1) don’t be afraid to tell a funny story about the groom, but for the love of Christ, keep it to something completely non-sexual. The best best-man speech I witnessed involved the one brother telling a hilarious drunk idiot story about the brother getting married that had the room in tears.
2) don’t get hammered. A buzz is fine, and helps if you’re someone who is a little stiff sober. But slurring your speech and rambling loses everyone and you look like a dumb ass.
3) prepare in advance. Nothing wrong with ad libbing, but know your main points. When I did my brother’s wedding speech, the theme was built around how he went through intense phases of interest in a subject or hobby, but his wife was the first thing in his life that stuck. My SIL was in tears.
4) Keep it quick. 2-3 minutes tops. Like a good pop song. It’s awful when the speeches drag on because no one can piss or get a refill.
5) if you’re inserting an inside joke, don’t linger on the reference. The people who get it will get it. The people who don’t will be confused.
2) don’t get hammered. A buzz is fine, and helps if you’re someone who is a little stiff sober. But slurring your speech and rambling loses everyone and you look like a dumb ass.
3) prepare in advance. Nothing wrong with ad libbing, but know your main points. When I did my brother’s wedding speech, the theme was built around how he went through intense phases of interest in a subject or hobby, but his wife was the first thing in his life that stuck. My SIL was in tears.
4) Keep it quick. 2-3 minutes tops. Like a good pop song. It’s awful when the speeches drag on because no one can piss or get a refill.
5) if you’re inserting an inside joke, don’t linger on the reference. The people who get it will get it. The people who don’t will be confused.