A best man is usually a brother or a good friend of the groom. His speech and toast at the wedding should reflect his close relationship. It is permissible, indeed desirable, for the speech to include jokes and anecdotes but they must be in good taste. It is never, never suitable to embarrass anyone present by saying anything blue or tasteless. The best man usually doubles as Master of Ceremonies on the wedding day so his comments must be polished and polite and light-hearted. He should be complimentary to the hosts, the guests, the couple and to the bridesmaids. After all it is his duty to respond to the groom’s toast to them. His speech needn’t be long but if he is toasting the couple at the end then it would be preferable if he ended his speech with an unusual toast rather than use the usual “Let us raise our glasses in a toast to the bride and groom�. He might write his own toast or search for an unusual one. The Irish are renowned for their writing and their toasts so the best man might find one of theirs suitable for his needs. Above all he should see that the wedding day goes off smoothly for the happy couple. Saying the right things at the right time, including his speech, is one of the best ways to ensure that.

Check out our sample speeches