The Speech Surgery: funny photo inclusions yay or nay?

Social media has changed the importance of images in a best man's speech - read on to find out why with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches

group of men in suits lifting another man in suit Credit: Photo by Joeyy Lee on Unsplash

My husband has been asked to be his brother's best man. We have lots of funny photos of his brother through the years. Should we utilise them in the speech?

A decade ago, nearly every best man speech involved a PowerPoint presentation of embarrassing photos of the groom. These days are over. Maybe it's because social media now allows people to look back at laugh at their mates 'fedora' or 'drop crotch' years without needing to wait for a wedding. Or, maybe it's just because using PowerPoint is generally awkward and clunky anywhere other than the boardroom.

Whatever the case, I encourage the speakers I work with to pull the plug on technology and focus on great storytelling instead. Yes, use the photos to bring back classic memories and reference the 'fedora' era but don't interrupt your narrative flow with PowerPoint slides.

Remind your husband that, as the groom's sibling, he already has a head start and there's plenty of comedic themes to play with. Here's a few themes/lines he could play with...

BIRTH ORDER
- 'We're incredibly similar, it's just that when he was born, the universe looked at him thought, "yeah, he's alright. But we've got two years to make a better one.'
- OR... 'Being brothers, we're incredibly similar, it's just that I used up all the good genes when I was born. Sorry about that, (groom's partner).'

THE PARENTS
- 'A best man speech is always a dubious challenge but more so, when trying to give an honest impression of my brother whilst simultaneously not getting in trouble with mum.'
- 'Our parents were strict. We weren't allowed to watch Hollyoaks or eat sugar after 4 pm. Well, mum, there's a three-tier cake over there with our name on it, and YOU can't do anything about if we choose to shove our faces in it later.'

THE FAVOURITE
- 'My brother was always 'the favourite' And to illustrate the point, here it is... the 'wonderful' painting that my brother did, aged 11, that still hangs in our parent's living room. Now can we all just agree that they may have viewed his talents in a somewhat delusional light?'

Brothers have a wealth of material to play with – so no need to resort to rolling out the PowerPoint pics.

For more inspiration: speechy.com/best-man-speech-example

You may also be interested in

New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches

New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches

Changing your name after marriage can mean updating details with countless organisations, from banks and subscriptions to official documents and employers. New app Name Change Navigator aims to make the process easier, guiding newlyweds through each step from one platform. Founded by Rebecca Dainton, Head of Product at Flutter UK & Ireland, the app was created to reduce the stress and mental load associated with name changes. It supports a range of naming journeys, including traditional surname changes, double-barrelling, blended surnames and other choices following marriage, civil partnership, divorce or personal identity changes. The launch comes as younger generations increasingly rethink traditional naming conventions, with technology offering a more streamlined approach to this often-overlooked part of newlywed life.

READ ARTICLE

Holmer Park Health Club & Spa Launches Search for Hereford's Local Heroes

Holmer Park Health Club & Spa Launches Search for Hereford's Local Heroes

Holmer Park Health Club & Spa in Hereford is celebrating the unsung heroes of its local community with a new search for wellbeing heroes. Residents are invited to nominate someone who deserves a little recognition and some well-earned time to relax, whether they're an NHS worker, carer, teacher, volunteer, supportive friend or simply someone who has gone out of their way to do something kind. Three winners will be selected by the Holmer Park team in October, with each receiving a complimentary spa day for themselves and a guest. The award-winning spa offers a thermal suite with a heated swimming pool, hydrotherapy spa pools, sauna and aroma steam rooms, plus relaxing lounges and poolside spaces. Nominations close on 30th September.

READ ARTICLE

Flawsome! reveals 81% of Brits say weddings don't need to be perfect to be memorable 

Flawsome! reveals 81% of Brits say weddings don't need to be perfect to be memorable 

Growing frustration with wedding perfection culture is reshaping how couples plan their big day, with sustainability, guest experience and authenticity becoming increasingly important, according to new research from Flawsome!. A national study of 2,000 UK adults found that 81% believe a wedding does not need to be perfect to be memorable, while 71% say social media has increased pressure on couples to create a "perfect" day. Sustainability is also becoming a key consideration, with 52% saying it is important when planning a wedding. Yet wedding waste remains widespread, with 41% of respondents having seen food and drink thrown away at weddings, while 32% recalled single-use decorations being discarded and more than a quarter had seen flowers go to waste.

READ ARTICLE

Something borrowed, something blue’ is out – but 1 in 4 Brits still value wedding cards

Something borrowed, something blue’ is out – but 1 in 4 Brits still value wedding cards

New research from Moonpig reveals the top wedding card writing confessions. A whopping 30% of Brits admit to defaulting to a safe "congratulations!" because they simply can't think of anything else to say. This is followed by recycling the same message for different couples (11%) and signing a card without knowing what your partner has written (8%). What's more, when stuck for words, one in 10 (8%) admit to turning to AI for inspiration - this rises to one in seven (14%) among 25–34-year-olds. Brits are not alone in facing this wedding card conundrum. More than half of Brits (55%) admit they have struggled with at least one aspect of wedding message writing. Nearly one in four find wedding cards (23%) or guest-book messages (24%) difficult, while one in five (20%) hit writer's block when preparing the all-important wedding speech.

READ ARTICLE

Subscribe to Your Midlands Wedding Magazine for free

VISIT SITE

Follow Your Midlands Wedding Magazine on Facebook

VISIT SITE

Follow Your Midlands Wedding Magazine on Instagram

VISIT SITE

Cheylesmore Manor

VISIT SITE