Write a heartfelt bridesmaid speech
Complete your maid of honor speech easily with a 4-step template
By: Susan Dugdale
Your best friend, or your sister, is getting married and you've been asked to be the principal bridesmaid or maid of honor.
It's exciting and a privilege.
Once the euphoria settles, you realize there's also a bridesmaid speech or maid of honor speech to prepare.
What you'll find on this page:
- a 4 step outline or template to follow to ensure your speech is well structured and covers the expected content
- content suggestions, with examples
- links to bridesmaid speech examples, wedding poems and readings
- guidelines on how to best to prepare to deliver your speech
Here's a basic 4 step outline to follow
Don't worry that through using it your speech will be the same as every other bridesmaid. Because you are "you" and your relationship to the bride is unique, what you bring to the essential content list will make your speech original.
The guide is only here to give your speech structure - a logical easily followed format, and to help you cover off
what's expected. How you do that is up to you!
Be yourself, honest, and, ready!
Aim to keep it real, sincere and to be original!
Do try to steer away from lashings of stereotypical saccharine sweetness to describe the bride: "the most beautiful", "my best friend for ever", "the kindest, most adorable girl in the universe", "the cutest", "the funniest", "totally angelic", ...
And to avoid a last minute panic stricken rush, allow yourself approximately three weeks to write and then, practice, practice, practice.
Read an example maid of honor speech for a sister
How do you begin to write a bridesmaid or maid of honor speech when it's for your sister?
The same way as you would for a very dear friend. Read my example speech and see.
I've written it following the guidelines here but with one significant extra step: an explanation and example of the beginning brainstorming process.
Read more: an example maid of honor speech for a sister.
Read MOH speech examples from a best friend's point of view
Both these speeches use a similar outline to the one featured on this page. Reading them will help you begin the process of deciding what to put in the speech you need to prepare.
1. Introduction
In the opening segment of your bridesmaid speech include a
greeting to welcome all the guests. Mention any special ones by name,
your name and your relationship to the bride.
If your speech follows the best man's you may like to reference that too.
Here's an example of an introduction:
“Good evening! It's fabulous to see you all here including one
very special lady, Teri's extra-mother Sally. Not even flight delays on the other side of the world could keep her away!
My name is Joan, and I have been best friends with Teri, our bride, since the second grade.
Thank you Mike (the best man) for your very gracious, and expected, compliments on the beauty of the bride and bridesmaids. What can a woman do but agree? We are indeed exceptionally gorgeous!
The bride is already spoken
for. However let's see if your actions speak as well as your words. I'll be in the bar later. Mine's a double!”
2. History of the your relationship & a story
Your introduction should segue nicely into the next part of your bridesmaid speech: a brief history of your relationship to the bride, followed by a short anecdote or story.
This is essential content as it puts your relationship with the bride into context for the guests.
Avoid stories mentioning any of the bride’s ex-boyfriends or incidents she would find too embarrassing. Your goal is to honor the bride, not humiliate her.
Stories that would be suitable here are those that illustrate the qualities you admire about her, the shared experiences at the heart of your relationship that keep it ongoing.
These are your classic childhood/school/work-life tales, the ones suitable for and understood by everybody. They are the "feel-good" stories, making people smile regardless of their age.
(To see an example of a suitable story to share read my bridesmaid speech for a sister or either of these maid of honor speech examples.)
The final touch in this segment is to thank the bride for the honor of being her bridesmaid.
3. History of the couple's relationship & story
This is the part of your bridesmaid speech where you discuss the relationship of the bride and the groom.
If you knew the groom before they began dating, you might have a funny story about how he was before he met the bride. Or this could be the part where you tell how you helped them get together, or how you knew the bride was in love with the groom.
Again, avoid any mention of previous relationships, leave out stories that are overly embarrassing or that highlight any problems the couple may have had in the past, and stay away from anything too risque or off-color.
Your role is to positively present the relationship and the commitment they have jointly made.
(You can see examples of this step in these MOH speeches: a maid of honor speech for a sister sample and 2 maid of honor speech examples from a best friend's point of view. )
4. Conclusion
This section should include your best wishes for the couple and your hopes for their future. You could express that with a well-chosen quote, a brief poem, or even a song. Whether it is funny and playful or serious and sentimental, whatever you do needs to match the tone or mood of what has gone before.
Your final remark should be a definitive statement indicating to the
guests that you've finished. You could achieve that by simply raising
your glass and saying "To Susie and Bill!"
For more go to: How to end a maid of honor speech
You'll find twenty example endings of varying sorts. Some are funny. Some use quotations...Find a conclusion you like, and adapt it to make it your own.
More pages to help you prepare:
Here's a diverse collection of classic wedding poems and readings drawn from many cultures and eras to help you find just the right words to express what you want to say.
Reading other MOH speeches is a good way to jumpstart ideas for your own speech. Here are two maid of honor speech examples written from a best friend's point of view. One is heartfelt and the other more light-hearted. Both are rich with personal stories!
Use cue cards to help you deliver your speech well
Do not be that woman who stands up to speak and tries to hold a mike plus several pieces of paper with her speech on them, and then read, speak and gesture at the same time.
It's a very public juggling act that could go sideways quite quickly. And it doesn't have to be like that.
Find out how to make and use cue cards. Save yourself from potential stress.
The importance of rehearsal: practice, practice and more practice
Please don't skimp on rehearsal. You need to practice your speech aloud (a lot) to find out if it flows well, fits the time allowance you've been given and to build your confidence before you deliver it at the reception.
Making time for rehearsal is one of those things you will thank yourself for. Truly.
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