When many people hear “maid of honor speech,” thoughts of My Best Friend’s Wedding, Bridesmaids and Wedding Crashers come rushing to mind.
If the drama surrounding these movie speeches are cluttering your thoughts, and you’re afraid you’ll hear crickets following your toast, use these five tips to wow the crowd and deliver a speech the bride and groom will never forget.
Start Small
Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to write the entire speech in one sitting. Start with a few bullet points and let your thoughts flow freely.
If you aren’t sure where to begin, consider addressing these questions:
- How did you and your friend meet? How long have you been friends?
- What do you most admire about your sister/friend?
- What characteristics make your sister/friend so wonderful? What stories about her/the two of you stand out most?
- What makes your sister/friend and her fiancé a perfect fit? What are the things you love most about them as a couple?
After jotting down the points you want to include, you can edit this list to form the outline of your speech. The sooner you start this process, the better. You’ll have more time to organize your thoughts and practice the speech. This additional prep time will also help minimize nerves and the speech delivery will be smoother.
Be Yourself
Just because you’re in awe of the Eminem maid of honor rap doesn’t mean you should attempt to recreate this performance. Your friends/family should recognize the person giving the speech, so if you’re not overly sentimental, don’t try to be extra mushy. Also, don’t attempt to compete with the other wedding speeches given that day. If you know the father of the bride is particularly funny, don’t feel pressured to pull out the jokes. Be yourself, speak from the heart and avoid any embarrassing or sad stories.
Brevity is Key
Although there are endless stories you would like to share about your sister/friend, it’s important to keep the speech short and sweet. If your toast extends beyond two or three minutes, the speech won’t be as impactful, and you’ll run the risk of wedding guests tuning out. Have notecards handy for reference purposes and to help keep you on track and on time.
The Bride…and Groom!
While you may know the bride better than the groom, don’t forget to include the bride AND groom in your speech. If you don’t have many anecdotes about the groom, mention how happy your friend/sister is with him beside her and offer encouraging remarks about their future together.
The End
This may seem like a no-brainer, but many speeches include lovely sentiments and stories, but then trail off without a closing. Your speech, like any story, should have a beginning, middle and end, so don’t forget to bring your toast full circle with a proper ending. Raise your glass, congratulate the bride and groom by name and thank them for allowing you to share in their special day.
Written by Perfectly Noted
