Your best friend is about to get married, and has asked you to take a few moments and give a best man speech that is going to be one for the ages. So what do you do, tell stories about things that would embarrass him in front of friends and family? Or do you show the endearing side of him that few people get to see? The right answer is a little bit of both.

Tip #1: Be Truthful About Who He Is

You want to be able to tell a few little stories that show his silly side, but you also want to make sure people in the room understand he is far more than those moments. Don’t shy away from an anecdote that will make people smile or laugh, but don’t go out of your way to embarrass him either. Show who he is in a way that shows how close you are, without going overboard.

Tip #2: Don’t Leave People Hanging

The whole point of the best man’s speech is to show who the groom is to the people in the room that don’t know him well. If you are going to tell them a story, make sure you include how it started, the point, and how everything turned out in the end. This impression could be a lasting one, so make sure it shows the parts of him you want other people knowing.

Tip #3: Give Your Speech Sober

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to have a nice speech planned out, but be too far gone to give it right. If you want to have a sip of the bubbly when sitting down at the reception table, that’s one thing, but getting plastered before your speech will undoubtedly ruin the intention behind the whole thing.

Tip #4: Don’t Take Forever

You want to give a speech that wow’s the guests at the wedding, not puts them to sleep. Give your speech a few once-overs to cut out anything that’s unnecessary, and keep to the point during your speech. It is important to share who he is, but not tell his entire life’s story.

Tip #5: Practice Your Speech Ahead of Time

The last thing you want to do is go in and read off of cards to the guests of the wedding. Take some time to prepare and memorize your speech ahead of time so you can give the most polished best man’s speech possible.