Your best friend is getting married and you have been asked to be the best man. Maybe you’ve been to a couple weddings before, but you had hit the bar a little too early and pretty much missed whatever the Best Man said. Now here you are, slumped over some index cards or your computer, trying to formulate the golden Best Man speech. What are you supposed to say anyway? Is it supposed to be funny? Sad? Appropriate? A little advice can go a long way when creating a best mans speeches, or really any speech in general. Although your speech is important, it doesn’t need to be traumatic at all. In fact, it should be fun! You get to be in the limelight for a little, and who knows, maybe get the attention of that cute bridesmaid.
Before you even start your speech, get comfortable and relaxed. Writing a speech while you’re relaxed will help you write relaxed, and in turn, speak more relaxed. The best speech will come from an open, relaxed mind, so make sure you’re in a comfortable mind set. Next, forget structures and organization. Your speech should be conversational and natural, not sounding like an essay on bacteria. You don’t need to include body paragraphs or a thesis sentence in your introduction. Make sure what you say is genuine and that it actually applies to the Groom. Try to avoid distractions, sometimes the best speeches just come from a train of thought. Spend a little bit reflecting on your relationship with the Groom, and maybe jot down some key points you’d like to touch on. A creative, memorable, heart-warming speech is possible, and with a little help, you can write one.
As for the content of your speech, there are a few pretty traditional elements that should be included: the introduction, a lighthearted memory of the Groom, and a sincere toast to the couple. Start off by introducing yourself. Not everyone will know you, and you want to establish your relationship with the groom to avoid any confusion. Your relationship with the groom is a very important topic to touch on, because it ultimately influences the subject matter of your speech. For instance, a friend of the Groom will not have the same message or the same tone as the father of the Groom.
If you want to have a note card with you, that’s fine. However, you should only right key words on it. You don’t want to be reading off your cards like a script. Reading directly from your hands can’t give you the natural kind of speech you want. Practice all you can without a paper aid, that way you can keep it with you as a crutch or in case you blank. Glancing down for a quick reminder is perfectly okay. With enough practice, you will have memorized all the key points you want to hit on. Do you best not memorize it verbatim, however. Try to say it a little different every time. You definitely don’t want to sound rehearsed. Know your speech well, but make it new and exciting for the audience.
Even the people who speak as a profession still get nervous when confronted with the best mans speeches. All the people in the audience are rooting for you, and they will love every word. The most you can do for the best man speechs is to practice and just relax. So take a deep breath and just go for it.
