Wedding speeches

[valadil]

One of my friends is getting married in two weeks and I'm in his wedding party. He didn't pick a best man, so the groomsmen are handling the bachelor party and toasts.

Believe it or not, I'm actually kind of looking forward to giving a speech. What I'm having trouble with is what to write. I know you're supposed to joke around a little and tease the groom a bit, but I'm having trouble figuring out just how much to make fun of him. I generally don't mind crossing lines (usually I encourage it), but it doesn't seem appropriate if the dude's grandma is attending.

So what I'm wondering is how far can I go without actually hurting feelings? I know that it's his day, not my open mic night, and the speech will have content besides jokes. But for the jokes that are in there how much can I make fun without being mean?

[dish]

Watch Four Weddings and a Funeral. See Hugh Grant's speech. That's what you're aiming for. (Tease the audience to make them think you're going to say something that crosses the line, but never actually cross the line.) Oh, and the speech at the second wedding - that's what you don't want to do.

[Boo]

Just don't say anything related to your buddy's past experiences. I'm sure someone can improve what I just said, and give you a good list of the Do's and Don'ts of wedding speeches.

Or I could just send you a link to google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006-45,GGGL:en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=the+do%27s+and+don+t%27s+of+wedding+speeches&spell=1), then a random entry that I clicked (http://weddings.about.com/od/theweddingparty/a/bestmanspeech.htm).

[snoopy13a]

Tell two stories:

1) Funny but inoffensive story about you and groom as kids

2) Funny but inoffensive story about early on in the couple's relationship

Then sum it up by saying that meeting the bride is the best thing that ever happened to the groom, that throughout his entire life you've never seem him this happy and that you're absolutely sure they will have a wonderful life together.

[mangosta71]

I'm guessing that you don't want to start it off by looking down at him and saying "You poor, stupid bastard...." :smalltongue:

[valadil]

I'm guessing that you don't want to start it off by looking down at him and saying "You poor, stupid bastard...." :smalltongue:

Oh, I want to start it out that way. Whether or not I do depends on the number of drinks I've consumed.