How To Surpass The Best Man Speech Stumble Blocks

Congratulations on being chosen best man! There are several things you have to do in order to be able to give a great best man speech. And there will be a few stumbling blocks that you need to overcome. Today let me discuss what think are the biggest stumbling blocks that you need to address to be able to complete your best man speech efficiently.

The first stumbling block you must overcome is shyness. A best man can’t be shy about public speaking. The speech has to be loud and articulate so that everyone at the reception can hear it and be impressed. The best man speeches are one of the most important events at the reception because typically the maid of honor speech is sappy and sentimental. In order to overcome issues with public speaking, you should practice in other public arenas like bars and nightclubs. Getting a little drunk can help also, but don’t get hammered and screw up your speech.

The next stumbling block to be overcome in giving a good best man speech is to know your subject matter. The best man speeches should always be about the groom. Presumably since you were chosen as best man, you know him pretty well. Do not focus too much of your speech on him and his new bride. Insights into his past before he met her are just as important during the best man speech as details of their dating. You want to give the audience a real sense of who the groom is so that the crowd can get to know the man he was before he met his bride to be. The best man speech should be a story time line of who he was, who he became, and then a good luck wish for what he will become in the future.

One more stumbling block to overcome is coming up with appropriate humor. Many best men end up chipping in unnecessary and even awkward humor. While there should be some comic anecdotes in the best man speech, it should not be a stand-up comedy routine. You are not auditioning for a job as a comic. Avoid all jokes that are cliché. Nobody will appreciate a worn out joke about marriage that you threw into your best man speech as filler for lack of something real to say. Humor is best included when it involves a story of something the groom has done in the past. Besides you need to be careful about the jokes you plan to share – remember there will be elderly persons as well as kids among the audience.

Here is a big stumbling block to avoid in your best man speech. Do not ever mention his ex-girlfriends. Do not ever mention his past exploits. Do not ever mention ex-wives. This day is not about that part of his past. His new wife will be very angry at you and him if you bring up any of these things in your best man speech. Just don’t. Your job is not to make him look bad in front of his new wife. Also don’t forget that at least half of your audience is made up of the bride’s family and close friends. Do not think for a second that they want to hear about what a stud she just married. If he was a stud, all that has presumably changed now that he is married. There is no reason to stir up some doubts about his future fidelity in the marriage.

Best man speeches are not to be taken lightly. This is one of only a few jobs the best man has but it can be a huge catalyst to the success of the event. Best man speeches can be researched online to get a feel of things you would like to incorporate into your speech. Do not steal cheap ideas from the movies. More often than not those who recognize the movie reference will think you an idiot for stealing the line instead of thinking you brilliant for incorporating a movie reference into your best man speech. Just like all good writing, your best man speech will require some editing. Your first draft is not good enough. You need to review it or fine tune it over and over until you know you have got the speech you want. Best man speeches should be written, set aside, and then picked up again later to edit some more. Just as your best man speech should not be delivered while drunk, it should also not be written while drunk.

Lastly, you should make sure that your best man speech is written down clearly so that you can read it easily. Do not use bullet points to remind you of what to say. Have the entire speech written out so that you not only don’t forget important parts, but also so that you don’t lose focus and start improvising. Plan ahead and deliver a great best man speech. Good luck!