The maid of honour’s speech is an important part of a wedding ceremony. It’s a unique moment to celebrate your close friendship with the bride while sharing heartfelt or humorous stories. This guide will help you craft a memorable and enjoyable speech for the couple and their guests while adhering to basic etiquette.
Let’s get straight to the point
A maid of honour’s speech is a heartfelt or humorous moment to celebrate your friendship with the bride. Keep the speech clean and family-friendly, and avoid sensitive topics like money, politics, or personal conflicts. Start by introducing yourself, sharing appropriate stories about the bride, and incorporating anecdotes about the groom. Set a tone that fits the wedding, whether funny or serious. End with a toast and wishing the couple well. Practice your speech beforehand to ensure it’s concise (3-4 minutes) and flows smoothly. Focus on celebrating the bride and groom and express gratitude to their families and guests for attending.
Keep It Clean
Weddings often bring together guests from all walks of life—relatives, friends, and sometimes even work colleagues. While you might be tempted to share funny, behind-the-scenes stories about the bride, it’s important to remember your audience. Avoid embarrassing anecdotes or anything that might cause discomfort, especially if parents, grandparents, or children are present. Keep your speech light and positive, focusing on the day’s joy.
Do Your Research
If you don’t know many guests attending, try familiarising yourself with who they are before the wedding. This will help you avoid unintentionally offending or alienating anyone. Avoid topics like politics, money, and family disputes, which can make the atmosphere uncomfortable. Instead, focus on uplifting and universal themes that everyone can appreciate.
Watch Out For Sensitive Topics
Sensitive topics like money or family conflicts are best avoided during a Maid of Honour speech. The goal is to create a comfortable, joyful environment. If the couple has had a religious ceremony, you might want to mention their faith respectfully, but be careful not to alienate those who don’t share the same beliefs.
Writing The Speech: A Step-By-Step Guide
1. Introduce Yourself
Not all guests will know who you are, especially at a larger wedding. Start by introducing yourself and how you know the bride. This helps set the stage for your speech and gives context to the stories you’re about to tell.
2. Choose Stories Wisely
You probably have many stories about the bride, but not all are appropriate for this setting. Choose stories that reflect her personality and the significance of her relationship with the groom. Avoid anything too personal or risqué. Keep it family-friendly and relatable for all guests.
3. Set The Tone
Decide whether you want your speech to be funny, heartfelt, or a mix of both. Consider the overall mood of the wedding and what the couple would appreciate. If the bride’s family enjoys jokes, feel free to add humour. If the event is more formal, aim for a more serious tone.
4. Connect The Stories To The Wedding
Tie your stories into the bride’s relationship with the groom. Did the bride ever dream of marrying someone like her partner? Did she share stories about him during their courtship? Make the groom a part of your speech by sharing anecdotes about their relationship and how it has positively impacted her life.
5. Show Love To The Groom
In addition to talking about the bride, mention the groom. This is an opportunity to welcome him into your friendship circle. Talk about how happy he makes the bride, or share a funny or touching story about the first time you met him. This focuses on the couple, which is the heart of the wedding day.
Closing The Speech
Once you’ve shared your stories, it’s time to wish the couple well for their future. This is a chance to express your hopes and blessings for their married life. If you’ve been married, you could offer some light-hearted advice or share a personal story about the joys of marriage.
End the speech with a toast. It can be as simple as raising a glass and congratulating the happy couple, or you could share a meaningful quote that ties into your speech. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something personal that resonates with the couple.
Practice Makes Perfect
Before delivering your speech, practice reading it out loud. This helps you gauge the flow and timing. Aim for a speech that lasts around three to four minutes—long enough to be meaningful but short enough to keep everyone engaged. Practising will also help you deliver your speech with confidence and ease.
Tips For A Successful Maid Of Honour Speech
1. Express Gratitude
Start your speech by thanking the bride and groom’s families for hosting the event and the bride for choosing you as her maid of honour. This sets a positive and appreciative tone right from the beginning.
2. Share Personal Stories
The heart of your speech should focus on your personal experiences with the bride. Share stories highlighting her best qualities, such as her kindness, sense of humour, or loyalty as a friend. Choose stories that are both relatable and entertaining for the audience.
3. Make It About The Couple
After sharing stories about your friendship with the bride:
- Shift the focus to the bride and groom’s relationship.
- Talk about how their love has grown and how they complement each other.
- Avoid making the speech solely about the bride—after all, this is a celebration of the couple’s union.
4. Keep It Light And Positive
While some speeches may delve into deeper or more emotional territory, keeping the overall tone light and celebratory is always a good idea. Avoid roasting or making fun of the couple in a way that could be seen as offensive. The goal is to entertain and uplift, not embarrass or make anyone uncomfortable.
5. Include Everyone
While your speech is primarily about the couple, remember that you’re speaking to a room full of guests. Involve them by acknowledging their presence and thanking them for being there to celebrate the couple. This helps create a sense of unity and appreciation for the special day.
6. Wrap It Up With A Toast
Once you’ve shared your stories and expressed your best wishes for the couple, end your speech with a toast. Ask the guests to raise their glasses and join you in congratulating the bride and groom. This is a traditional way to close a maid of honour speech and signal the end of your remarks.
Advice For The Maid Of Honour
As the maid of honour, you play a vital role in the wedding, and your speech is a special part of the celebration. Confidence is key, so take your time and enjoy the moment. The couple has chosen you because of your close relationship, and your speech is an opportunity to celebrate that bond.
Conclusion
The maid of honour’s speech is a cherished opportunity to celebrate the bride and her journey to marriage. By choosing meaningful stories, maintaining an appropriate tone, and focusing on the bride and groom, you can craft a heartfelt and memorable speech that resonates with everyone. Keep it concise, practice in advance, and remember to enjoy the moment—your words will contribute to the joy and significance of the day, creating lasting memories for the couple and their guests.
FAQs About Wedding Speech
What Do You Say In A Wedding Speech?
Wedding Speech Template
- Open with a startling statement or question. Don’t lead with a joke or a reference to how nervous you are.
- Address your audience.
- Zero in one to three points.
- Rehearse.
- Record yourself practising.
- Lay off the booze.
- Let nerves work to your advantage.
- Be yourself.
What To Say At The Beginning Of A Wedding?
Generic. Dear friends and family of the Bride and Groom, we welcome and thank you for being part of this important occasion. We are gathered together on this day to witness and celebrate the marriage of Name Of Bride and Name Of Groom. Every one of us has a deep desire to love and to be loved.
How Do You Start A Wedding Toast?
Wedding Toast Template
- Congratulate the couple. Express how happy you are that the two of them are getting married and what it means to you to witness it.
- Introduce yourself.
- Tell a (curated) story.
- Address both partners.
- Go for the crowd-pleasers.
- Raise your glass for a toast.
Can The Bride Make A Speech?
Bride and/or Groom Speech. The bride and groom too can take the mic and give a speech. As the bride or groom, you can keep your speech short and just thank everyone for being there to celebrate your special day or deliver a full speech complete with a sweet story.
Is It Ok To Drink After A Maid Of Honour Speech?
Dependent on your tolerance, one or two drinks is good, but don’t let it snowball. The mood of the celebration is quickly dampened if the maid of honour flubs her speech, goes on a rambling tangent, makes inappropriate comments, or throws up from a combination of anxiety and drink.
A maid of honour speech doesn’t have to be a comedy act if humour isn’t your strong suit. Be as emotional, sweet, or nostalgic as you like, but don’t get intoxicated with it. It would help if you held off on drinking until after the maid of honour’s toast.
