Speech Play....non poker.

[Jim-D]

Thank you all very much for the replys, I knew i could rely on you lovely people.

Im now gonna cement your comments into my brain and get to work on a (short) Master piece  

I'll let you know how i get on.

Thanks
Jim.

[Royal Flush]

I know its off topic....

I havent been to a wedding for ages, can i come aswell? 

[lazaroonie]

the best advice on any aspect of speaking in public is to know the subject matter intimately. AS long as you know what you are talking about, you will be fine....

[Jim-D]

you're more than welcome mate,

Its at a really posh Manor house in wiltshire, The brides family is really upper class and LOADED and our side grew up on a council estate and are all working class folks so should be interesting.

Im taking my poker chips and hope to get them all to play in a little no limit cash game so hopefully could be a profitable night

[Robert HM]

the best advice on any aspect of speaking in public is to know the subject matter intimately. AS long as you know what you are talking about, you will be fine....

It's never stopped me and I do it for a living.

[RFC]

I know its off topic....

I havent been to a wedding for ages, can i come aswell? 

just ask the missus then you can have one of your very own   

[Royal Flush]

I know its off topic....

I havent been to a wedding for ages, can i come aswell? 

just ask the missus then you can have one of your very own   

 

[Robert HM]

I know its off topic....

I havent been to a wedding for ages, can i come aswell? 

just ask the missus then you can have one of your very own   

 

See Ginger, he's turning

[RFC]

I know its off topic....

I havent been to a wedding for ages, can i come aswell? 

just ask the missus then you can have one of your very own  

 

ok i'll get me coat   

[Mr F]

Thanks Jim, you've reminded me of two of the best days of last year, if not my life.

I was lucky enough to be best man at two weddings last year, one for my best mate, and one for my brother who had two best men.

As far as the speech goes there have been some very good points made.  I can only echo the comments on practicing, I used cue cards, and looked at them every spare moment I had, be it sitting in the barbers wating for my turn, getting the suits etc. 

Being yourself is really important as well.  I was in the same situation as you, my sister in law is from a fairly upper class family (although she'd shoot me if I said that to her face) and me and bro have been bought up in a single parent family.  I was really nervous about how Rob (other BM) and me would come across.  But we decided that we were'nt doing it for the benefit of all these posh types, this was for my bro and his wife.  There were high fives flying everywhere when we made a joke, we were being sarcy and behaved no differently in the speech than we would any other time.  People thought the speech was brilliant and I believe that had a lot to do with it.

I managed to completely cock up the most important part of the speech.  I had a quote that I was using

"Not when I breathe, but when I love I live"

It's brilliant for a wedding and the way the couple feel about each other, but can be a bit of a tongue twister so I had to practice and practice saying it out loud.  When I first started I kept getting it wrong.  The big emotional part arrives and I say it word perfect, the problem was I think I was so prepared to get it wrong I thought I had got it wrong!  I jumped in the air and screamed how I'd got it wrong (big laugh) stopped and Rob pointed out that I'd got it right!  (More big laugh). 

Another big thing to remember, although the speech is an important part of the day, it is just a part.  A best mans role extends past just a few gags about the groom.  I've been told that the speeches at both weddings were great but when I speak to my best mate, he always talks about the morning when we ran around him while he played X-box live, or the hour and a half beforehand in the pub and me keeping his nerves down in the church.

My brother still has great memories of the night before, we got pizza and the other two bet me I wouldn't eat a rolo covered in herb and garlic sauce, I won a pound.

Relatives and friends etc will remember the speech but what it means to your brother and his wife will rise above all of that.

One more story from my brothers day.  It was the morning after, ROb and I had some stuff to take to the wedding suite, it was huge and my bro and his missus were lolling about in the complimentary dressing gowns.  With great pride she started telling me what had happened when they left the reception.  It turns out they went back to the suite did the deed (a big deal, they are both Christians).

With the deed finished my bro immediately turned on Match of the day and ordered room service.

Good Boy!

Anyway Jim, good luck and I hope the day goes well.

[Jim-D]

 


Thankyou for posting your memories Mr F,

Its really good that i can draw on other peoples experiances as im only in my early(ok mid) 20's i've had very little opportunity to go to many weddings as all my mates are singletons, so I was unsure of what was expected of me,

Just had a chat with my brother and  he has prepared NOTHING, so were gonna take up Tightends idea of a round of golf and bounce ideas off each other.


Thanks again and i'll post any news of interest on here to let you know how it went.

Jim.

[WellChief]

I had to do this in December, I used www.hitched.co.uk , and used some jokes from their example speeches and personalised it.  It'll be better than you expect try not to worry about it.

[Jim-D]

Well i just got back from the wedding,

And thanks to you guys i had a fantastic time,  All your kind words of encouragment really helped me to relax and enjoy the day.

Man its not easy being best man, No time to worry about a speech.

08.30: Cook a Fry up for me and the groom (Brother)
09.15: Pick up wedding cake...........so nearly dropped it aswell
09.30: Pick up flowers
09.45: Collect brides father and my nephew.
10.00: Drive for 1.5 hours to somerset.
11.30: Check in to our rooms and carry all suits/flowers and bags all over the biggest manor house ever, Then get cleaned up and changed.
12.30: Stop my brother from panicing and fix his Tie.
12.45: Meet and greet all the guests and direct them to where they need to be.
13.30: Make sure evryone is seated in there correct positions.
14.00: A most wonderful ceremony.
15.00: BAR IS NOW OPEN!!!!!.........Plenty of wine went down my neck
16.00: Dinner is served, and this when i start to get a little nervous about my speech because the bride decides to tell me right at the last minute that i have to add a gift presentation in to my speech.
18.00: SPEECH TIME!!!!  The brides father was 1st to go and he spoke graciously for 5 mins, then my knees went weak when it was my turn to stand up.

I started by trying to break the ice by mentioning how bloody nervous i was (which i think they knew already by my blotchy red face and shaking), then the rest of it came out quite fluently, much to my suprise.

It started by me mentioning that after all these years Micheal has finally admitted that "I am the best man!", which got a few laughs, Then a couple of sentimental words of how proud of him i was then it was the presenting of the gifts (which was good as it made my speech seem to last alot longer than it actually was )
And finally the toast.

NOW I CAN RELAX!! (and begin to get rather pissed)

Thanks again.

Jim

[madasahatstand]

it sounds as though youve done a great job. well done. did anyone play poker with you?

[Jim-D]

it sounds as though youve done a great job. well done. did anyone play poker with you?

No evryone was a little too drunk to be handleing poker chips at that time.....including myself.