When you have got over the shock that you said 'yes' when being asked to be the best man, you soon realise the one thing at the front of your thoughts is ' I have got to make a best mans speech in front of all those people.'

So how do you go about getting ready to make a speech?

The most important first rule about giving any speech is this:

BE PREPARED

It is very easy to leave it to the very last moment and as they say 'wing it' or in other words speak without notes and without proper thought, thinking it will come to you as you go.

There is one other very important thing to remember :

THIS IS THE BRIDE AND GROOMS SPECIAL DAY.

The reason you were asked to be best man was to help their day go according to plan. After all the good work you have put in helping with arrangements, the last thing you want to do is give a medocre or worse still a poor best mans speech. You will want the bride, groom and guests to have good memories of what you said not nightmares.

When you are thinking about how to prepare the speech, you will get the moments of memory block, likely to be broughtabout partially through the fear of knowing you will have to give the best mans speech in front of a large group of people.

Well at one time or another we have all been at a point when we rather not do something because it takes us out of our comfort zone and tests our confidence.

Here are a few ideas that will really help you on your way to giving a best mans speech everyone will remember.

1. Write from the heart. I recently saw a comedy film that truly showed how saying what you really feel and mixing in a few light hearted jokes can make a great speech.
2. Write down some thoughts and anecdotes about the bride and groom.Keep them positive, you do not want to make them overly embarrased. NEVER mention previous partners or things you know would make them or others squirm or cringe. It might sound funny when siiting looking at a blank peice of paper, but try and sense how it will sound to an audience.
3. What do you know about the groom. If you have known him for a long time, there will be things you can use in your speech about his past, ie hobbies, jobs, holidays, how you met, how he met his bride and many more. If you have not known him for so long or want more material you can always call upon the help of relatives who will all have stories that can help you.
4. Do not forget to include a toast in the best mans speech. This is very important as many people have been involved making this a great day and it falls to you to acknowledge this. So always include some nice words for the parents of the couple, bridesmaids and the couple themselves. As a matter of courtesy if not mentioned in previous speeches it is nice to mention anyone who has really helped make it a great day such as catering staff, photographer etc.

I hope this has been useful. Please leave a comment or bookmark it on a system like stumbleupon or similar.