When it comes to weddings, what's not to like? In my opinion, everything about the big day is magical, from the wedding dress to the sparkling glasses of champagne during cocktail hour. I really love the overwhelming amount of happiness in the room, dancing until dawn to love songs, and listening to speeches about the newlyweds. You may feel the same way, and need some points for your maid of honor speech before your bestie's big day.
This is a moment you've dreamed about for, well, forever, and you want it to be picture-perfect. You want to make the crowd laugh, or give them a closer look into the couple and the sweet moments in their relationship. You want to tell cute and funny stories from when you and your bestie were kids, pretending to wear veils, toss bouquets, and say "I do" in front of your stuffed animals. Most importantly, you don't want to grab the microphone from the DJ and start rambling or come across as unprepared.
That's why you're already jotting down notes and collecting memories. In between coming up with an itinerary for the bachelorette party and sending your bestie suggestions for centerpieces, you're writing down inside jokes and looking up the proper format for a toast. Take a deep breath. Your speech is going to be exactly like you imagined. Just look over these five talking points first that have the potential of benefitting you on the big day.
First things first: You can open your maid of honor speech with a crowd-pleasing line. This may be a funny quote from a well-known movie or an introduction everybody at the tables can relate to. It shouldn't go on for longer than a sentence or two, but can set the tone for the rest of what you're going to say.
For example, you may say something like, "Hello, everyone. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Beyoncé," and get everyone to crack a smile before actually introducing yourself. If you want to keep it simple, you may grab the mic, tell the room that you're the maid of honor, and say, "So, the original draft of my speech was like 100 pages long, but I'm going to skip to the best parts."
Lines like that can keep the tone light and loving, and the audience very attentive. They can also make your speech super memorable.
One of the best parts of being the maid of honor is that you get to talk about your bestie a lot. At her bridal shower, you can recall all the times she texted you after her first date with her significant other, saying, "I think they're 'The One.'" And on the big day, you get to remember all the sweet and funny stories from your friendship.
These may be beach vacations you've gone on together, or old memories from high school when you sat on a trampoline and looked at the stars. You may talk about the time you showed up to school in the exact same outfit, or lived together and would order pizza at midnight.
Those stories will add a personal touch to your speech and make your bestie — the bride — feel so grateful and loved. They might even bring on a few happy tears. (Score.)
When you're telling stories about the bride, though, you might not want to include too many inside jokes. That's when you'll lose the family members and friends in the crowd, and when your moment with the mic may get a tad too personal.
Sure, you and the bride may be laugh out loud, remembering the late nights and hilarious things you've done together. But the rest of the room may very well be nodding awkwardly and saying, "Huh?" They may feel less connected to the speech.
So, take this note from me: Consider putting one or two inside jokes in your speech, but don't make them a centerpiece. Slip them in at the end of a story and then transition to your next point or your loving toast with confidence and ease.
Here's the deal: Being your bestie's maid of honor comes with a lot of incredible responsibilities. When she's getting ready, you have to make sure she has her jewelry on and isn't feeling too overwhelmed. Leading up to the big day, you may have to help her prepare the playlist and find the perfect dress.
Being the maid of honor also means you have to talk about the happy couple in your speech and support your BFF's significant other too. After all, they're a team — a total package deal — and this day is about celebrating their union and all the beautiful things that comes with it.
So after telling a few stories about your bestie, think about mentioning how her and her partner are an amazing fit. You can consider talking about the first time you met them, and all the beautiful moments they have to look forward to.
Last but not least, a high-quality maid of honor speech can end with a loving toast. This is when you raise your glass, ask the room to do the same, and wish the newlyweds a life of happiness, love, and lots of incredible surprises together.
Some people quote entire poems or slip in a few more stories here. Personally, I'd keep it short and sweet. I'd tell the couple how excited I am for them and remind them to laugh as much as possible. I'd tell them to stick by each other through thick and thin, and keep building on their relationship that's already so beautiful.
The crowd may reach for the tissues here, but that's perfectly OK. That means you tugged on the happiest of heartstrings and that you nailed your maid of honor speech from beginning to end.
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