Best man speech examples, and how to make one your own

All three examples are fictional. The names and stories are made up so you can see the structure without being tempted to copy someone else's life. Your speech will only work if the stories are yours.

Example 1: short and warm (about 2 minutes)

Good evening, everyone. For those who don't know me, I'm Jamie, and I've known Tom since our first week at secondary school, when he lent me a pen and then spent the next five years asking for it back.

That's Tom. He keeps track of things. Birthdays, train times, what everyone ordered last time. When my dad was in hospital a few years ago, Tom turned up with a bag of shopping and a phone charger before I'd even told him which ward. He hadn't been asked. He just worked it out.

Priya, you have probably already noticed that he'll remember the name of your childhood dog and the date of your first proper argument. He's on your side, and he'll make sure the car has petrol.

And Tom, I've watched you light up every time she walks into a room. It's the happiest I've ever seen you.

So please stand and raise your glasses. To Tom and Priya.

Why it works: the pen line gives a light laugh and introduces the speaker in one go. The hospital story is short, specific and shows character rather than listing adjectives. It turns to Priya by name and ends with a clear instruction to stand.

Example 2: funny, built around one story (about 4 minutes)

Hello, everyone. I'm Marcus, Dan's best man, and before I start I've been asked to keep this clean, short and kind. I'll be aiming for two out of three.

Dan and I have shared a lot over the years. A flat, a car, and for one difficult month, a single working frying pan. So I feel qualified to tell you that Dan is the most confident man I know about things he has never done before.

Three summers ago he decided we'd build a shed. Neither of us had built anything. Dan watched one video, at double speed, and announced it was "basically Lego". By lunchtime we had four walls. By teatime we had three. By the evening we had a very well-ventilated shed, and Dan was explaining to his neighbour that the gap was a design feature.

Here's the thing, though. He went back the next weekend, on his own, and fixed it. It's still standing. That's Dan. Overconfident on day one, and stubborn enough to get it right by day eight.

Chris, I think you saw that in him straight away. He told me after your second date that he'd "basically worked it out". For once, he was right. You two make each other braver and calmer at the same time, which is a rare thing to watch.

So please raise your glasses. To Dan and Chris, and to many years of things built properly the second time.

Why it works: one story carries the whole speech, told in three short beats with room for a laugh after each. The teasing is about a harmless habit, then it turns into a compliment. The final toast calls back to the story, which gives the speech a neat ending.

Example 3: from a brother (about 3 minutes)

Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Ollie, Sam's younger brother, which means I've had thirty years of research for this speech and he's had thirty years to worry about it.

Growing up, Sam was the brother who read the instructions. I was the brother who threw them away. When our parents went out, he was in charge, and he took it seriously. He made a laminated list. It had a section called "Emergencies" and a section called "Ollie", and they were not always different.

But when I failed my driving test for the second time, it was Sam who drove three hours home from university to take me out practising every weekend until I passed. He never once mentioned the list.

Ellie, he plans ahead, he sticks around, and he will absolutely have a backup plan for your honeymoon. You've made our family bigger and louder, and Mum and Dad would like it on record that they like you more than either of us.

Please stand and join me. To Sam and Ellie.

Why it works: the family angle gives the speaker material nobody else has. The laminated list is a vivid detail. The family welcome for Ellie is something a brother is well placed to say.

How to adapt an example without it sounding borrowed

1. Keep the shape, replace the content. Use the order of opening, story, what it shows, the couple, toast. Then fill each part with your own material.
2. Find your own "shed". List ten memories with the groom. Pick the one that shows a real trait and that the room can follow without background.
3. Write how you talk. Read each line out loud. If you would not say it in the pub, rewrite it.
4. Check the teasing. Our guide to safe best man speech jokes has a quick test for every joke.
5. Time it. Aim for three to five minutes. See how long a best man speech should be.

Common mistakes in example speeches online

• Too many jokes, not enough groom. A string of one-liners tells guests nothing about him.
• Stories about exes or wild nights. They make the couple and their families uncomfortable.
• Forgetting the partner. Say their name and say something real about them.
• A vague ending. Tell people exactly what to do: stand, raise a glass, and drink to the couple by name.

If you are starting from a blank page, our step by step guide on how to write a best man speech walks through it from first notes to cue cards.