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Best Man Speech Examples

A good best man speech is short, kind and easy to say out loud. Start with the structure below, then read three full examples you can adapt.

Write your ownRead the examples

You were asked to be best man because the groom trusts you. That is the whole job. The speech is just a way of saying so in front of people who love him.

Most best man speeches go wrong in one of two ways. They run too long, or they tell a story only six people in the room understand. A good one takes two to three minutes, aims at the whole room, and finishes with something sincere about the couple.

You do not need to be a comedian. One clean story, two or three honest sentences about the groom, a few warm words for the bride and a toast is enough. Say it slowly. Practice it aloud, with a timer, at least three times.

The examples below are complete speeches with invented names. Read them for shape and rhythm, then swap in your own friend, your own story and your own wish for the couple. The general method is in our guide to how to write a speech.

How to structure a best man speech

Six short parts, in this order, add up to about two and a half minutes.

  1. Greet and introduce yourself. Thank the hosts, say your name and how you know the groom. Keep it to two sentences. This should take about 15 seconds, or 30 words.
  2. A light opening. Say something gently funny about the pressure of giving the speech, or about the groom's habits. It settles the room and settles you. Aim for 20 to 30 seconds.
  3. One story about the groom. Pick one short, true story that shows his character: loyal, generous, stubborn, goofy. Keep it under 45 seconds, about 100 words, and leave out anything the grandparents should not hear.
  4. The turn to the bride. Say what changed when he met her, and what you have noticed in the two of them together. This is where the speech becomes sincere. About 30 seconds, or 70 words.
  5. A wish for the couple. Offer one or two plain wishes for their life together. Short and specific beats grand and vague. About 20 seconds.
  6. The toast. Ask everyone to stand and raise a glass. Name the couple clearly, say your closing line and sit down. Ten seconds is plenty.

Best Man Speech examples

These 3 complete, original speeches for the best man speech use invented names. Copy one, swap in your own details, and read it aloud with a timer.

Funny best man speech (2 to 3 minutes)

Funny · 2 to 3 minutes · about 346 words

Suits: A best man who is close to the groom and wants light, affectionate laughs.

Good evening, everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm Dan, and I've been Marcus's friend for long enough to have stories I'm not allowed to tell. Don't worry. Priya read the approved list of topics, and I'm sticking to it. Mostly.

Being asked to be best man is an honor, and also a small trap. Marcus asked me months ago and I said yes straight away. Then I spent the next several months realizing I'd have to stand up in front of all of you and say something clever. Marcus, you know I'm the friend who is good at showing up, not the friend who is good at speeches. So please accept my showing up as the main gift.

Here is what I can tell you about him. Every group of friends has one person who holds things together. Marcus is ours. He is the reason we ever make plans, and the reason anyone actually turns up to them. He answers the phone on the second ring. He remembers what you told him three months ago and asks how it went. That is a rare thing in a person, and I've never once had to ask him twice.

Then he met Priya, and I noticed the change quickly. He got happier. He got a little calmer. He started looking at his phone with a smile instead of a frown. Priya, I don't know exactly what you did, but thank you. You've made my friend better, and you've made it much harder for me to tease him, because now I have to be nice.

So here is my advice to you both. Marcus, when Priya says she's fine, ask one more time. Priya, when Marcus says he'll be there in ten minutes, believe him a little less. And both of you, keep laughing at each other the way you do. It's my favorite thing about you as a pair.

Everyone, please raise a glass. To Marcus and Priya. May your home be full of friends, your arguments be short, and your good days be many. Cheers.

The jokes tease the speaker first, then the groom, then land on a kind turn toward the bride. Swap the "ten minutes" joke for a real habit of your friend's and keep the sincere middle.

Write mine in the builder

Heartfelt best man speech (2 to 3 minutes)

Heartfelt · 2 to 3 minutes · about 298 words

Suits: A best man who is more comfortable being sincere than being funny.

Hello, everyone. I'm Owen, Theo's oldest friend. I want to thank Hannah's parents and Theo's parents for tonight, and I want to thank all of you for being here. It means a lot to both of them.

I'm not a natural speaker, so I'm going to say this plainly. Theo is the best friend I have. When things were hard for me, he didn't give me advice first. He just showed up and sat with me. He's done that for me more than once, and he's done it for other people in this room too. I think that's the truest thing I can say about him. Anyone can be fun at a party. Very few people stay steady when the party is over, and Theo does.

For a long time I wondered whether Theo would find someone who would see that quiet side of him. Someone who didn't need him to be loud or impressive. Then he brought Hannah to meet us. Within ten minutes I knew. He was relaxed. He was himself. And Hannah was looking at him as if he were the best news she'd had all year.

Hannah, thank you for seeing him. Thank you for being patient with him and for making him laugh at himself. Watching the two of you together has taught me what kindness looks like when it is shared between two people.

Theo, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the man you are and the husband you're becoming. I'll be around, always, for the good days and for the ordinary ones. Call me when something wonderful happens, and call me when it doesn't. I'm only ever a phone call away.

Please stand and raise a glass. To Theo and Hannah. May you always be each other's safest place. Cheers.

It uses short, direct sentences and one true observation about the friend's character, which is more moving than a long story. Replace the "sat with me" line with something you actually saw him do.

Write mine in the builder

Classy best man speech (1 to 2 minutes)

Short & classy · 1 to 2 minutes · about 159 words

Suits: A formal or traditional wedding where a brief, polished toast fits best.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Julian, and it is my privilege to stand beside Adrian today. Thank you to both families for welcoming us all.

I have known Adrian for many years. In that time I have found him to be steady, thoughtful and generous with his word. When he says he will do something, it is done. That is a quality I admire, and one I have relied upon.

Claire, you have brought a quiet joy to his life. It shows in how he speaks about you, and in how he listens when you speak. It has been a pleasure to watch.

Marriage is a long conversation. I hope yours is full of good humor and patience, and that it is never short of things to say. You begin it today with the affection of everyone in this room.

Please join me in raising a glass. To Adrian and Claire. To a life well begun.

Short sentences, no jokes at anyone's expense, and a calm, dignified close. Keep the structure and replace the general praise with one quality you know to be true of your friend.

Write mine in the builder

Write your own

Add the groom's name, your story and how long you want to speak, and get a first draft in your own voice.

1. What kind of speech?
2. The basics
Pronouns
3. Stories and qualities

One or two sentences each is plenty. Leave a box empty and the draft uses a general line instead.

Pick up to three qualities
4. Tone and length

Your draft appears here

Answer a few questions and press Build my speech. A 1 to 2 minute draft is free and shown in full. You can edit every paragraph, shuffle any section and copy the result.

Do

  • Keep it between one and three minutes, and time yourself reading it aloud.
  • Tell one story well instead of three stories badly.
  • Speak to the bride and the families as much as to the groom.
  • Write the toast line out in full so you cannot lose it when you are nervous.
  • Hold a card or a phone with the speech, and keep your glass ready.
  • Pause after each joke and after each sincere line. Silence is not a mistake.

Don’t

  • Don't tell stories about past partners or wild nights out.
  • Don't use inside jokes that only a few friends will understand.
  • Don't read from a long script without looking up.
  • Don't make the bride the punchline.
  • Don't drink heavily before you speak.
  • Don't end with an apology or "I'll wrap up now". End with the toast.

Opening lines for a best man speech

The first sentence is the hardest. Here are a few that work, all easy to adapt:

  • "Hello, everyone. I'm the best man, which is a title the groom gave me before he'd seen this speech."
  • "For those who don't know me, I'm the friend who has known him longest and been warned the most."
  • "I've been asked to say a few words, so I'll say a few and then sit down."
  • "Thank you all for coming. I've had a lot of time to prepare this, and I've used all of it on the last two days."

How long should it be?

Aim for two to three minutes, which is roughly 260 to 390 words. If the wedding is formal or the program is busy, stay at one to two minutes. If you are stuck, read your draft aloud and cut the first thing that makes you wince. The speech builder on this page can give you a first draft to cut down, and a toast speech is covered in our wedding toast guide.

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Build and read a draft for your best man speech before you decide anything.

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Questions

How long should a best man speech be?

Two to three minutes is the usual target, about 260 to 390 words. A formal wedding may call for one to two minutes. Anything beyond four minutes starts to lose the room, even with good material.

What should a best man speech include?

A greeting, who you are, one story about the groom, a few kind words about the bride, a wish for the couple and a toast. That sequence works for nearly every wedding.

Is it okay to use humor?

Yes, if it is gentle and the whole room can enjoy it. Tease the groom lightly, then follow with something sincere. Skip jokes about exes, money, or anything the grandparents would wince at.

Should I memorize it?

Know it well, but don't memorize it word for word. Keep a printed card or your phone in hand. Short notes are fine, and guests like seeing you prepared.

What if I get too nervous?

Slow down, breathe before each paragraph and look at the couple when you lose your place. Rehearsing aloud three times removes most of the fear. Nobody expects polish, only warmth.