Being asked to be Best Man is a huge honour and an equally
huge responsibility, but by far the hardest part of the best man’s duties on
the wedding day is the dreaded speech. You want people to be entertained and
your speech to be remembered – for all the right reasons!
Here are a few tips for getting it right:
- If the speeches are after the meal avoid the temptation to
knock back the wine; it may relax you, but you could end up saying something
you really shouldn’t. - Know your audience. It’s no good playing to your mates; they
may get the in-jokes, but no-one else will. - Introduce yourself, not everyone in the room will know who
you are or your connection to the groom. - Don’t swear, don’t mumble, don’t mention former girlfriends
and don’t upset the bride and groom. - Be humorous with a few friendly digs at the groom, but
balance your speech with congratulatory comments. - Make sure you appeal to a wide range of people and that you
have properly structured your speech so that it lasts about five minutes. - Don’t include more than one anecdote and keep it clean and to
the point. - Don’t forget to compliment the bride and bridesmaids.
- You need to know what you’re going to say and in what order,
as well as who you have to thank on behalf of the happy couple. - Memorise the opening lines of your speech, then if you need
to read from cards try to raise your head and speak to the audience as often as
you can. - Speak loudly and slowly, don’t rush through it. Allow pauses
between sections and allow any laughter to die down before continuing. - Practice your speech over and over so you feel more confident
on the day. - End with a flourish. People remember longest the last thing
they hear. Spend time finding the ideal concluding remarks for your speech. - Finally, wrap it all up with a light-hearted toast to the
bride and groom. - Just remember, everybody is there to enjoy the day and
they’re all on your side. Just relax and enjoy it!
Image courtesy of Mick Cookson Photography http://www.mickcooksonphotography.co.uk/
