Best Man Speech Examples — Four Real Speeches Worth Stealing From

If you've been asked to be best man and you're staring at a blank page, the fastest way to start is to read full speeches that already worked — and notice what they share. The four examples below are complete, delivery-ready, five-to-seven-minute speeches across four different tones: the dry brother's roast, the lifelong-friend nostalgia, the comedy-first piss-take, and the sincere toast.

These aren't templates to copy word for word — they're examples to learn from. You'll see the structure each one follows, the patterns they share, and the kinds of lines that actually land. By the end, you'll know what a great best man speech sounds like, and how to write your own.

What every great best man speech is doing

Before the examples, the patterns. Every speech below — regardless of tone — does the same things in some order:

1. 1.Introduces the best man within the first 30 seconds. Not everyone in the room knows who's speaking. Solve that fast.
2. 2.Establishes the relationship to the groom — brother, school friend, university mate, work colleague — within the first minute. It gives the audience permission to follow you.
3. 3.Acknowledges the bride and bridesmaids early. A brief compliment to the bride and a thank-you to the bridesmaids on behalf of the groom. It's the expected housekeeping beat. Skipping it makes a speech feel cold.
4. 4.Tells one extended story in scene — a where, a when, a what was said, a what happened. Not a list of memories. One story, told properly.
5. 5.Compliments the bride specifically — not "you look beautiful," but something only someone who knows her would say.
6. 6.Ends with a clear toast that names both the bride and the groom and lands with conviction.

The four examples below all do this. The tone varies wildly. The structure doesn't.

Example 1 — The brother's speech

Gentle roast · British dry · ~6 minutes · Best man: James, Groom: Tom, Bride: Sarah

Good evening, everyone. For those of you who don't know me, I'm James — Tom's younger brother. And yes, before anyone asks, our mother definitely had a favourite. It was the dog.

I want to start by thanking everyone for being here today — and especially Sarah's parents for putting on what is genuinely a beautiful day. Sarah, you look stunning, and bridesmaids — you've been brilliant, all of you. I've been told that one of my jobs today is to thank you on behalf of Tom, so consider yourselves officially thanked, while Tom enjoys the rare experience of not having to do something for himself.

Now. I've known Tom for 38 years, which means I qualify both as best man and as expert witness. I've shared a bedroom with him, a bathroom with him, and on one regrettable occasion in 1999, a sleeping bag with him. I can confirm that everything you think you know about him is true. He is the most stubborn person I've ever met. He once tried to fix our parents' washing machine with a hammer because — and I quote — "how complicated can it actually be." It was very complicated. Mum still talks about it.

Growing up with Tom was an education. Mostly in how to take a hit and pretend it didn't hurt. He once told me that the secret to being older was that "you just had to be confident." This is a man who, at the time, was wearing both braces and a poncho. He has always operated on the principle that if you commit to something fully enough, eventually the world will agree with you. Remarkably often, the world does.

The moment I knew Tom was going to be alright in life was in 2017. We did a road trip across Italy together. Tom insisted he could drive a stick shift. He could not. We spent two hours stalled at traffic lights in Pisa, with Tom sweating into the steering wheel, while a queue of Italian drivers offered increasingly creative suggestions out of their windows. At one point, a small dog crossed the road faster than Tom got us through the junction. And I have never seen him more genuinely happy. That's the thing about Tom. He commits. Even when he probably shouldn't.

They say you become a new person after marriage. Which is great news for Tom. Although in fairness, he's been quietly becoming a new person ever since Sarah arrived. He now makes the bed. He owns indoor plants. He pretends to enjoy farm shops. It's been hard to watch.

Sarah — I want to say something properly here, because you deserve more than a one-liner. You've taken a man who once tried to fix a washing machine with a hammer and turned him into someone who remembers anniversaries and asks if his shoes go with his trousers. You've made him kinder, calmer, and noticeably better-dressed. The great thing about you both is how well-balanced you are as a couple — Sarah, you're organised, thoughtful and sensible. Tom is very, very lucky. We'd all given up on him being a better man. You did it in three years.

I want to thank Mum and Dad — for everything you've done today, and for raising Tom into the man Sarah was prepared to marry. And to Sarah's family, thank you for welcoming Tom into your lives. He's a good one, even if it's not always immediately obvious.

So — Tom. You're my older brother, and you're my best mate. Watching you become this happy has been one of the great pleasures of my life. Sarah — you've got a good one. Look after him. He's still not entirely sure how a dishwasher works.

Everyone — please raise your glasses. To Sarah and Tom.

Example 2 — The lifelong friend

British dry · Gentle warmth · ~6 minutes · Best man: Greg, Groom: Dan, Bride: Lily

For those of you who don't know me, my name's Greg, and for those of you who do — I apologise.

Before I begin properly, let me thank Lily's parents for hosting this incredible day, and Dan's parents — Helen and Mark — for raising the man we're celebrating, with what must have been remarkable patience. Lily, you look absolutely stunning. And to the bridesmaids — you've held it all together today, and on behalf of Dan and the entire wedding party, thank you. You all look beautiful.

Now. I've known Dan for 22 years. We met on the second day of university when he asked me if I had a screwdriver. I said no. He said "oh." We didn't speak again for four months. That, by Dan's standards, is one of his more successful opening lines.

Twenty-two years is a long time. In that period Dan has lost: four phones, three passports, two cars, one job, and — for one terrifying weekend in 2018 — me, in Lisbon. The man has been many things. Reliable has not, historically, been one of them.

As part of my best man research, it turns out I'm supposed to sing Dan's praises and tell you about his many qualities. Well, I'm sorry, but I can't sing, and I won't lie. What I CAN do is tell you, accurately, what Dan is like. Dan is the man who, when asked at a dinner party what he did for a living, once said "I'm in admin." He has a master's degree in mechanical engineering. He runs a department of thirty-two people. But on that night, when an attractive accountant called Penelope asked, he was — and I quote — "in admin." Dan has never quite recovered from being asked a question slightly faster than he can think.

I want to tell you one story about him that captures the rest. In 2019, Dan and I were due to fly to a wedding in Edinburgh. Dan was running late. He arrived at Heathrow with eleven minutes to spare, no checked bag, and a confidence that bordered on aggressive. He sprinted through security, lost a shoe at the metal detector, sprinted to the gate, made the flight by ninety seconds — and then, just before we boarded, looked at the screen, frowned, and said, very quietly, "we're going to Aberdeen." We had been at the wrong gate the entire time. I have honestly never laughed harder in my life. Dan went on to deliver an excellent best man speech at that wedding twenty minutes after landing in the wrong city.

But the Dan I see today is not quite the same Dan I met in that university kitchen. Something has shifted. He texts back within a week. He owns matching socks. He has, on at least two occasions, organised his own birthday. This is unprecedented behaviour, and the only consistent variable is Lily.

Lily — I want to say this properly. What you've done with Dan in a few short years, the rest of us couldn't manage in over two decades. You've made him a man who plans ahead. You've made him a man who notices things. You've made him — and I say this with deep affection — appropriate. The great thing about you two as a couple is how well-balanced you are. You're organised, thoughtful, calm under pressure. Dan is none of these things. But he's funny, and he's loyal, and he loves you more than anything in his life. He's a good one. He'll keep losing his phone. But he'll never lose you.

So Dan — I've known you for 22 years and you've never once let me down on the things that actually matter. Lily — you've got yourself a good one.

Everyone, please — raise your glasses. To Lily and Dan.

Example 3 — The funny one

Comedy first · Minimal sentiment · ~5 minutes · Best man: Marcus, Groom: Mike, Bride: Jen

Good evening. My name is Marcus, and I'm here today as Mike's best man. My speech is going to be like a mini-skirt — long enough to cover the essentials, short enough to keep your attention.

Before I begin: thank you to Jen's parents for hosting this, and to Mike's mum and dad for raising a son who has, against all odds, made it this far without burning down his own kitchen. Jen — you look unreal, and the bridesmaids look like they've been styled by people who actually know what they're doing. Thank you, all of you, on behalf of Mike, who I can confirm is in a state of mild emotional collapse.

Let's start with the obvious — why has gorgeous, talented, internationally educated Jen married a bloke who, until last year, owned a Crocs collection? It's the question we've all been asking. Jen, if you're watching, blink twice if you need help.

I've known Mike for fifteen years. We met at university where he was studying engineering and dressing like a man who'd never met another human being. His chat-up line — and I want to stress this is verified — was "I'm a software engineer." That was it. That was the entire pitch. He told me at the time that he'd read a magazine article that said the secret to women was knowing what buttons to press. He has been confused about both technology and women ever since.

I've been asked to tell you what a great guy Mike is. So I can honestly say that he is handsome, brilliant, funny and char— [TURNS TO MIKE] Mike, I can't read your writing. What's this last word?

The fact that Jen agreed to marry Mike is proof that not only is love blind, it's also tone-deaf and has no sense of smell. To be fair to Mike, by the time Jen met him, he had upgraded. The Crocs were gone. He had discovered the concept of haircuts. And, most importantly, he had met her.

They say marriage is a 50/50 partnership. One person is always right, and the other person is the groom. Mike has been preparing for this for years. Jen — I have watched Mike take advice on a single thing for the entire fifteen years I've known him, and that thing is whatever you've most recently told him. He listens to you in a way he has never listened to anyone else. That's all anyone could ask for in a husband.

What I admire most about you, Jen, is your patience. You'll need it. I've also been instructed to tell you that Mike loves you very much, which I can confirm based on the unprecedented amount of attention he has paid to his hair this morning.

An unmarried man is incomplete. A married man is — finished. Hold on, that came out wrong.

Look. Sentiment isn't really our thing — Mike's and mine — and most of you don't deserve it either. But I'll say one thing: Mike is one of the best mates I've got, and Jen, you've found yourself a properly good one. Even if he did once own Crocs.

Glasses up, everyone. To Jen and Mike.

Example 4 — The sincere toast

American warm · ~6 minutes · Best man: Owen, Groom: Ben, Bride: Emma

Hi everyone. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Owen — Ben's best man.

I want to start by thanking Emma's parents for hosting today and welcoming all of us so generously. To Ben's mum and dad, Helen and Robert — thank you for raising a son with such a deep capacity for love. Emma, you look extraordinary. And to the bridesmaids — Hannah, Sophie, Megan — you've been incredible. On behalf of Ben, thank you for everything you've done to make today what it's been.

I've known Ben for eight years. We met at work, which is, let's be honest, an unusual origin story for a best man. But I want to tell you about a moment that, looking back, was the moment I knew Ben and I would be friends for life.

It was 2019. I was going through a bad time — the details aren't important. Ben, who at that point I'd known for maybe six months, called me one Friday evening, asked what I was doing for dinner, and showed up at my flat with a bag of groceries and zero questions. He came over every Friday for the next four months. Never asked me to talk about anything I didn't want to talk about. Just made dinner, watched a film, washed up, and went home. He kept doing it long past the point where I had reasons to need it. That's who Ben is. He shows up. He doesn't make it about himself. He just stays.

If you know Ben, you've probably had a version of that experience with him. The phone call you didn't expect. The favour you didn't ask for. The text on the morning he knew you needed it. He notices everything, and he never tells you that he's noticed. That's a rare thing in any person. It's the thing I've valued most about knowing him.

Emma — when Ben first told me about you, three years ago now, he said three things in this order: "she's smart, she's funny, and she does this thing where she nods while she's listening." I didn't know what the last part meant, but it was the bit he said most enthusiastically — so I knew it must matter. Watching you two together, I now understand: it's the way you make him feel heard. He's never had that before. You don't know what a gift that is, but I do, because for eight years I've watched him quietly carry too much. You've made him lighter. You've made him talk about himself, which I previously thought was structurally impossible. And you've made him laugh in a way I had not heard him laugh in the entire time I've known him.

Marriage is finding the one person you can annoy for eternity and still be their favourite. I have watched the two of you find that in each other, and I cannot tell you what a privilege it has been to be close enough to see it.

To Helen and Robert — thank you for raising this man. To Emma's family — thank you for welcoming him in. To Hannah, Sophie and Megan — thank you for looking after Emma today, and every day before it.

Ben — I'm so proud of you. Emma — you've got the best person I know. May your marriage be as deep as the friendship I've watched the two of you build, and may your home always be full.

Please, everyone — raise your glasses. To Emma and Ben.

The patterns across all four

You'll notice that despite the wildly different tones — dry brother, deadpan school friend, comedy roast, sincere work mate — these four speeches share more than they differ:

• —Each one opens with the speaker's name and relationship to the groom within the first two sentences.
• —Each acknowledges the bride and bridesmaids near the top — warm, brief, then moves on.
• —Each has one or two extended stories told in scene with a specific place, time, and detail.
• —Each compliments the bride specifically — not with generic flattery, but with something only the best man could say.
• —Each thanks family without making it the centrepiece.
• —Each closes with a pivot from humour to heart before the toast — even Comedy First, which only allows one sincere sentence, makes sure to land that one sentence properly.
• —None mentions an ex, names a stag-do incident, or undermines the groom.

That's the structure. The tone is decoration. The structure is the speech.

Quick checklist — does your speech do these things?

If you're writing your own, run it past this list before you stand up:

If you can tick all eight, you've got a good speech.

If you want help building one around your groom

The four examples above are templates to learn from, not to copy. The speech the room will remember is the one built around your specific stories — the moments that only you know about your friend, your brother, your colleague.

bestmen is built for this. You answer about 20 minutes of questions about the groom, the bride, the wedding, and the friendship — by typing or talking, whichever feels easier. We build a speech around your actual material, checked against the 17 patterns above, and delivered to your inbox within 5 minutes.