So, you were thrilled to be asked to be Maid of Honour. As well as helping with the planning, it was an honour to know you’ll be your friend or sister’s righthand woman on the big day. You’ve also been asked – or have offered – to give a Maid of Honour speech. Your emotions about that are probably slightly different!
“What if I don’t get the right tone? Or have enough jokes? Or it’s too short or long?”
All good questions, and I can help address them. I’m Marc Blakewill, a wedding speech writer who’s guided many a Maid of Honour toast through the minefield of giving a perfect speech. Whether you’ve yet to write a single word or have a full speech you’d like to polish, my Maid of Honour speech writing service can help.
As well as my wedding day speech writing services, this page contains tips and guidance on how to craft a unique and memorable Maid of Honour speech.
Yet even with all the best tips in the world, writing that magical few minutes is still a daunting prospect. So, to remove that stress I offer two main packages – a bespoke Maid of Honour speech writing service and an editing service. A professionally written speech will both calm the nerves and make you excited to deliver it on the day.
My Best Maid Of Honour Speech Writing Packages
Bespoke wedding speech
- You complete a short questionnaire and I write your Maid of Honour speech (or Matron of Honour speech) from scratch. It will contain original jokes, stories whipped into shape and tear-jerkers. My usual fee is for a speech of 8-10 minutes. If you need a shorter speech, just get in touch and I’ll give you a quote based on your precise needs.
Wedding speech editing service
- You send over your draft speech and I work my magic. I can trim it/lengthen it, add unique jokes, and address any issues with flow and structure. I sometimes ask for a quick questionnaire to be filled in but I don't need loads of info. I also offer a no-obligation review of your current draft. Why not click to improve your speech now!
Tips For Nailing Your Maid Of Honour Speech
You’ve already safely negotiated the bride through her hen do, now it’s your toughest challenge yet – nailing the speech. You know how important it is to get your speech right. Not just for you but for the happy couple too. After all, a great Maid of Honour speech is like a gift in itself. So, what speech tips can help?
Re-create the conditions
stand up when practising your speech. If you are going to have a microphone, practise holding a similar-shaped object and your speech. You don’t want to learn one-handed page-turning on the day.
Off-by-heart might put you off
don’t feel the need to learn your speech by heart. Most people read it from sheets of paper or cue cards. Every word and phrase you’ve sweated over will be there in front of you, not suddenly hiding in the back of your memory as soon as you stand up.
The eyes have it
if you can, try to make eye contact with the guests while delivering the speech. You don’t want to deliver the speech like you’re looking down the lens of a microscope.
Go slow on the Prosecco
it might seem obvious advice but do be careful with glasses of fizz before the speech. You want the sparkle to be in the guests’ reaction, not in your nth glass as the speech goes flat.
For more tips on becoming an exceptional public speaker and getting over common fears when giving a speech check out our Stand and Deliver blog post.
But, of course, content is king. You’ll have so much more confidence if you know you’ve got a winning speech to be launched into the world. Which is where I can help. Whatever your requirements (short, silly and snappy; longer and more heartfelt) I can tailor the speech to meet your specific needs. And the even better bit? Because it’s YOUR stories polished by me and my jokes inspired by YOUR questionnaire, the guests will never guess it was written by a professional speechwriter.
If you'd like some help from me, I have a five-star rated range of writing services.
Lighten The Mood With A Funny Maid Of Honour Speech
The two main ingredients of a great Maid of Honour speech are humour and the heartfelt. Get the balance right and you’ll get tears of joy and laughter. Not only that but jokes have a magic property – they make the speech seem shorter. You can then sneak in a bit more of whatever you want: more sincere lines or an extra story.
As a wedding speech writer, I’ve got years of experience perfecting that blend. Here are some posts that distil some of that knowledge.
For some examples of Maid of Honour speech icebreakers, take a look here.
And if you’re looking for inspiration about what stories to use, my Maid of Honour speech ideas post could be the key to that treasure trove.
Check out some of our blogs below for more tips on delivering the perfect Maid of Honour speech.
So What Are You Waiting For? Let’s Get Started On Your Maid Of Honour Speech!
Elevate your Maid of Honour speech with a professional touch. Let me handle the stress of crafting a speech that’s funny, heartfelt, and memorable. Hire me for original jokes, polished stories, and the perfect balance of humour and sentiment. Say goodbye to writer’s block and hello to a speech that will leave a lasting impression.
Maid Of Honour FAQs
First, brainstorm stories about the bride. Don’t worry if you think an idea is good enough or appropriate at this stage. Just get it down on paper in raw form.
Second, review the stories and pick out one thing it says about the bride, e.g., very generous, life and soul of the party, thoughtful and kind. It could also be silly things such as: terrible sense of direction, takes two hours to get ready, likes to clean her cleaning products, etc.
Third, ask yourself what you want to achieve? Imagine what people will say to you after you’ve delivered the speech. Will they say it made them laugh? Perhaps they will pick out a story they never knew about the bride. Or maybe they’ll say it was wonderful how you managed to mention each of the bride’s close friends at least once.
You now have the following elements: a list of stories; the bride’s qualities and foibles; key things you want to cover. Your Maid of Honour speech is already taking shape!
Of course, even if you get to this stage, you might feel daunted. You might feel confident in selecting the right stories but less so about ensuring they get the reaction they deserve.
My speech writing service instantly removes that issue. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or lost, I have the experience to spot the winning stories and craft a speech you can’t wait to deliver.
All speeches and circumstances are different, but my general guide is avoid going over 10 minutes or under 5 minutes: 7-8 minutes is usually the sweet spot. Don’t feel the need to pad your speech out just to hit an ideal target (usually done with thanking people who’ve already been thanked!)
Many Maids of Honour ask me for a five- or- six-minute speech. This can cover a fair amount. You can show your appreciation for the bride and groom, tell a few stories then sit back down and relax.
If timing your speech in the comfort of your living room, do remember that audience reaction adds time. Again, every speech is different, but it could be 10-20% more.
Do also note that the usual roster for a wedding is: Father of the Bride, Groom then Best Man. Your speech is most likely to come after the Father of the Bride but before the Best Man. If there are lots of speakers, the couple might give you a maximum speaking time.
Things to include:
Early memories – what was the bride like as a younger girl? Think hobbies, fashion, ambitions, etc.
Holidays and special occasions – it could be that crazy girls’ trip away or a wonderful Christmas together.
Your friendship – those moments that make being with her special. It could be acts of kindness and generosity, shared passions or amazing nights out.
The little things – her laugh, her very specific choice of coffee, how she always seems to hear about things first.
The groom – include a few kind words about what a good choice the bride has made. And if you know him well, some fun remarks about him or a story involving him and the bride.
Not needed:
Welcomes – unless you’re speaking first (unlikely), the guests will already have been welcomed.
Thanking all those who’ve helped – the groom and Father of the Bride will do this. However, a thanks to the bride for putting on an amazing day could be short and sweet.
Hen do – it’s not obligatory to mention where you went or what you did. If something noteworthy happened, great. If not, no one will notice if it’s not featured.
You have a finite amount of time you can devote to the speech, but you want it to be special. How to do that?
Focus on generating ideas and thinking of stories first. You don’t need to write them up yet; they can be in note form. The more potential material you have, the easier it will be to choose material that will link well and flow.
Consider using a simple theme for the speech. For example, you could introduce the main stories with a title like: Everything You Wanted To Know About Bride But Were Too Scared To Ask. You can then introduce each story with a signpost: “Next, her absolute hatred of shopping…”
Photos – you might wish to have some hidden under the wedding tables. You can then ask guests to search for them at the appropriate moment in the speech.
Reports and certificates – have her mum or dad kept any old school reports or certificates you could hold up or read out? Is she a corporate high-flyer whose greatest achievement is clearly her 25-metre swimming certificate? Or a teacher whose school report once said: “Pay more attention in class.”
However, the key thing to make your Maid of Honour speech stand out is devoting time and care to it. As the old adage goes: writing is re-writing!