on a high note!

By Greg Johnson | Published 3/4/2020

You’re on the Best Man Toasts, Wedding Speech Closing Lines page.

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Greg Johnson is a website editor, writer, and content designer. For over 10 years, he has covered subjects like pop culture, music, sports, history, famous quotes, and kids jokes. He is co-founder and editor of ListCaboodle.

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6 Best Man Speech Ideas, Examples, and Tips

By wedding spot.

Need some help writing your best man speech? Thousands and thousands of distressed forum threads, alarmed Quora posts, and social media cries for help are dedicated to this very request every year. Whether you’ve got a few weeks or a few hours, we’ve got you covered with this guide on how to come up with a best man speech you and the happy couple will love. Keep reading to discover some important best man speech ideas, examples, and tips that will make the process simple and virtually painless. 

Do’s and don’ts every best man should know before drafting their speech:

Length: The most important thing to keep in mind is the length. Shorter is better, so shoot for less than five minutes. The most ideal time would be three minutes: 30-second introduction, two minutes on the main story, and 30 seconds to wrap up and give well wishes. 

Tone: Keep it classy for the older relatives and leave out expletives, raunchy jokes, and stories that you can’t un-tell. Professional storytellers for the Moth , a famous storytelling podcast and prestigious competition, say that a mix of funny and sentimental usually packs a punch as long as you do it in that order. Also, be sincere. Corny jokes get boring really quickly. 

Content: Stories will always be more entertaining than random jokes. Include a one-liner at the beginning of the speech, then bring it back to something that actually happened. The focus should be on the couple or your relationship with them, but not just you and your accomplishments. 

Explore 6 foolproof best man speech ideas, examples, and tips:

1. take inspiration from those who have gone before you..

Copy or get inspired by these real-world examples of best man speeches you can use to make people laugh, cry, or both.

Long best man speech example: Here’s a best man speech example from an older brother to his younger brother, which we edited for clarity and brevity.

“Good afternoon everyone, I’m the best man.

Before I start, I’d just like to say there is no flash photography during this event. The bride and groom are a very shy pair and we don’t want to startle them. If you look really closely at them, you’ll see they’re already starting to feel quite uncomfortable. Maybe they’d like me to just get on with my speech, but I really think it’s all the phones pointed at them right now. 

Oh, it’s the speech? Okay, I’ll continue. 

Ever since (he was born, he started at Boston University, etc.), (groom) and I have been (brothers, friends, etc.). Now, he’s not the best-looking guy, so it does make sense that he’d ask the older, fatter, and balder (friend, version of himself, etc.) to be his best man. And we’ve genuinely been told throughout our lives that we (look incredibly alike, are attached at the hip, etc.). I honestly don’t see it, but as I know, some people here still can’t tell the difference: (Groom’s mom or bride), I’m (best man), and that one’s (groom).

The bride and groom have asked that I don’t talk about any of (groom)’s mishaps, mistakes, or embarrassing moments, and instead do talk about the positive things in his life. I mean, you’ve made this incredibly difficult for me, but I’ll do my best.

*Get out a scrap of paper* (Groom)’s an amazing person. He’s funny, he’s kind, he’s incredibly clever. He’s even (studying to be an engineer, learning how to rollerblade, etc.)! Not only that, but he’s … wait … (groom), I can’t say that, man!

(Bride), you look lovely today; and (groom), you look sharper than ever in that suit! Cheers to a long, happy marriage for you both! But more so for (bride), because she’s really got her hands full now. Cheers!”

Key takeaway: Making fun of yourself more than you make fun of the groom will always be a hit. Also, don’t shy away from the roast-style “set ‘em up to punch ‘em down” jokes like the ones featured here. 

Make it your own: This speech runs less than two minutes. Make it longer and personalize it by adding a story about you and the groom growing up that you think says something about who he is today, either by contrast or extreme similarity. 

Short best man speech example: Get some quick laughs and an “aww” with a little something like this. 

“I really should have given my speech first since (maid of honor)’s speech was way better than mine, but this is all your fault (groom), so enjoy! Thank you all for coming and for those who helped make this wedding so beautiful. (Bride), you look absolutely stunning tonight. (Groom), well, you’re here tonight. All jokes aside, I’m really happy for you both. I always wanted (a sister, someone to help me wrangle the groom, etc.), and now I finally have one. So here’s a toast to the bride and groom!”

Key takeaway: A quick icebreaker, thank you, and joke followed by a sentimental thought is really all you need. 

Make it your own: Personalize the items in brackets to fit your sense of humor and situation. Reference real stories and moments at the wedding. 

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2. Use a template.

If memorizing a script feels like too much pressure, outline your main points, and improvise from there. Here’s a foolproof structure for any best man speech.

Introduce yourself and how you know the happy couple.

Thank the hosts or parents if they paid for the wedding.

Say something nice about their partner and something funny about them.

Tell a short, funny story about your relationship to the groom that ties into what makes the newlyweds’ relationship special too.

End on a sentimental note with your well wishes.

Pro tip: Brainstorm 3-5 anecdotes you like, sleep on it, then narrow down your options to your Top 2. 

3. Nail the opening line.

The most memorable opening line for a best man speech is funny, grabs the audience’s attention, and offers a twist at the end. For example: 

“(Groom) didn't have an easy decision in choosing his best man. First, he called his most successful friend, who said no. Then, he called his smartest friend, who said no. Then, he asked his most attractive friend, and he also said no. Then, he called me, and I said, ‘(groom), I can't say no to you four times.’” 

4. Tell great jokes.

Keep the slander to a minimum. Instead, focus on making fun of yourself or telling a story of which you’re both equally embarrassed. You can also take this opportunity to be comedically competitive, regardless of who comes out on top in your speech. 

For example, acknowledging how you’ve done better at something can be funny just as long as you then mention how they ended up being the winner anyway because they found their partner. 

You can also take this opportunity to let others know about an inside joke or a story of something you two did together that no one has heard before (as long as it won’t get you in trouble with their partner, of course). 

5. Sprinkle in one-liners.

Funny one-liners are a great way to get the audience’s energy up and keep them engaged before you end with a sentimental punch. Here are some examples that even grandma will appreciate.

(Bride), you look stunning. (Groom), you look stunned.

(Bride), you're so beautiful you make (groom) look ... (successful, famous, rich)?

(Bride), you’re the luckiest person in the world to lock down someone like my (friend, brother, etc.). (Groom) is so good looking, so considerate, so humble, so… (groom), I’m sorry, I can't read your handwriting here.

6. Consider your relationship.

The most impactful best man speeches take the relationship you have with the groom into account. Here are some tips for each major type.

Older brother getting married:

Limit yourself to one or two icebreaker insults. Any more and your speech turns into a roast. 

Highlight how much of an example the groom has set for you, for better or worse. 

Younger brother getting married:

Mention at least one meaningful way you’ve seen the groom grow over the years. 

Make a joke to their partner’s benefit about how the groom has “finally won” your sibling rivalry by finding them.

Dad getting married:

Incorporate an important life lesson your dad taught you and weave it into both your main story and your perspective on the wedding today. 

Express gratitude for all he has done for you. He’ll really appreciate it. 

Best friend getting married:

Mention a good quality you remember from the early days of your friendship such as their talent at field hockey or their love of knitting. 

Talk about what makes them special compared to the rest of your friend group in your eyes through the lens of a flattering story. 

If you don’t have a close relationship with the groom: Lean into their interests and use them as a metaphor for how you feel about their marriage. For example, a Star Wars buff might really appreciate a Luke and Leia comparison. Personalizing it like this will show how much you care by putting in more effort to get to know their interests and give you another thing to bond over long after the wedding is over. 

Hint: if it’s the groom’s second marriage, make sure you know who is in attendance before you start jokingly ripping into their ex. In fact, let them be the ones to make jokes about the situation.

Now you know how to give an amazing best man speech! 

Using the advice above, you now know everything about how to write and give a best man speech everyone will enjoy. Don’t be afraid to use borrowed examples, templates, or one-liners. As long as you personalize it and speak from the heart, your speech will be memorable. 

Up next, find other ways to leave your mark on the big day with some super fun and unique bridal party entrance ideas .

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30 Great Ways to Start Your Best Man's Speech

Know all the killer content you want inside, but not sure how to get started? These best man speech openers are bound to help!

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Jordanna Marston

If you want to nail your five minutes of fame at your best mate's wedding, brilliant best man speech opening lines are the way to do it. The first few lines of your best man speech set the tone for the rest of it, so getting your best man opening lines right is vital.

The traditional order of wedding speeches sees the best man speech opening line follow on from the groom and father of the bride, so you're likely to have pretty big shoes to fill, and there's no better way to get the crowd on your side than a killer opening. 

Great opening lines for a best man speech very in theme and tone - so we've made sure this guide has something for everyone!

30 Brilliant Best Man Speech Opening Lines

Whether you're after a formal best man speech introduction, some funny lines to warm up the room or a few best man speech openers to preface some sentimental stories, we've got something to suit you.

Choose between sweet, sentimental, sarcastic, sassy and more! 

1. Last Minute Best Man Opener

Are you known for always being forgetful and a bit slap-dash? If so, why not use your best man speech introduction to poke fun at yourself about it. 

“Hi, I’m [x] and it’s time for me to do this speech I scribbled down about an hour before the ceremony started.”

2. Wedding Jokes

This light-hearted wedding joke is a great way to get some giggles at the start of your speech without saying anything about anyone in particular. 

“I must admit, I’m not accustomed to public speaking. Up until I was asked to give this speech, I thought a toastmaster was a kind of kitchen appliance!”

3. Cramping Your Style

Is the groom a bit of a buffoon? And are you a single pringle? If so, this best man speech opening line is perfect. 

“Hi, I’m [x] and in the run up to the wedding many people have asked me how I’ll cope now my best friend is married and will spend all his time at home loved up with his partner. And the truth is, I’m thrilled. I’m finally able to talk to women without him cramping my style!”

4. Unexpected Announcement

This quick-witted joke is the house rules announcement no one saw coming. 

“Right, I’d just like to start by laying down a couple of rules. Firstly, if you do have a mobile phone…please, leave it switched on; keep yourselves entertained. And secondly, if anyone texts you any good jokes, could you please forward them to me?”

5. Not a Pleasure

This stereotypical 'act like you don't want to be doing a speech' vibe works for so many best men. 

“My name is [x] and it’s an honour to stand here as [x]’s best man. I’d like to say it’s a pleasure too, but that won’t be the case until I’ve finished this speech…”

6. The Internet Intro

Give the impression you've printed this speech off the internet to warm the crowd up. 

"It's a pleasure to stand here as the best man to 'insert name here'. Oh wait, I was supposed to edit that bit out before I printed it off..."

7. I'm the Best

Rub it in to the rest of the group that you're  officially the groom's favourite.

“My name is [x] and I’m officially the best man. It might have taken [x] amount of years, but [x] has finally admitted I’m the best.”

8. Your Writing

This one's a classic, and you can tailor the adjectives to ensure it's the kind of thing your friend  would actually write for you. 

“Hello, I’m [x] and I’m here to tell you all about [x] and how wonderful, handsome and…sorry, mate, I can’t read your writing.”

9. My Only Chance

Is it a running joke that the groom never picks up the bill? If so, you could poke a bit of fun at it in your best man opener lines. 

"Thank you for having me as your best man [x], I didn’t really want to do it, but I thought it might be the only chance I’ll get to have a meal and some drinks paid for by you, so I didn’t risk turning it down.”

10. To the Groom

Think your friend has excellent taste in friends? Start off by telling everyone that, then. 

"Hello everyone, I’d like to start this speech off by congratulating the groom on his excellent taste in best men. He’s really outdone himself."

11. That's Me Done

This is a brilliantly funny best man speech introduction, and also acts as a great way to skim over stereotypical topics and get into some more personal anecdotes. 

"The happy couple have asked that I don’t share any embarrassing stories, stag do pranks or crude jokes in my best man’s speech… so that’s it from me! Thanks for listening."

12. My Word Means Nothing

If you are going to go down the route of telling some funny stag do stories, this is a hilarious way to introduce them. 

"[x] asked me not to mention any of the scandals from the stag do, and I said I wouldn't. But as you all know, I'm a compulsive liar and my word means nothing, so here goes nothing..."

13. Enough About Me

There's nothing wrong with using your best man opening lines to compliment yourself, right?

"Gorgeous, loyal, charming, handsome...but today isn't about me. Now, let's talk about [x]."

14. Worst Day of Their Lives

We love this best man opener line, it's a funny way of saying you wish the couple all the happiness in the world. 

"My only wish for the happy couple is that each day of their marriage is better than the previous so that they can look back on today, their wedding day, and say that it was the worst day of their lives."

15. Only Joking

Is your best friend's partner a stickler for plans and precision? If so, this is a fun way to address that. 

"Good evening. I’m pleased to be delivering the only five minutes that the [x] didn’t meticulously plan. Of course, I’m only joking. She went over the speech with me half an hour ago in the bar."

16. Sweepstake

Wedding speeches going on for too long is a stereotype that's fun to lean into, and starting off your best man's speech with this line will have everyone laughing, and also leave them feeling relieved that you're aware 45 minutes is too long, and will hopefully be finished soon!

"I just heard about the sweepstake people have on how long the best man speech should last. I put my money on 45 minutes, so make yourselves comfortable everyone…"

17. Dead Body At a Funeral

Have you and all the guests got a dry sense of humour? 

"A best man is just like a dead body at a funeral. You’re expected to be there, but if you start talking, everyone starts freaking out."

18. Standing Ovation

Looking for confident great opening lines for a best man speech? 

"Now before I get started, I have a quick health and safety notice. The venue team have kindly asked that during your standing ovation, you do not stand on the tables or chairs. I know it'll be difficult to celebrate calmly, but please, safety first!"

19. Dancing Lesson

This light-hearted joke will get everyone excited for the first dance. 

"Good evening everyone, my name is [x] and I'm the best man. I’ll try to keep my speech short, because every minute I speak is an extra minute’s delay in witnessing how the [x]'s dance lessons worked out."

20. I'm the Best Man

We love this opening line, it's fun and a great way to start your best man speech. 

"You’ve got no idea how much I’ve been looking forward to today. After all the years I’ve been friends with the groom, he has finally admitted that I am in fact the best man."

21. Unfortunately, I'm Married

This best man speech opening is a great way to compliment your friend and get some laughs at the same time.

"[x] had the honour of being my best man. He spent months writing a perfect, tender and charming speech. Everyone agreed it was funny and beautiful. Unfortunately I’m married, so I haven’t had the time to do all that."

22. Slept Like a Baby

Guests love it when you poke fun at yourself, so use your best man speech opening to self-deprecate. 

"I’ve been worried about giving this speech for a while now. Fortunately last night I slept like a baby, AKA waking up every two hours and bawling my eyes out."

23. Hard to Follow

If the person before you can take a poking, this is a funny speech introduction for the best man. 

"I always knew the groom’s speech would be hard to follow. In fact, I couldn’t understand a word of it." 

24. The Drinks Bill

Is it even a best man speech introduction if you don't reference the cost of the wedding?

"Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve now reached the point in the proceedings when we all get to see the groom squirm uncomfortably in his seat and grip the table in nervous anticipation. That’s right, I’ve been asked to give him the drinks bill." 

25. Making Love

This is a cheeky one, but not half as bad as some of the best man speech opening lines we've heard before! 

"I read somewhere that the perfect best man speech should last as long as it takes for the groom to make love. So please could everyone raise a glass to the happy couple!" 

26. Don't Get What You Want

Way to compliment your friend's partner and get a little dig in about them all at the same time. 

“We all know [x] is a wonderful woman and deserves the perfect man. Unfortunately, you don’t always get what you deserve.”

27. Cost of a Stamp

This fun best man speech introduction won't get you into any real trouble, but will ensure you get off to a good start.

“My name is [x] and [x] asked me to be his best man a year ago – although I never actually received a formal invitation to the wedding. Let’s hope I haven’t eaten someone else’s meal by mistake – but more likely, it was [x] saving himself the cost of a stamp.”

28. Terrible Hangover

If you're likely to have a sore head on the day of the wedding, you might as well get it all out in the open at the beginning of the speech. 

“If you could keep the clapping and cheering to a minimum today - I’ve got a pretty bad hangover. I know you shouldn’t drink heavily before a big event but I couldn’t let [x] drink alone, could I?"

29. Emotional Day

This one is as cheesy as it is classic, but it's a crowd-pleaser if we've ever heard one. 

“Hi, I’m the best man and can I start by saying what an emotional day it’s been today? Even the cake is in tiers.”

30. Still Had Hair

If your pal can take a little joke about their appearance, why not eh?!

“My name is [x] and I’ve known [x] since we were at school – yes, I knew him when he still had hair!”

If you want to make your best man’s speech even better, we’ve got a bunch of hilarious tried and tested best man jokes that will have everyone laughing!

Related Hitched articles

Great Short & Sweet Best Man Speech Examples

Writing a best man speech can be daunting, to say the least. However, it doesn’t have to be. By sticking with our short best man speeches method, you can say what needs to be said and still impress and be funny. And the good news is it only takes is a few minutes, and then you can breathe again and enjoy the day!

A Quick Reminder On What Makes a Great Speech

A great speech will always include the essentials. An intro that’s appreciated, heartfelt words, a few jokes, and the right kind of toast are just the beginning. Here are a few tips for writing a great best man toast .

8 Tips to Improve Your Speech Writing

• First, introduce yourself and thank everyone for coming
• Talk about your relationship with the groom after a short introduction of yourself.
• Thank everyone for organizing the event.
• If anyone has sent messages but cannot be there that day, read them.
• Poke fun at the groom a bit by sharing a funny story.
• Compliment the bride and say something about the bridesmaid.
• Offer a bit of advice to the married couple. Something funny is great, here.
• Then, offer up a sincere toast to the newlyweds.
• When you are done, present the next speaker for the evening. Finally, take your seat.

Short and Sweet Best Man Speech Examples

Funny and upbeat.

“Good evening everyone! Let’s lift our glasses and toast to the newlyweds!

Don’t worry, your arms won’t get tired. My speech is going to be like a mini-skirt: long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to hold your attention.

[Groom], thank you for being such a stable force in my life, a great friend and an even better brother. [Bride], I think we can all agree that you’re stunning this evening and [Groom] won the lottery.

[Bride] & [Groom], tonight we celebrate you. We all wish you a lifetime of happiness, love, health, success, and laughter. May you continue to find humor in the bad and appreciation for the good. May your friendship continue to grow throughout all the years to come. Cheers!”

Brother’s Funny & Short Best Man Speech

Here’s an example of a brother of the groom that hates public speaking giving a best man speech in under 3 minutes. Yes! It’s possible. He got in a few funny things about the groom and well wishes and wrapped it up.

Heartfelt and Personal

“Hello, everyone, I am Brad. You may not know me, but Keith and I go way back, since college, in fact. We have been mischief makers together since the very start.

But despite our best efforts, today has gone off without a hitch. A special thanks to everyone who made today possible. I have a few words to read from well-wishers who could not join us here today (read off messages sent from people who could not attend).

Well, their kind words are right. Keith is a heck of a guy. I guess I first knew that on the day we met. There he was, already in our dorm room, doing his best to find himself a girl on campus. And he had only been there a few hours! Really, his pursuits in this avenue were largely less than successful.

That was until he met Maddie. And thank goodness for that. Keith, I hate to tell you this, but I have seen your ex-girlfriends, and I certainly think the best woman won out. Or, at least the most beautiful, at any rate. She looks stunning today. So, too, do the bridesmaids. If any of them are interested, I can give them my number after this is over.

I would like to offer you both a bit of advice today, as you start this new journey together. Keith, always treats Maddie like the queen that she is. And Maddie, always remembers that Keith loves you and could not do it without you. Seriously, I have seen him without you. And that was a mess.

But, seriously, I wish you all best. You are both near and dear to me. Your life together is sure to be a fantastic new chapter for both of you. Now, if you would all join me to give a toast to Luke and Maddie.”

Hilarious Best Man Speech – Kills it in Under 6 Minutes

Simple & to the Point

“Good Evening. My name is (Best Man) and on behalf of (Groom and Bride), I would like to thank you for attending this blessed event today! I have the honor of acting as Best Man tonight and am thrilled that I am with these two wonderful people as they begin this new chapter in their lives.

 (Bride and Groom) have each walked many miles to be here together today, and this wedding is a joy to behold. I can speak for everyone in this room when I say we all wish you the happiness that you deserve. We are so glad that you have found one another, and this day is a reminder that the best is yet to come. Congratulations, (Bride and Groom)!”

Short Best Man Speech with Some Great One-Liners

If you’re looking for some great one-liners for your best man speech check this out.

“Everyone – please raise your champagne and join me in a toast to Melanie and Howard. As I begin this wedding toast one of the first thoughts that pop into my mind is… if I’m the best man… then why is Melanie getting married to Howard? I guess because today, I am just an average man and Howard is the best man.

In my considerable research to learn how to deliver an incredible best man speech, I quickly realized that in my toast I am expected to sing the praises of our groom and tell you what a wonderful guy Howard is. Unfortunately, I’m a terrible singer and an even worse liar.

Howard… Melanie is a kind, beautiful, and a good-hearted person who deserves a great husband. Thank goodness you stole her heart before she found one. All kidding aside – my heart is filled with so much love, respect, and admiration for my dear friend, Howard. I am beyond honored to be standing here today in front of you in the role of his best man… I love you both and wish you many years of happy marriage. Can’t wait to see what this world has in store for you both. Cheers!”

Short & Sweet With Blessings

“Ladies and gentlemen. I met John in 1990. We have been friends for over 17 years. In that time, he has proven himself to be not only a great friend but a truly good man as well. I value my friendship with John and I look forward to having the same great friendship with his lovely new bride Katherine.

I know one important thing about Katherine. She has made John happier than I have ever seen him. Today is a day of joy and happiness for all of us. But it is not just a day… it’s the very special beginning of a new life between John and Katherine. I wish you both health and happiness and may God bless your marriage.”

Amazing Tips & Themes For Your Magical Wedding

• Magical Words
• Anniversary & Wedding Wishes

66 Creative Toasts to End Your Best Man Speech

• Posted by by Lisa Plaitt

As the best man, you will have the duty of writing a speech for the newlyweds. During this time, you can keep it lighthearted and playful, or opt for something straightforward and simple.

No matter what, you will have to make sure that you honor the bride and groom, and wish them a happy future together. 

While you might have the best man’s speech down to a T , how do you end it with a toast? In this article we have put together 66 different ways to give your best man toast that you can adapt and change.

So, whether you are looking to make fun of the newlyweds, or want to keep it serious, here are 66 ways to raise a glass to the lucky couple. 

Toasts to the Happy Couple

• “To my best friend [NAME] and his beautiful wife/groom [NAME] – here is to a wonderful future filled with lots of love and true happiness.”
• “It has been a huge honor to be your best man. However, it has become an even bigger honor to ask everyone in this room to toast the newly married couple. To the bride and groom!”
• “Let us all wish the bride and groom many years of love and happiness. May you be the kind of friends that only lovers can be. May you love each other in the way only best friends are able to.”
• “To the happy couple, may their love story unfold like a fairytale, with many a happy ending, and not a single wicked stepmother in sight.”
• “Here’s to the couple, may their love be like a cozy fire in the winter – warm, comforting, and always there to chase away the chill.”
• “To the newlyweds – may you always look at each other with the same sparkle in your eyes as when you first met!”
• “May their marriage be filled with love, laughter, and a mutual understanding that no matter what, they will always be each other’s wingman.”
• “Let us lift our glasses in celebration of the union of two remarkable individuals. May your marriage be a testament to how you both make each other stronger, more self-assured and madly in love with one another through the years.”
• “May your marriage never feel like hard work, but instead be full of moments that are as easy as breathing. May it bring out the best in you and give you even more reason to be thankful every day.”
• “Let’s raise a glass to a love that will make even Cupid jealous, and may their marriage be filled with laughter, adventure, and all the good things in life.”

Toasts to the Groom

• “Cheers to the groom, who has found a partner in life who can tolerate his witty humor and two left feet on the dance floor.”
• “A heartfelt congrats to the groom who finally found the missing piece to his puzzle, and I have to say, she fits him like a glove – a really pretty, elegant glove.”
• “To the handsome groom, may your love for your bride continue to be the anchor that steadies you both through life’s storms.”
• “May you, dear groom, be imbued with courage, wisdom, and love to be the best husband and partner you can be.”
• “Here’s to the groom, for having great taste in women! He found his queen among a sea of frogs and convinced her that she’s a real princess. May your love story last forever, and may you live happily ever after! Now, let’s raise our glasses and drink before she run away at midnight! Cheers!”
• “Here’s to the groom: he may have once been a single man, but now he’s got two bosses!”
• “Cheers to the groom, who is finally taking the plunge after years of dating! Now that you have found your perfect match, I just hope she doesn’t change her mind and leave you heartbroken. So make sure to stay on your best behavior – no more late nights out with the boys!”
• “In honor of this special day, I’d like to offer the groom some advice: As long as you two are willing to split the remote control and always make sure there’s enough toilet paper in the house, I’m confident your marriage will last forever.”

Toasts to the Bride

• To the beautiful bride, may your happiness be as radiant and timeless as the dress you wear today.
• Here’s to the woman who stole the groom’s heart and forever captured his love.
• Let’s raise a glass to the bride, whose smile brightens up even the dreariest of days, and who, today, takes her vows with the one she loves most.
• You have brought so much light and beauty into the world and today, as you marry your soulmate, you shine brighter than ever.
• To the stunning bride, here’s to a lifetime of love and adventure, of sharing everything, and always standing by each other’s side.
• “Here’s to the bride! A woman with an eye for detail and a heart of gold. She never fails to surprise us all with her words and actions, but most especially with the way she loves our groom.”

Toasts to the Future

• “Let us toast to the remarkable bond my buddy and his partner possess. Even though it wasn’t easy, they made it through and taught us that no matter what challenges stand in the way, true love will always find a way. Cheers!”
• “Let nothing stand between the two of you—not even time or distance—and may every day bring more love than the last. Congratulations to the bride and groom! May your future be bright, beautiful, and full of blessings. Cheers!”
• “Wishing you both a lifetime of health and happiness, where you can continue to explore all that life has to offer together as one. May you keep smiling with every struggle and crying with every joy – knowing that whatever comes your way will bring even more strength to your relationship.”
• “Here’s to the beautiful journey ahead – may it always be filled with genuine happiness in each other’s arms! Congratulations!”
• “Here’s to the couple as they begin this next chapter in their lives together. May they have strength to overcome any obstacles that come their way, courage to take risks when necessary, and compassion to understand one another despite life’s differences.”
• “Let’s toast to the special bond shared between this loving couple – one filled with trust, respect and admiration. Here’s wishing them a long and happy life together as husband and wife, surrounded by family and friends who can’t help but smile when thinking about them!”

Funny Best Man Toasts

If you have created a best man speech that has plenty of funny lines that will capture the room and cause lots of laughter, then you will want to end it that way too.

Here you will find a few examples to get your inspiration flowing.

Related read: 60 Funny Wedding Wishes for Newlyweds

• “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of my best friend and his better half. I’d like to take this opportunity to raise a toast to them on such an auspicious occasion.”
• “To my best friend, I’m so happy he has found someone who loves him just as much as I do!”
• “To my dear friend [Groom’s name], who I’ve known since we were kids, I must say, it’s about time you grew up and got married. I mean, seriously, what took you so long? But, in all honesty, I couldn’t be happier for you, my friend.”
• “May their marriage be like coffee: strong, hot and never bitter!”
• “To the bride and groom, may their love be like a game of chess – always evolving, never boring, and always ending with a mate.”
• “It comes as no surprise that we were not shocked when [NAME] asked [NAME] to marry them. We knew [NAME] had found the one when he stopped playing his Playstation. To the happy couple!”
• “To the bride and groom, may they never argue over who is the real boss in their relationship, but instead always play rock, paper, scissors to settle it.”
• “For the last time, I am going to ask everyone in the room to raise their glass and – if you are still able to – stand and wish the newlyweds a happy and bright future!”
• “If you had trouble hearing me at the back – I did ask to use a microphone, but the silence at the front of the room should help to reassure you that you are not missing a thing. Here’s to the bride and groom!”

• “Before I end this speech, I want to give some advice to the best man. Always remember to say the three magical words: ‘You’re right dear’. To the bride and groom!”
• “Let’s make sure this day is just as special as possible; after all, you only get married once – or at least we hope you do.”
• “May the newlyweds find prosperity in all aspects of life, excluding a receding hairline, which seems to be an unavoidable reality.”
• “I once read that the best man’s speech should always take as long as the amount of time it takes the groom to make love. So, here is to the happy couple!”
• “Thank you everyone for keeping the clapping to a minimum today. I have a terrible hangover. I couldn’t let the groom drink alone last night, could I? Let’s raise a final glass to the new Mr and Mrs [NAME].”
• “And now that I have come to the end of my speech, it has been great to have been a part of the only few minutes the bride wasn’t able to plan. Here’s to the happy couple!”

Best Man Toasts for Brother

Sometimes your best man is your brother. Here are a few ideas to end that toast.

• “It is with great honor that I stand here today and raise a toast to my wonderful brother – may the next chapter of his life be just as amazing as the last! Cheers!”
• “To my best friend, who also happens to be my brother, and his new wife. Let’s raise a glass to the many wonderful years that are ahead. Now, let’s dance, be merry, and eat cake!”
• “It is said that as my brother’s best man I am supposed to talk about what good qualities he has, and to sing his praises. However, I won’t lie and I cannot sing. To the happy couple!”
• “So raise a glass to my bro, who has more friends than Instagram followers – but just as many likes!”
• “It became obvious that my brother had fallen in love and found the one when he spent a lot more time with [BRIDE] instead of his Xbox.”
• “Here’s to my bro! A man who knows what he wants in life, except for a wife. He was so sure of himself until that fateful day when she said yes and turned his world upside down.”
• “This day has been a long time coming. My brother has finally admitted that I am the best man.”
• “May this marriage be the beginning of a brand new chapter in your lives, and may it bring lots of love and wonderful moments that you can share together.

Toasts That Include a Quote 

If you like a good quote, then find one that suits the occasion. Here are a few to think about: 

• “To end this speech, I would like to tell you some wise words that Socrates once said: ‘My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife, you will be happy. If not, you will become a philosopher.’ To the newlyweds!”
• “Oscar Wilde once said: ‘The man who says his wife cannot take a joke forgets that she took him’. To the bride and groom!”
• “Just before we raise a glass to [NAME] and [NAME], here is something Pauline Thomason once said: ‘Love is blind. Marriage is an eye-opener.’ To the newlyweds!” 
• “Just like Dr. Seuss once said: ‘You know when you are in love when you cannot fall asleep because your reality is finally better than your dreams’.
• “Emily Bronte once said: ‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same’. To Mr and Mrs [NAME].”

Toasts to the Bridal Party

While not traditional (the groom is the one who often toasts the bridesmaids), you can also compliment them too. Here are some examples:

• “I want to say a special thank you to all the bridesmaids. They have been wonderful and helpful throughout the process and today.
• “To the bridesmaids: Here’s to you all for being there with my sister during this exciting time. May your friendship remain strong as she embarks on this wonderful journey of marriage and new beginnings.”
• “Please raise your glasses to… The bridesmaids!”
• “Here’s to two of the best bridesmaids anyone could ask for! Without you, the wedding day would not have come together as perfectly and joyfully as it did. From helping with the dress fittings to doting on the bride during her special day, I want to thank both of you for your unwavering support and friendship.”
• “To the bridesmaids – may they always stay as beautiful and graceful as they are today!”
• “To a long-lasting friendship between these beautiful ladies, who have been by each other’s side through thick and thin. May your bond be strong for many years to come.”

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose a heartfelt, humorous, or nostalgic toast, the most important thing is that your words come from the heart and reflect the love and joy of the newlyweds’ union.

With these 66 creative and meaningful toasts, you’ll have the confidence and inspiration you need to deliver a memorable and unforgettable best man speech.

So, raise your glass and make a toast to the happy couple and their beautiful future together.

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Lisa Plaitt

Hello, I’m Lisa Plaitt and I have been married to my wonderful husband for almost five years. We met almost a decade ago now and I love him more everyday. But on my wedding day - the day that was supposed to be about celebrating us - I was far too stressed to enjoy it. My husband proposed to me in spring and it was a very lowkey setting, in our backyard without anyone else around to see it. It was a perfect proposal. But then everything got real, and I was suddenly thrust into planning mode.

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Best Man Tribute to the Bride (or Groom)

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Home » Best Man Tribute to the Bride (or Groom)

(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out all the different ways the Speechy team can help you write & deliver a great speech. Or check out our new AI-powered team member, SpeechyAI .)

The Basic Rules

The tribute to your mate’s partner doesn’t need to be long but needs to be more than a succession of clichés. The aim is to make sure your words seem genuine and suggest you actually know them (even if you don’t really!). We suggest you:

• Say they look beautiful/handsome – ok, it’s a cliche but it’s a necessary one
• Think of something you admire about them – even if it’s just their ability to fry up an excellent breakfast when you’re all feeling slightly ‘delicate’
• Share any classic anecdotes of your time with them
• Express why you think the couple work so well together

Now let’s unpack this for you…

1 – The Obligatory Compliment

This is one tradition that is not going anywhere. Everyone likes being told they look great. On their wedding day, it’s the law.

It’s perfectly fine to use one of the usual descriptive words to compliment them on their appearance; stunning, handsome, gorgeous, and beautiful are all acceptable choices. But to make your compliment really sing, go for something bespoke. Show that you’ve noticed the special effort they’ve gone to on this momentous day, or that you recognise how unique they are. Like…

‘ It finally makes sense to me why Mark’s favourite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid , now he has his very own red-haired princess who’s a fearless open water swimmer. No chance of this one giving up her voice for a bloke though . ‘

2 – What Do You Admire About Them?

There’s nothing that says cut and paste more than a speech full of platitudes that say nothing identifiable whatsoever about the person you’re talking about.

Instead, look for something about their character that you couldn’t say about just any old bride or groom, even if it’s their saintly levels of patience at being a FIFA widow or their infamous cocktail-making skills.

Maybe you covet their massive record collection and appreciate the fact they’ve got your mate to stop listening to Coldplay. Perhaps their career has them going on super impressive fieldwork for an NGO and leaves your mate pining for them when they’re out of the country. Or it might just be that they’re a true people magnet, as evidenced by the 80:20 ratio of their wedding guests to your mate’s.

3 – Share A Story

Stories are always better than a succession of adjectives.

Presumably, if you and the groom are close, you’ve all had an opportunity to spend at least some time with their other half too. Forget about listing each and every occasion you’ve hung out, just choose one or two anecdotes that prove what you’ve said about their character.

If you’ve mentioned that they’re generous, a quick line acknowledging the Friday nights they’ve taxied you from the pub to your front door without commenting on the greasy kebab fingerprints in their pristine car will evidence that claim.

3 – Why The Couple Work So Well Together

You’re in prime position to identify your best friend’s best qualities and his most irritating flaws. Knowing he’s found the person who balances out these parts of him should fill you with warm, happy feelings – and probably also some relief.

Try and explain in just a sentence or two why you think these two go together like aloo and gobi.

Maybe your friend is one of those weird people who enjoys cleaning and his new spouse leaves the kitchen looking like a nuclear disaster area after making a spaghetti bolognese. Or perhaps his partner is a professional dog groomer and your mate has the most high-maintenance, hairiest back known to man.

Say more than the obvious platitudes.

How Your Relationship Will Affect Your Tribute

WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW THE GROOM’S PARTNER?

If you’ve barely met them (and this is true more often than you’d think) you can make a joke about it. Just a cheeky ‘ He’s been keeping you locked up ’ or ‘ I’ve always wanted to meet the person who can beat Dave on Mario kart ’ will suffice.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE MY FRIEND’S PARTNER?

Look, in an ideal world, every day would be like a Friends episode, but occasionally there’s that one personality that doesn’t align with ours – think Janice – and they also happen to have laid claim to our best mate forever more. It doesn’t help if you feel you’ve made the effort but they’ve been colder than a penguin’s bumhole in return.

But, ultimately your friendship is bigger than your pride. So swallow it. Just crack on and say something – anything – positive about the person your friend is promising to spend the rest of his life with. If you’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel, just say ‘ I know Nick thinks the absolute world of you because you’re the only person in the world he’d ever give up fantasy football night for.’

Try not to sound too bitter about it.

WHAT IF MY FRIEND’S PARTNER DOESN’T LIKE ME ?

Sometimes we do meet those rare people who don’t appreciate waking up to the smell of leftover kebab in their Honda Civic, or for some reason don’t get our *jokes*. And in an increasingly polarised political world, people’s outlooks on life can genuinely jar quite considerably.

If this is the case, keep a closer eye on your speech for anything that someone could take the wrong way. Keep the humour on the right side of edgy and maybe get another person to read it in advance of the day to make sure you’re not pushing it too far. Our Edit Service could also help provide an expert eye.

Hopefully though, if you’ve noticed funny qualities in your best mate, chances are his spouse has noticed them too, and your speech could just be something you finally bond over!

The Speechwriting Experts

The Speechy team  are TV-trained scriptwriters/comedians by trade & we’ve helped 1,000s of speakers around the world deliver their dream speech.

Our advice has been quoted everywhere from  The New York Times  to  Grazia  and from Forbes to The Observer . Our founder has also featured on the  BBC Sounds’ Best Men podcast with Jason Manford and written ‘ The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches’ , published by Little, Brown.

How can we help you?

Speech edit service, £ 245, bespoke speech writing service, £ 495, delivery coaching, £ 150, bespoke celebration speech, celebration speech edit service, or check out our range of speech templates from just £ 29 :, we’re rated ‘excellent' on trustpilot for a reason....

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Trump, now a convicted felon, insists he's a 'very innocent man' after landmark verdict

• Donald Trump fumed over the verdict in his criminal New York hush-money trial. 
• A jury found Trump guilty of criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to a porn star.
• Prosecutors said Trump falsified 34 documents to cover up the $130,000 payment.

Former President Donald Trump , now a convicted felon, fumed over the verdict in his historic New York hush-money trial on Thursday, insisting that he's "a very innocent man."

A Manhattan jury on Thursday found the 77-year-old presumptive Republican presidential nominee guilty on criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels .

"This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt," Trump told reporters in the Manhattan courtroom hallway after a jury found him guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

"We didn't do a thing wrong. I'm a very innocent man," said Trump, who added that the "real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people."

Trump continued, "This was a rigged decision right from day one, with a conflicted judge who should have never been allowed to try this case. Never. And we will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over."

Moments after the landmark guilty verdict was handed down, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., said in a post on the social media site X, "Such bullshit."

"Guilty on all counts. The Democrats have succeeded in their years long attempt to turn America into a third-world shithole. November 5 is our last chance to save it," Trump Jr. said in another post.

Trump will appeal the verdict, Susan Necheles, a lawyer for the former president told Business Insider.

Trump's lead defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, immediately tried to fight the verdict after it was read into the court record, telling New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan there was "no way" the jury "could have reached this verdict without accepting the testimony" of Trump's attorney-turned-nemesis Michael Cohen.

Blanche claimed Cohen, the prosecution's star witness, committed perjury on the stand and told the judge "there is no reason the court should allow a verdict."

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Joshua Steinglass, an assistant district attorney, told Merchan, "We, of course, disagree" and asked the judge to reject the motion by Trump's lawyers, which Merchan quickly did.

Since Trump was indicted in the hush-money case more than a year ago, he has relentlessly slammed the prosecution as a political "witch hunt."

Nearly every day of the five-week trial, Trump publicly criticized the Manhattan district attorney office's case against him as well as Merchan, the presiding judge.

Shortly before the hush-money jury began its deliberations on Wednesday, Trump, in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, railed, "KANGAROO COURT! A CORRUPT AND CONFLICTED JUDGE," and again insisted, "THERE WAS NO CRIME."

In another post on Wednesday, Trump blasted prosecutors' closing statements, saying, "THE D.A.'s OFFICE WAS ALLOWED TO GO ON WITH 5 HOURS OF BULL…. YESTERDAY. I have no rights against this Crooked Judge's Gag Order !"

Moments after jurors started weighing a verdict, Trump told reporters in the courtroom hallway that the case against him was so "rigged" that not even "Mother Teresa" could get acquitted.

"These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged. The whole country's a mess between the borders and the fake elections. And we have a trial like this where the judge is so conflicted he can't breathe," Trump said.

The former president added, "Mother Teresa could not beat those charges. But we'll see. We'll see how we do. It's a very disgraceful situation."

The verdict in the case follows the first-ever criminal trial of a former American president .

Jurors heard testimony from 20 prosecution witnesses, including Daniels and Cohen.

Prosecutors alleged that Trump falsified 34 business documents throughout 2017, including in his first week as president, when they say he reimbursed Cohen for paying Daniels the hush money.

Trump, according to prosecutors, orchestrated the payment to Daniels as part of an illegal conspiracy to influence the 2016 election.

The payment was meant to buy Daniels' silence over a sexual encounter the porn star says she had with Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel suite in 2006 during a celebrity golf tournament, prosecutors said. Trump has denied having sex with Daniels.

Watch: Donald Trump was indicted in New York. Here's what we know so far.

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