Constructive Critisism for Best Man Speech

  • Thread starter DeletedUser1105
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DeletedUser1105

Hello.

I don't play this game anymore, or post on the forum, but I used to play a lot (too much!) and I also moderated the forum and the game.

I know it's a bit cheeky to just turn up and ask for help from people, but I could really do with some advice. When I was moderating here, we had a lot of intelligent, helpful people who had the honesty to constructively critisise something without being negative for the sake of it. I could do with some of that now.

So, here goes....

I am best man for a wedding in two weeks, and am absolutely bricking it about my speech. I have wrote a first draft, which is below. I would be very grateful if anybody could provide constructive criticism on which bits are good, which bits need improvement and any bits that seem too cliched or inappropriate. I've been on a lot of "best man speech advice" websites, and they all seem to have the same tired old jokes.



My aims in writing the speech were:

  • Get a few laughs – but not be inappropriate.
  • Don’t overly embarrass the groom.
  • Include a lot of sincere platitudes.
  • Include a story from his past, but one that is appropriate for all the audience.
  • Don’t use ‘common’ or ‘cliched’ lines.
My specific concerns about my speech as it is below are:

  • Is it funny enough?
  • Are the stories too long?
  • Is the stories appropriate?
  • Are the sincere bits enough to show how happy for them I am, and how great I think their marriage will be?
Thank you in advance.

My names Steven, and when GROOM asked me to do this today, my first thought was how I can embarrass him in my speech. Then I realised that he will do that himself when he gets on the dance floor later. But it was a great honour to be asked, and as much as I am nervous about this speech, I am proud to stand here as GROOM’s best man on his big day.


Firstly I have been asked to make a few thank you’s on behalf of GROOM and BRIDE. To the bridesmaids, X, X and X, the flower girl, X, and the ushers, X and X, for all of their help not just today, but in the build up to this great occasion.
Being GROOM’s cousin, I’ve obviously known him a long time, and we’ve gone from being little kids together getting into trouble and being immature to being, well, big kids getting into trouble and being immature.


I wanted to keep my speech quite simple and so I decided to tell you three things about GROOM. I think together they build up a picture of who BRIDE has joined herself to today – and I should add that the ink is dry on the contract and there’s no going back now…

I know that GROOM will make this marriage a success, because when he gets an idea in his head, he is very determined and works hard to make it happen. He always goes above and beyond to make things work, and that is true for all of the aspects of his life.


For example, when we were younger he had the urge to scare his little sister, SISTER, as most big brothers do. Most big brothers would be happy to jump out from behind a couch, but not GROOM.
At that time, SISTER and her friend had a job cleaning the local church. GROOM got his Mum to let myself and GROOM in the church before SISTER got there and lock us in. At this point, I must stress that GROOM forced me to join in with him, and I only went along to make sure he didn’t go too far! GROOM will deny this, but don’t believe him.


Anyway, SISTER and her friend arrived and started to clean the church and GROOM, using the church PA system, began to make noises that would give the devil nightmares.
Those poor girls were terrified, and ran from the church faster than anything I’ve ever seen.


That’s maybe not the *best* story I could have used to show how GROOM will be good at marriage, to be honest. But it does show that he is not willing to settle for ordinary, and he always wants the best.


GROOM always puts others above himself. This was proved on his stag do. I can see a few of the survivors from the stag do here today, but don’t worry, I’m not going to break the first rule of Stag Do’s. I will say, though, that in the build up to it and on the night, GROOM was more concerned that everyone else would have a good time, rather than focusing on what he wanted. This was his one chance to do whatever he wanted to do and go wherever he wanted to go, but he was thinking about everybody else. Until we tied him to a lamppost, anyway


But I think the best quality GROOM has is his strength. I don’t mean how much he can bench press, because GROOM will be more that happy to tell you all about that. I mean his psychological strength. We all know about the hard times GROOM and BRIDE have been through recently. What struck me most was how GROOM managed to keep going, and how he was there for BRIDE and THEIR SON every step of the way. I know how much he struggled with it himself, but he never let that show. I have a lot of respect for how he, and BRIDE as well, handled the situation, and I believe that the character traits they both showed then will help them have a successful marriage together.


Going back to GROOM always wanting the best, this is proven in his choice of bride. I think we can all agree that BRIDE looks fantastic today, and GROOM is a very lucky man to have found a woman who is beautiful, funny, caring and most of all, willing to put up with him.


But I do have to say, BRIDE has got a good catch too. GROOM is loyal, loving and would do anything to help anyone. I have lost count of the number of times he has helped me out in the past, and he never asks for anything in return.


In a way, this wedding was not necessary, and I mean that in a good way. We already knew that GROOM & BRIDE are perfect for one another, and with THEIR SON they have become an amazing family.


This wedding just confirms to the world that these two are destined for each other, and that they are going to have a happy and long future together.


And with that, I’d like you all to join me in a toast to the happy couple, wishing them joy in the easy times, strength through the hard times, and love throughout it all – to GROOM & BRIDE.
 
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DeletedUser1105

I got advice from another site too, and have changed my speech, so the updated version is in the original post.
 
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