Rules Of Engagement

My brother asked me to be his best man at his wedding, and I couldn’t turn him down. However, I am really worried about the best man speech. I hate public speaking, and I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to sound like an idiot, so I am hoping I can find some examples of good speeches online that I can base mine off of. I want to keep it very short though so I don’t have to talk long and have less of a chance of messing it up. I want my brother’s wedding to go well.
- John, Colorado

John,
Hello! First, let me put your mind a bit at rest (I hope.) These concerns are very common for people faced with the toasts at a wedding. I too hate public speaking. The thought of doing my maid of honor speech at my friend’s wedding was terrifying. You are not alone! I think the majority of people out there hate public speaking. It is not easy. The good news is that everyone knows this and people are understanding when you’re nervous. So that’s ok! The other good news is that obviously your brother really cares about what you have to say and really, this speech is for him and his new bride. You are right on track already with how your speech should go. Keep it short! Also, your chances of messing up the speech goes down to about zero when you make yourself some notes. It is very common for people to do this. You can even write down the whole speech if you’d like. Take some tips from the videos you see on YouTube. There are hundreds of examples there! It will leave you with some good do’s and don’ts.

Here is your basic rundown of your short speech:

1. Introduce yourself and say how you are related to the groom/bride
2. Thank the groom for asking you to be his best man – even if you are dreading this!
3. Tell a small anecdote about the groom and/or bride and groom OR you can describe their virtues and how great they are for each other.
4. Raise your glass and congratulate them!

You’re done.

And you can start breathing again.

Let us know how you got through your wedding toast!

- @BirdieBride

If you have a question for our bride, feel free to post a comment with your question or send a tweet to @GetEngaged

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