What to Include In A Best Man's Wedding Speech

Before you launch into a ribald account of how your best mate (the groom) embarrassed himself years ago, think about how the groom, his new wife and their families may feel listening to your 'bar-room' stories. A wedding is a celebration of a happy day, and your job is to add to the celebration not deviate from it. It's much better to keep 'those' stories until another day and stick within the boundaries of good taste and clever, rather than crude humour during your best man's speech.

Before You Start

• Make sure you have practiced what you want to say in your best man's speech well before the wedding day. Practice in front of someone you can trust to give you a useful critique and time yourself, so your wedding speech isn't that one that drones on forever.
• Collect all the messages and cards you need to read from guests unable to attend who have sent messages. (And make sure you can read them).
• Before you start speaking, make sure all the guests have a full glass, stand up and use a microphone if necessary. It's not fair on the guests at the back of the room if they have to lip read.

What To Include In Your Wedding Speech

• Introduce yourself by saying who you are and how long you have known the groom (and bride) and where you first met. Say how honoured you feel to be the best man at their wedding.
• Thank the bride and groom for any gifts given to you, the ushers and bridesmaids.
• Read out any messages, emails and cards from guests unable to attend.
• Tell a few stories about the groom – these don't have to be side-splittingly funny, they might just include moments where he's proved himself to be an exceptionally good mate.
• Congratulate the groom on his choice of bride.
• Speak directly to the newly weds to wish them well.
• Finish your speech by announcing the next event in the wedding celebration (e.g. speeches from the floor or cutting of the cake, etc).

More About Wedding Speeches

View NZ Wedding Guide's wedding speeches information, or return to NZ Wedding Guide's main page.