Good speeches are not judged by their length but by their content. In other words, what we say is more important than how much we say. That is why short best man speeches work so well. We have all been to weddings where a best man has gone on far too long. The guests are expected to be polite and look interested while the best man rambles on, obviously out of his depth and trying to fill in time. Sometimes it can be embarrassing. With some simple planning he could have finished in under two minutes and made everyone happy.Short best man speeches work best if there is a format to follow:1. Stay with the basics. At most weddings, you will be the first to speak, so thank the guests for coming.2. Say something light and amusing to break the ice. This will get the audience on side and help you relax. You can make a joke about the groom - something from your relationship with him. A funny story about him is always good. If you do not have one, then move on. 3. Comment on the couple - how well suited they are; how happy they are together; why they will have a good marriage. You can say how lucky the groom was to find such a woman to be his bride. Thank them for the chance to make the toast then make the toast. That's short and sweet.4. The bridesmaids' toast can be the same. Say how lovely they look and what great choices the bride made in asking them to be bridesmaids. How they contributed to the day. Then offer the toast.You can do this in less than two minutes and do it well. No one will complain that your speech was too short. Many will be grateful. You might feel you have to say more but you could spoil it by talking too long. Some people feel they are expected to make a long speech and they start to ramble. It has been said a good speech is like packing for holidays - once you have packed, unpack and leave half at home. After you write your speech see if there are things you can discard.A word of caution: the key to a good speech is preparation, whether the speech is long or short. Make sure you know what you are going to say and then practice it so you know it thoroughly. This way you will know what you are going to say and how long it will take to say it.