Two Best men?

Having two best men is becoming increasingly popular, both in the US and UK, where the groom’s fondness for best man speeches knows no bounds. Ok, we get it, you can’t decide between your brother and a great friend, or maybe two great friends…or maybe two brothers…it goes on.

The problem is, you’re looking at it in completely the wrong way. It’s never a question of how to include the people who are most important to you, it;s how to make sure the speeches are as effective as possible on the day. If you can’t choose between two people – and really get a grip – then make one of them the guy in charge of partying, and the other can take care of the speech. It’s by far and a way the best policy, because get it wrong and it can all to easily become death by best man speech.

We’re going to say it right here: some grooms love having the spotlight in them, and having two best men talk about them stokes their ego like you wouldn’t believe. It’s the only reason a groom would insist on two people talking about them at length….at the very least it’s misjudged, but really it’s slightly self obsessed and revolting. No, really a little bit more about me…

If you are two guys making the best man speech, then try everything you can to make it happen together. Nothing is going to grate more than guests having to sit through two best man speeches, and for the guy who steps up last, it’s a hiding to nothing. Everyone will have had enough, and if the first best man was good, you’re toast, if the first best man was awful…you’re still toast.

Treat it as a double act where you each take alternate chunks of the speech. That way there’s doubling up of content and no rehashing of gags. It really does need both best men to cooperate, so if that looks unlikely, then get on first, look after number 1, and let the other guy reap the whirlwind.