Best man speech examples
Best man speech examples that guests remember share one shape: a warm hello, one story that shows who the groom is, a turn to his partner, then glasses up. Choose the story before any joke.
Ready to stand up, get the laugh and sit down to applause?
The dread fades once your first lines run on autopilot. Learn these four cold:
- Hello"Hi everyone, I'm Sam, and I've known Alex longer than his barber has."
- LaughStop after the punchline. Let the room catch up before you go on.
- Turn"Then he met Jordan, and every story got better."
- Glasses"Please raise a glass to Alex and Jordan."
Reading it in your head hides where you rush the joke, since your own speed is hard to judge mid-sentence. Confidently records the whole toast, then tells you where the pace ran away, counts each um, reads your face and marks where a line faded.
Run your toast out loud in ConfidentlyFree for iPhone and Android. The link opens your app store.
- The Opening Hook
- The Stories (1 to 2 max)
- The Pivot to the Partner
- The Toast
Last reviewed . Six full toasts, sorted by how you know the groom and by vibe, each paragraph marked with its part. Type in your own names and story, then time it out loud.
Toast finder: six best man speech examples
All six best man speech examples are clean and kind. Every bracket is a spot for your own detail.
Pick your toast
The six toasts
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Brother · sincere
The brother who always showed up
The Opening HookGood evening, everyone. I'm [Your name], [Groom]'s brother, and tonight I get to stand up for the person who has stood up for me my whole life.
The IntroductionThank you to [hosts] for this beautiful evening, and to all of you for coming so far to be here.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)Growing up, [Groom] was the big brother who checked under my bed for monsters and then pretended he hadn't been scared too. When I [a hard moment you went through], he was the first one at the door, and he didn't need to be asked.
The Pivot to the Partner[Partner], I've watched my brother become calmer, happier and more himself since he met you. You didn't change who he is; you made room for all of it. Welcome to a family that already loves you.
The ToastPlease raise your glasses. To [Groom] and [Partner]: may you always show up for each other the way he has always shown up for me.
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Brother · warm and funny
Warm & Slightly Humorous Example (Classic Best Friend / Brother)
The Opening HookHi, everyone. For anyone who doesn't know me, I'm [Your name], [Groom]'s younger brother and, for the next few minutes, the only person in this room allowed to tell you what he was like at twelve.
The IntroductionThanks to [hosts] for a perfect day, and thanks to [Partner]'s family for welcoming ours, even after meeting us.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)[Groom] has always been a planner. On family road trips he made a schedule for the bathroom breaks. So when he told me he'd met someone who made him forget to check the time, I knew it was serious.
The Pivot to the Partner[Partner], you bring out a side of him we hadn't seen: relaxed, silly and very happy. Thank you for that.
The ToastSo, everyone, glasses up. To [Groom] and [Partner], and to many more trips with no schedule at all.
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Childhood friend · warm and funny
The skateboard years
The Opening HookGood evening. I'm [Your name], and I've known [Groom] since [age or grade], when we both decided we were going to be professional skateboarders. One of us has a scar to prove we were wrong.
The IntroductionThank you all for being here, and thank you, [hosts], for tonight.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)[Groom] is the friend who remembers your birthday, your mom's birthday and your dog's birthday. When I moved across the country, he drove the truck for [how many] hours and refused to let me pay for gas. That's him: loyal, generous and slightly too proud of his driving.
The Pivot to the PartnerThen he met [Partner], and suddenly the guy who planned everything was asking me how to plan a proposal. [Partner], he has never worked so hard on anything. You are worth all of it.
The ToastPlease stand and raise your glasses. To [Groom] and [Partner]!
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Childhood friend · sincere
Short & Sincere Example (For Reluctant Speakers)
The Opening HookHello, everyone. I'm [Your name]. I'm not much of a speaker, so I'll keep this short and make sure every word is true.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)[Groom] and I met when we were [age], and he has been my best friend ever since. He's the one who answers the phone at two in the morning and doesn't ask why until later.
The Pivot to the Partner[Partner], the first time [Groom] talked about you, he couldn't stop smiling, and he still can't. Thank you for loving my friend so well.
The ToastEveryone, please raise a glass to [Groom] and [Partner]. I'm so happy for you both.
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College or work friend · warm and funny
The friend who still owes a sandwich
The Opening HookHi, everyone. I'm [Your name]. [Groom] and I met [at college / at work], where he made a terrible first impression: he ate my lunch out of the shared fridge. He's been paying me back with friendship ever since, and he still owes me a sandwich.
The IntroductionThank you to [hosts], and to everyone who traveled to be here.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)Over the years I've seen [Groom] in a lot of situations: [a funny but kind memory]. What never changes is that he makes everyone around him feel welcome, including the guy whose lunch he stole.
The Pivot to the Partner[Partner], I knew you were special the night [Groom] cancelled our plans and I didn't even mind, because he sounded so happy. You two make a great team.
The ToastPlease raise your glasses. To [Partner] and [Groom], and to a fridge you'll never have to share with me.
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College or work friend · sincere · two grooms
The coworker who stayed late
The Opening HookGood evening, everyone. My name is [Your name], and I've worked next to [Groom] for [how many] years, which means I've seen him at his best and at his most tired.
The IntroductionThank you to both families, and to all of you for being here.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)Work friends don't always become real friends, but [Groom] made it easy. When I [a moment he helped you], he stayed late without being asked and never mentioned it again.
The Pivot to the Partner[Partner], I remember the day [Groom] told me about you. He tried to act casual and failed completely. Watching the two of you together, it's clear you've built something kind, steady and full of laughter.
The ToastPlease join me in raising a glass to [Groom] and [Partner]. To a lifetime of looking after each other.
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Classic Best Man Speech Structure
A best man speech is a brief toast at the wedding reception in which the groom's closest friend or brother introduces himself, tells one story about the groom, turns to the partner and leads the room in raising a glass.
The Opening Hook
Who you are, said warmly.
The Introduction
How you know him, plus one line of thanks to the hosts and guests.
The Stories (1 to 2 max)
One story that shows who he is. A second only if it adds something.
The Pivot to the Partner
Turn to the partner and welcome them.
The Toast
Glasses up, both names.
| Classic Best Man Speech Structure | Standard Speech Structure |
|---|---|
| The Opening Hook | The Icebreaker |
| The Introduction | (inside The Icebreaker) |
| The Stories (1 to 2 max) | The Friendship History |
| The Pivot to the Partner | Praise for the Partner, then Heartfelt Sentiment |
| The Toast | The Toast |
Keep the sincere beat. Research published in Psychological Science in 2018 found that people who wrote gratitude letters underestimated how surprised and happy the recipients would feel, and overestimated how awkward the recipients would find it. The sincere line you think is too much usually lands better than you expect.
If the heartfelt part makes your throat tighten, try saying something out loud tonight, even if it's not the toast.
How long should a best man speech be?
- 3 to 5 minutes
- The common target in most wedding guides.
- 5 to 7 minutes
- The upper end some guides allow.
Etiquette advice runs shorter still. In Vermont Vows: The Toast!, first published in 2010, the Emily Post Institute puts it plainly:
"Traditionally, the first toast at the wedding reception is made by the best man."
The same piece says the best toasts last a minute or two, three at most. Aim for the short end. Nobody at a wedding has ever wished a toast had gone on longer.
Best man speech examples for openings and jokes
Self-deprecating joke
"When [Groom] asked me to be his best man, I said yes right away. Then I remembered there would be a microphone."
"I've rehearsed this so many times that my dog now leaves the room whenever I clear my throat."
The jury duty comparison
"Being best man feels a little like jury duty: you're proud to be picked, you dress better than usual, and you've been warned to keep it short."
"Luckily, this time everybody already agrees on the verdict."
Complimenting the partner
"I've known [Groom] a long time, and marrying [Partner] is easily the smartest thing I've seen him do."
"[Partner], you've made my best friend happier than all of us put together ever managed, and believe me, we gave it a real shot."
Closing lines that work
- "So please raise your glasses to [Groom] and [Partner], and to every ordinary Tuesday they get to spend together."
- "To the two people who make everyone around them feel at home: [Groom] and [Partner]!"
- "Here's to a marriage that's as much fun as the two of them. To [Groom] and [Partner]!"
- "Everyone, on your feet if you can. To the newlyweds!"
Quick Delivery Tips
The Emily Post Institute agrees: speak it aloud to get used to your own voice, cue cards are fine, keep jokes light and clean, and drop stories that might embarrass the couple. Its piece on the groom's toast adds that the best man leads off the toasting at the reception.
Worried about a shaky hand? A 2000 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that we expect others to notice our slips and our looks far more than they really do.
Giving a different toast, maybe as a sister or a parent? The steps in how to write a wedding speech cover every role at the reception.
Best man duty often goes to the friend who already gives talks at school or work; if a class speech is next on your list, a set of informative speech ideas saves the hunt.
If the crowd scares you more than the words, get used to speaking in front of people in smaller rooms first, weeks before the big day.
Questions best men ask
How to start a good best man speech?
With a one-line hello: your name and your link to the groom, then thanks. Save the joke for line two.
What is the best man supposed to say in his speech?
The five beats: hook, introduction with thanks, one or two stories, the pivot to the partner, the toast.
Who does the best man have to thank?
The hosts and the guests, in one sentence.
What's a good short best man speech?
Of the best man speech examples above, the Short & Sincere one: four short paragraphs, no jokes.
What is the best closing line for a wedding speech?
Name both partners and ask the room to lift their glasses, like the four closing lines above.
What to write in a wedding card from best man?
Two or three warm lines: a memory, a wish, your name. For example: "Thank you for letting me stand next to you today. So happy for you both." Or: "You found your person. I couldn't be prouder."
Can you give me an example of a speech about a best friend?
The two childhood friend toasts in the finder.
Sources
- Vermont Vows: The Toast! Emily Post Institute, 2010.
- Kumar A, Epley N. Undervaluing gratitude: expressers misunderstand the consequences of showing appreciation. Psychological Science, 2018. PMID 29949445.
- The Groom's Toast. Emily Post Institute.
- Gilovich T, Medvec VH, Savitsky K. The spotlight effect in social judgment: an egocentric bias in estimates of the salience of one's own actions and appearance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000. PMID 10707330.
Last reviewed . The toasts and lines here are original; use them freely.