Best Man Power Moves
How to Write a Killer Speech
By Charlie Gray
Disclaimer: This report is the property of Charlie Gray and may not be sold,
given away, or otherwise distributed without consent from the author.
You're UP, and Your Friend or Relative Is
Depending On You!
Your best buddy or little brother calls you up. You're happy for him, as he has
recently announced his engagement, and he'll be getting married in a few
months. You ask how things are going and he gets straight to the point. He
wants you to be his Best Man.
What an honor! You are pleased and gratified that you mean that much to
him. You quickly agree and thank him. After you end the call you start
thinking more about it. What exactly does it mean?
Let's see... you'll have a slightly different tux than the other groomsmen.
Maybe a different corsage. You'll stand next to the groom in line and maybe
closer to him at the table... what else...
Then it dawns on you. A speech. You'll have to give a speech at the
wedding. Or is it a toast? Either way, you'll be standing up in front of all
those people, all eyes on you, waiting in silence to hear what you have to say.
But what will you say? That is the great question. What can you say and
how can you make sure it's the right thing? How can you keep from getting
too nervous?
Today I'm going to provide you with 11 tips for delivering a great best man
speech. By the end of this short report you will be ready to get up there and
entertain, move and amuse the whole room.
But first, a mistake you need to be sure to avoid:
No matter how comfortable you may be with speaking in front of people, or
however well spoken you may be, don't just get up there and give your
speech off the cuff. That is dangerous and you may end up saying something
you wish you hadn't or not saying something you wish you had! So read on
and be prepared!
BTW, if you're looking for the ultimate source that will expand on my tips and
provide you with plenty of templates, hints and tricks for overcoming nerves
and giving the perfect speech or toast, I recommend:
Best Man Wedding Speeches – Be Fearless, Funny and Flawless!
It's basically the A-Z best man speech, toasts, and what the heck to do guide.
Now for my 11 tips! Read on and be ready to give a speech that will be
remembered for it's awesome factor, and not for the gasps from the crowd!
Tip # 1 : Relax. Really relax
Of course public speaking is frightening for a lot of people and the most
common advice is to simply relax. Well, it's not always that easy. It's almost
like telling a woman giving birth to stay calm and soon it will all be over.
However, there are some techniques that can help you to keep your breathing
in check, focus your thoughts and remember what it is you want to say
without suffering from fear or embarrassment. Look online for tips to help you
stay calm, composed and in control while public speaking.
Tip # 2 : Keep it original
The only way to ensure that your speech is different--and better--than other
speeches is if you avoid cliches and have a balance of humor and
sentimentality.
The best man doesn't need to get everyone crying-- that's the maid of honor
or mother-of-the-bride's job. But you do need to have some personalization,
discussed more in the next tip
Tip # 3 : Give thanks where thanks is due
Traditionally it will be the parents of the bride who are hosting the wedding.
Find out if this is the case or if it is being paid for by both bride and groom and
thank the proper person early on for the beautiful atmosphere and occasion.
Tip # 4 : Personalize it
Think of a story that everyone present will be interested in. Maybe something
funny that happened between the you and the couple, an anecdote from
before they met or early in their courtship.
Write out your story. Tell only the essential elements. Nobody wants to sit
through a long retelling of a mediocre story. Just a few sentences with a
point. It should reveal something about the bride, groom and/or yourself.
Nothing too dark or dramatic. It should be just for fun.
Tip # 5 : Why you?
To help you have a focus for your speech, it's a good idea to think about how
you got into this mess in the first place – I mean how you were privileged to
be able to speak at the wedding in the first place.
Think about why you are important to the groom and what role you have had
in their relationship. Include hints at this in your speech.
Tip # 6 : It's okay to advise
If you are married yourself think about one item of advice you could share. It
could be something that you do in your marriage to keep the love alive
(nothing that would embarrass anybody present though, of course!)
Tip # 7 : Remember the DON'Ts
There are some things you should NOT include in your best man speech.
These include anything that might make anyone present at the wedding
uncomfortable. Examples would be:
– Anything inappropriate whether sexual, racial or otherwise in poor taste
– Talking bad about the institution of marriage
– Using very strong language, at least in excess
– Mentioning something controversial, especially if it is a negative
comment about something political or religious
– Anything that might make either or both sides of the family feel unhappy
or a dislike for other members of the family
Tip # 8 : Reflect the couple
You want your speech to be something that will be appreciated by both the
bride and groom. If they are more serious or conservative in their manners,
don't go out of your way to make your speech over the top funny or teasing.
If they are sarcastic or can handle a good joke at their expense, you can
certainly include a little teasing, within the boundaries of what is appropriate.
Tip # 9 : Make it your own
While you may read or listen to some speeches for inspiration, and even
choose to use segments or ideas from some of them, make sure the speech
sounds like you. Don't use overly fancy language that you wouldn't usually
use in everyday conversation.
Also, be sure that your personality comes through. You don't want to be
overbearing, even if your are naturally boisterous, but you do want the
speech to sound natural coming from you and to include your own style of
speech, sense of humor and mannerisms.
Tip # 10 : Make it a sandwich
You want your speech to be organized in a way that is easy to follow and best
gets across the point you want to make. One approach is called the
sandwich technique. Here is what it is:
You begin by making simple and respectful remarks, including thanking the
host. Move from there into sharing a story or humorous anecdote and any
jokes or other fun things you want to say.
At the end of the speech is the best time to bring out the sentiment and
wishes for the bride and groom. This is called the sandwich approach
because you begin and end with the more serious or heartfelt thoughts and
have more of the “fun stuff” in the middle.
Of course you can still be funny during the beginning or closing, but you want
to set the mood and not just have people rolling on the floor during those
parts.
Tip # 11 : Practice
Have your speech all written out in case you need it, but before the big day
practice it plenty of times in front of the mirror. Also ask people close to you
to listen to you give the speech. They can offer feedback that can help you to
really present your speech in the best possible way.
There are two major advantages of practicing your speech. The first is the
most obvious, to help you feel comfortable saying it. To know what it is you
need to say to help you avoid feeling nervous or insecure.
The other important reason for practicing is so that it will come out naturally.
Make sure you are working on saying it as if it is just coming to you off the top
of your head. You definitely don't want to sound like you're reading
something you just printed off the Internet.
Sum It All Up...
There you have them! The 11 tips that will have you delivering the greatest
best man speech possible. Remember to balance sensitivity with humor,
advice (if you want), appreciation and a short story and you'll have the whole
room captive and talking about your speech for a long time afterward.
Also, as I mentioned before, the guide entitled:
The Best Man Wedding Speeches – Be Fearless, Funny and Flawless!...
...is a fantastic resource for anyone trying to put together a speech. With lots
of samples and ideas for jokes, one liners, and ways to personalize your
speech, you will never suffer for a lack of ideas on what to say.
The course will also give you tips on how to keep from being nervous, proper
etiquette, and responsibilities so you don't make any mistakes throughout the
day!
The guide can be downloaded instantly for those up to bat in day or two, or
you can grab a hard copy that will be shipped to your home.
For more information click here to the official website.
To your success!
Charlie Gray