How To Write An Impressive Maid Of Honour Speech

  Being chosen to be the Maid Of Honour at your bestfriend's wedding is a big role, and how you handle it matters a lot to the bride.

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It can be nerve racking to prepare the perfect maid of honour speech, but there is a reason that she chose you to stand beside her on her special day!

Whether you are a seasoned public speaker, or have nerves like spaghetti, these few tips can get you well on your way to writing a speech that both you and she will remember forever!

 

1. PLAN IN ADVANCE: Writing your Maid of Honour speech is something you definitely don't want to leave until the last minute, as there was SO much that you would want to say in that short time frame. By making multiple drafts and thoroughly assessing the message that you want to portray in your speech, you will be well prepared and also keep an edge on your nerves on the big day.

2. BE YOURSELF: The best advice for someone writing a toast to the bride is to be authentic. Do not be afraid of emulating the ‘perfect’ Maid Of Honour (MOH). By being yourself you will be just that – perfectly you! After all, she chose you to stand beside her, cry with her and celebrate this experience with her, and there is a darn good reason for that.

3. SET BOUNDARIES WITH HUMOUR: It's always a little challenging to know where to draw the line between humour and honesty when sharing stories with a large group. A toast to the gorgeous bride should provide guests with information and stories they did not already know, but would want to know. Make sure that you don't embarrass the bride in any way, or get too personal… set boundaries so that your humour does not cross the line! You want her to feel special and loved – not humiliated.

4. SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART: Tears are authentic and beautiful, so don't be afraid to speak from your heart when preparing your toast. As long as you can manage to get through your speech and still be audible, the rest is real and beautiful and is coming right from the heart of the girl that she asked to be her MOH.

5. THE BRIDE AND GROOM: It is important to not forget about the man she has just gotten hitched to when you are writing your speech. After all, there wouldn’t be much of a wedding without the groom! Some special mention, story or comment about the groom and the couple is a great addition to a perfect speech. He will be so touched that you included him as well, since he is clearly one of the biggest parts of her life.

6. KNOW YOUR TIME LIMIT: Make sure you ask the bride how much time she has allocated for the speech portion of her celebration so that you don’t go over your time limit. It can be a challenge not to go on and on and on when you are talking about someone you care about… but it's much better and more pleasant for the audience if you don't! Know the time frame that you have to complete your speech and make sure that you stay within your budget.

7. A FINAL WISH: End your speech with a final wish for the bride, the couple and for their future. It could relate to a previous idea that you offered in your speech and it is a great way to prompt the audience to lift their glasses and toast the gorgeous couple. This is the perfect finishing touch that shouldn't be missed when you are composing your perfect maid of honour speech.

No matter what, you are probably going to be nervous when it comes to giving your speech to the bride.

Take deep breaths, think magical thoughts and remember how much it means to her that you are her Maid of Honour and that you have taken the time to share a special piece of your heart with her!

The video below is an example of a well-prepared Maid Of Honour speech.