So, How to Write a Best Man Speech Introduction?
This is actually the most straightforward and easy part of the
best man speech, but it's also one where a lot of best men go wrong. All you have to do here is introduce yourself and say what an honour it is to be saying a few words about the groom. That's it. Unfortunately many guys decide that this is the moment they need to step into their stand up routine and try hitting the guests from the off with a scripted joke or even worse a really blunt introduction to themselves. It never works.
You are a close friend or brother of the groom, you are not a seasoned comedian and nobody is expecting you to be, so when you grab the microphone and go down the route of..."my name is Mike, and let me tell you about a funny story that happened to me on the way here..." you are simply wasting time, and taking the spotlight away from the real subject of the speech: the groom. Sure, you're there to make people laugh but you can do that once they know who you are, and how you know the groom - it just gives both you and the audience some breathing space. After that have something funny to say about the groom not about you, or being the best man, or the bridesmaids.
The other thing you must categorically not do is thank anyone, welcome anyone or God forbid declare what a lovely day everyone is having. Everybody has been thanked and welcomed one million times and your job is just to get on with the describing the life and times of the groom. The groom has just toasted the bridesmaids so you can leave them alone - under a strictly traditional format the best man is meant to respond on behalf of the bridesmaids, but nobody ever understands this and it makes about as much sense as eating garlic to keep vampires away.
So, forget any bombastic, Saturday Night live intro and instead calmly introduce yourself and allow the guests to warm to you, then crank up the funny.
