Best Man Speech: How to Write One, With Examples
A practical guide to the best man speech, with six complete examples, opening lines, closing toasts, and tips for getting through it with a mic in your hand.
Congratulations, and also, sorry. Being asked to give the best man speech is an honor, and it is also the thing you will think about every time you're in the shower for the next two months. The good news is that a great best man speech is less about talent than about preparation. You know the groom better than almost anyone in that room. Your job is to share a little of that, make people laugh once or twice, and hand the night back to the couple.
Some quick basics. The speech usually happens at the reception, after dinner is served or between courses. Keep it to two to five minutes. Most people talk at around 130 words a minute when they're slowing down for a crowd, so a 450-word draft lands at about three and a half minutes. That's the sweet spot.
Below you'll find a structure that works, what separates the best ones from the forgettable ones, six full best man speech examples, and a pile of opening lines and closing toasts you can borrow.
How to write a best man speech: a simple structure
You don't need a creative writing degree. You need a shape. This one works for funny speeches, sentimental ones, and everything in between.
- The hook. One line that gets attention. A small joke, an observation about the day, or a tease about how nervous you are.
- Who you are. Your name and how you know the groom. Half the room has no idea who you are, and the bride's great-aunt wants to know.
- The story. One good story about the groom that shows who he is. This is the heart of the speech.
- The partner. When he met her, when you knew she was the one, or what changed in him after she showed up.
- The turn. Shift from funny to sincere. Talk to the couple directly.
- A wish. What you hope for them. Keep it specific if you can.
- The toast. Ask people to raise a glass and say the couple's names.
If you write one or two sentences for each step, you already have a rough draft. Then go back and make the story better.
What the great best man speeches have in common
One strong story beats five weak ones
The most common mistake is the highlight reel. "Remember the time in college? And the camping trip? And Vegas?" Nobody remembers any of it by dessert. Pick the one story that captures him best and tell it properly, with a setting, a little build-up, and a payoff. Think about the story you tell when someone asks what he's like.
Roast, then toast
The classic best man speech shape is a gentle roast that turns into a real tribute. Tease him about his terrible parallel parking or his twelve-step coffee ritual, get a few laughs, then pivot. "But here's the thing about [Name]..." That turn is where the speech earns its place. The jokes buy you the room's attention. The sincere part is what they'll remember.
Make inside jokes work for everyone
If a joke needs three sentences of backstory, it isn't a joke for this crowd. You're talking to grandparents, coworkers, and the bride's college roommates who've never met you. Either give the room the context they need in one line or cut it. A good test: would the groom's boss laugh?
Bring the partner in
This is a wedding, not a farewell for your buddy. Say something warm and specific about the bride (or groom, if it's two grooms). Welcome her to the family or the friend group. Mention the moment you realized she was good for him. If you don't know her well yet, say that honestly and talk about what you've seen. There's a sample below for exactly that situation.
End clean
Don't trail off with "so, yeah... cheers." Know your last line before you stand up. Ask people to raise their glasses, say both names, and stop talking.
What to leave out
- Exes. Not by name, not by hint, not as a punchline. Ever.
- Drinking and hookup stories. Even the funny ones. Especially the funny ones.
- The bachelor party. What happened there stays in the group chat.
- Money. Who paid for the wedding, what the ring cost, his credit score.
- Anything you'd have to explain to a grandmother. If you'd hesitate, cut it.
- Reading for ten minutes. Everyone's dinner is getting cold and the DJ is waiting.
- Googled one-liners. The room has heard "a good marriage is like a casserole" before.
- "Webster's dictionary defines marriage as..." Please. For all of us.
Best man speech examples
Here are six original best man speech examples in different styles. Names and details are invented. Swap in your own stories; the shapes will still hold.
Best man speech for a brother
Why it works: it uses a shared childhood detail to show who he's always been, then hands the moment to his new wife.
Good evening, everybody. For those who don't know me, I'm Daniel, Marcus's younger brother, which means I've spent thirty years being told to "go ask Marcus."
And honestly, that was good advice. When I was nine, I broke Mom's car antenna playing street hockey. I panicked. Marcus, who was twelve, walked me down to the auto parts store, used his own birthday money to buy a new one, and spent an hour in the driveway putting it on with a butter knife because he couldn't find a screwdriver. Mom didn't find out until about four minutes ago.
That's my brother. He fixes things quietly, he doesn't make you feel bad about breaking them, and he will absolutely use the wrong tool if it gets the job done.
When he brought Priya home for Thanksgiving three years ago, I watched him do something I'd never seen. He asked for help. He couldn't carve the turkey, and instead of hacking at it like he usually does, he handed her the knife. She did it perfectly. He looked at her like she'd just landed a plane.
Priya, you are the first person I've ever seen Marcus lean on, and I think that's the best thing that's ever happened to him. Welcome to the family. You already know where Mom hides the good snacks, so honestly you're ahead of me.
Marcus, you took care of me my whole life. I'm really glad you have someone to take care of you now.
Everyone, please raise your glasses. To Marcus and Priya.
Best man speech for a lifelong best friend
Why it works: it covers a long friendship without listing every year of it, and it lets one small habit carry the whole speech.
Hi everyone. I'm Tyler. Jordan and I met on the first day of second grade, when he traded me half his peanut butter sandwich for a single gummy worm. It was a terrible trade. He's been making generous decisions like that ever since.
We grew up two streets apart. We learned to drive in the same church parking lot. We worked the same summer job at the lumber yard, where Jordan got promoted to forklift and I got promoted to "please stop touching the forklift."
Over twenty-five years, one thing about him has never changed. Jordan calls. Not texts. Calls. When my dad was in the hospital, he called every night for two weeks, and most nights he didn't even have anything to say. He'd just ask what I had for dinner. It took me a long time to understand that was the point.
About four years ago, the calls got shorter. He'd say, "Hey, I can't talk long, I'm meeting Elena." Then it was, "Elena says hi." Then one night it was, "Elena wants to know if you're coming to dinner Sunday." That's when I knew. He wasn't calling me less. He was just bringing her along.
Elena, you got a man who shows up. Every time. And from what I've seen, you show up right back. You laugh at his stories even the second time, you remember my birthday when he forgets, and you make him braver than he was before.
So I'd like everyone to raise a glass. To Jordan and Elena. May your phones always ring with good news.
Funny best man speech
Why it works: the jokes all come from one running theme, they're about habits rather than embarrassing history, and it still lands on something real.
Good evening. I'm Sam, the best man, which I'm told is a title and not a ranking. Chris has asked me to keep this short, which is rich coming from a man who once spent forty minutes choosing a can opener.
That's the thing to know about Chris. He researches everything. Before he bought his first car, he made a spreadsheet. It had tabs. One tab was just cup holders. When he took up running, he read three books on running before he ran. When he got a houseplant, he joined a forum. The plant died anyway, but it died extremely well informed.
So you can imagine my surprise when, eight weeks after meeting Hannah, he called me and said, "I think she's it." No spreadsheet. No comparison chart. No forum post asking strangers for their thoughts. He just knew.
I asked him how he could be so sure. He said, "I don't know, Sam. I've just never wanted to stop looking at anything before." Which, for the record, is the most romantic thing he's ever said, and he said it while assembling a bookshelf from the instructions.
Hannah, you are the only decision Chris has ever made without research, and it is very clearly the best one. Thank you for loving a man who reads the terms and conditions. Thank you for making him laugh at himself. And thank you, honestly, for the can opener. We all know you picked it.
Please raise your glasses. To Chris and Hannah. No further research required.
Short best man speech (about two minutes)
Why it works: short best man speeches can hit just as hard. This one has one joke, one memory, and one wish.
Hi everybody, I'm Andre. I've known Luis since we were roommates freshman year, which means I've seen him at his best and also at 3 a.m. trying to cook ramen in a coffee maker.
I'll keep this short, because Luis told me the cake was coming out right after I finish, and I'm not standing between this crowd and dessert.
Here's what I want you to know about him. Luis is the guy who remembers. Your mom's name, your dog's surgery, the job interview you mentioned once in March. He'll text you the morning of to say good luck. He's been doing that for me for twelve years.
Then he met Maya, and suddenly he had a teammate. She remembers even more than he does. Between the two of them, nobody they love will ever go through a hard day alone.
Maya, thank you for making my best friend so happy. Luis, you deserve every bit of it.
Please raise your glasses. To Luis and Maya.
Sentimental best man speech
Why it works: it's honest about a hard season without dwelling on it, and it shows how the partner changed things.
Good evening. My name is Ben, and Will has been my best friend since we were teammates on a very bad Little League team. We went two and fourteen that year. We were thrilled about the two.
I could tell you a lot of funny stories about Will. I'm going to tell you a quiet one instead.
A few years ago, things were hard for him. His job had ended, his lease was up, and he was sleeping on my couch. He didn't talk much that spring. But every morning, before I woke up, he made coffee for both of us and left mine on the counter with the handle turned toward my side. Every single morning, even when he had nothing going right. That's who he is. Even on his worst day, he's looking out for someone else.
That summer he met Grace at a friend's backyard cookout. He came home and, for the first time in months, he talked for an hour straight. I didn't hear a word about the job hunt. It was all Grace. What she said about her brother. How she laughed at his bad joke about the grill. Where she grew up.
Grace, I don't know if you realize how much light you brought back to him. I do. I watched it happen from the couch.
Will, you've spent a long time making sure everybody else has their coffee. I hope you two spend the rest of your lives making it for each other.
Would everyone please raise a glass. To Will and Grace.
Best man speech when you don't know the bride well yet
Why it works: it's upfront about being new to her, and it praises what you've actually seen instead of inventing a closeness that isn't there.
Hello, everyone. I'm Nate. Ryan and I were in the Army together, and for six years I was the guy sleeping ten feet from him, so I know things about this man that no wedding guest should hear. You're welcome.
Ryan moved across the country after we got out, and I'll be honest with you: I've only met Jess three times. Tonight is the fourth. So I can't tell you a lot of stories about her yet. But I can tell you what I've noticed.
The first time I met her, the three of us went to a diner, and the waitress got Ryan's order wrong. Ryan, who once ate a cold MRE in the rain without complaining, said nothing. Jess quietly flagged the waitress down, fixed it, and went right back to her story like it never happened. He looked at her like she'd just done something heroic. For him, she had.
The second time, she asked me more questions about my kids than Ryan has in ten years.
And the third time, last night at the rehearsal, I watched her straighten his tie and say, "You're going to be fine." He believed her. I've never seen anybody calm Ryan down that fast, and I've seen people try.
Jess, I'm looking forward to getting to know you a lot better. From what I've seen so far, my friend chose very, very well.
Please stand and raise your glasses. To Ryan and Jess.
Best man speech opening lines
The first ten seconds set the tone. Here are some best man speech opening lines you can adapt.
- "Good evening. For those who don't know me, I'm [Name], and I've been [Groom]'s best friend since before either of us could grow a mustache. One of us still can't."
- "I've been told to keep this under five minutes, so I've cut all the good stories. You're getting the ones his mom approved."
- "Hi everyone. I'm [Name], the best man. I'd like to thank [Groom] for this honor and also for the forty-two texts asking whether I'd started writing it."
- "I've known [Groom] for [number] years, and in that time I've seen him nervous exactly twice. Once was at his driving test. The other was this morning."
- "Before I start, I want to say how great [Bride] looks tonight. [Groom] also looks nice. He tried."
- "I asked [Groom] if there was anything he didn't want me to bring up. He handed me a list. It was double-sided."
- "Good evening. I'm [Name], [Groom]'s brother, and I'm here to tell you the truth about the man you all came to celebrate. Mostly the nice parts."
- "I'm not much of a public speaker, so I'm going to pretend you're all [Groom]'s fantasy football league and you've lost to me again."
- "When [Groom] asked me to be his best man, I said yes right away. Then I asked who else he'd asked first. He's still not answering."
- "Hi everyone. If you don't know me, I'm the reason [Groom] knows how to change a tire, and also the reason he had to."
- "Good evening. I promised [Bride] this would be short, sweet, and suitable for all ages. Two out of three isn't bad."
Closing toasts to end on
Your final line should be simple enough to say with a glass in your hand. A few to pick from:
- "Please raise your glasses. To [Name] and [Name], and to every ordinary Tuesday you get to spend together."
- "To the happy couple. May your fights be short and your road trips be long."
- "Everyone, please stand. To [Name] and [Name], who make each other better without even trying."
- "To [Name] and [Name]. May you always find each other first in a crowded room."
- "Raise a glass to the newlyweds. May you laugh more than you argue, and when you argue, may you laugh about it later."
- "To [Name] and [Name]. Here's to the life you're building and the friends who'll be over for dinner while you build it."
- "Please join me. To love, to laughter, and to [Groom] finally being someone else's problem. To [Name] and [Name]."
- "To [Name] and [Name]. You found the right one. The rest is just details."
- "Here's to the two of you, and to a marriage as solid as the friendship that got us all here tonight."
Delivery tips for the best man speech
- Practice out loud. Reading it in your head doesn't count. Say it five or six times, ideally once to a friend who'll be honest. You'll find the clunky sentences fast.
- Print it big. Use a 16 to 18 point font, double spaced, on paper or note cards. Number the pages. Lighting at receptions is usually dim and romantic, which is lovely until you try to read.
- Hold the mic like you mean it. Keep it a fist's width from your chin and point it at your mouth, not your chest. If you turn your head to look at the couple, bring the mic with you.
- Slow down. Nerves make everyone talk fast. When you get a laugh, wait for it to finish before you start the next line.
- Pace the drinks. One drink to settle the nerves is fine. Three is how speeches end up on YouTube. Save the celebrating for after.
- Look up. Glance at the couple during the sincere parts. Look out at the room during the jokes.
- Have a backup plan for nerves. If your voice shakes, take a breath and a sip of water. Nobody minds. It shows you care.
More wedding speech help
If you're the one raising a glass from the other side of the aisle, read our guide to the maid of honor speech. Parents giving a speech can check out the father of the bride speech and mother of the bride speech guides, and if you just need a quick toast for the rehearsal dinner, our wedding toast page has short options.
Still staring at a blank page? The Speechfolk wedding speech writer asks you a few questions about the groom and the couple, then drafts a best man speech in your voice that you can edit until it sounds right.
Common questions
How long should a best man speech be?+
Aim for three to five minutes, which is roughly 400 to 650 words at a normal speaking pace. Two minutes is perfectly fine if it is good; ten minutes is too long no matter how good it is.
Who speaks first, the best man or the maid of honor?+
It varies by couple and venue. A common order is the father of the bride or host, then the maid of honor, then the best man, but plenty of couples flip it. Ask the couple or the planner a week ahead so you know when you are on.
Can I read my best man speech from my phone?+
You can, but paper is safer. Phones lock, dim, buzz with texts, and make you look like you are checking the score. Printed note cards in a large font are easier to hold with a mic in the other hand.
Is it okay to roast the groom in a best man speech?+
A light roast is part of the tradition, as long as the jokes are affectionate and everyone in the room would get them. Tease him about his habits, not his past relationships, and always turn it toward something sincere before you finish.
What do you say at the end of a best man speech?+
Ask everyone to stand or raise a glass, then give a short, clear toast to the couple by name. Something like: Please raise your glasses to [Name] and [Name]. Then drink and sit down.
Should I memorize my best man speech?+
You don't need to memorize it word for word. Know your opening and your toast cold, and keep notes for the middle. Rehearsing out loud a handful of times will get you most of the way to sounding natural.
Do I need to mention the bride in a best man speech?+
Yes. A best man speech that only talks about the groom feels lopsided. Welcome the bride, say something specific and kind about her, and make it clear you are glad she is part of his life.
Last updated October 13, 2026