Being the maid of honor is a special moment and it is the part where your best friend or sister is getting married. It is important to take this role seriously since they chose you. It comes with a lot of responsibility, from helping the bride prepare for the big day, as well as get into her dress before the wedding. What’s more, you are often required to make a maid of honor speech.
Are you not sure what to include in your maid of honor speech? We have some tips for you, as well as some speech examples you can read to give you a few ideas.
Prepare in Advance
You may think that you can wing it when you are called upon for your speech. After all, you have known the bride for many years. But, this is not a good idea. Speaking in front of a lot of guests can be hard. You can get stage fright and it is hard to entertain. Everyone is going to be expecting you to give a good speech.
The best thing to do is prepare your maid of honor speech in advance. Make a draft and practice. This is going to allow you to feel confident and include everythings you want to say to the bride and groom.
Introduce Yourself
A lot of maid of honor speeches start with an introduction. Chances are, there are going to be people at the wedding that do not know who you are. A quick introduction can ensure people know why you are the maid of honor. This does not have to be a long part of the speech. A quick description of how you know the bride and your name is going to be sufficient.
It Does Not Have to be Funny
When you watch speeches at a wedding in the movies, the people always try to make it funny. But, if this is not something that comes naturally to you, avoid making jokes. When you try to make your maid of honor speech funny, it can end up being awkward. In addition, inside jokes might be recognized by the bride but guests will not join in with the humor. So, speak from the heart and avoid making anything you say forced.
Make the Bride Feel Special
Your maid of honor speech is the moment you can make the bride feel special. Avoid any embarrassing stories that will humiliate your best friend or sister. Stick to stories and times in her life that are going to make her feel good. After all, it is her wedding day! You can make your big day extra special and share some great stories through the years, as well as how perfect the couple is together.
Make a Toast
Do not forget to make a toast at the end of the speech. This can save you from thinking of ways to end it. Instead, having a toast is going to let everyone know you have said everything you want to. What’s more, everyone is going to appreciate having some champagne!
Examples of Maid of Honor Speeches
Now that you have read our pointers, it is time to take a look at some examples of maid of honor speeches. They are going to help you get inspired and write a speech that you love and are confident to read at your sister or best friend’s wedding.
The Introduction Sample
First of all, let’s take a look at some examples of how you can introduce yourself and say hello to the guests:
‘Good evening! I would like to thank all of you for coming and I hope you are having a lovely day like I am.’
‘Hello everyone, my name is…and I am the maid of honor. I just want to take a few moments to talk about the lovely bride and groom’.
Making a Heartfelt Speech
You should always take a moment to honor the bride and example your connection with them, as well as share lovely stories. Here are some samples:
‘I have known the bride since we were little girls. I always think about how we grew up together and now I am making a speech at her wedding’.
‘Some of you may not know that I have been the bride’s best friend since kindergarten. We would ride our bikes together and now, we are going to be raising families at the same time’.
Sharing a Funny Story
Some maid of honors want to make their speech humorous. Indeed, this is something you can do if it feels natural to you. A good way you can do this is by sharing a funny story that you think the guests will also appreciate. Here is how you can start your story:
‘The bride looks beautiful today. But, I have to share this funny moment that happened a few years ago’.
‘We all know that there are embarrassing moments that happen in life. Thankfully, I have been there to witness most of them with the bride!’
Comment on the Couple
Of course, you are the maid of honor to the bride. But, you should make sure that you make a comment for the happy couple. For example:
‘I cannot imagine two people that are more perfect for each other than the bride and groom’.
‘I hope that one day, I will have such an amazing connection like the bride and groom have and be as happy as they are when they are together’.
Make a Toast
As we have already discussed, a toast is the perfect way to end your speech. So, here are a few ways on how you can do this:
‘Without further ado, let’s raise our glasses and celebrate the new Mrs and Ms – cheers!’
‘Now, if you would all join me in raising your glass. Here is to celebrating with the happy couple for the rest of the night and wishing them nothing but happiness and wealth in the future!’
Mackenzie
Mackenzie is a freelance writer with over ten years of experience writing on all things weddings. She received her BA in English from the University of California in Los Angeles. When she’s not writing about weddings, Mackenzie enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 kids (twin boys) exploring the beautiful California countryside. While in nature, she captures picturesque images of mountain lakes, the beach, and more. Mackenzie is also a pet parent to two Siamese cats. She appreciates their individuality and the fact they pretty independent. But they love to snuggle at the end of day, which is one of the things Mackenzie enjoys in the evenings to relax after a busy day at work.
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