There are a variety of ways you can reduce stage fright. Probably the best thing you can do is be prepared. By being prepared, you can walk into your best man speeches examples with confidence, knowing that you have what you want to say and you can say it well. A good way to do this is to practice in the mirror. Close your eyes and pretend you’re in the reception hall, take a deep breath, and start. If you need to, start by only saying little pieces at a time, then gradually build up to the whole speech. Once you have practiced the whole speech, do it again and try not to stop. If you get stuck, do your best to finish calmly and with feeling. By preparing for a mistake, you can be ready for the worst case scenario, and probably even avoid one altogether.
There are tons of natural and effective ways to reduce your nervousness. Even just some simple breathing exercises are a proven effective way to reduce tension. Speaking of breathing, don’t forget to breathe during your speech. I have to prepare and present many speeches, and my biggest issue is remembering to breathe. Having to take a gasping breath is never convenient. Just relaxing can automatically trigger a more regulated breathing pattern and keep your heart from pounding. Make a conscious effort to relax your muscles and feel free to move around a little bit. You don’t want to look rigid and stiff like a statue, but you also don’t want to pace back and forth.
Move around a little bit, but avoid pacing. Picture the natural way a comedian looks on stage. A few sips of a drink can calm you down and reduce your nervousness a little. However, do NOT drink too much. Saying your speech while drunk, while it may be funny, will only result in embarrassment for yourself as well as the couple and will leave the groom feeling disrespected. Don’t let your nerves bait you into drinking too much.
A lot of people talk about not being sure what to do with their hands while they’re speaking. Having them hang at your sides looks and feels unnatural, but you don’t want to look like a mime either. A rolled up paper towel makes a great homemade stress ball. It keeps your hands busy while also absorbing sweat. Just do your best to make it as inconspicuous as possible. You don’t want people to spend the entirety of your speech trying to figure out what you have in your hand. A glass of water nearby does more than slake your thirst. It also provides a little opportunity to gather your thoughts and refocus. Holding your glass could be a bad idea. If you are getting into your speech and forget what you’re holding, you risk spilling it, or even worse, tossing on the Bride.
While you’re speaking, look directly above the audience as opposed to making eye contact with everyone. You don’t need to actually make eye contact if it looks like you are. As you’re looking directly above the heads of the audience, scan the back of the room with your eyes. Avoid looking down at the floor, and avoid looking up at the ceiling. Engage the audience with your speech, don’t just talk at them. Pretend you’re at home practicing your best man speeches examples in the mirror or just talking to the Groom one-on-one. Although this sounds a lot easier to say than to actually do, it’s actually pretty easy. Take a couple seconds before you start talking to gather yourself and get “in the zone.” Honestly, it’s alright to take your time. No one will even notice. Five seconds might feel like an unbearably long time, but it’s only five seconds. Give yourself a little ego-boost: you were chosen out of all the people the Groom knows to be his Best Man. Most people go their entire lives without getting to perform a best man speeches examples. You, out of everyone, get to represent the Groom as his best friend, father, or son. So be proud of yourself.