Best Man Speech quotes

Written by the Toast Worthy speech team · Updated August 2026

The short answer

The best best man speech use no more than one quote — placed just before the toast, right after your own story. Below are hand-picked quotes by theme, with how to use them so they still sound like you, not a fortune cookie.

The best man's quotes do one job: buy a breath between the jokes and the sincere finish. Lead funny, then land one true line.

Funny quotes to open with

Land one of these early to win the room — then get sincere.

“Love is telling someone to go to hell and worrying about them getting there safely.”— Traditional saying
“I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”— Rita Rudner
“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are.”— Will Ferrell
“Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?”— Groucho Marx
“My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.”— Rodney Dangerfield

Quotes about friendship

The heart of most best man and maid of honour speeches.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”— Walter Winchell
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”— Elbert Hubbard
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'”— C.S. Lewis
“The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.”— Hubert H. Humphrey
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”— Woodrow Wilson

Quotes about marriage & commitment

Perfect for the run-up to your toast.

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”— Friedrich Nietzsche
“There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship than a good marriage.”— Martin Luther
“Marriage is our last, best chance to grow up.”— Joseph Barth
“Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.”— Robert Browning
“A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.”— Pearl S. Buck
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”— Mignon McLaughlin

Quotes about love

For the heartfelt turn — the moment you stop joking and mean it.

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”— Aristotle
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”— Emily Brontë
“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”— Dr. Seuss
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”— Lao Tzu
“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.”— Audrey Hepburn
“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.”— David Viscott

How to use a quote without sounding cheesy

•Use one, not five. A single quote is a highlight; a string of them is a filler.
•Say your own story first — the quote should confirm a point you've already made about the couple.
•Introduce it casually: "There's a line I keep coming back to…" beats reading it cold.
•Follow it instantly with one specific detail about the couple, so the timeless line meets a real one.
•Read it aloud. If it doesn't sound like something you'd say, cut it or shorten it.

Frequently asked questions

Should you use a quote in a best man speech?+

One, at most — and only if it earns its place. A borrowed line works best as the hinge into your heartfelt moment or your toast, right after your own story. A speech built entirely from quotes sounds like a greetings card; one well-placed quote sounds wise.

Where should the quote go?+

Near the end. Tell your true story first, then use the quote to lift into the sincere turn — "Someone once said… and watching these two, I finally get it." Land it, then toast.

How do you make a famous quote sound like your own?+

Introduce it with a personal line, keep it short, and follow it immediately with something specific about the couple. The contrast between a timeless line and one real detail about them is what makes it land.

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