Best Man speech

randombloke

Anybody know of any good resources/tips for doing a best man speech. I have to do the deed for my brother in a few weeks and am planning it now.
Am keen not to just download a standard one but defo need some help to get the creative juices flowing.

All advice gratefully received...

Thanks

Randombloke

grumpytrousers

Know your audience. Personally I think knob jokes are brilliant, but if there are going to be a fair amount of people there who won't take kindly to it, think twice. His yelping best mates (who will, no doubt, be safely ensconsed down the back) will be dying to hear that story that hilarious story about the traffic cone, the superglue and the knocking shop in Glasgow - the rest may not. If you reckon you're safe, however, rock on!

Kick off with how much of an honour it is. Tell them how you landed the gig. Make out, for example, that the groom was plastered drunk, and decided upon you. Then pause, and say that 'considering that was last night' I'm doing okay. You'll get a bit of a giggle, and you're off.

Unless the speeches are before the meal, the chances are that by the time it's your big moment, they'll be half cut. You could probably recite the periodic table of the elements and you'd get a laugh out of half of them. Don't, by the way, recite the periodic table of the elements. There's always one person who'll point out that you missed Polonium, or something.

Talk affectionately, without sounding like something out of the Waltons, about how proud/glad/etc you are for your brother today, that 'who would have thought....' and here you regale 'em with a few stories. The more from childhood that are embarassing and (relatively) clean, the better. You've managed to embarass him, without embarassing the audience. Come around to the fact that he's landed a right belter of a girl, that you can't - for the life of you - see what the hell she sees in him (you've now got HER side with you).

Thank the bridesmaids, chuck in a spot of innocent flirting with the chief one if circumstances permit, thank the priest, and the rest of the people who took part, everybody else for turning up and finish up by saying that 'I've stayed off the sauce for the night, I really need a drink, so it's as good a time as any for me to ask you to raise your glasses....'

It is FAR better to be forgotten (for want of a better word) for being slightly boring, than to be remembered for being an obnoxious oaf...

Best of Luck!

Nevyn

There are people who run speach writing services what will write one for you.
OIr if you are going to try yourself I suggest googing the dos and don't of speaches and how to deliver one.
Remember no one wants to be embarassed on thier wedding day.

spunkymunky

I do pity a bit, I had to do it there a few years back for my dad. Its a tough job. Grumpy is right there, know your audience. the auld dears dont want to hear about him getting sick of a balcony in ibiza and the lads dont want to hear that he knitted her gown!!!

Personally i went to the library and got a book out out on the whole process. Loads of good stuff in it (sorry cant remember the name but there were a few). I asked all my relations for one word to describe him. (funny results)
I made the effort to acknowledge everyone there. IE i see X made it from there and "that lot" made it from all the way..... just point out the tables. People like to be acknowledged. Its a personal touch.

Do all the thank you's. Dont get pissed before (plenty of time after).

I actually went for a few pints on a tuesday afternoon and wrote most of the speech there.
And remember to smile!!

Good luck
SM

vibrant

There are *loads* of books on this, look in the etiquitte (sp?) section of your bookshop.

hairyheretic

http://www.hitched.co.uk/speeches/examples/showall.asp?type=1

Sample best man's speeches .. over 900 of them. I'm sure you should find something in there that will get your mind going in the right direction.

Khannie

I did one during the summer. Fairly nerve wracking.

My top tip is this: Record your final speech onto cd (use a cheapo microphone and "sound recorder" in windows, then burn it with nero or whatever) and play this in the car / bus / train / whatever. It really got it into my head. Helped loads.

I also used web sites to get a few jokes in.

Be prepared for the unexpected. In my case, the father of the bride stole my big funny joke / anecdote (by accident of course). Nearly killed me.

Be sincere when talking about the bride...no jokes there.

Good luck!