Foo - Best man speech...would love your input

I'm going to be the best man at my best friend's wedding this Sunday (watch the boys of foo thread for sexy tuxedo pics) and was hoping to get some feedback on my speech/toast, especially about the transitions and lenght.

The bride's family is pretty traditional/conservative (though she's not particularly) so I'm trying to come up with something that will be meaningful to my friends but leave out the details of their getting together and relationship and not be too sappy or too boring.

Also, this is a dry wedding, which is new to me, I assume a no booze toast works the same way as a regular toast, yes?

Don't be shy in your constructive criticism.


For those who don’t know me, I’m Sam. Will and I have been friends since we met in homeroom the first day of seventh grade 18 years ago. What sort of shocked me was when I realized that it’s also been more than 10 years since Rohini and I first became friends at UMBC.

I want to start by taking a moment to thank you all for being here to celebrate with Will and Rohini and to especially thank the Thomases for hosting us and to congratulate them and the Marises.

When I was trying to figure out exactly what goes into this thing I kept reading that I’m supposed to give the two of you advice about marriage. I don’t have any experience with that, so I can’t help there. I do, however, have plenty of experience living with Will, so Rohini, I can give you some thoughts about that. I’m sure you’ve figured most of this out by now but I’ll repeat it anyway, just in case… Will’s actually a pretty easy guy to live with. He’s easy going, a good cook, has good taste in TV, pretty much everything you could want, but…he’s not the most organized person and he has an amazing ability to collect stuff, massive amounts of stuff. On the one hand, this means he’s always got great books and new music to share with you, and, if for whatever reason, you need a penny whistle or a ukulele or you’re looking for a tape by some obscure hair metal band from the 80s, he’s probably got it buried somewhere in there. On the other hand, there’s a lot of stuff. I think it was his brother Matthew who described his room when we were living together as a bed in the middle of the floor defended by piles of laundry and books and cds. So, mostly I guess I’m just saying good luck with that.

More than anything though, and I know you figured this out long ago, Will is an incredible friend. This was just as true when we were living together as it is now that we’re half a continent apart. And one of the best things about being his friend for so long, is that I’ve gotten to watch as the crush he had on you ten years ago in college turned into a great friendship and I’ve gotten to see that friendship turn into a great love over the last few years. I’m sure everyone here will join me in saying how lucky we are that we get to be a part of your lives and will get to see that friendship and love continue to grow.

So, here’s to a long, happy, and healthy life as you and your love continue to grow together...cheers.

you could always try this... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPYRRTcuS6g)

I recommend you peruse this: http://artofmanliness.com/2008/07/22/how-to-write-deliver-good-best-man-speech/#more-538

That said, it looks like you've pretty much got it down already.

That toast looks good. I've given a few. I think the main points are to thank the brides parents for inviting every one. Maybe talk a little about how they met and grown together, that always goes over well. Be sincere.
You pretty much have that covered. So It looks good to me.

Make sure you sneak a flask in.
A dry wedding. WTF.

love it!
maybe im a sappy pmsy woman, but the right eye got a little wet.

Another line that comes to mind (this was from the groom at a wedding I went to...)

"They say your wedding is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, but I don't want to believe that. Because if it is true, then I hope this is the worst day of the rest of my life with you". Sweet, and gave us a chuckle.

Best man speeches are one of the few things that make me happy about not having any friends. I have only had to be a best man once. It was at a wedding in England. I failed at the speechifying.

Yours looks good to me. Nice job.

A best man speech should be short and to the point.

"I am confident that <grooms name here> will get as much pleasure from <brides name here> as I did...many times."

I told a joke in my speech that 2 people got...That's ok, though, it was the right 2 people that got it.

I think it looks fine. Delivered properly it will be funny enough, and it's just mushy enough at the end. Well done!

Umm....she does know about his packratting, right? (don't wanna be the whistle blower within annulment time!)

For those who don’t know me, I’m Sam. Will and I have been friends since we met in homeroom the first day of seventh grade 18 years ago. What sort of shocked me was when I realized that it’s also been more than 10 years since Rohini and I first became friends at UMBC.

too long. nobody cares about you. it's about the bride and groom.


I want to start by taking a moment to thank you all for being here to celebrate with Will and Rohini and to especially thank the Thomases for hosting us and to congratulate them and the Marises.

make it snappier, and start with the thanks.


When I was trying to figure out exactly what goes into this thing I kept reading that I’m supposed to give the two of you advice about marriage. I don’t have any experience with that, so I can’t help there. I do, however, have plenty of experience living with Will, so Rohini, I can give you some thoughts about that. I’m sure you’ve figured most of this out by now but I’ll repeat it anyway, just in case… Will’s actually a pretty easy guy to live with. He’s easy going, a good cook, has good taste in TV, pretty much everything you could want, but…he’s not the most organized person and he has an amazing ability to collect stuff, massive amounts of stuff. On the one hand, this means he’s always got great books and new music to share with you, and, if for whatever reason, you need a penny whistle or a ukulele or you’re looking for a tape by some obscure hair metal band from the 80s, he’s probably got it buried somewhere in there. On the other hand, there’s a lot of stuff. I think it was his brother Matthew who described his room when we were living together as a bed in the middle of the floor defended by piles of laundry and books and cds. So, mostly I guess I’m just saying good luck with that.

too much "I this" and "I that." I repeat - nobody cares.

also, too much about about the groom, and not enough about the bride.


More than anything though, and I know you figured this out long ago, Will is an incredible friend. This was just as true when we were living together as it is now that we’re half a continent apart. And one of the best things about being his friend for so long, is that I’ve gotten to watch as the crush he had on you ten years ago in college turned into a great friendship and I’ve gotten to see that friendship turn into a great love over the last few years. I’m sure everyone here will join me in saying how lucky we are that we get to be a part of your lives and will get to see that friendship and love continue to grow.

So, here’s to a long, happy, and healthy life as you and your love continue to grow together...cheers.

i repeat, too much about the groom, and not enough about the bride.

do some research. ask her parents/family for some anecdotes. do not use your 1st draft.

I heard a great 'final thought' recently at a wedding.

End the toast with "may all your children have scholarships and your house be maintenance-free"

It should always start with "True love is hard to find, sometimes you think you have true love and then you catch the early flight home from San Diego and a couple of nude people jump out of your bathroom blindfolded like a goddamn magic show ready to double team your girlfriend... "

Perfection.

"True love is hard to find, sometimes you think you have true love and then you catch the early flight home from San Diego and a couple of nude people jump out of your bathroom blindfolded like a goddamn magic show ready to double team your girlfriend... "

Good times.

Thanks for the positive comments and suggestions, especially Botto's. Look for draft/version 2 later. In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure...awww.

http://b0.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00829/00/13/829963100_l.png

http://a417.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/60/l_5e69073eea0cd95a94b94648b0b3f7f0.jpg

You have a good speech there, it's short and likable and will get a few chuckles and a few awwws.

One I like to do to start it off is to "take care of other family business" by pointing out any other recent milestones like major anniversaries celebrated by the parents or aunts/uncles, etc, thank so and so for flying in from hell's half acre, etc. It tightens the family feel.

Also, this is a dry wedding...

Do you think anyone will be there to hear the speach anyway?

Your speech is very appropriate for a conservative audience.

The best speeches I've heard were at Ukrainian weddings. Ukrainians seem to be born with a built-in ability to be humorous. Mind you they were usually jokes made at the expense of the bride and groom.

Do you think anyone will be there to hear the speach anyway?

Uh yeah. There's no booze :lol:

uh, change the "living together" references to "when we were roommates" or "roomies" ? Advise the bride about - or even present her with a personalized yard sale sign - so as not to lose future children or pets to groom's collective mess?

Clear it with your friend (and probably his fiance). I had to re-write mine 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. It wasn't conservative enough...
Oh yeah it was a dry wedding also. Boy did that suck. Good Luck. Oh and practice your speech.

Are you in charge of the rings during the ceremony? If you are the advice that was give to me by the priest was to keep them on your pinky for fast, easy access. He had some umm fun stories of rings being lost, or falling in to drains in the floor....

Thanks for all of the input and advice foosters. I added a bridetastic paragraph, as per Botto's suggestion, and cleaned it up a bit and it went off without a hitch. They laughed, they cried, her parents still talked to me afterward. That's why you all are the best.

I got pretty much zero sleep this weekend and will now take a long nap!

http://lh6.ggpht.com/SamVFrazier/SMWsgJcodoI/AAAAAAAAApw/dUfsUmV0d_8/s400/100_2228.JPG

Wonderful job! Botto had some great suggestions there, and it's great to know that your toast went over so well :) .

East Hill