Free Best Man Speech
From LoveToKnow Weddings
If you have tried to write your own speech but failed, consider getting a free best man speech from one of the many internet resources available. While this may seem like the perfect solution to your tongue-tied problem, you should take care to edit the speech so it is personalized for the bride and groom.
Elements in a Free Best Man Speech
Before you download just any speech, you should take the time to make sure it is appropriate for the couple and the occasion. You may want a best man speech with jokes, or maybe something more sentimental for a formal occasion. Once you have figured out the kind of speech you want to make, you should begin your search.
A good best man speech should include:
- Short story regarding how the best man knows the couple/groom
- Acknowledgment of both the bride and groom
- Antidote about the groom relevant to being married or antidote about the couple (can be humorous or sentimental)
- Toast the couple
A speech that focuses solely on the groom or relies entirely on humor should not be used. A good speech will include all of the elements of a wedding toast without overdoing it.
Because you are getting a free best man speech, it is important to find one that sounds like you could have written it personally. Practice several out loud and see if they feel natural. If you cannot find a speech that encompasses everything you want it to, then feel free to add and remove parts as needed.
Editing a Free Speech
The most important thing you should do once you pick out a free speech is to edit it. As mentioned above, you will need to remove parts that do not apply to the couple or sound awkward; you should add in personal elements relating back to the couple.
Personalize the Beginning and Ending
The best places to edit the speech are the beginning and the very end. The beginning of the speech is where you introduce yourself as best man and your relationship with the couple, so it should be personalized. Unless everyone invited is your friend too, it is nice for the guests to learn a bit about you.
The end of the speech should be edited with your own heartfelt wishes. Avoiding clichés and trite phrases is key to making it sound natural. If the couple is close friends with you, getting emotional at this time is perfectly acceptable.
Use the Speech as an Outline
Another way to edit the free speech is to break up the entire speech with a few words of your own. Use the prewritten best man toast as an outline rather than read it verbatim.
Go through the entire speech and decide what to keep and what to throw out. Then, simply add in a relevant sentiment or thought to each written paragraph. If you cannot find something personal to add to a particular point, that is a signal you may want to nix the entire paragraph. After all, the speech should connect to the bride and groom.
Editing for the Writing Challenged Best Man
For those that struggle to even write a comprehensible sentence or two, you can still edit a bit to make the free speech work. Important things to edit include:
- Names
- Dates
- Unnatural wording
- Vague or awkward phrases
You could also take a couple of speeches you like and piece them together. Adding a bit from one speech and a bit from another can help you create a best man toast of your own.
Regardless of how you edit your speech, make sure and practice, practice, practice. You want it to sound sincere and genuine. Even if you did not write the words yourself, you should mean every word you say. This will go a long way in making your wedding speech a success.
Places to Find Free Toasts
Since part of your duty includes making a wedding toast, you should start on the toast a month or two before the big day. Search the internet for ideas or ask your other grammatically challenged friends (with prior wedding experience) where they found their speech ideas.
Whether you use the entire speech or just parts, you can find a number of free speeches on the internet. Here are some places to start searching:
- Hitched—Speeches are rated to help you pick out the best.
- thebestmanspeech.com—An excellent site with speeches broken up by category, such as relationship to groom, theme, and type.
- 123HelpMe.com—Red color coded speeches are free for use. Preview other speeches for free to help get your creative juices flowing, but be careful not to accidently purchase them.
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This page has been accessed 13,587 times. This page was last modified 22:12, 12 May 2007.
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