You have organized an epic bachelor party and now the focus turns to the main event (although some people would debate this!) the wedding itself. For the majority of guests all that needs to be done is to turn up, drink, dance, have fun and try not to make a complete fool of yourself.

However, for the best man, there is the small matter of delivering a heartfelt and comical best man speech to an audience. For some, this comes naturally but for the vast majority of the population, public speaking can instill great fear and can all be a bit overwhelming.

But fear not it doesn’t have to be this way, below we share some great tips on how to put your best foot forward and deliver something you can be proud of.

1 – Practice, practice, practice

We can’t stress this one enough – you need to practice your speech a fair few times before the big day and you need to do it out loud. Ideally, you would do this in front of a small audience or at the very least video yourself and watch it back.

What we write down on paper often doesn’t come out as we think it would. By being prepared and practicing a few times, you will figure out what sounds good and what sounds like absolute waffle!

2 – Watch the booze

There is a very fine balance between a little bit of Dutch courage and overcooking it before your speech. It’s completely understandable to want to calm the nerves but it’s best to minimize your intake. It can often make your nerves and anxiety worse and lead to a train wreck performance. Stay sober and you will be able to deliver what you have planned more effectively; it will then go so well that everyone will be buying you a drink so you can play catch up!

3 – Keep it short

Although the best man speech is a highlight, due to its often humorous nature it shouldn’t be a long and drawn-out affair. It’s advisable to aim for somewhere between the 5 and 7-minute mark as anything longer people will become restless and lose interest. You have to remember there will be other speeches and guests only have a certain attention span.

Keeping it short is also worth remembering for any stories you include about the groom, if they are too long they can often fall on deaf ears before you get to the punch line. If it’s an incredible anecdote then by all means include it but proceed with caution!

4 – Avoid certain topics

This should be self-explanatory but you would be amazed how many get this wrong. Exes, sex jokes, drunken antics, and past mishaps are worth avoiding at all costs. Also, talking about yourself too much is a big no-no. This is their day and not yours!

5 – Be yourself

The likelihood is you are not a professional public speaker and the audience will know this, so don’t attempt to create a persona of someone that you are not. A good piece of advice is to try and act as you would normally around friends and don’t force anything. If you are naturally a funny person and good at telling stories, then go ahead and use this to your advantage. If not, then don’t try and chuck in a load of jokes for the sake of it.

6 – Strike a balance

Yes, this is your chance to give some light ribbing to the groom and make him feel slightly uncomfortable. However, you also need to balance this out with some nicer and more uplifting heartfelt words. After all, this is a wedding and two people are coming together at a very special moment so it shouldn’t turn into a roast at the couple’s expense.

7 – Get a joke in early

Naturally, the nerves might be jangling a bit at the start of the speech, one good method to combat this is to try and get a joke in fairly early to get the audience laughing. This will not only help you relax a bit and settle into the speech but it also gets the audience’s attention and let them know they are in for an entertaining few minutes.

8 – Make eye contact

This is a really important one and could be the most important for delivering a great best man speech! It is crucial to look up and make eye contact with the audience as there is nothing worse than a speech where someone is looking down at their notes. If you don’t then your words won't land and you won’t connect with your audience – regardless of how funny or sentimental you are!

9 – Mention the right people

You need to express gratitude to certain people during your speech. The bride and groom are obvious ones but there are some other people worth mentioning. The parents of the bride and groom are worth mentioning by name, as they may have helped make the day possible. Thanking all the guests for coming is also an easy win.

10 – Finish strong

There is nothing worse than a best man speech ending like a damp squib. It is often the final speech and you can be between the guests and the bar/dancefloor so you need to finish on a high. Luckily this is one of the easier parts of the speech, simply offer a toast by raising your glass and wish the married couple all the success and happiness in the future.