Advertisement
My husband is going to be the best man at a wedding this weekend, and this means naturally he is expected to write a wedding toast. Writing wedding toasts is a big job we’ve discovered. The best man’s speech is probably one of the most important of all wedding toasts, and one of those things that can make everything wonderful or completely destroy a wedding! Not to mention he was also in charge of trying to brainstorm for Bachelor party gifts!
We had to do a lot of research to make sure his speech would be appropriate and not put us all to sleep at the same time. We found countless sites with wedding toast examples, free wedding toasts, and free best man speeches, but none of them really seemed any good. We did however remember what probably could be considered one of the worst best man speeches. This example of a bad best man speech and wedding toast is from the Adam Sandler movie The Wedding Singer:
When my brother Harold asked me to be the best man at his wedding, I was like of course man. You’ve always been there for me…like when I was in rehab…and like the time I couldn’t find my car. Cause Harold has always been the dependable one, and I’ve always been the screwed up one. Right Dad? Why can’t you be more like your brother? Harold would never beat up his landlord. But uh, newsflash pop, Harold ain’t so perfect. Remember that time in Puerto Rico when we picked up those two uh…well I guess they were prostitutes but I don’t remember paying…How about that…I’m a person too pop …I’m a person too…They’ll be divorced in a year!
A wedding toast like the one above perfectly shows what wedding toasts and best man speeches shouldn’t be. The bad wedding speech above resulted in the best man being escorted out of the building! Nobody wants something like that to happen when they are getting married! So now that you know what NOT to do for wedding toasts and best man speeches, let’s take a look at the formula for a great best man speech or wedding toast:
1. Introduction and Thank You: Anytime you address an audience, it helps if they know who you are and why you’re talking. You’ll also want to make sure while talking that you thank everyone who has helped to make the day come together – and complimenting how nice the bride looks doesn’t hurt either.
2. How You Know the Bride and Groom: People love stories, so you can include in your speech how you know the bride/groom. You can talk about how you met, or how long you’ve known each other. It doesn’t have to be long – keeping it brief and simple is fine.
3. Why the Couple is Perfect for Each Other: Wedding toasts are supposed to celebrate the two people getting married, so saying anything that says why you think they will have a happy marriage.
4. Throw in some quotes: A short line of poetry or a famous romantic love quote for a best man speech is always a good stand-by if you can’t think of anything else. Don’t go quote crazy, but a well selected one can really help.
5. Add a touch of humor: Saying something mildly funny or amusing that is appropriate for all audiences can be a great ice breaker. Be sure that it doesn’t cross into the no-no territories of religion, politics, the couple’s sex life, or crude humor. Saying something light and appropriate will make your audience stay away during the wedding toasts.
6. Dish out advice sparingly: Most best man speeches or wedding toasts offer some sort of advice. If your toast includes advice, make sure it doesn’t cross into the no-nos of adding a touch of humor in wedding toasts as I mentioned above. If the advice can’t be given simply and without making the bride and groom feel good, it’s probably better to leave it out.
7. Stay sober: Staying sober before and during a best man speech or wedding toast is very important. Being drunk before the wedding toasts have started is not going to leave a good impression on the wedding guests or the bride and groom.
This just a simple guide to writing wedding toasts – you are certainly able to be as creative or original as you’d like to be in your best man speech or other wedding toasting responsibility. If you ever have any doubts though about what to say, asking the bride and groom can certainly also point you in the right direction.
Have you ever given a wedding toast? If you’re married, were the wedding toasts at your wedding memorable? Share you experiences with best man speeches and wedding toasts in the comments below.
If you are interested in joining our mailing list, please submit your email below. 
i’ve never given a toast, and i’m not married.
just wanted to add that one needs to be careful with humor as well because there may be cultural norms present which one isn’t aware of. :O
koujis last blog post..haiku poem: friendship (loss)
Ha, Adam Sandler is so funny, makes we want to go and rent it. You have some great tips there.
Joshs last blog post..Responses to Ask Josh Questions
Wedding speeches, not just Best Man speeches,should tread a fine line between sincerity and humor. The Wedding Toast should be inspirational after all you want to finish your speech to a crescendo of applause.
Thank you for your tips…you know, my spouse lack of sense about romance. He is nice,I mean he loves me so much, except that he is not good at thinking about romantic plans…
Handbag for lifes last blog post..Roberto Cavalli winter floral Silk Bracelet Clutch
[...] have been with my partner for over 10 glorious years – and we may be in need of some sort of wedding toast at some [...]
[...] me, I was performing the service): July 14, 2008. Luckily, I didn’t have to get into giving wedding toasts. Share and [...]
[...] another event for the month of JUNE are WEDDINGS. JUNE ushers in CEBU JUNE BRIDES and plenty of wedding toasts. This photo was taken in FORT SAN PEDRO, CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES. JUNE WEDDINGS were originated [...]
[...] solves the problem of getting home in an inebriated condition. Our party will probably start with wedding toasts and then progress to heavy drinking by everyone [...]
[...] so much joy just being in his presence. I snagged me a Keeper out of the fish pond! Bring on the wedding toasts…er…I mean anniversary [...]
[...] luck with your wedding, and send us some pictures: we will publish them here. Always remember that wedding toasts are a good moment for memorable [...]
[...] Wedding Toasts – This is not the easiest thing to come up with so you’ll need all the help you can get. [...]
[...] can help guide the search for a cheap wedding reception location. You can also get really good wedding toasts if you search for them in the bookstore, and maybe even online. It can be shown that even [...]
[...] would be the perfect grounds for pick up artists. With all the excitement, emotions and hilarious wedding toasts, one would think it’s the ultimate PUA playground. Unfortunately, after concluding the [...]
These are some pretty good tips. Maybe I’ll try a few the next time a walk down that isle.
Chriss last blog post..Roberto Coin Jewelry Collections
Very nice information. Thanks for this.