A young woman with long, dark hair, wearing an off white bridesmaid dress smiles and speak into a microphone giving a maid of honor wedding speech.

How to Write The Perfect Maid of Honor Speech

Whether it's a maid of honor speech for your best friend, or a maid of honor speech for your sister, it’s the little things that mean the most.  Do you want a friend who always knows where the best parties are, or one who shows up with your favorite meal when you’re having a tough time?  Admittedly, both are nice, but nothing says, “I got your back,” like baked ziti.

A great maid of honor speech is heartfelt and funny and has a clear, easy to follow structure.

It’s also the ideal place to recognize and share those little moments that make you grateful to have the bride in your life… especially if she might not be aware of the impact those little moments made.

Here’s an example from my own life.

A few years ago, both my parents ended up in the hospital at the same time with life-threatening issues.

My BFF, mom to 3 school-aged kids, and herself dealing with aging in-laws, asked if I wanted her to come to the hospital. I thanked her, but told her she had enough to do without driving an hour across town on a school night. Her phone calls and texts were plenty.

She said ok — and then showed up anyway, with hot pizza and a purse full of candy.  I burst into tears at the sight of her. She hugged me, called me a moron, and I’ve got a lump in my throat even now at the memory.

It’s the little things.

At the risk of sounding like Yoda, everything you need to write a standout wedding speech is already inside you. The stories, the sentiment, the humor – all of it. The trick is pulling it out of yourself and putting it all together.

So, how do you do that?

Think about the times the subject of your speech made you feel strong emotions.

When did the bride make you feel happy, joyful, heard, crazy — even angry. (If you’re her MOH, I assume you got over it.)

Then tell your audience about those times, in your own words, and be specific.

Did the details of my friend’s hospital visit give you insight into our relationship and our personalities? Did it give you a sense why our friendship has endured for over 30 years? That’s the goal.

They don’t all have to be big, dramatic moments.

Is she a great listener? Do you hate-watch “The Bachelor” together? Is she your personal stylist? Does she have incredible parking karma? Does she make you laugh every time you speak? Does she have a GIF addiction and text them incessantly? Give the best hugs? Tell you the truth about the people you date — even when you’d prefer she didn’t?

Those seemingly little moments let us know exactly who she is, and why you’re grateful to have her in your life.

If you can show us those, you’re on your way to an unforgettable maid of honor speech for your best friend or sister.

 For step by step advice on how to write a unique, heartfelt and funny maid of honor speech for your best friend or sister, watch the video below.

 Watch time: 4 minutes

 Other blogs you may find helpful:

My Favorite Father of the Bride Speech Examples

How To Give A Wedding Speech If You Hate Speaking In Public

5 HUGE Wedding Speech Mistakes - And How To Avoid Them


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Hi, I'm Beth. I'm a comedian, an Emmy-winning comedy writer, and the founder of Authentically Funny Speeches.

In addition to my tv writing career, since 2017, I've been helping people just like you create and deliver amazing toasts and speeches.

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