The best man has several responsibilities. He will host a bachelor party for the groom and help coordinate the readiness of the groomsmen, their attire, travel and accommodations to the wedding. Some of his other “jobs” will be to attend fittings for formal wear, make sure that any travel plans for the honeymoon have been confirmed, sign the wedding license, arrange for the newlyweds car to be ready for departure after the wedding, handle any last minute challenges, and of course, give the best man's wedding day speech.

The best man's wedding speech is one of the highlights of the most important day in the life of the bride and groom. It's the moment when the fellow who is closest to the groom takes a moment to recall the history of his life until now, to acknowledge that the groom is entering a new and all important phase of his life, a bachelor no more, but a married man.

It's a moment of transition. Until just a few short hours before the best man's speech, the groom will have been single, building a career or business, going to school or learning a trade. His free time might have been dedicated to sports, travel, or hobbies. His responsibilities were primarily to himself.

Now, his world has changed. His every decision will include the happiness and well being of his bride. In many traditions it is written that when a man and woman marry, two become one. In many ways this is true. When the groom became a married man, his being takes on a new dimension. His future will in every way be affected by her needs, her wants, her love, for the rest of his life.

So what should a best man's speech sound like?

Since the best man generally knows the groom for a long time, it's a good idea to acknowledge the friendship or the closeness that exists between them. A few funny lines about the goofy things they did as children, the ball game they attended and lost the car keys, the day they graduated college or got that first job, are good starters.

• The best man may want to mention how the bride and groom met, how nervous the groom was when he proposed, or a funny experience they all shared during the courtship period.

• The best man's speech should express gratitude to those who made the wedding day possible, including the bride's parents, clergy and anyone else who played an important role in this special day.

• Heart touching and humorous lines will elicit applause and memories that last a lifetime.

• Keep it brief…no one wants a long speech, this is a party, a celebration and day that perfect sentiments, expressed by just the right words, will be engraved in the hearts and minds of the newlyweds and their guests for a lifetime.