Best man: the title
says it all. This isn't reserved for the guy who wrestled a grizzly bear
one-handed; it's for someone even more impressive, the man who is going to be
responsible for ensuring all the manly tasks of wedding planning are handled.
The best man is the go-to guy from the moment he's asked until the couple
leaves for their honeymoon, and in that large of a time frame, there's a lot to
do. For the modern best man, he has to get on board with wardrobe, plan the
bachelor party and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. During the actual wedding,
he'll be keeping hold of the merchandise, escorting his female counterpart and
delivering an awesome speech. For a best man, that last part can inspire more
fear than taking his own trip down the aisle. But fear not, men. You're called
best for a reason, and with a few tips, your speech can reach those same lofty
heights.
You may be giving a toast,
but don't start the toasting before your speech. If you drink beforehand, your
speech might be memorable but for all the wrong reasons. Celebrate your victory
afterwards; a best man always practices self-control.
The toast is frequently given before dinner or sometimes before cutting the
cake. Ask the bride and groom beforehand where they'd like for the toast to
fall in the schedule. If it's fairly late in the day, you might want to eat
before the event to ensure that you don't have your stomach accompanying you
through your speech. The best man is expected to keep the groom company
throughout the wedding, so that means you'll be getting there early.
You may feel nervous
about your speech, but it's your duty to keep the groom calm, and you can't do
that without being calm yourself. Put aside any worries you may have, and offer
calm encouragement if the groom gets any wedding day jitters. If you've reached
the day of the wedding, you should have already practiced your speech so much
that they've installed it into textbooks for the next generation to cherish. A
little nervousness before speaking is fine, but you've done all you can to get
to this point and you wouldn’t be speaking if your friends didn't have faith in
you.
The toast should
introduce yourself and how you came to be part of the couple's lives. If you
knew one person prior to the other, you can begin with a story of how you met
your friend and then talk about meeting their partner. Stay away from inside
jokes, and keep your speech appropriate. Don't bring up past partners or
sketchy events. They might be funny to you, but keep in mind that these are
friends and family members, and maybe your friend's mother doesn't need the
details about the strip club. Your friend's partner might not need to hear it
either, at least not from you. You can use humor in your speech, but it should
be tasteful. Use variations in your voice to keep the story exciting without
getting too silly.
You can change your
pitch to help the audience identify speakers, but don't mock anyone during this
time, especially the bride and groom. The average toast is three to five
minutes, but you may be speaking longer if asked. Telling appropriate stories
is a good way to fill up part of this time. Use the rest of your time to speak positively
about the bride and groom and their relationship. Always end by re-directing
attention to the couple, and thank them for their presence in your life and
asking you to be part of this day. Finish your speech by wishing the couple
happiness, and reaffirm your commitment as well to be a friend to both as they
transition into this new part of their lives. But what about your female
counterpart? She has her own speech to give as well, but what should she cover
in it? Do her duties mirror the best man's? The answers will be provided in the
next article
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