How to Write a Killer Maid of Honor Speech Without Being Cliché
We’ve all heard at least one maid of honor speech that probably sounded like an awesome idea on paper, but the execution ended up being just plain awkward. You don’t want guests raising their glasses, and toasting the fact that the speech is finally over.
The task of writing an amazing maid of honor speech can be stressful, and time consuming. My advice; don’t over think it, and don’t try to mimic anything you may have seen on YouTube. If rapping isn’t your forte then don’t attempt to incorporate what you’re going to say into the Fresh Prince theme song. You don’t have to put on a show, and attempt to mimic an opening number from Dancing with the Stars. Be real and speak from the heart.
First and for most, introduce yourself. The bride knows you, but that doesn’t mean everyone else does. After introducing yourself you may also want to quickly mention how you and the bride met.
As the maid of honor, chances are you have known the bride for quite a while, and you have plenty of funny stories and inside jokes you’re thinking about adding to your speech. Don’t say anything that will embarrass the bride; you don’t want to risk hurting her feelings. Keep in mind she has spent the majority of her free time for the last several months dreaming of this day in hopes that it will be perfect. The last thing she wants is to be reminded of a time she drank too much, or danced on the bar during Spring break. Also, don’t bring up to many inside jokes the guests wouldn’t understand; you don’t want to lose their attention. Focus on the bride’s good qualities, and think about mentioning a time in your life when you felt nothing short of lucky to have her as a friend.
You’ve been chosen to be the maid of honor for a reason. The bride considers you to be one of her closest friends. You have been there for her through all the great dates and bad break-ups. With that being said don’t mention any of her ex’s during your speech, and don’t even think about comparing the groom to any of her ex’s. In the bride’s eyes, the groom is the perfect man; he is her prince charming. How wonderful he is can be expressed without talking badly about ex-boyfriends. A classy, romantic way to transition, and bring up the groom without losing focus of the bride is to explain how happy the bride has been since she met insert groom’s name. Ask yourself the question: What is it about their love story that is unlike any other? Don’t worry if you don’t have too much to say about the groom, because the best man should have that covered.
Don’t focus on the length of your speech, and don’t worry about memorizing every word. It’s totally okay to have a copy in hand. History's most valuable speeches were not memorized, they were spoken from the heart with integrity, and real emotion.
Take a deep breath, take your time, and when you’ve reached the end simply raise your glass, and say congratulations.
Starring away from embarrassing stories, and putting the focus on how much the bride means to you, and how much the bride and groom mean to each other will definitely get the water-works flowing. Now you can let loose, and head over to the open bar. You deserve to celebrate after that killer speech you just pulled off.
