Best Man Speech Tips from Real Best Men: How They Prepared and Delivered
Being chosen as the best man is a huge honor, but of course, that comes with the daunting task of delivering a speech at the wedding reception. If you’re feeling the pressure, you’re not alone. Crafting the perfect best man speech requires a mix of heartfelt sentiment, humor, and tact. In this article, I’ve compiled some invaluable best man speech tips from the men who wrote them.
Below, you’ll find insights from the best men who have stood in your shoes, sharing their advice on writing, preparing, and delivering a speech that will make a lasting impression. Plus, I’ve included videos of their actual speeches so you can see firsthand how everything came together.
Best Man Speech Tips: Where to Start
Alex delivered a hilarious, short best man speech and had the crowd in stitches including his best friend Owain (and his new wife). While he set out to give a funny speech he became emotional during parts that surprised everyone including himself.
I reached out to him and asked him how he wrote his speech.
How did you get started writing your best man speech?
“With my speech, I knew it had to be somewhat funny as you are the best man. Luckily the bloke I was writing it about made that easy. I would put dot points in the notes on my phone whenever I’d had a thought or a dream about something I could add to the speech but I didn’t put it all together until a few weeks before the wedding.”
“To get started I wanted to talk about the beginning of our friendship. Adding a little joke or something specific we went through together to then move on to where our friendship is now. I’m quite close with the bride and groom so a joke or two or a story about them was needed. But to finish I wanted to get a little serious and not be so funny by reiterating how much their friendship means to me before one last joke at the end.”
Were you nervous? What did you do to help calm your nerves?
“The nerves definitely hit me. To calm down, I practiced—a lot. I wrote out my speech and rehearsed it in front of a mirror, then in front of a couple of friends to get comfortable with the words.”
“The biggest help, though, was reminding myself why I was doing it. I wasn’t there to impress anyone or give a TED Talk. I was there to share a story about my best friend and celebrate his big day. Once I focused on that, the nerves felt way more manageable. Plus, a deep breath before I started speaking did wonders!”
Do you have any other best man speech tips from your experience?
“On the day of the speech, take a deep breath to calm your nerves before speaking. Embrace the moment and trust your preparation; the practice you put in will pay off.”
“Most importantly, have fun with it! Enjoying yourself will help make the experience memorable for everyone.”
Best man speech tips: The Essentials
Samuel was the best man for Alysia and Cameron’s wedding at Tiffanys Maleny on the Sunshine Coast. Even though it happened a few years ago, I still remember his brilliant speech because he nailed so many key elements of a perfect best man speech: humor, poise, and crowd involvement.
I reached out to him to get his tips and advice.
How did you get started writing your best man speech?
“I was stoked when Cam asked me to be his best man! So writing the speech sort of flowed on from that quite easily.”
“Like any good procrastinator, I left it until the last minute. I knew that most of the other speeches would be pretty lovey-dovey so I had to keep my speech light.”
“My only recommendation would be to think of funny stories throughout their childhood and past, but make sure they are generic enough that you can take the audience on the journey too. Specific stories will lose the crowd.”
“Also don’t pick too many, choose one or two and tell them well!”
What are some tips for delivering a best man speech?
“I am big on knowing your shit before you speak and not a fan of palm cards, so I would say memorize your speech and only have dot-point prompts to help you. Most of the time if you are talking about a funny story you’ll remember the detail on the spot and it will be much more natural.”
Were you nervous? What did you do to alleviate those nerves?
“I was nervous, but I had made an effort to walk around and introduce myself to all of the parties at the wedding, then when I got up to speak they were all familiar faces and it didn’t feel like such a big deal. Also, I may have had a few glasses of wine but that may not be for everyone!”
Any best man speech tips to share?
- Find a funny intro joke (try to involve the crowd for engagement)
- Complement the bridal party
- Talk about two to three funny stories from the past
- Make a toast to finish
Related Article: How to Write a Best Man Speech
Mixing humor and sentiment
Carly and Brodie tied the knot at The Acre Boomerang Farm on the Gold Coast. I captured best man Phil’s speech and it was a cracker. He kept his speech light-hearted and short but it was impactful. Particularly because of the way he blended his unique sense of humor with a touch of sentimentality.
He was kind enough to share his thoughts.
How did you go about starting to write your speech? What was the process?
“I had watched YouTube videos and searched Google on funny best man speeches for inspiration for weeks before the wedding. I was trying to think of funny stories on the go to include in the speech, but it wasn’t until one week out that I sat down and started to put pen to paper. Once I began it all just flowed and I had it written pretty quickly!”
“I wanted to make it funny but to also show the seriousness of being the best man by complimenting the couple and the bridesmaids.”
How did you deal with any nervousness you had?
“I was very nervous about speaking in front of so many people but I knew I had to suck it up and told myself this is for my best friend and brother. So put the nerves away.”
“Once I started speaking the nerves became less and the laughter from the crowd also helped, I didn’t rush through it and it was very well received.”
What are your best man speech tips?
- Don’t be overly serious the whole way through with your stories
- Make it funny without being too crass
- Acknowledge the bride and bridesmaids in a nice way
- Don’t let the nerves make you rush through your speech. Take your time like you would just talking to friends
- Look up to the crowd and the bride and groom at times throughout the speech
Best Man Speech Tips for a Brother of the Groom
A touching part of Dylan’s best man speech to his brother Luke featured a childhood story about them growing up together. This story has stayed with him throughout his life, and if you watch the video you’ll clearly understand why it means so much to him.
How did you start organizing your best man speech?
“Honestly, I just sat down and thought about sharing a story that truly captures who my brother, the groom, is. Instead of offering unsolicited marriage advice, because there’s always plenty of that at a wedding, I decided to use my moment to celebrate my big brother.”
Were you nervous speaking? How did you manage your nerves?
“I tried to remember what my 10th-grade drama teacher taught me: speak as if you’re in slow motion. If you’re like me, nerves make you rush your words. If you focus on speaking at half speed, you’re probably still talking too fast, but at least everyone will be able to keep up.”
What are your best man speech tips?
“If I could share one piece of advice, it would be to make sure you explain any inside jokes or references in your speech. If they can’t be explained quickly, it’s better to leave them out.”
“There’s nothing more awkward than a speech that leaves most of the audience in confused silence while a small group of insiders roars with laughter. Aim for a collective chuckle rather than an isolated cackle.”
Best man speech tips: Speaking from the Heart
I don’t see it often, but Shane didn’t use notes for his best man speech and spoke from the heart. He kept his speech brief and used his time to honor the man his best friend, Glenn, had become.
How did you prepare for your speech?
“I knew what I wanted to say and didn’t overthink it. I wanted to reminisce about some of my favourite memories of my best friend who has also been like a brother to me. All I had to do was make sure I kept my speech on point.”
“I decided to ditch the notes and speak from the heart because I wanted the speech to feel authentic and in the moment. I practiced enough that I knew the general flow and key points I wanted to hit, but I didn’t want to be glued to a piece of paper. It also felt more personal to look up rather than down at a script.”
“For me, speaking without notes made it easier to be flexible and natural. I could react to the energy in the room and keep the speech conversational, like I was talking to my best friend, not giving a presentation. I trusted that if I spoke from the heart, it would resonate more than if I tried to stick to a word-for-word script. It also helped me relax and focus on the reason I was up there in the first place: to celebrate my best friend and his new chapter.”
“Just be genuine. People appreciate authenticity way more than trying to deliver a perfectly polished performance.”
“If you’re going to skip using notes as I did, make sure you rehearse thoroughly so you’re comfortable with the flow and content. It’s normal to be nervous, but I found it was easier on the big day.”
How did you overcome your nerves especially when you didn’t use notes for your speech?
“Overcoming my nerves was a bit of a challenge. What helped me was practicing in front of a mirror and then in front of a few friends who could give me honest feedback.”
“I decided not to use notes during my speech because I felt it would make me more natural and would help me connect with everyone. I practiced my speech enough that I was comfortable with it.”
“Keeping my speech short and sweet was a big help. Knowing I wanted to deliver something meaningful but concise helped me stay focused and calm.”
