Maid of Honour
Although not traditionally part of the roster of speeches, it is becoming increasingly common for the Chief Bridesmaid or Maid of Honour to speak at a wedding. For the speaker, this can be both liberating and constraining. The guests will have almost certainly seen or heard fewer such speeches before and will therefore have fewer pre-conceptions about what to expect. This gives you more freedom as to how to construct your speech and what to say. The flipside of this freedom is that it’s sometimes hard to know what to choose.
So here are some pointers:
Subject matter
I would recommend including at least one story that could only have come from you or one of the Bride’s close friends. The Groom and Father of the Bride will already have given their different perspectives and now you can too. Everyone is delighted when they feel they’ve been given a hint of classified information. Nothing rude or wrong but something that could only have come from you.
How edgy can you be?
You will be talking from the perspective of friendship or sibling love/rivalry rather than a romantic one. This gives you the same “Diplomatic Immunity” as the Best Man. But there is still a line that shouldn’t be crossed and some subjects that shouldn’t be broached. So, trust your instincts. If you’re in doubt about a line or a story, it’s best to leave it out.
How long should I speak for?
A typical wedding speech is 8 minutes’ long. However, lots of speakers are happy with a speech that is only 5 minutes or so. You can cover a lot in that time, especially as you won’t have any “admin” to do – the welcomes and thanks will usually have already been done.
So, don’t feel longer is better. Keep it lean, mean and keen and leave the guests wanting more.
Humour
The Bride will love the fact the speeches will refer to what a lovely daughter or wife she is, how wonderful she looks, etc., but why shouldn’t she also have her share of great jokes and well-crafted anecdotes about her? A well-thought-out personalised joke is not just a means of making the speech more entertaining, it truly is a gift to your friend or sister. Pepper your speech with a few of them and it will be truly memorable.
Maid of Honour speech tips
Looking for inspiration? I’ve written the following short guides.
- Maid of Honour speech ideas and structure (3-minute read)
- Stand and Deliver – simple public speaking tips (5-minute read)
Just click now.
If you feel you’d like some assistance in putting a speech together, I can help.
With my speech and comedy writing experience, I can provide you with a well-balanced speech full of heartfelt moments and great, original gags. It will ensure you stand up at the wedding confident in the knowledge you’ll have the guests hanging on your every word.
Browse the Shop and you’ll see I offer a speech writing and editing service. My standard price is for an 8-10 minute speech. If you only need something shorter, get in touch and I’ll give you a bespoke quote.
