Use This Maid of Honor Speech Template for the Perfect Wedding Toast

Accepting the role of maid of honor comes with many duties, including making a speech to the newly wedded couple at the reception. Crafting the perfect speech is easy when you know what to say—and what not to say. To help you craft the perfect address for the bride and groom, we tapped three industry experts to come up with the ultimate maid of honor speech template so you can hit the right key points and make a toast that will delight the couple.

Start With the Introduction

Before jumping right into that hilarious anecdote, ground your audience first by quickly introducing yourself and explaining your connection to the bride. Keep in mind there's no need to go into detail about how the two of you met.

We can't emphasize brevity enough. "Speeches should only be between two and three minutes," says Brooke Keegan of Brooke Keegan Special Events.

Express Your Gratitude

Quickly honor your role as the maid of honor. "You are the maid of honor for a reason. You are loved and important to the couple," says Gretchen Culver at Rocket Science Events. Keep this portion of the toast short, too, and avoid making the speech all about you, she says.

This is the time to thank the bride for choosing you as the maid of honor. Then, thank the couple for their friendship, love, and support, and for including you on one of the biggest days of their lives.

Talk About the Bride

Dedicate most of your time at the microphone talking about the couple. Start with the bride, says Keegan. Outline the bride's positive personality traits and share a poignant or funny anecdote from before the couple met.

"Tell a story you feel connected to," says event planner Jaclyn Journey. That way, you'll be more likely to speak from a place of "joy and confidence."

Remember the Groom

Reference how the groom brings out the best in the bride and how they bring out the best in each other. Discuss quickly what makes them tick as a couple and how they've helped each other grow.

Be Specific

Include a few impactful details about the couple's relationship or personalities that help the audience better connect with them.

For example, instead of telling the audience they love to travel, mention special destinations they've visited. Replace a vague reference to the couple's kindness or generosity with details of their volunteer work. If they like to run together, try to calculate the number of miles they've raced together.

Make Them Laugh or Cry

Use humor, but don't force it if comedy isn't your strong suit. Share stories where the guests can laugh with the bride or groom, not at them. Remember that this isn't a roast. It's best to turn a humorous anecdote into a positive message about the couple.

If you are not comfortable with adding humor to your speech, use the opposite approach and tell an emotional story about the bride and groom. "Be funny if it is natural, otherwise stick to sentiment and compliments," says Culver.

Don't Discuss Exes

It's just as important to note what not to share. All three experts agree that inside jokes, past relationships, and incriminating stories are all on the banned list. "The speech should be focused on the happy couple," says Culver.

Talk About the Couple as Partners

Emphasize what makes the bride and groom a great couple. Touch on their mutual interests, ability to grow together in the face of hardship, and commitment to friends and family.

Slip a few words of practical advice into this section, says Journey. "Giving sweet and funny examples of how to settle a fight or make up for a mistake could make the entire speech feel relatable and memorable," she says.

Finish With a Toast

Conclude by raising a toast to the newlyweds. Keep it simple with one or two lines toasting their bright future and continued joy in life.