Best Men

A touching groom and best man moment!

I'm not qualified to advise on how to choose a best man, but am more than happy to share my experience of this rare breed because my grooms spend their last moments of sigledom with two people - their best man and me...

I often feel quite sorry for best men because not only do they have to make a speech that is expected to be funny without going too far and look after the rings for at least twenty minutes but they often, particularly the younger, single ones, feel like they are losing their friend. Poor lambs. Sometimes this leads them to erratic behaviour like saying to the groom, "Let's go for a wander?" just as the bride's car is pulling up. They almost always make a joke about losing the rings and inevitably we are all so relieved that they actually have the rings we end up finding this prank hilariously funny.

But I have encountered some stellar best men. There was the ex army best man who ran the show with military precision and sweetly held my script at exactly the right time so I could perform a handfasting and produced the rings before I'd even asked for them, the many best men who offer their friend comforting words when he is either nervous or emotional and the best men who are so excited to be a best man either because they feel it is a great honour or are especially looking forwards to a dance with the foxy bridesmaid...

I once did a wedding and was introduced to the 'better man'. When I asked why he was called the 'better man' the groom replied, "Nobody could possibly describe John as the 'best'." To which John added, "He's absolutely right, the better man is what I am!" I wonder if this better man got his sweeter revenge in his speech?