A maid of honor speech is a traditional speech given by the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. She typically gives a speech after the wedding ceremony at the reception to express her love and support for the bride and welcome the groom.
When a happy couple starts to plan their wedding, both the bride and groom choose attendants from their circle of friends and family. Although there might be multiple bridesmaids, one is the most special to the bride: the maid of honor or, if she is married, the matron of honor. The maid or matron of honor has many duties, including giving a maid of honor speech.
Maid of Honor Duties
Long before she lifts her glass to the newlyweds at the reception, the maid or matron of honor has a full schedule of duties.
Wedding Dress Shopping
The first task is often helping the bride choose her wedding dress. The shopping trip might be a big event with multiple people and could be just the two of you. A trip with the bride, her mother, and you, the maid of honor, may be the most productive.
As you find her dream dress, you also think about bridesmaid dresses that would complement the dress.
Assist With Throwing a Bridal Shower
At the wedding shower, friends and family of the bride-to-be shower her with gifts to set up a household with her husband. The maid of honor was traditionally the one who planned and organized it, but now even the mother of the bride or groom may do it. The maid of honor may contribute money, help out on the day, or come as a guest.
Plan Bachelorette Party
Men aren’t the only ones who want to have one last bash before the big day. Ladies do, too, so the maid of honor might organize a bachelorette party that includes a wild weekend of partying, a day at a spa, or a night at a comedy club. The goal is to pick an event (or series of events) that the bride will surely enjoy, plan them, invite her closest gal pals, and make it happen.
Organize Bridesmaids and Bride
The bride may set the schedule, but the maid of honor makes sure everyone knows what is expected and is on time. For example, the bride squad may have dress fittings before the event and hair appointments at a set time and place before the wedding; the maid of honor ensures all female wedding party members know where they need to be at set times so the bride has one less thing to stress about.
Tend to the bride throughout the Ceremony and Reception
During the wedding, the maid of honor’s job is to straighten out her train, adjust the veil, hold her bouquet, and take care of other tasks. You are expected to bustle her dress at the reception, help her in the bathroom, etc.
Give a Maid of Honor Speech
At the wedding, you have a chance to express your love for the bride when you step up to the mic to say a few words. Your big speech is an excellent time to tell funny stories and wish your best friend a lifetime of happiness with her new husband.
Make a Toast
The maid of honor toast can be as simple as asking the wedding guests to raise their glasses to the happy couple.
What Is The Maid Of Honor Speech?
At the wedding reception, it is customary for both the maid of honor and the best man to give a speech. During this speech, one should remember to express gratitude for being honored with the role of maid of honor, tell a few stories, and wish the happy couple happiness on their wedding day and beyond. The speech typically ends with a wedding toast.
Are you looking for a maid of honor speech template?
- Intro: To start your MOH speech, explaining who you are and your relationship with the bride is always appropriate. Use a quote or quick anecdote to hook the audience into your stories. Is the first time you met each other a fun story? What about the first time she told you about her new boyfriend, the new groom?
- Stories: A fun aspect of any wedding speech includes telling stories about fun times with your BFF, the bride. Although you should avoid inside jokes that will alienate people, you can poke some gentle fun at the bride.
- Pull it Together: Don’t tell random stories that will be difficult to pull together. Choose your stories artfully so they can be linked together somehow. The best maid of honor speeches brings it all together in a way that makes sense to everyone listening. If you have known them both for quite some time, feel free to paint a picture of their love story.
- Best Wishes: Remember it is the bride and groom’s special day, so expressing your well wishes to the newlyweds is appropriate.
- Wedding Toast: To end the perfect maid of honor speech, you toast the happy couple. Wish them a lifetime of love, discuss why they are the ideal match, or express your happiness for them differently.
What Is The Best Intro For Maid Of Honor Speech?
There are many ways to start your maid of honor speech. Beyond the opening “Good evening” or “I am so pleased to be here,” any good address needs a hook. Sometimes it is fun to open up with a quote that will resonate with the bride and friends and family members present.
Typically a maid of honor speech outline includes introducing yourself and your relationship with the bride as part of the introduction, which helps to explain why you have your role in the bridal party.
Tips for A Maid Of Honor Speech
- Watch your time. An essential key to public speaking is to stay within your welcome. A maid of honor speech should be 2-5 minutes.
- Maintain eye contact. You can look out at the crowd but also spend some time looking at your best friend while you talk.
- Please don’t bring up her exes or anything sad.
- Avoid reading your speech word for word off of a piece of paper. Rather than reading a speech, write down notes and work off of that instead.
What If The Maid Of Honor Is a Guy?
If the bride’s best friend is a man, the role does not change much, but you should give him another title. Some options include brides-man, honor attendant, or best man. Yes, you can have two best men (one for each bride and groom).
Does the MOH Have to Give a Speech?
In modern weddings, the maid of honor gives a speech just like the best man. If the bride’s best friend finds the idea of public speaking to be nerve-wracking, someone else can step in for the speech or, if the bride agrees, reduce the speech to a toast or bypass it altogether.
What Is An Example Of A Great Maid Of Honor Speech?
Preparing a maid of honor speech requires thought; organizing it with a template makes it easy.
Here is an example.:
“Good evening, I am Heather, and I am truly honored to have been asked to stand beside Kelly on the happiest day of her life. From the fantastic ceremony to the food, music, and decorations at this beautiful venue, every detail was planned by Kelly and Jim to help facilitate the perfect day.
“I have known Kelly for most of my life. We learned to ride bicycles together and survived the drama of high school thanks to one another, and even though the college had us heading to different sides of the state, we never struggled to pick up right where we had left off.
“When Kelly told me she thought she had met “the one,” I laughed.. and then she introduced us. I instantly knew she was right. Jim is perfect for Kel.
“Jim and Kelly, I raise my glass to the two of you and wish you nothing but the best in your life together. May each day be full of love and laughter between the two of you!“