At any point in your life, one of your brothers or buddies will perhaps ask you to be their best man at their wedding. In this case, one of the tasks of a best man is to present a speech where you say a few words about your brother or friend and his new wife.
If you have been to several weddings, you know that usually best man speeches can instantly decline into an awkward scene. Inevitably, lack of preparation will end up with the best man being uncomfortable. They’ll begin sharing embarrassing and, worse, inappropriate stories in front of the groom’s family and friends.
You don’t want to be in that situation. Always be prepared and be that best man indeed. Here are a few hints to remember as you prepare to deliver your speech on a wedding day.
Look the Part
Since you’re the best man, you have to look the part. Although the wedding planner will get to decide on the motif and the stuff you’ll wear, try to accessorize a bit. Remember, you are a friend and a confidant at best to the guy that’s getting married.
Once in a while, it’s ideal to present yourself elegantly to an audience’s eyes, especially to the bride’s family and friends. Make sure to wear watches such as an Ingenieur. Not only do these watches make you look good, you tell the people at the wedding that the groom is no slouch and has friends that exude luxury and success.
The Basics
Begin with a short story on how your first meeting with the groom. It will help things go smoothly for the rest of your speech. Most definitely, the best man will prefer to acknowledge the parents of the groom and bride individually. Never forget their names as this problem is the most frequent dilemma that most nervous and scared best men encounter.
Hence, make sure that you know them so well before the wedding to include them in your speech confidently.
Don’t Hit Below the Belt
Avoid topics that are offensive, embarrassing, or controversial. You may think it is common sense, but some people forget this when they are standing and delivering a speech in front of a crowd.
What gets people in an embarrassing moment is when they try to be funny by sharing those embarrassing stories or giving some lame jokes, only ending up offending someone. More so, it’s taboo to mention the past relationships of the groom. It will make the bride and the whole environment uncomfortable.
Mention the Bride
Though it’s not necessary throughout the speech, you have to dedicate at least a paragraph to compliment the bride. Share things you admire or like about her and consider the positive influence of the groom. Regardless if you don’t like her, she will be a part of your brother or best friend’s life, so you have to make her feel comfortable and welcome.
Standing With Confidence
Even if you’ve learned your speech by heart, you might still need to have those notes as a reference if your mind gets blank during the peak of the moment. But remember not to deliver your speech by always staring at your notes downwards. You can stare down for a moment, then chin up and speak. Try not to look down always on your notes and deliver it the best you can.
Focus
Think about the essence of your speech while you’re delivering it. Focusing on the overall message that you want to communicate and the sense of your words can help you make a more expressive delivery, instead of just reciting the notes.
Don’t Drag
Remember, you’re at a wedding. Don’t deliver a speech that’ll drag on for hours. Again, this spectacular event is not about you; it’s about your friend and his soon-to-be wife. It’s fun to tell a story about the crazy times you spent with the groom in the past, but it’s also wrong to share every dragging detail about it to an audience.
Lastly, end your speech with a toast; it will offer focus and give something to work onwards. Before making a toast, say something meaningful such as a quote that resonates with the bride and groom’s happiness so that it’ll stick to your listeners’ minds. You can now sit down, thus signifying a formal end of your speech.
In A Nutshell
Knowing that your relative or friend wants you to be his right-hand man during one of the best days of his life is indeed a great feeling. Being the best man means that you will present your speech in front of the guests. With that said, you need to deliver a speech that isn’t boring and will entertain the people listening to it.
Although best man speeches have a bit of fun to them, it’s always easy to go overboard. Avoid sharing crass jokes and embarrassing memories with the crowd. Remember, you’re there to celebrate a wedding, not to reminisce. So what are you waiting for champ? Go out there and deliver the best speech!