Not many of us will get the opportunity to be Bestman in our lifetime and not many of us will get the opportunity to be Bestman for a famous person. Talking about the latter, how does a Bestman prepare his Bestman duties and what does he say in his speech for a person who is a public figure, who is in the public eye or has achieved success in their area of interest, expertise or skill in their career, profession or life? To be a Bestman for anyone isn’t an easy task, but to be Bestman for someone who is famous is a different proposition, or is it?
Do carry out your normal duties normally i.e.:
- Welcome everyone through a mini-opening speech
- Call in the Bride & Groom
- Carry out the pre-meal duties
- Carry out the cake cutting ceremony
- Act as Master of Ceremonies (MC)
- Deliver your speech when your time comes (see below)
- Carry out the post-meal duties
You will obviously be thinking about and preparing your speech long before the wedding and trying to put what is in your mind and heart on paper. Whether it is a family member, relation or friend, the same general layout, narrative and structure prevails with the following considerations:
- Treat the Bride & Groom like ordinary, yet special people like any couple on their wedding day
- Demonstrate your delight and honour to be their Bestman
- Talk about both of them in equal measure (if possible)
- Which ever one of them is famous;
- Remind the audience why they are famous
- Share their achievements
- Talk about their traits, qualities, skills that has brought them to the pinnacle of their famous-tivity
- Develop stories around their journey to success-hood with punch-lines towards the end
- Mention recent and / or current activities that are in the media
- Consider introducing appropriate props as part of your speech that can add humour
- Don’t overdo the plaudits on them, we don’t want to embarrass them or turn the audience off your speech
Give your Bestman duty the respect, time and effort it needs and be the ultimate Bestman…