Turning down best man request

[FRUMPY]

It's easily the most boring part of the reception but depending on who's talking it can't be funny or awful.

A good speech is a couple of jokes, love you both, thanks for coming all, toast
A bad one is done by someone who loves just attention, bit of 'look at me time', terrible long-winded story 80% of the guests weren't there for and don't follow, no laughs, and finally a sigh of relief from everyone when they're finally done!

Sadly most of the weddings I've been to had the latter. Don't get me started on ones that do speeches twice for both families' languages.

Same as speeches at any party, i remember some of the speeches made by the women at their 18th and 21st birthdays (and their friends) - most boring speeches ever, not funny, talking s**t and go for about an hour.....we arent here for you, get up tell us a funny one about the birthday girl and get off. We shouldnt need more than one beer to get through your boring speeches

 

[burge13]

Same as speeches at any party, i remember some of the speeches made by the women at their 18th and 21st birthdays (and their friends) - most boring speeches ever, not funny, talking sh*t and go for about an hour.....we arent here for you, get up tell us a funny one about the birthday girl and get off. We shouldnt need more than one beer to get through your boring speeches

Spot on there.

Tell a story, fine but it's absolutely pointless telling one where literally no other guests were there and don't understand your references. You're just trying to prove to others how close you are which is sad more than anything else

 

[Shell]

Most boring speech: cousins wedding, the brides sister who was maid of honour. Was excruciating

Most awkward non speech: a cousins cousins wedding (not my actual cousin tho) where the grooms father refused to get up, due to an extreme disliking of the bride

 

[Kram]

I have been to two weddings where the best man didn't do a speech, understandable that people might be shy (I am as well) but I think it's awkward if the best man doesn't say anything at all. At worst all they have to do is say what an honour it is to be the best man and how good the bride looks.

One of these weddings was for one of my best mates, I wasn't in the wedding party (the brides 3 brothers got the nod instead) and with it now looking like I'll never be in a wedding party, for my mate to have the honour of being the best man and not doing anything during the service or ceremony at all will always annoy me for some reason!

I'd struggle to do it I think because of the speech I think.

Would've been asked by one friend but we fell out so yeah. Not sure what I would've done.

 

[Cruyff14]

My best man nailed his speech for me. Had the whole reception in stitches multiple times.

 

[IKnowtheDog]

 

[dales.girl38]

I had a few people tell me my speech was the best they'd ever heard - it wasn't really funny, but just shared a few stories that summed her up and how meeting her had changed the course of my life (I swapped rows to get a window seat on a flight - ended up next to her) and how she found the job advertisement that I ended up applying for, which directly led to my current career. It was definitely more about her than me and I guess was just a nice story about talking to strangers sometimes paying off. I think it's more of the best man's job to be funny, but I hate it when that is overdone too.

 

[Run n Spread]

I had a few people tell me my speech was the best they'd ever heard - it wasn't really funny, but just shared a few stories that summed her up and how meeting her had changed the course of my life (I swapped rows to get a window seat on a flight - ended up next to her) and how she found the job advertisement that I ended up applying for, which directly led to my current career. It was definitely more about her than me and I guess was just a nice story about talking to strangers sometimes paying off. I think it's more of the best man's job to be funny, but I hate it when that is overdone too.

But some people aren't funny. And I'm one. I can do a one liner and make a dry observation or joke to a situation but if I tried to give a pre done speech and do a stand up itd be as funny as a kick in the you know what's. Best speeches are authentic and fit personality. Keep it short unless your the main theme. No one wants to hear from anyone else

 

[Shell]

Off the cuff are the best speeches imo. But so hard to do well.

My Principal at my old school was a great speaker at GSMs, he spoke more casually- and he kept your (ie. my) attention. Then for whole school assemblies he would speak way more formally and sounded like a douche imho. And I would 100% tune out and daydream about footy.

 

[Run n Spread]

I have been to two weddings where the best man didn't do a speech, understandable that people might be shy (I am as well) but I think it's awkward if the best man doesn't say anything at all. At worst all they have to do is say what an honour it is to be the best man and how good the bride looks.

One of these weddings was for one of my best mates, I wasn't in the wedding party (the brides 3 brothers got the nod instead) and with it now looking like I'll never be in a wedding party, for my mate to have the honour of being the best man and not doing anything during the service or ceremony at all will always annoy me for some reason!

That's an interesting one and have heard where there is an obligation to include in laws. Like bride includes grooms sister in bridal party and vice versa. Not sure about that. Should be entirely up to bride/groom.
Also numbers. Max 3 I reckon.

 

[Run n Spread]

Off the cuff are the best speeches imo. But so hard to do well.

My Principal at my old school was a great speaker at GSMs, he spoke more casually- and he kept your (ie. my) attention. Then for whole school assemblies he would speak way more formally and sounded like a douche imho. And I would 100% tune out and daydream about footy.

Off the cuff I can do. Had to give a 3 min speech early in the year and did ok and made it 2 mins beforehand.

 

[Caesar]

I once went to a wedding where the best man did his speech as a McKinsey-style slide deck, reviewing the groom's past performance and future projections

It was well done, but the humour was pretty niche. Nothing worse than a speech where the groom's friends are laughing their heads off and everyone else is smiling politely into their champagne.

Reckon it's hard to go wrong with simple and heartfelt.

 

[Shell]

Not a best man but a bride...

Bec Hewitt's Wedding Poem To Lleyton Was Iconic And We Need To Talk About It (punkee.com.au)



A clear example why brides should stfu at their wedding.

 

[burge13]

Not a best man but a bride...

Bec Hewitt's Wedding Poem To Lleyton Was Iconic And We Need To Talk About It (punkee.com.au)



A clear example why brides should stfu at their wedding.

But it was iconic???

 

[Shell]

But it was iconic???

I dont make the link names. Thats just the first one I saw when I googled it.

 

[burge13]

I dont make the link names. Thats just the first one I saw when I googled it.

I was being sarcastic

 

[Shell]

I was being sarcastic

Well then yes, I think its iconic!!!!!!

Most iconic Australian poem Ive ever read- should be studied in English Lit classes in schools

 

[revo333]

That's an interesting one and have heard where there is an obligation to include in laws. Like bride includes grooms sister in bridal party and vice versa. Not sure about that. Should be entirely up to bride/groom.
Also numbers. Max 3 I reckon.

I had no issue with not getting a spot because of that but I didn't know too many people at the reception and got stuck with a mate and his girlfriend who kept wandering off together and leaving me on my own, it should of been a great memorable night but it was just ok.