Short Best Man Speech: Examples That Take Two Minutes or Less

Hi everyone, my name is Cody. Travis and I have been friends since Little League, where he played catcher and I played the outfield, mostly by picking dandelions.

I'll keep this short, because Travis would. He's not a talker. He's a doer. When my truck died on a back road outside Muleshoe at two in the morning, I didn't even finish my text before he wrote back, "Leaving now." Didn't ask why I was out there. Didn't ask anything at all. Just showed up with jumper cables and two gas station burritos. Mine had no onions. I've never once told him I don't like onions. He just noticed, years ago, and never forgot.

Kayla, you married a man who shows up. And from what I've seen, you're the first person who shows up for him the same way. Thank you for loving him.

Please raise your glasses. To Travis and Kayla.

Good evening. I'm Ethan, the best man. Josh asked me to keep this under two minutes, which is fair. He's heard me tell stories before.

Josh and I met in our first apartment after college. We had a kitchen the size of a phone booth and exactly one good pan. Every Sunday night, Josh made breakfast for dinner in that pan. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, all of it, in shifts. He'd hand me a plate and say, "Sunday's sorted." It was the only organized thing about either of our lives. Rent was late, the sink was clogged, the couch came from a curb, but Sunday dinner happened every week for two years.

That's who Josh is. He takes the one thing he has and makes sure everybody gets fed.

About three years ago, I came over on a Sunday and there were three plates on the table. Josh introduced me to Amira, and she was standing at the stove, flipping pancakes in the good pan. Josh never let anybody touch that pan. I knew right then.

Amira, you've brought so much to his life. You're funny, you're patient, and you remember the names of all my nieces, which Josh still can't do. Thank you for loving my friend the way he deserves.

Josh, I hope your table is always full, and I hope I'm still invited on Sundays.

Everyone, please raise your glasses. To Josh and Amira. Sunday's sorted.

Hi everybody. I'm Luis, Gabriel's little brother. Growing up, we shared a bedroom with a strip of masking tape down the middle of the floor. He put it there. I wasn't allowed to cross it. Gabe crossed it every single night to steal my extra pillow.

But here's what I remember most. Whenever there was a thunderstorm, he'd pull the tape up and say, "Okay, you can come over. Just this once." It was never just once. It was every storm, for about six years. He'd fall asleep first, every time, and I'd lie there listening to the rain, feeling like the safest kid in Lubbock.

That's my brother. He acts tough, he makes rules, and then he lets you in anyway.

Sofia, I've watched him pull up the tape for you. He's softer, he laughs more, and he's finally stopped stealing pillows, so you're doing something right.

Welcome to the family. You're on our side of the line now.

Please raise your glasses. To Gabriel and Sofia.

Hi. I'm Nolan. If my hands are shaking, it's because Brandon is the one who usually does the talking for both of us. Tonight he gets a break.

We met working the night shift at a feed store in high school. Brandon was the guy who knew every customer by name. He knew which farmer took his coffee black and which one needed help loading because of his back. He'd be out in the parking lot lifting fifty-pound sacks before anybody asked.

I've never been good with words. Brandon knows that. So for fifteen years, every time I didn't know what to say, he said it for me. At my dad's funeral, he stood next to me at the door and shook every hand, so I didn't have to talk. I've never thanked him for that. So, thanks, man.

When he met Lauren, he called me and said, "I don't know what to say around her." That was a first. I told him, "Now you know how I feel."

Lauren, you make my best friend speechless, and that's not easy. I'm really glad he found you.

That's all I've got. Please raise your glasses. To Brandon and Lauren.