Best Man Speech Tips….

Soldato
Joined
5 Jun 2005
Posts
20,847
Location
Southampton
Ok I have the Speech done… I think it’s ok!

My plan is to make postcard size cue cards and then keep them in my hand for reference. I don’t want to just ‘read’

I’m after any other tips, as I’m not a great public speaker.

Who to focus on where to keep my eyes and so on… also I get shaky at things like this, properly due to my diet I’m on, so any tips about food / drink/ pills to have before hand to keep me a little less shaky?

Cheers Jim

ps it's on Saturday!
 
Buy a pint of Guinness, try and drink about half before the speech. Have 3 more drinks lined up for when you sit down.

Speak to the back of the room, but get someone in front of you to signal if you're too quiet/loud or talking too fast. Work out the signal beforehand and you're sorted.

I didn't go with cue cards, I went with printed sheets. I just made sure I knew the speech pretty well before it came to it. Whatever you do make sure the font is big enough.

Good luck :)
 
Crazy Fool said:
I’m after any other tips, as I’m not a great public speaker.

For starters, stop telling yourself that you're not a great public speaker. You don't have to be Churchill. You're standing in front of people you know and people you get on with. You're just having a conversation with them where they don't speak back (for once) and you have to speak a little louder.

Do NOT look at any of your mates - especially the joker. If one of them starts with the giggles, it can spread like wildfire.

If you feel nervous or get the (giggle) look from a friend, finish your sentence and look down at your notes. Take a deep breath and count to three slowly. No one minds a pause.

You can laugh when you're up there - just remember, you're there to celebrate your best mate losing all semblance of free reign in his life and take pleasure in that fact. Just don't offer condolences if you want a dance with the bride later.
 
Gilly said:
Buy a pint of Guinness, try and drink about half before the speech. Have 3 more drinks lined up for when you sit down.

Speak to the back of the room, but get someone in front of you to signal if you're too quiet/loud or talking too fast. Work out the signal beforehand and you're sorted.

Good ideas there!
 
Don't try and remember your speach.. or try reading it word to word.. You need to keep your eyes on your audience as much as possible so the best this is to right down key points and subjects on cards in the order you want them presented, then be a little ad-lib.

Try and be as relaxed as possible. It's hard but the sooner you setlle the easier it will be..

Try and make your speech from you and NOT from best man websites. Your audiance will have heard them all before and a little originality and something more personal will go down treat.

Good luck :)
 
Don't stare at the cards, look across the audience.

I've been doing some wedding video editing and in one the best man stares at his speech a fair bit and it really brings the mood down I feel.
 
This was told at my little cousins wedding by the best man:

When I first met Paul 11 years ago he was obsessed with music, Jazz in particular. If he wasn't playing Jazz he was watching it, if he wasn't watching it he was talking about it, if he wasn't talking about it he was reading about it.

Then he met Sarah and had to throw all his Jazz mags away..


Some will get it, some won't that's the beauty of it :)
 
Wile E. Coyote said:
My mate was caking himself about giving the speech at my wedding recently but everything was ok, just do what gilly said and you should be alrite

Mmmmm Cake! Sorry don't normally pull the grammar police... but that one made me :p

If you are really nervous about doing it would recommend some props to take the attention away. The last wedding I was at the best man had sealed envelopes on every table 'A' 'B' and 'C' they were umm 'interesting' photo's of the groom that were then passed roung the table to some giggles at key points in the speech. Gave the best man time to pause and work out what was next and get eyes off him for a while.

Otherwise - don't rush, speak clearly and don't worry about it. Keep it pretty short... and don't make it raunchy enough to cause a fight between the families!
 
Practice practice practice and then practice some more. It will flow a lot more naturally you'll get a natural rythm to it. Once you have done that you will know when you know it inside out. You will be more relaxed and as a result less nervous

You can then use your cards as pormpts rather than as a script.

Oh and What Gilly said as well. ;)
 
hmmmmmmm

I have not followed any guidelines.... just typed!


Ok to start with I just want to clear up the confusion regarding the wedding invitations, this here is Dan and here we have Paula, I know some of you were a little confused by the picture on the invite…. You could ask the question is it each other they are attracted to, or do they just like what they see in the mirror?

I would like start with a toast! – If you could all raise your glasses…… to Me! Because none of us would be here today, if I had not introduced them to each other last year.

Dan & Paula met last June during a party around my house, they had both made inquiries about each other before I introduced them You could say it was a real Hollywood moment, the eyes had met and they were deep in conversation within a few seconds I slowly started to turn green and the became hairy, I just needed someone to mash me up and make into a pie out of me…..

Well from that night last summer they have pretty much been joined at the pelvis… I mean hip… sorry slip of the tongue…. And there were a few of them as well.

On a serious note having known them for quite a while, I have seen the positive effects they have had on each others lives, they really do come as a pair now. I do worry about there little in jokes about monkeys though, for those that have been to there house you will know what I mean. There seems to be monkey calendars and pictures everywhere, the youngest of the little’s ‘faith’ was shocked to find out that Paula had even brought Dan a monkey thong from ebay….. but each to there own I guess.

Well my first real memory of Dan was when he came home with and eclectic guitar and his mind set on being in a band. Ever since he’s been living the dream, and now I’m sure you will agree he has met his dream girl.

Of course I should share one or two stories of Dan that come up every xmas time around the table, I remember the time on a family holiday in Cornwall, Dan pointed a toy gun out the window of the family car aiming at pensioner, causing the poor guy to duck down and take cover thinking a drive by shooting was about to unfold.

And there was the story of the bully that swung Dan around by his arms and broke his collarbone – the only embarrassing part about that story, was the bully was a girl.

And then we have ‘Dick’. Dick was Dan’s rag doll he had during his younger years, Dan’s Dick went everywhere with him, “Have you seen my Dick”, “Look at my Dick” and “Mum I’ve lost my Dick” were fraises regularly heard around the house. Paula I’m sure Dan will show you ‘Dick’ at some point in the not so distant future


Tales aside, Paula I’m sure you know that you have found a real top man, He cooks, cleans, waters the plants and washes the car, a real perfect homemaker. All you need to do is tweak his personal hygiene routine…. Perhaps if you can encourage him to, shift some of the emphasis from the home to the body.

Dan has been a great friend and big little brother to me, he has bailed me out, stood by me and supported me. He looks out for those he loves and cares for. Paula I know you have the right man by your side.

I wish you every happiness Mr & Mrs ....
Toast……. To Mr & Mrs .....
 
I've done a couple of best man speeches, so have a few tips for you.
1: Take your time writing the speech, and if possible get someone you trust (and who is good with English) to edit it for you. I was lucky enough to have a good friend help me write mine as he's a brilliant speech writer, and remember that all the best speakers generally have their speeches written for them.
My sister got married last year and I edited my dads speech. Lucky for me that I did, as he had a really inappropriate Michael Jackson joke in there, so thats another good reason to get someone to look at it. Whats funny for you may be either too embarrassing, or simply inappropriate.

2: Start writing the speech now! Write down a good mix of funny/touching/embarrassing stories and get a good selection into the speech. My brother in laws best friend actually did a brilliant PowerPoint presentation with lots of childhood photos..that was a nice idea.

3: Practice! LOTS of times. Go somewhere quiet and practice your speech out loud, it really does help.

4: Take your time and relax when you're reading the speech..and do NOT get drunk beforehand! The temptation to knock back a few drinks before is compelling, but thats really not a great idea.

Good luck. :)
 
Unrelated to the OP but I am getting married tomorrow so I gotta do my groom speech.... ho hum.

Conflicting info in this thread, some say dont write it before hand (just have major points to cover noted down) others recommending to have it written out word for word and then remember.

IMO since this is not a party political broadcast - speeches pre-written are not needed. Gives the wrong *tone*.
 
Rubbish. There's no way I'd ever go into a best mans speech having not pre-written it. Too much scope for not getting it right, and anyway it needs to be researched thoroughly otherwise whats the point?

Groom speech is easy. 'Thanks for coming, not surprised, free food and that. Bridesmaids look beautiful, toast them, get on with it'.
 
I was really nervous when i was best man at my mates wedding, what really did help me along was when the meet and greet was going on i asked everyone who passed me to cheer when i stood up - this helped a lot and got me off to a good start.

I wasnt allowed to drink before the speech (I was asked no to due to most of the family being of polite company) but as soon as the groom started his speech i started to drink, this gave me about 15mins to have a wee bit of dutch courage.

the speech went well and I immediatly drank 2 doubles in quick succession after

Job done
 
I would personally put more humour into that although it isn't that bad really.:)

I am more than happy to add to it if you want and I will need a couple of things if you want me to.

. The year that the groom was born.

. His parents first names.

No problem if you don't.:)
 
Back
Top Bottom