Dubsdread Catering Event Specialist Peighton Ballant shares some of her pro tips for your Best Man and Maid of Honor speeches.

Congratulations! You've been given the honor of being someone’s Maid of Honor or Best Man, and this means you’ll most likely have a busy few months ahead of you. You’ll be helping your BFF get ready for their big day by planning the bachelor or bachelorette party, keeping their nerves down, and, of course, writing your speech. Speeches can come easily to some, but for others it may be hard to put how you’re feeling or thinking into words. But no worries, I’m here to give you some pro tips on how to write a speech you’ll be proud of.

BEGIN EARLY: First and foremost, make sure to not wait until the last minute to begin writing your speech. The speech is a big moment for a lot of people at the wedding, and all eyes will be on you. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure you’re saying everything you want to say and avoiding everything you don’t. I would recommend that you begin writing your speech at least a month before the big day. 

INTRODUCTION: At the beginning of the speech, make sure to introduce yourself and what your relationship is to the bride or the groom, and then your relationship to the couple. Express your appreciation for being able to speak and for being their Maid of Honor or Best Man. It’s also a good idea to put a good one-liner or joke somewhere in the start of your speech to really hook everyone in. 

MIX IT UP: During your speech, be sure to add in a little bit of everything and don’t just stick to one idea. Make sure you’re not only making jokes and not only talking about emotional stories between you and your best friend, add in a little bit of everything to keep the crowd entertained and interested just like a good movie that will make you laugh and cry. 

And keep in mind that although a good joke can make a speech memorable, be sure you don’t cross any lines and cause anyone to become uncomfortable.

FINISH WITH A TOAST: Congrats! You’ve made it to the end of your speech without forgetting what you were going to say or spilling your drink on anyone. So, when your speech comes to an end, finish it off strong with a toast and a congratulations to the newlyweds. Your toast, just like the speech, should be fairly short, concise, and to the point. Again, everyone is ready to party!

LITTLE HELPFUL TIPS:

Write it down: I would recommend that you write your speech down, no matter how confident you are and how many times you have practiced. Standing up in front of everyone can cause you to become a little nervous and forget everything. Many speakers put their notes in their phone to make it easier to retrieve during a busy part of the reception.

Short and Sweet: Don’t overdo it. People will begin to stop paying attention or will zone out the longer you carry out your speech. And, by this time in the night, everyone is probably ready to eat, drink, and party so don’t drag it on for too long. It is recommended that your speech stays under five minutes.

Lots of Practice: And to make sure that you keep it shorter than five minutes, make sure you practice your speech many times (preferably in front of someone.) This will help you calm your nerves.

Things to Avoid: During your speech, you’re going to want to avoid mentioning anything that may cause tension, that has to do with past relationships, or drunken nights and memories. Keep it friendly for all parties involved and be sure not to drink too much before your big moment. 

Now it’s time to go write that lovely speech of yours. And remember, no one knows your best friend more than you do, so stick with your gut and write something you know they’ll love and enjoy. 

When it’s time to plan your big event, our experienced team at Dubsdread Catering works with you every step of the process and will share our experience and ideas for making every part of your event special to you, your partner, and your guests. 

Peighton Ballant is an Event Specialist with the Dubsdread Catering Team and is currently working on her Event Management degree at UCF. Peighton enjoys working with clients to discover what they are most interested in bringing to their special event, and how to make those ideas come to life. Contact her today at [email protected].