Best Man Speech — How To Write A Perfect One

12 min readMay 2, 2018

Your friend’s wedding is around the corner. He requests you be the best man, sure you have to brush up your writing tips. Your best man speech has to be brilliant!

The best way to start off this speech is by first, giving a short reply to the toast. You can make your best man speech in jokes and jabs, this can be quite entertaining. Also, you can draw excerpts from wedding vows for him to provide you with a variety of inspirational speech topics.

Best Man Role And Speech Explained

Being the best man makes you his right-hand man. This means you have a lot on your hands apart from writing your speech. Therefore, you need a speech outline to get that part over with. Telling from the stress you will likely encounter, a wedding planning timeline will make your duties easier.

Before The Wedding

Go for suit/tuxedo fitting.
Plan the bachelor party.
Attend the rehearsal and dinner.

On The Wedding Day

Trust me, there will be wedding jitters. You are to make sure the groom is calm.
Make sure the car and his luggage is ready.
Ensure the groom’s men are ready. You may need some power drinks for this tedious job.
You will march into the wedding with him.
You are also the ring bearer, so keep that ring safe, most likely in the breast pocket of your suit.
Begin the toast with one of the ideal best man wedding speeches ever!
Prepare the get-away car for the new couple.

Tips On How To Write A Best Man Speech

It is a great honor your friend let you into such an important role of being the best man. We don’t come by such opportunities every day. End your the best man speech by giving your best wedding wishes. This makes it memorable.

Refer to infographics for speech writing tips:

And, be sure to remind the bride that she is in safe hands. You can read out some romantic quotes for her written by the groom for more effects.

The Ways To Write A Best Man Speech

Giving a best man speech can make you nervous. You have to plan your speech ahead, so you don’t flop.

Begin with an introduction that will keep your audience interested and entertained.

Write all information down ahead of time.
Do a little research into his family history.
Begin with catchy one liner introductions.
Know your audience.
Close your speech with some of the couple’s best love quotes.

Here is one of many speech template examples:

“Ladies and gentleman, you all are dazzling! I want to thank the (groom) for granting me the honor of being his best man. I wasn’t expecting he would ask me to be his best man, but I’m glad he did. Well, I’m here. We first met in high school. He was a nerd who had no friends and I, the popular one. Since then, our relationship has grown. We have been through a lot together, including when we were caught skipping class in favor of a party.
He met the love of his life three years ago while in the university. Their love blossomed and we are here to celebrate them today. I ask you all to join me give a toast to the newest Mr. and Mrs. (name).

Introduction

Your best man speech introduction should lay the tempo for your speech. It should give the guests an idea of what to expect. In addition, it should be catchy and interesting, as well as formal or funny.

Some introduction speech examples:

Dear friends, I thank you for being here today. I will try not to bore you, but even if I do, c’mon give me some laughter.
Hello everyone, it is a pleasure to have you all here. Especially those racking up the wine bills. Enjoy yourselves.

Formal Best Man Speech Examples

A formal best man speech grabs the audience’s attention and leaves the guests with fond memories. Start with appreciating everyone around, compliment everyone up to the cleaner. Go ahead to crack some jokes and get the guests laughing. Formal wedding speeches make some of the best wedding speeches.

Examples of speech templates:

1. There’s an old saying about friendship that reads, “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them,” that couldn’t be more true for me and my boy, [Groom]. Today, I want to focus on all the smart moves he’s made. Above all, the smartest move he’s made is marrying this goddess.
Let’s toast to the best decision [Groom’s] ever made. I wish you a lifetime of love andhappiness.”
2. Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming out tonight to celebrate the wedding of two people we all love. When I first met [Bride], I knew that she was the one. He changed for the better without realizing it. And we all could see it. So, when he came to me to tell me that he would be proposing, my only response was, “it’s about time!”
We’re all so happy to be part of your big day. Cheers!”
3. “I’m happy to see that everyone is having a great time! Dante said, “A great flame follows a little spark,” and we’ve all seen that spark since the very beginning. And now we see the fire.
Cheers to the happy couple, may the flame burn long and sparks continue!
4. “[Groom] is my brother, so it’s natural I have the long list of blackmail quality ammunition to scatter throughout this speech tonight. Don’t get scared though [Groom], When we were younger, we’d do everything together, until college then we parted ways a bit and went on our separate paths. We grew up, started our careers and he found [Bride]. And I couldn’t be more thankful for you [Bride].
You look stunning tonight, sister. Congratulations, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness. Cheers!
5. “What a night it has been! Will everyone please raise their glasses as I toast to [Bride] & [Groom]?
[Groom] you’re not only a great man, you are the best man for [Bride]. I could sing both your praises all evening but I’m a terrible singer. I’m honored to be by your side today [Groom], I wish you many years of happiness. Cheers!
6. “Good evening everyone! Let’s lift our glasses and toast to the newlyweds! My speech is going to be like a mini-skirt: long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to hold your attention.
[Bride] & [Groom], tonight we celebrate you. We all wish you a lifetime of happiness, love, health, success and laughter. May you continue to find humor in the bad and appreciation for the good.
7. Hello, everyone, I am Brad. You may not know me, but Keith and I go way back. A special thanks to everyone who made today possible. I have a few words to read from well-wishers who could not join us here today (read off messages sent from people who could not attend. Keith is a heck of a guy. I guess I first knew that on the day we met. There he was, already in our dorm room, doing his best to find himself a girl on campus.
Here we are today to celebrate with them. I wish you all the best. Cheers!
8. Hello everyone, I’m so happy to be here to witness John’s union. You have now become part of the most important team. All your joys will now be magnified by two because you can share them together. You promise to each other that life will not go unwitnessed, because you will witness it with each other. …this is the beginning. The best is yet to come.
9. The truest meaning of marriage is the magic of being needed by one person. The two of you have come together to share your lives and realise your dreams. Today you are husband and wife. This is day one of a great adventure and I’m honoured to be able to share it with you. I toast you… and wish you a long marriage filled with love and above all, laughter.
10. In the beginning, the phone would ring and the thought of speaking to one another was exciting. Your love grew and so did your commitment to each other. Your love was true. We are all here today to celebrate your marriage. Now of course… the suffer-ring begins. (smile and raise your glass) Peace and happiness to the new bride and groom!

Choose Your Style: Funny Best Man Speech

As the best man, you need to be witty, entertaining and eloquent. Ease off and relax. Do not try to be perfect, let the words flow.

We have funny best man speeches guide below.

Hello everyone. I am not ashamed to admit that I am very nervous right now. I am sure my fear can be felt by you all.
I am sorry to disappoint you ladies and gentlemen. I won’t be talking about all the many controversies my friend here has been in. I’ll take my seat now.
It was a contest about who will get to be the best man today. I won over his brother jack and our friend mayor. I thus bear my duties with pride.
The groom is the best friend anyone can have — indeed! He loaned me this tux and even wrote this part of my speech.
Well, the groom is my man. So, I have no choice but to say he is a good man. Even though we all know, that’s a lie.
I found out that the cost of meal per person is almost draining the groom’s account. I hereby show appreciation to all those who could not make it.
I want to start this speech by telling you what a good man is, but…
I have been told that if I don’t have anything good to say, I should keep quiet. So, this is me saying have a nice time.
I can’t wait for the dance to start. The groom is not a dancer but an entertainer. His dance steps will explain.
Where do I begin? Groom is smart, handsome, a people’s person, successful banker….. What did you write here please?

65 Wedding Best Man Speech Examples And Ideas

Best Man Speeches By Length With Examples

How should a best man speech be? It is best to leave it at 2–5 minutes. This is enough time to say the important things, but not too long to bore your guests.

The length of your speech should also depend on the Length of the event and time given for your speech.

We have put together examples of long and short speech templates below.

Long speech

This is for those who are very close to the couple.

Father of the Bride Heartfelt Speech Template

Hello everyone. I am (father’s name), the father to this princess getting married today. I have waited many years to witness today and I’m grateful it is here. I always prayed that a man who mirrors her attributes finds her, so that she will be loved like she loves everyone. The first day she came home with (groom’s name) from college, I knew he was the one and I was right after all. Watching you take your first steps, going through school, the heartbreaks and successes. I am proud of the woman you are today. (Groom), I am confident that my princess is in safe hands. I know you both will be fine. For this, I want to make a toast to Mr. and Mrs. (name). May you be fruitful and bless me with grandkids to play with. May your love last a lifetime.
Congratulations!

Short Best Man Speech Templates

Short best man speeches also come out perfect. Add a few thoughtful sentiments here and there and the job is done.

Brother of Bride Speech

I am john and penny’s older brother. I find it a privilege to be here and honored to give this speech. I want to wholeheartedly welcome the groom into our family. I’m grateful for a new brother. I know my sister is safe and in good hands. I hope both of you build pleasant memories together.
Cheers!

10 One-Liners For The Best Man Speech

One liners are sharp jokes delivered in one sentence. A good one liner is concise and meaningful. It is instant but loaded with humor that can keep the guests laughing for a while. It is important that the best man speech jokes contain one liners.

Examples:

I am about to make the groom cry. I just received the food bill.
I know the groom well. He is smart, tall, kind, generous….. Who am I actually talking about?
Hi, the groom is a great friend. Our friendship is 2hours old. I was hired as he’s got no friends.
His colleagues describe him as a first-class banker- I may have misheard them.
I heard some time that marriage is a 50/50 affair. Believe that at your own peril. We have factors called women and improper fractions.
I asked for a microphone and none was available. If you can’t hear me from the back, follow the reactions of those at the front.
My palms are wet, I am nervous. I’m sure my fear can be felt 10yards away.
Dear groom, you’re a good and great man. You’re loving and kind and….. Please groom, could you read out what you wrote here?
To be honest, I don’t have any good thing to say. Give me a round of applause as I go back to my seat.
This has been a beautiful and emotional evening for us all. Even the cake is in tiers.

10 Toast To Add To The Best Man Speech

Toasts are rituals where drinks are taken as an expression of goodwill and honor. The toast can be the celebrant, the drinks shared or the speech following the drinks. Its importance dates back to the time when people drank from a single cup (love cup) as a sign of unity. A toast is to unify everyone through the clanking of glasses.

Below are some toasts you need to see.

To my best friend and his gorgeous bride. The new Mr. and Mrs. I wish you both happiness.
To the two people who are perfect for each other, to great memories ahead and to happiness.
To the two spices that make the best marriage- to selective hearing and good humor, to the bride and groom.
Join me as I toast to two people in love.
In Oscar Wilde’s words, “the man who says his wife cannot take a joke, forgets that she took him”. To the bride and groom.
Before we raise our glasses, I’d love to say in Pauline Thompsons words “love is blind — marriage is an eye opener.” To the happy couple.
Mignon McLaughlin wrote “a successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
I would love to say this “there is only one happiness in life — to love and to be loved. May you always be happy.
Let’s raise our glasses to the bride and groom. We wish you a lasting marriage.
This is me as I present to you Mr. and Mrs.

Best Man Speech Dos And Don’ts

For a great wedding speech, there are some rules you have to follow. The groom’s man speech is a point of entertainment at weddings. So make it worthwhile.

Here are examples of best man speeches Dos and Don’ts.

Dos

Plan your speech ahead and practice.
Tell a story. A short story.
Memorize your speech. Don’t read from paper. Let it flow.
Get sentimental at some point. Let him know you love him.
Finish on an optimistic note and be thankful.

Don’ts

Do not cross the 2–5 mins time limit.
Do not make it about you.
Avoid dirty jokes.
Do not ignore the bride. Let her know how happy you are, that she is ending up with your friend.
Avoid rude remarks. Keep your manners in check, even if it’s for a day.

Greatest Best Man Speeches For Your Inspiration

Every wedding needs a best man whose speech will make them ask for more. Memorable speeches with funny speech texts, thoughtful sentiments or a combination of both.

Below are some of the most inspirational speeches of all time you can find.

Speech by Dougie. January 2018.

Speech by Andrew Marr. June 2007.

Speech by Chris Dixon. May 2016.

Speech by Jason Beaumont. November 2006.

Speech by Chris B. May 2014.

As the best man, you have a huge role to play at your friend’s wedding. Your best man Speech doesn’t have to be perfect but beautiful. You can prepare better by learning how to write a good speech ahead of time. Always make sure to have a plan B.

Help your friend achieve a memorable journey to his happy ever after.