You've got a handful of memories. The bachelor party, that one road trip, the time he did something dumb in college. Good stuff. Not enough. A best man speech built entirely on your memories is really a speech about you two — and the room doesn't just want your story of the groom. They want the whole guy. That means you need material you don't have. So here's how to get stories for a best man speech beyond your own hard drive.
Why your own memories aren't the whole speech
You've known him for maybe a decade, maybe two. His mom has known him for his whole life. His college roommate saw a version of him you never met. The bride has seen how he loves someone, which you never will, not really. If your speech only covers what you personally witnessed, you're leaving out most of who he is. Worse, a speech built only on your own inside jokes tends to drift toward being about you and your friendship, when the best toasts stay pointed outward, at him.
This is the part people skip because it feels like homework. It's not. It's the difference between a speech that sounds like a highlight reel of your friendship and one that sounds like the room finally understanding why everyone loves this guy.
Who to call before you write a word
His parents
Call, don't text. Ask his mom or dad one question: