Making A MOH or Best Man Speech
Photo by Laurie for Emily Wren Photography
Over the past few years we have had the opportunity to hear a lot of speeches given by the Maid of Honor and Best Man at a wedding. Some have made us laugh, while others have even made us get tears in our eyes and unfortunately, some have made us cringe! Today, we are sharing our recipe for a great toast at a wedding.
Keep it short
You’ve likely known the bride and/or groom for a long time and have a lot that you want to share. Remember, the guests don’t need to hear every detail of your friendship, as they haven’t shared your inside moments. We’d recommend keeping your speech between 3 and 5 minutes long in order to keep guests engaged.
Write it down!
There is no shame in having a paper or index cards with you while you give your speech. There are nerves and often alcohol involved so even if you think you have your speech memorized, it is best to have it written out and with you for reference. Practice reading your speech ahead of time while making eye contact with your audience (or a mirror during practice). You don’t want to forget something you really wanted to say or end up rambling on when you didn’t mean to.
Right photo by Endless Wave Studios
Mix it up
We love hearing a speech that includes funny or light hearted anecdotes as well as sentimental ones. Try to incorporate a healthy mix of both!
Key Talking Points
In every speech, we recommend talking about 3 key things:
Your relationship with the bride (or the groom if you are the best man)- how do you know them, why are they special to you, etc.
The bride and groom- maybe about how they met or your early experiences with them
The bride and the groom’s relationship and their future together- why they are so amazing for each other
Don’t Have too Many Cocktails to Calm your Nerves
We know giving a speech in front of a lot of people can be intimidating but giving a drunk speech in front of a lot of people can be very embarrassing, especially since the wedding will be photographed and possibly videotaped! If you’re getting nervous one or two cocktails may help you loosen up but don’t drink too many or the brilliant speech you wrote will be filled with slurs instead of applause!
Finish Strong
End with a nice toast to the bride and groom. For an extra nice touch, mention and/or thank their families along the way!
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