Best Man duties

Written by the Toast Worthy speech team · Updated August 2026

The short answer

You're the groom's right hand and the guests' problem-solver. If something's about to go wrong, you're the one who quietly fixes it — and you deliver the speech that gets remembered.

In the months before

✓Plan and host the stag do — pitched at the groom, not at your own bucket list
✓Rally and coordinate the groomsmen and ushers
✓Help with suit hire, fittings, and the buttonholes
✓Be a sounding board for the groom through the planning stress
✓Start writing your speech early — the best ones are drafted weeks out, not the night before

The morning of the wedding

✓Get the groom to the venue calm, dressed, and on time
✓Guard the rings — the single most important object of your day
✓Hand out buttonholes and order-of-service sheets
✓Brief the ushers on seating and guest questions

During the ceremony

✓Hold the rings until the vows
✓Sign the marriage register if you're asked to be a witness
✓Help usher guests and keep the aisle clear

At the reception

✓Deliver your speech — usually last of the traditional three
✓Act as informal MC if there's no toastmaster
✓Keep the couple's timeline moving and look after gifts and cards
✓Coordinate transport and the couple's send-off

The one duty that gets remembered

Guests forget the seating plan and the buttonholes. They remember the speech. It's the one duty where a little preparation goes a very long way — and the one we can help with: answer a few questions about the groom and your memories, and Toast Worthy turns them into a finished, right-length best man speech in minutes.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main best man duties?+

Two jobs matter most: get the groom through the day calm and on time, and deliver a speech worth remembering. Everything else — the stag do, the logistics, the emergencies — supports those two.

Does the best man have to give a speech?+

It's traditional and increasingly expected — and it's the part guests remember. If you do only one thing brilliantly, make it the speech.

When should you start preparing?+

Book the stag do months ahead, and start your speech a few weeks out. Last-minute preparation shows; a rehearsed speech feels effortless.

Write your best man speech in minutes

Answer a few questions about the couple and your memories. Read a full draft free; unlock the finished, personalised version for $29.

Start free