Best Man Speech Quotes: 11 Lines to Borrow From the Experts

Last updated: 27th Jul 2026

A well-placed quote can do the heavy lifting in a best man speech – set up a joke, land a toast, or close on something more sentimental than you could write yourself.

Below are 11 perfect best man speech quotes, grouped by how you’d actually use them, plus guidance on making a borrowed line feel like part of your speech rather than a Google search result.

Funny and witty quotes

Use these to set up a best man joke or lighten the room before you get into your own material.

“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” – Groucho Marx
“The man who says his wife can’t take a joke forgets that she took him.” – Oscar Wilde
“A man is incomplete until he’s married. After that, he’s finished.” – Zsa Zsa Gabor
“Some women pick men to marry, and others pick men to pieces.” – Mae West
“It’s not as great a day for the bride as she thinks – she’s not marrying the best man.” – Anonymous
“It’s a funny thing that when a man hasn’t anything on earth to worry about, he goes off and gets married.” – Robert Frost
“Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage.” – Diane Sollee

Romantic and sentimental quotes

Better suited to a toast or a closing line, once you’ve moved past the jokes.

“The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” – Allan K. Chalmers
“There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day, knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” – Ronald Reagan
“The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman’s heart.” – Timothy Titcomb (J. G. Holland)
“You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes, and her eyes everywhere in the world.” – David Levesque

How to use a quote without it falling flat

Attribute it properly. Say the name before or after the quote – it adds credibility and gives the audience a beat to register the line is a quote, not your own words.
Follow it with your own line. A quote works best as a springboard, not a full stop – add a sentence connecting it back to the couple. “Groucho Marx once said he should’ve asked for a jury instead of a judge – luckily, [groom], the jury’s well and truly in on this one.”
Use one, maybe two, per speech. Quotes are seasoning, not the main course – the audience came to hear about the couple, not a greatest-hits list of one-liners.
Match the quote to the moment. Save the funny ones for early in the speech when you’re warming the room up, and save a sentimental one for your closing toast.

FAQs

How do you use a quote in a best man speech?

Introduce the quote with the author’s name, then follow it with a line connecting it back to the couple or the groom specifically. Used this way, a quote sets up a moment rather than sitting as a standalone one-liner.

What’s a good quote to end a best man speech?

A sentimental quote about love or partnership tends to land better as a closing line than a joke, since it gives the room a natural moment to raise a glass. Pair it with your own final line to the couple for a stronger finish.

Should best man speech quotes be funny or sentimental?

Both have a place – funny quotes work well early on to settle nerves and warm up the room, while sentimental ones land best near the end, just before the toast.

Bridebook, the UK’s #1 wedding planning platform used by over 2.8 million couples, has more guidance on writing a best man speech – including best man speech opening lines to pair with these quotes and set the tone from the very first line.

Why Trust Bridebook

Bridebook is the world’s #1 wedding planning platform, used by over 2.8 million couples. Our content is informed by real data from the Bridebook UK Wedding Report, which draws on responses from thousands of couples planning their weddings each year. Where expert input is included, contributors are named and their credentials verified. We update our articles regularly to ensure prices, statistics, and advice reflect current market conditions.

Last reviewed: July 2026

Zoe Burke

Zoe Burke is Head of Brand at Bridebook, the UK’s leading wedding planning platform. With over 14 years of experience in the wedding industry, Zoe is a recognised expert on how couples plan, choose, and book their weddings - and how venues and suppliers can best support them. At Bridebook, Zoe leads the brand, content and social strategy, shaping the advice, tools and inspiration used by hundreds of thousands of couples each year. Her work focuses on helping couples feel confident and informed when making some of the biggest decisions of their lives - from choosing the right venue to navigating budgets, guest lists and modern wedding etiquette. Zoe is a regular media commentator on wedding trends, planning behaviours and the realities of the UK wedding industry. She has appeared on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4, and BBC local radio, and has been quoted in national and international publications including The Times, Stylist, Cosmopolitan, Mail Online, The Knot, and more in her capacity as a wedding expert. She has also contributed expert commentary to several wedding books. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoe was appointed to the Government-backed UK Weddings Taskforce, where she helped shape national guidance and policy for weddings, representing the needs of both couples and wedding businesses during an unprecedented period for the industry. Today, Zoe combines real-world industry insight with data from Bridebook’s annual UK Wedding Report and planning tools to provide practical, trusted advice for couples and professionals alike. Her approach is grounded in one core belief: that planning a wedding should feel empowering, not overwhelming.

Last updated: 27th Jul 2026