Writing a Maid of Honor Speech

You’ve been asked to play a huge role in your best friend’s wedding. Being her maid of honor! However, this job comes with many important tasks. One of the most important being writing the maid of honor speech. While this is a moment to celebrate your friendship, the idea of getting up in front of a crowd can be unnerving if you aren’t used to getting up in front of a crowd, giving a speech.

As staunch advocates of true bestie love, we’ve created a go-to guide for penning the perfect speech to see your BFF off on their new life with their partner. With a few tips along with plenty of practice, your wedding words will be delivered without a hitch.

Maid of Honor Speech Template

Start with the bride and end with the couple.

Of everyone at the wedding, you have the best insight into how much your bestie’s partner has changed them for the better. Your speech needs to be about the friend you knew long before meeting their soulmate. Then pivot to what role they have played in their life. Maybe your friend is even funnier now. Or maybe you’ve simply never seen her so happy. This is also a great way to incorporate their new spouse into the speech if you don’t really know them that well. Speak to the way that they complement each other or how your bestie’s new spouse has made them a better person.

Sprinkle in anecdotes.

Stories do a better job of getting your point across than blanket statements ever will. Each anecdote you share should have an underlying theme that ties all the stories together. Reveal that theme near the end of your speech, and you’ll achieve a strong emotional impact.

End with a positive outlook.

The nature of this speech is not so much about your relationship with your friend, but the bond the couple shares. Make sure all of the separate components of your toast draw a positive conclusion, ending in how happy the couple is together and your best wishes for their marriage.

Answer These Questions to Get Started

• Who will be speaking before or after you? How will this affect the content of your speech? (You might want to include a reference to their toast in your speech. Thank them for an introduction. Even introduce the next speaker.
• What would your friend want their in-laws and newly acquired family to know about them? How can you attest to those qualities or characteristics from your own experiences with them?
• What’s a warm memory of the newlyweds that always makes you smile? (If their relationship were a Hollywood movie trailer, what key moments would be featured?)
• When you picture the couple’s life together in a few years, what do you see? Is there any advice you can give them for their lifelong journey ahead?
• Is there something you want to say to your bestie’s new spouse? (Perhaps a few lighthearted tips on how to handle more trying situations? You’ve learned from your own experiences!)

Maid of Honor Speech Tips

Brainstorm.

Get your creative process started by writing down any memories, emotions, or ideas that make you think of your best friend. Free write for 20 minutes. When you’re done you should have some quality material. You can weave that into the form of a speech. This allows you to create an overall blueprint of all the major points you want to make. It creates a roadmap of your ideas. From there, fill it in with supporting information. Fully flesh it out.

Avoid generic praise.

Use entertaining and engaging stories to show the bride’s personality. There is a big difference between saying, “She is such a great friend!” versus telling a story that illustrates that point. Half the guests may not know your best gal all that well. Use this moment to paint a picture of how amazing she is. Bring her character to life with details that only you know.

Remember this isn’t about you.

A lot of the anecdotes should be about your time with your friend. Remember you are not the focal point. Briefly introduce yourself. Remember, most of the people probably won’t know who you are or your relation to the couple. Then you shouldn’t make any additional references to yourself. You’re simply the vehicle to explain why the newlyweds are so fantastic.

Do not mention exes.

No one wants to be reminded of past relationships. Particularly in front of their family, friends, and new life partner. Keep the tone of your speech positive. It will reflect positively on you as well.

Keep it short.

The longer your speech, the faster you will lose people’s attention. Keep your speech under five minutes. Anywhere between two to five minutes is the sweet spot!

Pause.

Be sure to pause for a few seconds after each joke. Let people laugh. When you immediately start speaking right afterward, you won’t give people a chance to laugh or even understand the next line. Keep in mind that starting the speech on a funny note can help you capture the attention of the audience. It’s the meaningful content, however, that will keep them enthralled until the end. Your goal should be to have guests laughing and wiping tears away. Balance humor with sincerity. If you experience public-speaking jitters, try looking just above everyone’s head. We have found that this can minimize anxiety while allowing guests to think you’re looking right at them.

Don’t use inside jokes.

If the joke or situation is something where you would have had to be there to understand, avoid using it. If people don’t understand the context, it will go over their heads. This makes them feel left out. It’s okay to poke a little bit of fun at your friend, but keep it light. Don’t say anything that would be embarrassing or make them uncomfortable.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

The more you recite your speech out loud, the more comfortable you’ll be. Practice your speech at least twice a day. Start at least a week beforehand. Record yourself a couple of times to hear your pacing and tone. Rehearse the speech in front of friends to see if your jokes get a laugh. Try practicing in a mirror to nail your physical presence.

Maid of Honor Speech Examples to Make Your Own

“Good evening, everyone. I’m Diana. The maid of honor and the bride’s best friend. Over the past 15 years, I’ve witnessed Anne prioritize everyone else’s happiness. Today, we get to honor hers. Anne, my most fun-loving friend. I knew she’d be down to join me on a two-week adventure traveling throughout Europe.

We lived together. Nothing cements a friendship quite like sharing a full-size bed in dingy hostels from the Netherlands to Spain. Anne’s luggage kept breaking. She went through four suitcases in 14 days! There we were, strolling down a busy street in Madrid and Anne’s clothes were falling out of her over-packed suitcase. Just painting the path behind us with sundresses and socks. She never let her rundown luggage ruin the trip. She just kept rolling with it. Literally. I can always depend on Anne to roll with any situation. To show up for the people that she loves. And to have a good time.

She has this belief that the more she can give you, embrace you, and love you—the better off she is.

But the truth is everyone in this room is better for knowing you, Anne. You love so deeply, selflessly, and unconditionally. I know that Gil is the best partner for Anne. I’ve seen him mirror these traits for her. No matter what may come your way, your combined patience, resilience, and love will make you an unstoppable team. Most importantly, I know you two will continue to keep rolling with it. Cheers!” —Diana

Lauren’s Maid of Honor Speech

“I’m Lauren. Welcome! I was introduced to Sara through a mutual friend to evaluate if she would be a fit as my future roommate. I showed up to that first dinner wearing a casual sundress and flats. Meanwhile, Sara walked in with voluminous curls, smoky eyes, red lipstick, and a smile that showed me she deserved that Miss Alabama title in ’04. I just thought, ‘Who is this girl?’

Over the next two hours, I learned that this girl was the coolest, funniest person. I had to live with her. We moved in and it was truly an immediate fit. From watching the same shows to downing bottles of the same wine. Despite our homebody nature, we did enjoy our Saturday nights running around the city. One night, after several margaritas, Sara and I found ourselves locked out of the house. We came up with the best plan we could imagine. Let’s cannonball into our pool! There we were. Two tequila-loving girls cannonballing to see who could create the biggest splash. From that night on, whenever we went out, we’d ask ourselves one key question. ‘Is it going to be a cannonball kind of night?’

Inspiring joyful moments is what Sara does for everyone else in her life. It makes me happy to know that her new husband will do exactly that for her. Just like she’s always filled the gap in our friend group. We know that Dustin has entered her life to level her out in the best of ways. Let’s raise a glass to Sara and Dustin! May your life together be full of cannonball nights.” —Lauren

Makayla’s Maid of Honor Speech

“Hi, my name is Makayla. I’m the bride’s younger sister and maid of honor. As I look at Rose and Micah today, I see two people in the most loving, trustworthy, and nurturing relationship I’ve ever witnessed. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to me. Even on her wedding day, Rose is teaching me about life and love.

The truth is Rose has been my lifelong teacher. She’s the one who taught me how to read. How to ride a bike. But my most memorable teaching moment was when I was 11 years old. We had this mutual understanding. Or so I thought. That we would not read each other’s journals. I, of course, read hers. I naively assumed she did not read mine. I learned the truth when I opened my journal. I saw an entire page filled with Rose’s handwriting. There, in the middle of my journal was a critique from my sister detailing out how I could improve my writing.

That’s one of the things I love and admire about Rose. She inspires the people around her to be the best versions of themselves. I know that if it weren’t for my sister, I would not be the person I am today. I’m inspired daily by the woman she is. Her confidence is unshakable. Her excitability is contagious. And her determination is awe-inspiring. Rose will finally get to experience what I’ve felt like my entire life with her. She’ll be cared for. Unconditionally loved. And she will learn every day with Micah as her lifelong teacher through love. Please raise a glass to Rose and Micah! May you two never stop learning from each other as you continue to love each other.” —Makayla

TO SUMMARIZE

• How do I write a maid-of-honor speech? First things first. Don’t over complicate it! Stay authentic to yourself. Keep it simple by telling a story. Share why you love the bride. Raise your glass and toast the newlyweds.
• How long should a maid of honor speech be? Keep it short and sweet. Having a two to five minute speech that is both sentimental and humorous is the best way to honor the couple. It keeps things engaging and memorable.
• How should I end my maid of honor speech? Close out your speech with a simple, light-hearted joke. And toast the newlyweds. This will create the perfect opportunity for a combined cheer and chuckle from the crowd.