I’ve been to enough weddings to understand the importance of the best man’s speech. It always arrives with great fanfare early in the reception, and it sets the tone for the rest of the night. I’ve heard speeches that balance humor and nostalgia to perfect effect, and I’ve witnessed a few that have fallen flat – only to be met with an awkward silence and then some scattered applause.
When my best friend finally tied the knot last spring, I was ready to take the honor very seriously. I practiced the speech diligently, keeping all of the details a secret. The night of the rehearsal dinner, I declined to raise the toasting flutes; everyone would have to wait until the big day to hear my speech. In the end, I executed the speech with an oratorical flair that I never knew I possessed. It was a huge hit, and I’m fairly sure it put me in good stead with a couple of the bridesmaids.
If there was ever a time to succumb to pomp and circumstance, it’s at a wedding. Guests have come to expect extravagant decadence from a wedding ceremony, and much of that is because of time-honored traditions. We’re all familiar with the bride tossing her bouquet to a hopeful bridesmaid, symbolizing that it will be her turn to marry next. And of course the bride and groom are usually showered with rice on their way out of the chapel.