maid-of-honor-speech

When you're asked to be a maid of honor, it's an incredible ahem… honor. But it also comes with a lot of responsibility — especially if you're asked to give a speech. 

 So how do you go about writing a maid of honor speech that will be memorable, touch the bride & groom and hopefully bring out a few laughs? We've got you covered! 

In this post, we'll give you a step-by-step guide on how to write a maid of honor speech. We'll break down the speech structure, share important do's and don'ts, dive into FAQs and of course some examples to inspire you.

Maid of Honor Speech Template & Structure

a woman giving a speech during a wedding
Photo by Mario Schafer on Pexels.com

This section of the article is going to talk about what goes into a great maid of honor speech. You'll learn about the basic template and structure but we've also included some questions to help you get started with each section.

 
  1. Introductions: (20 Seconds)
    • Who you are
    • How you know the bride
  2. Necessary Thank You's: (15 Seconds)
  3. You and the bride: (1 – 2 Minutes)
    • A story about how you met
    • What she means to you
    • How has she made an impact on your life?
    • Favorite memory
    • Her character (how would you describe her in 3 words)
    • Fun Facts / Jokes
  4. The groom: (1 Minute)
    • Share a story about first meeting the groom
    • First impressions
    • His character (how would you describe him in 3 words)
    • Why he's right for the bride
    • How you knew he was the “one” for her
  5. Celebrate the couple (1-2 Minutes)
    • Share a story about them (maybe how they met?)
    • How they are together as a couple (how would you describe the couple in 3 words)
    • How do they complement each other
    • What do they bring out in each other
    • What do you admire most about the couple?
    • What makes them unique?
    • What are your hopes for their future together?
    • When have you been witness to a lovely moment.
  6. End with a Toast (20 Seconds)
    • Congratulate the bride and groom
    • Say the bride's new last name.
    • Announce its time to celebrate

Maid of Honor Speech Dos, Don'ts & Tips

Here are some dos and don'ts to help make your speech a success. While these are considered widely agreed upon ‘rules'; rules are meant to be broken, so you make the final call!

  • Do try and include funny stories.
  • Do poke fun, but don't cross the line. Don't embarrass anyone.
  • Do leave room for any crowd reaction.
  • Do be short and sweet.
  • Don't tell your life story.
  • DO talk about the couple, not just the bride
  • Don't drink too much before the speech but a tipple can help!
  • Don't include inside jokes.
  • Don't reference any exes.
  • Do practice, practice, practice.

What are the Main Components of a Great Speech

According to this Toastmaster , a great speech is formed of 3 main components:

  1. Structure: A great speech has a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning of a great speech should capture the audience's attention. The middle of a great speech should be where the majority of the content is delivered. The end of a great speech should neatly round the speech off and leave guests with a strong impression. 
  2. Content: Make sure your speech is interesting, relevant, and engaging. To do this, use stories and humor; and try to stay focused on the core topic of the speech, in this case the bride and the couple.  
  3. Delivery: Practice performing your speech so that you sound confident and natural. Work on your vocal delivery by speaking clearly and projecting your voice. Practice gestures and expressions to help you appear natural when delivering your speech. Try to relax before delivering your speech so that you don't appear nervous; easier said than done we realize! While we don't recommend drinking a lot, a tipple might help ease the nerves.

If you watch one video on public speaking, this is it.

Sample Maid of Honor Speeches

We've gathered some examples of wonderful maid-of-honor speeches to give you an idea of what you could say on the big day. We've tried to pick a range of styles and included a transcript on a few to help when it's time for you to begin writing yours.

Standard format but beautifully heartwarming

https://youtu.be/av-aIV8leKQ

• 0:01 – 0:13
Good evening everyone. So I thought the most nerve-wracking part of my job as May of honor was going to be this speech, but managing Mara's bail was definitely,.

• 0:16 – 0:17
Definitely.

• 0:17 – 0:21
Out there. Uh, but I've stopped sweating now. So.

• 0:22 – 0:24
Good. Uh,.

• 0:24 – 0:47
So I hope you're all having a wonderful time celebrating the special day of these two lovebirds here. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kristen and I know Mark and Mara from college. I met Mara when she joined our sorority Kappa Alpha Data.

• 0:48 – 0:48
,.

• 0:51 – 1:39
And we instantly became best friends and soon after I chose her as my little sister and she chose me as her big sister since we met when she was a freshman and I was a sophomore, I was there for every significant ma moment in MA's life throughout her four years in college. The biggest being the start of a beautiful love story between Mark and Ma. As many of you know, Mark and Ma met through ones as student ambassadors for the University of Florida, but it was participation, the talent show for the Filipino Students Association where their love story began.

• 1:41 – 1:48
I first heard about Mara during a three hour road trip down to Daytona for a beach weekend. Sorry. I first heard about Mark.

• 1:49 – 1:49
.

• 1:50 – 1:51
I already knew Mara.

• 1:52 – 1:52
.

• 1:53 – 1:54
We were having gossip time.

• 1:55 – 1:56
And we.

• 1:56 – 2:20
Were headed down to Daytona for a beach weekend with MA's family. And she very casually told me about how the two of them were performing a duet to the Bruno Mars song. Amazing for the talent show right then a burst of excitement pulse through me as I imagine how perfectly romantic it would be if Mark and Mars started to fall for each other. And what could be a scene straight out of high school musical.

• 2:21 – 2:22
.

• 2:24 – 2:40
He was Filipino attractive and he could see him play the piano. So pretty much MA's perfect man, right? But when I brought this to MA's attention, her initial reaction was something along the lines of, Ew,.

• 2:40 – 2:43
Big See the Boy.

• 0:00 – 0:00

• 2:51 – 2:58
And to be fair, I probably would've had the same reaction because Ma and I were a bit shy when it came to the idea of liking your dating boys in college,.

• 2:59 – 2:59
.

• 3:01 – 3:25
They may not have fully recognized just what a special relationship with student develop, but for those three minutes when they performed together on stage, the world stood still and it was obvious there was something truly amazing between the two of them. Four months of courting in a very, very, very confused mark. Later.

• 3:26 – 3:26
.

• 3:28 – 3:54
Mara finally accepted his proposal to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and the rest is history. For the past six years, Mark and Mara have continued to show us the true meaning of love. Our friends always say how obviously perfect they are for each other. You take one look at them when they're together. And the idea of meant to be is depicted in its truest form,.

• 3:56 – 4:37
But it's the deeper side of their relationship, which reminds us all what it means to truly be and love. No relationship is perfect. There are always ups and downs, different viewpoints which can cause conflict and hard times that must both must face together. And like every couple in this room, Mark and Ma have dealt with their such trials throughout the relationship, but they have pushed through every single one, not by sweeping them under the rug, but by facing them full on and together as a couple, working through their challenges, while always maintaining the respect and love they have for each other.

• 4:40 – 5:10
They have been there for each other in countless times of need and supporting each other through both the difficult and wonderful times in each other's lives. And that is the true definition of a love and marriage that will last in the eternity. Mark and Mara, you are an inspiration to all of us, both individually as two people who strive to be a light in the lives of others.

• 5:12 – 5:34
And together as a gorgeous couple radiating love. I am honored to be not only a significant part of your special day, but a significant person in your lives. And I am beyond excited to watch the next chapter of your lives unfold together as husband and wife.

• 5:36 – 5:57
I love you both so much, and I wish you a lifetime of laughter in those joyous moments, loving support in those trialing times, and excitement for all of the adventures that lie ahead to the happily ever her mottos. Cheers.

https://youtu.be/ROQxCiJbue4

• 0:00 – 0:31
Hello everyone. Hello. Hello. Thank you. Um, I hope everyone is digesting their salads well. Um, I know I am actually tonight, um, this is actually the first wedding I've ever been to. So naturally I consulted my lifelong friend and fae the internet, um, in order to give me some criteria. So wedding words.us really pulled through for me. . So here it goes.

• 0:32 – 0:42
Step one, start your speech with a simple yet direct introduction. Hi, I'm Claire. I'm Kelsey's little sister. I'm 25 years old and I have IBS.

• 0:43 – 0:43
.

• 0:46 – 1:00
Thank you. Step two, remember that this isn't about you. See, that is one of the many things that are hard for me to digest because when you think about it, this union is absolutely about me.

• 1:00 – 1:00
.

• 1:01 – 1:26
Before Corey entered my life, I did not have access to 24 7 iced coffee, which she keeps in the fridge at all times, and from which I benefit greatly. . Before Corey, Kelsey had her ups and downs, but now she's pretty much constantly happy. Do you know what that does for my mental health? To have an older sister who is constantly happy, significantly lowered rates of verbal abuse in the household.

• 1:26 – 1:26
.

• 1:27 – 1:50
Before Corey, Kelsey was dating scrubs like Aiden, who spells his name, a o d h a n. Corey spells his name like a normal person, and as a fellow normal person, I can appreciate that. Step three, don't talk about Xes.

• 1:52 – 1:52
Oops.

• 1:53 – 2:24
Step four, talk about the bride. When I first saw Kelsey take the stage, it was a singing competition, and she was performing born to entertain, looking like a Disney princess and a sequin top hat, sequin, leotard, tights, top shoes, the holy grail. In my six year old eyes, when the music began, her hips started moving. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. And a miserable middle school auditorium full of tired stage moms and kids who couldn't sit still. My big sister was having fun all by herself.

• 0:00 – 0:00

• 2:24 – 2:24
.

• 2:25 – 2:57
She, she had a spark and she could manufacture it all on her own with nobody's permission, and I wanted to be just like her. As the years went by, I'm about to get serious warning. As the years went by, Kelsey's spark grew and my, my admiration for her grew along with it. Okay? I always followed in Kelsey's footsteps, dipping my toe in every pond along the way, and feeling safe in the knowledge that she tested the water for me. First, Kelsey played basketball, so I played basketball. Kelsey did musicals, so I did musicals.

• 2:57 – 3:26
Kelsey did cotillion, so, oh, actually I got out of that one. . Thank God. No. No. More importantly though, Kelsey forged the way in pushing our parents. It's pushing the limits of our parents' sanity. My parents ran a pretty tight ship, uh, all girls school for seven years. No parties, uh, door opened when a boy is over, et cetera. But on the night of Kelsey's senior prom, my eyes were opened.

• 3:27 – 3:27
.

• 3:30 – 3:42
Naturally prom after party was out of the question. Proctor party, uh, for poor Kelsey, but she did manage to pull it off by claiming she was stuck in traffic for three full hours.

• 3:43 – 3:43
.

• 3:43 – 3:49
Eventually my parents smart as they are connected, the dots when she came home and spent the rest of the night hanging over the toilet,.

• 3:50 – 3:50
.

• 3:52 – 4:11
Her boyfriend Mikey sat downstairs telling us how ugly Kelsey looked when she threw up. But Kelsey, I thought you never looked more beautiful that night. , at the time, I didn't quite understand, but she was introducing me to a new art form, The art of lying to our parents.

• 4:12 – 4:12
.

• 4:13 – 4:17
Thank you, Kelsey. You walked so I could run.

• 0:00 – 0:00

• 4:25 – 4:26
Thank you.

• 4:28 – 5:04
As I've gotten older, I realized Kelsey didn't have it always figured out. Um, she didn't always know it was serious again, where her footsteps were gonna take her, but this realization has only made her stronger and braver in my eyes. She forges ahead with all, always knowing where she's gonna land, because she's someone you wanna follow because you know she was born with some sort of innate treasure map. And you know, she's yelped all the best taco spots to hit along the way. When Kelsey shows you love, it hits different. Yeah, She's not afraid to get into excruciating detail about her own insecurities and her own struggles, and it makes you feel a little bit less burdened by your own.

• 5:06 – 5:37
She's like my metaphorical flight attendant warning me that there might be some slight turbulence along the way, but it's all good. Own it. It's all part of the journey. Step five, breathe some life into your speech with some inspirational quotes. I'm a savage. Yeah. Classy, bougie, ratchet. Yeah, Sassy, moody, nasty. Hey, hey. Yeah, Acting stupid. What's happening, bitch? Whoa, whoa. What's happening? That's from Megan, The Stallion, One of Kelsey's favorite.

• 0:00 – 0:00

• 5:41 – 6:19
Um, another great quote I love is from American author, Bell Hooks. The word love is often defined as a noun, but we would all be better if we used the word love as a verb, which leads me into step six. Talk about the couple. As much as I hate to let wedding words.us down, I'm not in the business of following rules. So I'd like to take this moment to give Corey Jacobi some airtime. Uh, after months of after months quarantined with Corey, I've studied this human with the precision of the David Attenborough documentary, and I can say with full confidence that he embodies the verb of loving.

• 6:21 – 6:23
When I first met Corey, I was kind of confused.

• 6:24 – 6:24
.

• 6:25 – 6:39
Not gonna lie, I thought to myself, There's literally no way that someone can be this selfless and kind without having an ulterior motive. Turns out there is no ulterior motive with Corey. He's just a good person.

• 6:41 – 6:41
.

• 6:42 – 6:44
Okay. Still watching you.

• 6:45 – 6:45
.

• 6:46 – 7:22
Throughout 2020, while the world was ravaged by a pandemic, the Boston family household faced a virus of its own. The love of Corey Jacobi, Oh God, it's inescapable, it's contagious. It doesn't discriminate. It started small. He'd mediate an argument or two, he'd fix a light bulb, he'd make some breakfast tacos, but it grew in ferocity in size quickly. Corey believes in the innate goodness of people, and I'll never stop trying to emulate him.

• 7:23 – 7:32
Thank you, Kelsey, for bringing this wonderful person into our lives and for sharing him with us. Corey, you are the bonus baby. Our family never knew we needed.

• 7:34 – 7:35
,.

• 7:35 – 8:06
And most importantly, thank you for teaming up almost every night to create unnecessarily elaborate dinners for family, for family dinners, family meals. When two foodies come together in love, it's a win-win for everyone. , and it's hotter than Awan Pepper. I didn't know if I was gonna put that in, but I just did. . Um, in many ways, Corey and Kelsey are similar people. They're both focused and driven. They're both enthusiastic about the finer things in life. They're both fiercely loyal to the people they love the most.

• 8:07 – 8:23
Um, but they also challenge each other. Duh. They push each other. They're both not afraid to call each other out when necessary. Kelsey, you are your most compassionate, loving, positive, and silly self around Corey. Truly. Corey, I didn't know you before Kelsey, so I, I don't know if you've improved.

• 8:26 – 8:39
Hopefully you have. I don't know. Can't speak to that. All I know is a room with Corey and Kelsey in it is a room I wanna be in, so I'm pretty happy right now.

• 8:46 – 9:04
Step seven, end with a callback. That is not too cliche, Kelsey. You can manufacture your own spark all on your own, but with, with Corey, by your side, you're a wildfire. Congratulations to you both, but most importantly, congratulations to me.

• 9:07 – 9:07
Thank You guys.

Emotional aid of Honor Speeches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J90I518X7RI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t0TktRqH_A
https://youtu.be/r1DZgLO1lYQ

 

Funny & Roast-Filled Maid of Honor Speeches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQrHC_MdSIk&t=54s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2erwJ4BEHLo
https://youtu.be/K19xuKt4TOw

Unique Maid of Honor Speeches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic-6rFYOaMI
https://youtu.be/0xow-aK9KGs
https://youtu.be/14w93x2T2WU

Combo Maid of Honor Speeches

https://youtu.be/Ki-IP1gFD8s
https://youtu.be/DTVv5Rp2Nrc

Jokes & One Liners to Include in a Maid of Honor Speech

two women having fun while drinking a rose wine
Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels.com
  • “I met the groom's parents earlier and they told me to cut some inappropriate stories out, so nothing about ex-girlfriends…” (drop an index card)…. “alcohol…” (drop another index card) …. “the police….” (drop another index card)…
  • “Well, what can I tell you about the bride? I've known her for about 10 years, she's beautiful, intelligent, kind, caring”
    squint at cards
    “Wait, sorry, wrong wedding.”
  • “I read somewhere the perfect maid of honor speech should last as long as it takes for the bride and groom to make love. So ladies and gentlemen, please raise a glass to the happy couple!”
  • “I'd like to give you and the groom relationship advice, but what do I know? I'm single and have a cat.”
  • “There comes a time in everyone's life where they met their one true love, their soulmates. The person that's going to love them and cherish them for the rest of their life. And that moment came for [Bride's Name]…[dramatic effect pause] When she met me 25 years ago.”
  • “The start of their relationship was fast and furious: he was fast and she was furious”
  • “Everyone says this is meant to be the best day of your life, but I know it isn't. It's the best day of your life SO FAR, because I know you have so many more amazing days to come together.”
  • “I know I'm not supposed to speak for more than 45 minutes, so I'm just going to apologize now for going over a little.”
  • “All those among you who know the bride will know that she is a wonderful and caring person. She deserves a good husband. Thank God *insert grooms name* married her before she found one.”
  • Loyal, caring, sincere, honest, a great woman… but that's enough about me, I'm here to give a speech about [Bride]!
  • [Bride] and I have always loved each other like sisters. Hopefully she'll feel the same after she hears my speech.
  • You know what they say: behind every great woman… is a group of other great women cheering her on.” 
  • “Good evening everyone! I'm [Maid of Honor]. I'm sure you all know me as [Bride] ‘s younger sister, but if you don't, well done on sneaking into the wedding unnoticed!”
  • “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate something truly magical. Something so rare and wondrous that it simply must be celebrated. I am, of course, talking about the free booze.”
  • “The best thing about being in love is hearing someone say ‘I love you' for the first time…but the second best thing is hearing them say it again after they already know everything about you.”  
  • “I knew [bride] was meant for [groom] when I saw how well she tolerates his terrible puns.”
  • “(Bride), if you would, please place your hand on the table. (Groom), I'd like to ask you place your hand on your beautiful wife's hand. Now everyone, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence. This is for you, (Groom), so enjoy it. Cherish it. Savor it. Because it's the last upper hand you're ever going to have.”
  • “When (legendary aunty) decided to get married she called up the smartest friend she had, and asked her to be the maid of honor. But that young lady declined.

    She then called up the most fun friend she had. Buts she too declined.

    Then she decided to call up the most beautiful friend of hers and I told her…” stop calling dammit. This is the 3rd time. I'll be your maid of honor”.
  • “It's strange to be giving a speech like this one, because my parents taught me that if I had nothing good to say about someone, I should say nothing at all.”
  • “[Groom], thank you for loving our girl even on her worst days – including today, when she threatened to kill me if I didn't write a good Maid of Honor speech.” 
  • I'm [Maid of Honor], maid of honor, but I think I was picked by default since the bride doesn't like people.
  • “The bride is known to be beautiful, gracious, kinda and remar….remarkca… shit… then turn to the bride and say “sorry girlfriend I cant read your handwriting”
  • Each one of us gathered together in this room has something really important in common: none of us have a clue what I'm going to say next!
  • [Bride] knew I was a bit nervous about giving this speech, so she gave me some great advice. She said “Don't try to be too charming, witty or intellectual — just be yourself!'”
  • “[Groom] may not be perfect but he's perfect for [bride].”  
  • Marriage isn't for everyone—but it obviously works for them because here we are.” 
  • If your speech is following someone else's, you can say, (Name) gave a great speech and I agree with everything he/she said. Then sit down.
  • “I asked [bride] what she loves most about [groom], and she said his ability to make her laugh – even when she doesn't want to.”
  • “I'd like to start by congratulating [Bride] on her excellent taste in speech givers.”
  • “I don't believe in roasting the couple on their special day. Therefore this speech won't contain anything embarrassing or controversial. Instead I'll refer only to the kind, funny side of their characters. Thank you and goodnight.”
  • “I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when [bride] first told me she was dating [groom]. But then I realized, love is blind!”
  • “I'm so happy that you two found each other. Because let's be honest, we all know that dating apps are a crap shoot.” 
  • “I used to think love was finding someone who knows all your secrets and still loves you anyway…then I met [bride] and realized love is finding someone who knows all your secrets and still puts up with you anyway.” 
  • “I can only say in my defense that [Bride] and I share a common sense of humor so if this speech isn't funny, blame her.”
  • “Good evening everyone, today you are witness to a unique and important event in history: the first and presumably last time anyone will ever trust me to give a speech.”

Maid of Honor Final Toast Examples

  • Please raise your glasses in honor of Bride and Groom.
  • Let us toast the happiness of Bride with her new husband, [Groom's Name]!
  • Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
  • Here's to love, laughter and happily ever after.
  • Here's to the health of the happy pair; may good luck follow them everywhere; And may each day of wedded bliss be always as sweet and joyous as this.
  • Cheers to the happy newlyweds! May you love each other more every day you spend together!
  • Let's toast to the new husband and wife!
  • Best wishes and years of bliss to the new couple!
  • Here's to the husband, And here's to the wife;, May they remain, Lovers for life.
  • Let's drink to love, which is nothing—unless it's divided into two with someone you love.
  • Join me in honoring the marriage of Bride and Groom!
  • As (Groom) and (Bride) start their new life together,
  • What a wonderful wedding day indeed, so let's raise our glasses to wherever their lives may lead.
  • With love and happiness, here's to you, Bride and Groom!

Maid of Honor Speech FAQs