So your best friend is getting married. He's finally tying the knot and he's asked you to be the best man. You'll be standing at his side as he says his vows at the ceremony, but at the reception it will be you that everyone is watching. The wedding toast is a time-honored tradition and as the best man you'll be expected to give a good one.

Here's some advice on how to give a memorable wedding toast:

Prepare ahead of time. Even if you are the type of guy who can stand up and speak about anything and everything without even blinking an eye, a wedding toast is a little different than a sales presentation. There will be a lot of emotion in the room and you'll be in front of a different crowd than at a board meeting. If you expect to speak off the top of your head you may wind up crashing and burning.

Start preparing early. Give yourself plenty of time to edit and revise. You don't want to find yourself scrambling form something to say at the last minute.

Practice. Time yourself as you give the speech in front of a mirror. And have a friend listen to your speech and offer opinions. Make sure you are speaking clearly and that you are not talking too fast or too slowly.

Steer clear of one-liners and jokes. Instead, focus on stories from the couple's past. You probably already have a good number of stories you can share about the groom. Childhood stories are always remembered well and they can show the character of the groom as well as how he got to where he is today.

If you haven't had a chance to get to know the bride, you can always ask her friends nd family for a few stories or anecdotes from her past. Sprinkle in a few words about how perfect the couple is together and you're all set. Another option, depending on the couple, is to read a poem extolling the virtues of marriage. You can find many examples on the internet, and it does not have to be overly sappy.

Remember your audience. There will likely be older relatives and children present. Use judgement in your language and in the stories you share. Using a little humor is fine. But launching into profanities or stories of wild sex escapades will only make your speech memorable for all the wrong reasons.