So your buddy has asked you to be his best man. You are honored that your friend thinks enough of you to stand next to him on the most important day of his life. You are so excited about the wedding and the festivities that you almost forget a very important detail: the best man toast. Now you are sweating, filled with fear and anxious about a simple speech that should be easy to deliver. After all this is your best buddy, the guy you grew up with and shared many life experiences. How hard can it be to say a few words about him and his new wife? Well, its a lot harder than you think. First of all, this speech will be delivered in front of many people who know you well old friends from school, family members and peers. Speaking in front of complete strangers is rather easy, but in front of people you know it can be downright terrifying. Second, your speech will be videotaped and played over and over again. Your words will be a permanent part of your friends wedding memories. One slip of the tongue and you can ruin an otherwise beautiful ceremony. Talk about pressure! Third, your speech needs to convey your close relationship with the groom without revealing any juicy details of your past. It needs to be clean and concise and free of any questionable material. Overcoming the first obstacle is not easy. If you are not comfortable speaking in front of crowds, you will need to practice over and over until you have memorized every line. You should be able to deliver your speech in your sleep. That way you will speak every line clearly and get the words right. The second obstacle is completely within YOUR control! The most important thing is to stay sober until your speech is delivered. A few drinks will loosen you up and may cause you to say something that you think is funny at the time, but is bound to offend someone. Also be very aware of the feelings of others in the room and how they might react to your best man toast. The third obstacle is also under your control. It is very simple if you have the slightest inkling that your content may offend, it will offend. Leave it out and only stick to subject matter that you are certain will go over well. Jokes are funny, but need to be politically correct and sanitized where necessary! Finally, it is up to you to deliver a memorable best man speech or toast. Now that you have removed the three obstacles, you should be able to give a flawless, entertaining and ultimately memorable best man speech. |
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