How to Write a Best Man Speech for Your Brother

• How to Structure a Best Man Speech for a Brother
• Tips on Delivering a Best Man Speech for a Brother
• Best Man Speech Examples for a Brother
• Wedding Speech: Best Man, Brother & More - Expert Tips

How to Structure a Best Man Speech for a Brother

When it comes to structuring a best man speech for a brother, the structure is very similar to a regular best man speech for a friend. Whether you're planning on delivering a short best man speech, or a longer one, these are the things you need to include and a baseline structure to follow. 

1. Introduce Yourself

Just because you're the groom's best man and brother, doesn't mean you get away with not introducing yourself. Every speech, (unless you're a bride or groom) should start with an introduction. It doesn't have to be super long, in fact, we encourage you to keep it short and sweet. 

Tell the room who you are, and start with a bit of background about your relationship with your brother. Are you super close? Have you been attached at the hip since birth? Or has he asked you as more of a formality?

If the latter is the case, that's definitely something you can make light of, saying something like, "We all know [X] should have been best man, but being a blood relative means I take the win here. Although, I don't feel like much of a winner. [X] got to have fun planning the stag do, and I win the less sought-after prize of speaking in front of a room full of people I barely know. Thanks mate [looks at groom]. Anyway, about that stag do..."

2. Share Some Stories

All good speeches are centred around a small handful of brilliant stories and memories. The trick here is to remember 'less is more'. Pick one or two stellar stories, ones perhaps only you could tell as the best man and brother. 

This is also a great moment to bring your parents into the fold. As a family member, you can speak to the groom's childhood and family set-up better than anyone. Lean into stories that make the groom who he is, but keep things funny versus embarrassing. You don't want anyone in the audience wincing now, do you? 

3. Congratulate the Couple

Congratulating the couple and raising a toast to the newlyweds is an important part of any best man's speech, but even more so when you're giving a best man speech as a brother. 

If you and your siblings are close, it's likely you'll have known your brother's partner almost as long as they have. If you're super close, you could touch on the fact that they've always felt like family and say something like, "As the groom's brother and best man, this is where I'm supposed to welcome [X] into our family, and tell you how happy I am to have gained another sibling, but the truth of the matter is, you've felt like family since the day [X] first brought you home."

For something a little funnier and a bit cheeky, you could say, "Tina, you're a really good person. You value a person's character and personality over the way they look. And if you're wondering how I know this, it's obvious isn't it? Because if you were into looks over personality, you'd have picked the other brother [points at self]."

Tips on Delivering a Best Man Speech for a Brother

With the structure down, here are some pointers on how to write and deliver a cracking best man speech for your brother. 

1. Avoid Too Many In-Jokes

As brothers, you're bound to have dozens of inside jokes and things only the two of you understand, and there's no harm in shedding some light on one or two of these, but the problem with including too many in-jokes in a best man speech is that, only the two of you are likely to find it funny. With this, you run the risk of losing the room. 

If you want to touch on more of these, consider writing a letter to give to your brother on the morning of the wedding instead and stick to jokes and stories everyone can relate to for the main speech. 

2. Keep it Clean

One of the biggest mistakes so many people make when delivering best man speeches is going dirty when it's not necessary. You don't have to be rude or crude to be funny, and if one guest feels uncomfortable with stories you're telling, it's one guest too many!

On that, it's bad enough when any of your pals stand up and tell sex stories or crude tales about you in front of your friends and family - so having someone related to you say things like that is even worse. 

If you're unsure whether or not any of your stories cross the line, sense-check them with someone whose opinion you trust. 

3. Less is More

As the best man and brother, you will likely have more stories and memories than anyone in the room, but that doesn't mean you have to tell every single one. Pick two or three (at the most) to share with the crowd and only spend a minute or two on each.

4. Sentiment is Key

A bit of sentiment and emotion in any speech is golden, but even more so when you're giving a best man and brother speech about the groom. Jokes are great, but they land even better when a bit of emotion is peppered in-between. Trust us! Don't be afraid to say some sweet things too, we guarantee the audience will love it and so will your brother. 

5. Remember the Jokes

Like we said, a mixture of heartfelt words and funny one-liners is golden when it comes to best man speeches - but to nail that balance, you need jokes! Not every line needs to be a joke, but you need some in your introduction, one or two within the story, and one to end on. 

Best Man Speech Examples for a Brother

Need some practical inspiration for your best man speech as a brother? If so, you've come to the right place. 

No one can write a speech about your brother better than you can, but we can give you some starting points which you can build on. 

Best Man Speech for a Brother: Introduction Examples

• If you’re a bit of a joker: “I’m Tom, Paul’s best man and also his big brother. I think it says a lot about a man when he chooses his brother to be his best man…. Mostly, of course, it says: 'I have no friends'.”
• Another one for the jokers: “For those of you who don`t know me, I'm Andrew, Charlie's younger brother. It's great to be stood up here today because, after all these years, Charlie has finally admitted that I am the best man.”
• If your brother has two best men: “For those who don’t know me, my name is Sam and I’m today’s best brother. I say best brother, as there’s less competition in that category than in the best man competition, and if you like Craig’s speech better then at least I still win at something.”
• If two brothers are giving a speech: "Hi, I'm Callum and this is Cameron. We're Scott's brothers, [pause] and we know what you're thinking, how are his brothers so much better looking than him. And trust us, we've been asking ourselves the same question for years."
• If you’re feeling sentimental: “For those that don’t know much about mine and Steve’s relationship, let me fill you in a bit. I’m the older one, which means I’ve been about for his entire life. I’ve had the privilege of watching him grow into the best man I know, aside from our own father.”

 Best Man Speech for a Brother: Family Story Examples

• “Our parents have always had an almost uncanny ability to know what’s going on in our lives. When Paul found me smoking in the back garden when I was 13, our parents were the first to know. When he spotted me setting off fireworks from my bedroom window, our parents were the first to know. When Paul saw me taking… Hey! Wait a minute! My brother’s a snitch!”
• “Other than the couple themselves, I don’t think anyone here is more happy to see Paul getting married than our parents. They’ve been an amazing role model for me and Paul. They’ve been married for thirty years, and they are still as loving and loyal as ever. It’s their love that forms the bedrock of the happy, supportive and loving family before you now. The only thing that was missing, until today, was [brother's partner].”
• “Brothers remember staying up late with dad and then rushing to bed when we heard mum come home. Brothers understand that what mum doesn’t know won’t hurt her and that nobody likes a turtle tail. Brothers understand that farting at the dinner table will earn you dish duty but then if you make it silent you can blame it on someone else. Andrew. Though if you blame it on mum, that will definitely earn you dish duty. Brothers share childhood memories and grown up dreams.”

  Best Man Speech for a Brother: Sibling Story Examples

• “There's three of us brothers, I was planned, Jack was an accident and the groom, Mike, was the girl they always wanted, but never got.”
• “Brian and I have been brothers for 35 years now. In the course of 35 years, you really get to know someone well. I’ve seen him go from an annoying little kid to the slightly less annoying guy you see today.”
• “Michael took his role as my big brother very seriously when we were kids. He beat me up, stole my stuff, embarrassed me in front of my friends and told our parents whenever I did anything wrong. Anyway, it’s a real honour to be giving this best man’s speech today… or as I call it, pay back.”

 Best Man Speech for a Brother: Joke Examples

• “A recent study has revealed that 66% of people in Britain are addicted to puzzles – which means at least two-thirds of you must be trying to work out what on earth Jack sees in Mark.”
• “One of my earliest memories of Joe was him telling jokes that made absolutely no sense. Those of you who knew Joe as a kid will understand what I’m saying. He’d say something like… ‘Why did the chicken cross the road? Because granddad doesn’t like ice cream.’ FYI, Joe’s jokes today aren’t much funnier.”
• “We all know [brother's partner] is a wonderful person who deserves the perfect guy. Too bad you don’t always get what you deserve.”
• “Myself and Tom were lucky enough to be taken on lots of exciting holidays and day trips when we were younger. They’re where some of my most embarrassing stories come from…”

 Best Man Speech for a Brother: Examples Talking About the Partner

• "[Partner's name], welcome to the family. You really have hit the jackpot, gaining the family surname, a season ticket to Crystal Palace and a lifetime supply of political debates at the dinner table. That's what dreams are made of!"
• “I’m over the moon to be welcoming [partner's name] into the family. We all love you very much and I’m sure you’ll find us to be a warm and supportive bunch. Just – and I can’t stress this enough – steer clear of Monopoly. Seriously. If the box comes out, just run.”
• “[Partner name] is something of a miracle worker. They took the misshapen lump of human Play-Doh that I call my brother, and moulded him into a man. Let’s hope it lasts. And if he does start to get brittle or droopy in his old age, just sprinkle him with water, roll him around a bit, and draw a smiley face on him with a sharp stick.”
• “[Partner name], you look absolutely beautiful tonight, I can think of no-one else that I’d rather have join our family or who would be a better spouse to Brian than you. You are generous, selfless, loving and kind.”

Wedding Speech: Best Man, Brother & More - Expert Tips

If you're writing a best man speech for your brother, you want it to strike the perfect balance of heartfelt, funny and memorable. But even with plenty of best man speech ideas for a brother out there, it can still be tough to know where to start, especially if you're hoping to create something truly personal.

To help, we asked expert speechwriter Chris Dance to share his top tips for crafting great best man speeches for a brother, whether you’re speaking for an older sibling, a younger one, or want inspiration from best man speech examples for a brother.

His advice will help you shape a confident, engaging and genuinely meaningful tribute - and ensure yours stands out among the very best brother best man speeches.

How do I start a best man speech for my brother?

"Introduce yourself briefly, and try to get a joke in as soon as you can. It'll settle the nerves and put your audience at ease."

What should I include in a best man speech?

"You'll have a lifetime of anecdotes about your brother, so pick out ones that show the relationship you have and the kind of person he is."

How long should my speech be?

"Five to seven minutes should be plenty long enough. Don't sell yourself short though - if it's well-written and engaging no one will notice if it's a touch longer, so don't skimp on detail just to come in bang on 7 minutes.

"Just bear in mind that by the time you stand up the guests have probably sat through at least two speeches, so don't go on too long or they'll get restless."

Can I make jokes in a best man speech?

"Of course, and you'll be expected to! Don't take this to mean that you have to do a full stand-up set though. You don't need killer punchlines and a big wacky performance; if you pick a couple of funny stories and tell them well, you'll get your laughs that way.

"Don't plunder the internet for jokes: they've all been done and they'll sound forced if they don't fit with your normal delivery. Remember your audience at all times: make your speech inclusive - don't use in-jokes that only your brother will get, and don't say anything that might be controversial or offensive."

How do I keep my speech engaging and heartfelt?

"Be as natural as you can. Speaking from the heart doesn't mean being overly sentimental and soppy, it's just being sincere.  

"Be honest about what you're capable of delivering and be you: make your life easy. Don't use grand and elaborate phrases if you wouldn't normally speak that way, and don't give yourself words that are hard to pronounce. 

"And be specific - don't just say your brother is kind, tell me about a kind thing he did. Don't just say he's forgetful, rattle off a list of places he's left his phone. Loads of people are kind and forgetful, it's the details that make it personal to him. 

'Try to keep your head up and look at your audience as much as possible - engage with them and they will with you.

"Above all, resist the temptation to use ChatGPT. A machine cannot write you a heartfelt funny speech because it doesn't have a heart or a sense of humour. Absolutely anything you come up with will mean more because it came from you."

To guarantee the laughs, check out these best man speech jokes - we promise, they're better than the ones you've heard before!