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So you're the best man and you have to give a speech at the wedding. You could be the brother, the best friend of thirteen years, or you could have met the groom last year. The point is, you have to make a speech in front of a lot of people. What do you say? You might think that it's easier for girls- they are good at the mushy stuff after all. Being male, you might not know how to approach your best man speech, with the fear that you don't want to sound too mushy and be made fun of for years to come by your guy friends. So here are some tips to help you avoid that, and come out with a great best man speech that everyone will love.
First, tap into your softer-side. It might be hard and you may not have seen that side of you in years, but try. It is a wedding after all. Begin by congratulating the couple. Relate how happy you are for your best friend/brother/friend/cousin, whatever he is to you, and that you know he and his new wife will have a wonderful life together.
Second, give it a personal touch. Tell an anecdote of you and the groom. Talk about something that will illustrate how deep your friendship is. You could also talk about an aspect of the groom's personality that will illustrate what a good husband he will be, or how he and his beautiful bride are perfect for each other.
Third, remember your audience. Best man's speech can be humorous, but do not go overboard. Some things may be appropriate to say in front of the groom and your friends, but not a room full of people, including parents, young children, and grandmothers. You and the groom might have a long, history together that include crazy road trips and wild parties. This would be the least inappropriate time to comment on these times. If you'd like to lighten up the speech a little, make small jokes about little things the groom has done or said. Remember, you do not want to offend the groom, nor you want to embarrass him and everyone else in the room.
Fourth, remember to congratulate the groom and his bride. Tell the groom how happy you are for him that he found someone to spend the rest of his life with. Also, thank the audience for allowing you to talk before them. Finally, end with a line about how you know the new couple will be happy for many years to come, and that you wouldn't wish anything less for your best friend/brother/etc.
Fifth, practice. Your nerves might be trying to take over your rational thought when you stand up to give your speech. Therefore, so as not to give a speech that's jumbled and jumps from one topic to the next, plan it out and practice. Try reading your best man speech in front of a mirror, a friend, or even a room of your little sister's stuffed animals. It doesn't matter; just practice and you're going to shine with your best man's speech.
I hope these tips have given you some pointers on what to say when giving your best man speech at the wedding. Good luck!