There are a thousand different thoughts that run through a man's mind when the day comes and someone finally says, "I want you to be my best man." Undeniably, the first thought is about the speech that will need to be given. Suddenly, you start thinking about all the times you have tried to be funny, and failed; about the times that you have tried public speaking, and failed. That and everything else that has to be remembered can make the whole process somewhat stressful and it can take the fun out of the day. However, here are some top tips to ensure that you give the groom the best day of his life.
The Speech: Whether it is your brother, best friend or someone else that has chosen you to be their best man, the speech is one of the most dreaded but also highly anticipated parts of the day. For some people, the speech comes easy and it is finished in a matter of hours, however others can waste a whole pad of paper before finally getting something 'wedding-worthy' down.
Firstly, if you are not used to this type of thing, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write the perfect speech. The extra time will allow you to write some ideas and then come back to them after an amount of time; often, you may read something a few days later and cross it out immediately. You should also remember that some stories from your youth are fantastic for a wedding but you may not find the perfect audience for stories that involve drunken antics. Only include stories appropriate for absolutely everyone gathered to witness the bride and groom's special day!
Rehearsal: It may seem like a bit of an effort at the time but the best man should always attend the rehearsals. The immediate wedding party will more than likely attend a rehearsal dinner that will include speeches from many of the party; as best man, you have a big speech the day after so don't choose to speak and then use half of the speech planned for tomorrow as this will leave you without a speech with less than 24 hours to go.
Bachelor Party: Many of the groomsmen who don't have to worry about a speech will see this as the biggest part of the wedding and but it is yet another area where things can quickly go wrong.
Bachelor Parties date back a long way which means that many men have made some of the simple mistakes that can end up ruining a weekend. How so? They decide to throw a surprise bachelor party the night before the wedding. This may seem like a crazy, outgoing idea at the time but take it from the men that have made this error in the past, there are so many better dates than the night before the wedding. There are too many things that can go wrong; besides, every member of the party has to be on top form for the wedding day, you can't have a hungover groom and best man standing in front of everyone!
Pre-Wedding: Of course, you have to get your tux fitted but hopefully you hadn't forgotten that you needed something to wear for the big day. The day itself can be a bit of a whirlwind and it may take a bit of time for the groom to calm down. In the meantime, you should try and do as much as you can to keep the groom stress-free. Make sure everything is ready so there will be no glitches as this will keep him relaxed nicely.
Ceremony: The ceremony itself is normally the calmest part of the day and is similar to the eye of the storm. Months of hearing about the plans will have finally come to the fore and you should have gone over everything in rehearsal. You will enter with the groom and normally leave with the maid of honor (keeping in mind that you remembered the ring and everything went smoothly).
Post-Wedding: When you get into the vehicle that is taking you to the reception, everybody will be relaxed and happy it went smoothly but you will probably find that your heart is racing faster than an F1 car. You will probably get a nudge at some point once everyone has settled down which means it is your time to shine with your awesome speech. Even after that though, your job isn't done and you have to find an excuse to leave the reception in order to "decorate" the vehicle waiting to take the happy couple away!
So there we have it, months of preparation all comes down to one eventful day. If you find yourself as best man, be sure to follow all the tips listed above and you will find it easy to hit the right notes and keep the groom relaxed before delivering a winning speech that will be remembered by all for years to come!