These Quick Tips Will Help Your Maid of Honor Speech Inspire Happy Tears
Your BFF is getting married, and she's asked you to be her maid of honor (squee!). Between brainstorming stunning rustic wedding ideas, helping pick the just-right flowers for the wedding bouquets, and throwing the perfect bridal shower, make sure you carve out ample time for perhaps the most important maid of honor duty of all: the maid of honor speech.
So, how do you write a memorable maid of honor speech? We have some step-by-step advice on what to say—and, more importantly, what not to say. Here are some tips on how to write the best maid of honor speech ever, including how long a maid of honor speech should be and how you should end a maid of honor speech.
Do not wing it. Put pen to paper and write a thoughtful expression of your love for the couple on their wedding day—and then practice, practice, practice.
Introduce yourself. Sure, the happy couple and their families likely know you well, but many wedding guests may not. Start with a quick history of how you met the bride, how long you’ve known her, and when you first heard about the groom.
Show your sense of humor. People love a good laugh, so tell a joke or sprinkle in a funny anecdote or two to break the ice. If you’re having trouble, browse through old photos of you and the bride. You’re bound to come across something hilarious—like the middle school dance or camping trips—that sparks a funny memory. But avoid inside jokes—you don’t want other guests to feel left out.
Say it from the heart. Don’t be afraid to get emotional. After all, this is a really big day for the couple. Weddings often bring out all the feels, so if you want to share your love in a more heartfelt way, now’s the time.
Keep it clean. It's likely that you and the bride have experienced a lot of crazy times together. (That’s why you’re the maid of honor!) But keep your speech clean and positive. You don’t want to embarrass the bride and make other guests feel uncomfortable.
Keep it short and sweet. We’ve all been to events where someone wears out their welcome on the microphone. An appropriate amount of time for a maid of honor speech is absolutely no longer than five minutes (two to three is the sweet spot).
Be prepared. Besides practicing (more than you think you should!), write key words or bullet points on a note card, or even print out the entire speech. It’s better to glance down for a reminder than completely blank on what you so lovingly planned to say. Speak clearly into the mic and hold it about a third of an inch from your lips.
Limit your drinking beforehand. The last thing you want is a sloppy speech being captured on video and going viral! You don’t want to embarrass yourself or the bride on her wedding day. Limit yourself to one glass of bubbly to calm your nerves, and no more until after your speech.
End it with a toast. As you're wrapping up your speech, make sure to thank the couple and their families for including you in this very special day. Here are some other sweet ways to end a maid of honor speech:
Best wishes to the happy couple!
May you live happily ever after!
Cheers!
Raise a glass to the newlyweds!
I love you.
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