what to say in a wedding speech bridesmaid

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11 Impressive Bridesmaid Speech Examples To Use At The Wedding Reception Of Your Friend

Being a bridesmaid is a great honor. The bride considers you one of her closest friends, which is a very important role to play. This is why you need to give an excellent speech at her wedding. You should let her know that you are happy for her and that you will still be there for her even though she is now married. Your love and support through your speech will surely mean a lot to the couple.

In this article, we will show you great bridesmaid speech examples, and also tips on how to deliver this speech.

Funny Bridesmaid Speeches

Writing a funny bridesmaid speech could be a challenge at first, but once you unlock your comedic side, things will get so much easier. Using sarcasm, similes, metaphors, or short analogies can help you write a funny bridesmaid speech.

You have always dreamt about this day. You did sound confused about your feelings though, but I am so happy that we are here now, and from the looks of it, you look fine. But with your awesome personality, I am sure that you will ace this life phase too.
It remains a mystery why you finally decided to get married instead of taking over a city with me like we hoped we would years ago. However, marriage is still good. I am sincerely happy for you.
You surprised me when you said that you were getting married. Years ago, you were one hundred percent sure that you wouldn’t get married but now look at you, you are getting married! You were a real feisty girl and I hope that you never stop because I love surprises. And you are dishing them out every chance you get.
As the bride’s friend, I am filled with great joy for her as she embarks on this new adventurous phase of her life. It’s okay that you chose marriage over our night outs, but I’ll still borrow you once in a while for a few drinks. I love you so much and I wish you nothing but happiness in your marriage and everything you‘ll do.

Bridesmaid Short Wedding Speeches

A short wedding speech is quite easy to write. Simply summarize your main points into short sentences that express your love and support for the bride and you are good to go.

I am nothing short of happy and grateful for being here. Getting to spend your whole life with someone is a serious but also quite he privilege. In this case, your husband should be feeling privileged because you are a gem. May your marriage be full of joy and bliss.
I am simply bubbling with happiness for you today. You have finally found a companion. I wish you a happy, stable marriage that will last for a very long time. May you be each other’s comfort and light, as it is now both of you against the world.
This is a celebration of you finding the love of your life. I am so happy that both of you saw that potential in each other. I wish you blessings and happiness in your marriage, and may it last long. I look forward to celebrating many anniversaries to come.

Touching Bridesmaid Speech

To write a touching bridesmaid speech, do not shy away from putting all your emotions out there. Truly express your pride and joy for the newlyweds. It’s also okay if a few tears are shed.

This day has been feeling like a dream. I have always imagined this with you. I am so happy for you. Finally, you have found the one you would like to spend your life with. What a blessing! I wish you two nothing but the best.
I am sure you two lovebirds will love and cherish each other abundantly in your marriage. I can personally attest to how you never hold back when loving someone. This is the start of a beautiful, adventurous journey for you. Your husband should count himself lucky.
We are living in a fulfilled dream and I am nothing but grateful that you have finally gotten someone you wanted. Love is a beautiful thing, and I would just advise you to love each other, hard. You were made for each other so hold each other down and everything will be fine.
As your friend and bridesmaid, I am very happy to see you get married. This moment is really beautiful. I am happy that I was invited to be happy with you. All I want for you is happiness in your marriage and life. Your personality will surely make this marriage a comfortable one and one that we can learn from. I wish you all the best in your new life.

what to say in a wedding speech bridesmaid

Tips for Delivering a Great Bridesmaid Speech

There are great tips that you should follow to present the perfect speech. We have discussed some of them below, they will be of help.

1. Practice, practice, practice

Rehearse your speech beforehand to ensure you’re comfortable and confident with the content. You can rehearse with a friend who can help you improve your speech.

Rehearsing in front of a mirror can also help you fix things yourself such as your standing posture or facial expressions and gestures.

2. Speak clearly and slowly

Speak clearly and slowly enough so everyone can hear and understand you. Articulate your words clearly and pace correctly for people to truly enjoy your speech.

3. Keep it concise

While expressing your thoughts and feelings is important, try not to drag on too long and bore the audience. Avoid repeating yourself especially while expressing your love to them. A short paragraph is enough to put out your feelings.

4. Use humor

Humor can be a great way to engage your audience and lighten the mood, but make sure it’s appropriate and won’t offend anyone. Consider using sarcasm too as it is a smart way of making the audience laugh.

5. Avoid inside jokes

Remember that not everyone in the room will know all the inside jokes and stories between you and the bride. Make sure your speech is inclusive and understandable to everyone. This will keep the audience eager to listen to your speech.

6. Speak from the heart

Your speech should come from a place of love and affection for the bride. Speak honestly and share your true feelings. If you do this, the couple will treasure your speech because of the sincerity you have shown.

7. End on a high note

Finish your speech positively and uplifting, leaving the audience with a happy and heartfelt message. An encouraging quote is one good way of wrapping up your speech. The end of your speech should help the audience truly take your speech to heart.

Conclusion: Make The Bride Smile On Her Wedding Day

Ensure that the bride is all smiles throughout the wedding. It is her special day, and as her bridesmaid, the responsibility of making the bride happy also rests on your shoulders. But this should be easy for you once you follow all the tips discussed above.

A wedding is never complete without some gifts. You can gift the bride these white bling furry personalized bride slippers . These furry slippers are personalized with the bride’s new name and title. It is a great gift to give the bride. It’ll keep her feet nice and warm while reminding her of your friendship.

This jewelry travel case with a birth flower is also a great gift idea. It is imprinted with the bride’s name and two flowers, which may be her birth or her favorite flowers. It will be an elegant way of storing her jewelry. The bride will love it.

We hope that your speech will be super and one that the bride will remember.

Vincent Otieno

Vincent Otieno is a passionate jewelry enthusiast and writer at Getnamenecklace, an e-commerce store dedicated to offering exquisite jewelry and thoughtful gifts for your loved ones. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the art of gift-giving, Vincent curates a collection that celebrates the beauty of craftsmanship and the joy of making family moments unforgettable.

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The bridesmaid speech

What must your maid of honor speech include.

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 08-31-2022

Your best friend, or your sister, is getting married and you've been asked to be the principal bridesmaid or maid of honor.

It's exciting and a privilege.

Once the euphoria settles, you realize there's also a bridesmaid speech or maid of honor speech to prepare.

What you'll find on this page:

a 4 step outline or template to follow to ensure your speech is well structured and covers the expected content
content suggestions, with examples
links to bridesmaid speech examples, wedding poems and readings
guidelines on how to best to prepare to deliver your speech

Here's a basic 4 step outline to follow

Don't worry that through using it your speech will be the same as every other bridesmaid. Because you are "you" and your relationship to the bride is unique, what you bring to the essential content list will make your speech original.

The guide is only here to give your speech structure - a logical easily followed format, and to help you cover off what's expected. How you do that is up to you!

Be yourself, honest, and, ready!

Vintage image of a fully open white rose, a bud and deep green leaves.

Aim to keep it real, sincere and to be original!

Do try to steer away from lashings of stereotypical saccharine sweetness to describe the bride: "the most beautiful", "my best friend for ever", "the kindest, most adorable girl in the universe", "the cutest", "the funniest", "totally angelic", ...

And to avoid a last minute panic stricken rush, allow yourself approximately three weeks to write and then, practice, practice, practice.

Read an example maid of honor speech for a sister

How do you begin to write a bridesmaid or maid of honor speech when it's for your sister?

The same way as you would for a very dear friend. Do check this example speech out.

I've written it following the guidelines here but with one significant extra step: an explanation and example of the beginning brainstorming process.

Read more: an example maid of honor speech for a sister .

Read MOH speech examples from a best friend's point of view

Both these speeches use a similar outline to the one featured on this page. Reading them will help you begin the process of deciding what to put in the speech you need to prepare.

Go to: maid of honor speech examples

1. Introduction

In the opening segment of your bridesmaid speech include a greeting to welcome all the guests. Mention any special ones by name, your name and your relationship to the bride.

If your speech follows the best man's you may like to reference that too.

Here's an example of an introduction:

“Good evening! It's fabulous to see you all here including one very special lady, Teri's extra-mother Sally. Not even flight delays on the other side of the world could keep her away!

My name is Joan, and I have been best friends with Teri, our bride, since the second grade.

Thank you Mike ( the best man ) for your very gracious, and expected, compliments on the beauty of the bride and bridesmaids. What can a woman do but agree? We are indeed exceptionally gorgeous!

The bride is already spoken for. However let's see if your actions speak as well as your words. I'll be in the bar later. Mine's a double!”

2. History of the your relationship & a story

Your introduction should segue nicely into the next part of your bridesmaid speech: a brief history of your relationship to the bride, followed by a short anecdote or story.

This is essential content as it puts your relationship with the bride into context for the guests.

Avoid stories mentioning any of the bride’s ex-boyfriends or incidents she would find too embarrassing. Your goal is to honor the bride, not humiliate her.

Stories that would be suitable here are those that illustrate the qualities you admire about her, the shared experiences at the heart of your relationship that keep it ongoing.

These are your classic childhood/school/work-life tales, the ones suitable for and understood by everybody. They are the "feel-good" stories, making people smile regardless of their age.

(To see an example of a suitable story to share read my bridesmaid speech for a sister or either of these maid of honor speech examples .)

The final touch in this segment is to thank the bride for the honor of being her bridesmaid.

3. History of the couple's relationship & story

This is the part of your bridesmaid speech where you discuss the relationship of the bride and the groom.

If you knew the groom before they began dating, you might have a funny story about how he was before he met the bride. Or this could be the part where you tell how you helped them get together, or how you knew the bride was in love with the groom.

Again, avoid any mention of previous relationships, leave out stories that are overly embarrassing or that highlight any problems the couple may have had in the past, and stay away from anything too risque or off-color.

Your role is to positively present the relationship and the commitment they have jointly made.

(You can see examples of this step in these MOH speeches: a maid of honor speech for a sister sample and 2 maid of honor speech examples from a best friend's point of view. )

4. Conclusion

This section should include your best wishes for the couple and your hopes for their future. You could express that with a well-chosen quote, a brief poem, or even a song. Whether it is funny and playful or serious and sentimental, whatever you do needs to match the tone or mood of what has gone before.

Your final remark should be a definitive statement indicating to the guests that you've finished. You could achieve that by simply raising your glass and saying "To Susie and Bill!"

For more go to: How to end a maid of honor speech You'll find twenty example endings of varying sorts. Some are funny. Some use quotations...Find a conclusion you like, and adapt it to make it your own.

More pages to help you prepare:

Image: oval frame made of colorful vintage drawings of roses. Text: Wedding poems and readings - Our happily ever after begins here.

Here's a diverse collection of c lassic wedding poems and readings drawn from many cultures and eras to help you find just the right words to express what you want to say.

Collage of 5 different photos of women with their best friends.

Reading other MOH speeches is a good way to jumpstart ideas for your own speech. Here are two maid of honor speech examples written from a best friend's point of view. One is heartfelt and the other more light-hearted. Both are rich with personal stories!

Use cue cards to help you deliver your speech well

Do not be that woman who stands up to speak and tries to hold a mike plus several pieces of paper with her speech on them, and then read, speak and gesture at the same time.

It's a very public juggling act that could go sideways quite quickly. And it doesn't have to be like that.

Find out how to make and use cue cards . Save yourself from potential stress.

Speech writer graphic with text: Are you finding writing your speech hard? I could do it for you. Click and find out more.

The importance of rehearsal: practice, practice and more practice

Image: cross legged girl with wings levitating.

Please don't skimp on rehearsa l . You need to practice your speech aloud (a lot) to find out if it flows well, fits the time allowance you've been given and to build your confidence before you deliver it at the reception.

Making time for rehearsal is one of those things you will thank yourself for. Truly.

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How to write a (kick-ass) bridesmaid speech!

Easy Weddings

In the past, only the father-of-the-bride, the groom and the best man tended to give wedding speeches but, today, it could also be the bride, her mother, a close friend or, of course, her bridesmaids. Here are some tips for pulling off the perfect bridesmaid speech though, of course, they could be used by anyone tasked with speaking at a wedding.

It’s just like telling a story

Start by jotting down a few bullet points, then think about expanding on each of those points.

Also, consider your overall message. What are you trying to convey? Is it your feelings for the bride/the couple? Is it what she means to you? What is your intent in giving this speech? Keep this in mind when you’re expanding on each of the points.

Finally, maintain a logical sequence to your toast. Consider your wedding toast to be a miniature tale: you need a beginning which captures their attention, a middle which keeps it and an end that wraps your story up neatly.

Think Goldilocks: not too short and not too long

Keep it brief, but not too brief. Ideally, you’ll speak for around three to five minutes. It may not sound like much, but it’ll feel like forever when all eyes are glued to you. Remember there will be other speeches, either before or after yours, and you do not want guests nodding off, so don’t drone one!

Practice makes perfect

It’s an old adage, but it couldn’t be truer: practice makes perfect.

Don’t just turn up on the day and wing it. Once happy with your speech, practice, practice, practice. That way, you’ll have the chance to refine your speech before the big moment and, by the time you’re ready to deliver it, you’ll be able to do it with your eyes closed!

Really knowing your material will also help calm any nerves as you’ll be so across your material, you won’t be lost for words.

Be humorous but also sincere

As wonderful as a sincere and loving toast can be, they can also be a little dull if not delivered properly. To ensure your speech is memorable for all the right reasons, sprinkle a few humourous stories and anecdotes throughout your bridesmaid speech to give guests a bit of a chuckle, but don’t be derogatory and don’t embarrass your friend/s in front of their nearest and dearest.

End your your toast with a story that, perhaps, even they don’t know, but one that illustrates to you just how much they love each other. You can end on a high, but aww-worthy note, by telling the assembled crowd about that very special moment that you realised they were destined for each other.

Talk about the bride and the groom

If you are the bride’s bestie, sister or cousin (or someone else special to her), it is easy to tell stories about her – and the antics that have occurred in your relationship together, but it is important to remember that you need to talk about her new spouse too!

If you are not particularly close to the groom, talk to other friends or family members that have gotten to know him and be sure to include him in the speech. By making the effort to learn enough about the groom to weave him into your bridesmaid speech, you will make both the bride and groom feel important and special, as well as both their families.

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How to Write a Maid of Honor Speech

A flawless maid of honor speech can't be hastily written on your phone at the reception—it takes time and a lot of practice. Here's how to write a maid of honor speech that will garner a standing ovation.

In His Image Photography

As a maid of honor in your BFF’s upcoming wedding, you're likely pretty thrilled about all that's in store for you, from the awesome maid of honor duties , to the epic events to plan ( hey bachelorette party !) to that maid of honor speech — but it's also normal to be a bit nervous, too. As we said, the maid of honor has lots of responsibilities, which include writing and delivering the maid of honor speech. The maid of honor speech usually occurs during the wedding reception, but you might be asked to deliver it at the rehearsal dinner instead. If you’re comfortable speaking in front of a crowd or have a background in acting or performing, the maid of honor speech should be a breeze . But, considering that public speaking is a very common fear, you might be anxious . And even if giving the maid of honor speech doesn’t worry you, figuring out exactly how to write a maid of honor speech likely does. It’s an important moment for both you and the bride, and of course you want to make it special.

How do you prepare the most amazing maid of honor speech she’s ever heard and alleviate some of your anxieties? We’re here to help.

When to start writing a maid of honor speech.

Presuming you haven’t procrastinated too long, you should give yourself as much time as possible to prepare — start at least three weeks to a month before the wedding. This may seem like a lot of time to write a short maid of honor speech, but the longer you wait to write, the more stressed you’ll become.

Choose a time when you’re feeling inspired by your friendship with the bride and/or couple. If you’re feeling extra sentimental after the bachelorette party brought up a plethora of stories you had forgotten about, write them down. Don’t underestimate the power of free writing, during which you unleash all of the thoughts and anecdotes about your bestie that cross your mind onto the page. That way, you’ll be able to see all of your feelings and memories all together at once. From there, who knows? More likely than not, you’ll discover some sort of inspiration within these reflections.

The maid of honor speech outline.

1. how to start the maid of honor speech..

First off, introduce yourself and mention your relationship with the bride, and the couple. Next, be sure you thank whomever you feel is important enough to mention, depending on the circumstances and who paid for or planned the wedding — parents, other family members, wedding party members, etc. Congrats! You have two lines of your speech out of the way.

2. Talk about the bride.

Now things start to get more personal. If you were just going to express gratitude, it would be a toast, not a maid of honor speech. One crowd-pleasing story you might consider including is how you met the bride. If it’s not a particularly appealing or appropriate story, you might also consider a story about the two of you the really exemplifies your friendship, or a time when you knew you were going to be friends forever. If the two of you share a bond over food, maybe you could talk about that time the two of you tried (and failed) to make your own recipe from scratch. Maybe you were really frustrated at first when you were assigned to be partners in class because you didn’t think you were going to get along, but as fate would have it, you became inseparable. Get creative and get sentimental. And don’t be afraid to be funny .

3. Talk about her partner.

After talking about you and the bride, it might be a good idea to include how you first met her almost-spouse in the maid of honor speech. I once witnessed a maid of honor that had been friends with the bride for many years, and during her speech she recalled that the bride actually had set her and the groom up on a blind date at first. The maid of honor and the future groom talked about their common friend for the entire date—and the rest was history. You’re the bride’s right hand woman, but a wedding is all about celebrating the couple, so it’s a nice transition from talking about you and the bride into talking about the bride and her partner. It also shows your solidarity and support for their relationship. No matter how you truly feel about her partner, keep a happy face on.

4. Talk about them as a couple.

Speaking of which, after you explain how you met the bride’s new spouse, talk about the two of them as a couple. This works even better if you’ve known both of them for a long time. Maybe you were the bride’s roommate when they had their first date, and you witnessed her giddy nerves beforehand. Maybe you witnessed the very prolonged will-they-or-won’t-they period of their relationship. What did she tell you after they said "I love you," for the first time? At one wedding, the groom’s sister told a story that took place about three months before the groom and bride had gotten together. The sister was teasing her brother about his love life, when he said, “I’m in love with my best friend, but it will never happen, she’s not interested.” Her brother wouldn’t give any names — but three months later, she figured it out for herself when they started dating.

5. Keep it short and sweet.

In thinking about how to write a maid of honor speech, remember that it should only be about two to three minutes long. That’s just long enough to tell a few stories about the beloved couple and toast to a happy future. Everyone will probably be anxious to start dancing (or eating!) at this point, so there’s no need to drag on. We tend to talk more quickly when we’re nervous, so be extra aware to speak slowly.

6. Practice.

Be sure to practice your speech in advance — whether it’s in front of a mirror, your cat, or a family member or friend. You can even time yourself to make sure the speech is an appropriate length.

7. End with a toast.

Don't forget to toast to the happy couple at the end! Raising your glass is a great natural finisher to your maid of honor speech, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. You can add a few words, like "Now, let's all raise a glass to the newlyweds!" or something similarly concise and to the point.

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What to NOT say in a maid of honor speech

Here's what to avoid when writing your maid of honor speech.

1. Exes, drunken nights or anything else remotely inappropriate.

It should go without saying, but exes or drunken debauchery should not be included in a maid of honor speech. A wedding is a family event, after all. Don’t talk about anything the bride wouldn’t mind her grandmother hearing.

2. Anything that could even potentially cause tension.

Don’t mention the high divorce rate — even jokingly. It will not be received well.

3. Don’t feel pressured to be anything but yourself.

If humor isn’t your strong suit, it doesn’t have to be a hilarious maid of honor speech. You can be nostalgic, sweet, or sentimental — but not drunk. Wait to drink until after your maid of honor speech .

Whatever you write in your maid of honor speech, the most important thing is that your words come from the heart. Even if you’re not a natural-born performer , speak with feeling and emotion — not like you’re reading a classroom assignment—and talk directly to the couple, rather than focusing on the many other faces in the crowd. Your bestie may not remember the exact words you said during your maid of honor speech, but she’ll remember the care and love behind it.

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Find a local wedding supplier, ultimate guide: how to write a maid of honour speech.

Modern Wedding Posted: January 15, 2020

So your best gal has asked you to be her maid of honour, how exciting! As you look forward to the incredible tasks of wedding dress shopping, hair trials and of course, planning the hen's party, you realise that you will also have a give a speech! Bit scary right? Well, don't worry, because we have the ultimate guide for how to write the most amazing maid of honour speech!

The True Honour...

Remember the deliciously cringe-worthy maid of honour speech ‘duel’ between characters Annie Walker and Helen Harris in the blockbuster movie Bridesmaids ? While extremely entertaining to watch, it was almost the perfect example of what not to do. This observation may be pretty obvious, but many maids of honour do find themselves scratching their heads wondering what they should say. As a relatively new addition to the wedding speech lineup, the maid of honour speech is somewhat of a blank canvas and the challenge is to not replicate what’s already being covered in other people’s speeches.

For The Expert...

Anita Stevens , Founder of Write It For Me , who specialises in writing customised wedding speeches for members of the bridal party, says the beauty of a maid of honour speech is that without any traditional roots or official ‘duties’ to deliver, the format and approach are pretty flexible. “You can pretty much make it your own, but ultimately you should focus your speech on two things: celebrating your friendship with the bride and celebrating her marriage”, she says. "It doesn’t need to be a tear-jerking, gushing account of how great your friend is. The maid of honour speech can be just as entertaining, heart-warming, and funny as the best man‘s – in fact, I encourage women to really try to give the best man a run for his money in the comedy department and knock it out of the park.” Here’s Anita’s ultimate guide to writing a knockout maid of honour speech!

Introduce yourself...

It might seem like a no-brainer but people often forget to introduce themselves. You need to tell people who you are and explain your relationship to the bride. This gives your speech context and helps people connect with what you’re about to say.

TIP: Don’t feel like you have to open with a joke. There’s nothing worse than leading with a forced joke that falls flat. Your confidence will take a hit and you’ll create an awkward vibe that you may find hard to recover from. Let the speech and the humour build around the stories – don’t force it.

Tell a story...

Like any good story, your speech needs a beginning, middle and an end. A clear, simple structure is like a road map for your audience – it helps them stay on track and if they do get distracted they won’t get lost.

TIP: Try this basic structure for a maid of honour speech.

1. Introduce yourself – Tell people who you are and your relationship with the bride.

2. Start with the bride – Talk about why she’s a good person and friend. Don’t just say, “She’s really great”, share a story about why she’s great.

3. Share the love story – Share your version of how they met. What was her impression? What did she say? How did YOU know she had met The One?

4. Compliment the groom – Say some nice things about the groom. Why he’s great for your friend, share some of the nice things he does for her.

5. Celebrate the couple – Why they are great together, how their lives have changed for the better.

6. Share some words of advice - Wish them wonderful things for the future or offer some pearls of wisdom. You could also insert a quote or poem at this point.

7. Toast to the bride and groom - Raise your glass and say: “Here’s to the happy couple”, take and sip and you’re all done.

Inject humour but don’t force it...

Working humour into a speech is probably the hardest part. The best way to approach it is to write everything down and then look for the comedy. It might be a story about the bride or how the happy couple met. Comedy is everywhere – look to your stories and friends for inspiration if you’re having trouble.

TIP: If you’re not comfortable telling jokes or being funny then don’t. A genuine heartfelt speech beats try-hard humor every time. Be true to who you are. Oh and avoid internet jokes because a) they’re mostly terrible and b) people have heard them a million times.

Practice but don’t memorise...

Don’t feel you have to memorise your speech because you will only trip yourself up if you try. That’s not to say you shouldn’t practice. You should – a LOT. The trick is to know your speech well enough so that you only need to refer to your notes to jog your memory. The more you can look up and connect with the audience, the better.

TIP: When you practice you must read your speech out loud. You need to get a feel for the rhythm and it will help you weed out any awkward phrases and words that may trip you up.

Go easy on the anecdotes...

One or two anecdotes are enough. Avoid private or in-jokes because you will alienate people in the audience. Even if you fancy yourself as quite the entertainer, one or two good stories told well are much better than five average ones that seem to go on forever.

TIP: Avoid stories about drunken nights out or other really embarrassing moments. A little bit of embarrassment is funny but telling everyone about the time the bride wet her pants at school camp is not a good idea.

Less is more...

There’s nothing worse than a long wedding speech. Weddings guests are there for a good time, not a long time, and chances are you are not the only one speaking at the event. Brevity is good.

TIP: Aim to speak for no longer than five minutes. Any longer and you will probably start to see people looking at their watch or heading for the bar.

Be sure you've got it right - get it written!...

If you’re not a great public speaker or writer, why not hire a professional speechwriter to help you write your speech? Your bride and the guests will appreciate the gesture and you can relax and enjoy the event knowing you have the right words for your friend’s big day. Contact Anita at Write It For Me.

Most of all, remember a wedding is a happy occasion and the audience is having fun and they WANT you to succeed – so have some fun with it!

Via Dos And Don'ts Of Wedding Speeches

Special thanks to Anita Stevens for sharing how to write the perfect maid of honour speech! You can contact her [email protected] or connect with her on Facebook .

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Great Short & Sweet Maid of Honor Speech Examples

The maid of honor is pivotal to any wedding because she undertakes all the essential roles for the bride, including taking over the colossal stress of the wedding! But when all the planning is over and the wedding day arrives, you may feel even more pressure because now, you have to present a maid of honor speech .

Longtime wedding traditions didn’t include the maid of honor giving a speech, but as couples continue to change how we do weddings today, things have changed. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration on how to write a great short & sweet maid of honor speech, we’ve put together some examples.

Maid of honor giving speech at outdoor wedding

Nervous Maid of Honor Short & Sweet Speech

It’s pretty normal to be nervous when speaking in public. But when you’re the maid of honor, you just have to get past it and get it done. Keeping is short & sweet may help. In this maid of honor speech example, she does just that.

“Hello ladies and gentlemen, I am so happy you are all here today to celebrate the wedding of my best friend, I’m the maid of honor, Suzie, and I’ll be honest, I’m kind of nervous (giggles). You know girls are always competitive, but we were never like that; I recognized she was so wonderfully exceptional in many ways and was happy to be in her shadow. So today, I am beyond delighted that she has chosen to get married and embark on this wondrous journey.

I knew Robert was the one because every time we talked, she referred to him on every topic. It was always “Yeah, Rob likes…” or “Well Rob said…” It didn’t take long for me to realize that she was madly in love and one day we’d be here.

Please join me in a toast. To Suzie & Rob, the most exceptional couple I know. I wish you a lifetime of love & happiness. And, remember, I’m only a phone call away!”

Bride’s Best Friend Delivers Simple & Short Maid Of Honor Speech

Sometimes less is more. Remember there are other speeches at the wedding and the guests will be ready to eat or get the party started. So, they will appreciate your short speech. In this example, the maid of honor reminisces about their 15 years of friendship and acknowledges the groom’s love for her best friend.

“If you haven’t gotten around to meeting me yet, my name is [Name]. [Bride’s Name] and I have been best friends for about 15 years. We met in high school gym class and didn’t really like each other at first. But as you can see, things changed for the better. And I can’t imagine not being here for this event.

When I think about our friendship, I remember all the slumber parties, girl’s night out, shopping trips, and comforting each other when something went wrong. Well, these activities were pretty frequent until her lovely groom, and the love of her life came along!

[Groom], since the day I met you, I knew you were good for [Bride’s Name]. The way that you looked at her showed me that you truly loved her. I hope that you will treasure and respect my best friend as I have over the years. And of course, you will continue to love her all your life.

I raise my glass to the happy couple.”

A Few Loving Words Is All It Takes

Just a few words from the maid of honor is all that it takes to share your love and celebrate the couple. And if you end with a good toast like this maid of honor did, your maid of honor speech will be golden.

“I would like to say today what a beautiful couple they make! People talk of fairytales, but real relationships take a lot of work. I must applaud and congratulate the bride and the groom on investing in each other and putting in the work to be the best possible versions of themselves for each other. This is true love, folks! A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” {Quote by – Mignon McLaughlin)

A toast to my best friend and her best friend.

Love you both!”

Groom wearing tuxedo holding champagne glasses with bride on his arm

A Short Yet Witty Maid Of Honor Speech

“I hope you’re all having a lovely evening. My name is [Name]; if you haven’t met me yet, you may be at the wrong wedding because I am pretty much inseparable from these two. But, seriously. I am the maid of honor, and I nervous as heck about this speech, so I promise to keep it short so that we can get to the open bar.

I never had a sister, but (Bride) has been like a sister to me for all these years. We have similar tastes; we like similar clothes… I knew (Bride) had found “the one” when (Groom) walked into her life. Well, I’m okay with that – she saw him first!

You could see that it was love at first, second, and third sight. He is her Prince Charming, and it seems to me he gives her all she needs – a strong arm, a sympathetic ear, and his credit card.

And when I see the way [Groom’s Name] looks at my best friend with such love and adoration, I can’t help but dream of the day that I too find my Prince and she will have to be anxious about presenting the speech. But until then, my advice to you is this…never go to bed mad, stay up & fight because the making up is the best part.

To the bride & groom. I love you both to the moon & back! CHEERS!!”

A Short Sister Of The Bride Maid Of Honor Speech

When you’re sister asked you to be the maid of honor, it is, of course, a huge honor. In this maid of honor speech example, she keeps everything simple, adds a little humor, and has a great toast at the end!

“So, my sister is getting married today, and I’ll admit I was a bit surprised when she asked me to be the maid of honor because she’s always telling me off! And she has tons of friends that she could’ve chosen. But I know she does it because she loves me as I love her. And I am honored to be here to celebrate these two beautiful souls.

I’ve emulated her my whole life, from prom dresses to hairstyles to favorite books. I’m sure this comes as no surprise to most of you. {giggles} So, I’ve never really been good about speaking in public; it’s pretty terrifying. But I think this is the part of the speech that I am supposed to tell some embarrassing story about [Bride’s Name}, but I realized she has a lot more dirt on me, so we’ll just skip that part.

Today, my sister & lifelong mentor looks like a fairytale princess, and I wish her all the happiness in the world.

Please raise your glasses and join me in a toast. Love is a force that’s more impressive than any other because it’s invisible, it can’t be seen, but it can transform you in a single moment, and it will offer you more joy than any material possession ever could. To the bride & groom! CHEERS!”

We hope that you enjoyed these short & sweet maid of honor speech examples. If you need more tips or advice on writing wedding speeches or wedding toast inspiration, we have you covered. If short & sweet can’t convey your message, visit our Maid of Honor Speech Guide if you want to create a longer more robust wedding speech. You’ll be writing an unforgettable wedding speech in no time.

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The Bridesmaids – Sample Wedding Speeches & Toasts

Sample Speech #1

I’d like to offer my deepest congratulations to my friend Kelly and her new husband Robert. Kelly, you are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, and I am honored to serve as your bridesmaid today. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and love.

Sample Speech #2

Kelly, we’ve been friends for a long time. You’ve been there for me through thick and thin, and now I’m so glad I can be here for you as your bridesmaid. This has been a wonderful celebration of love, and I only hope that when I am a bride one day, my wedding can be as perfect as yours has turned out to be! True love is a blessing, and I am so happy that one of my closest friends has found it with a great guy like Robert. Congratulations, Kelly and Robert!

Sample Speech #3

When we were little girls, Kelly and I used to dream about the kind of weddings we were going to have. We’d dress our Barbies in flowing gowns and rehearse for our own special day. As I remember the dreams we had as children, I know that even they could not compare to the beauty and romance that is your wedding day. Let’s raise our glasses to the bride and groom, and wish them the lifetime of love and happiness they deserve!

Sample Speech #4

I want to thank my friend Kelly for choosing me to serve as bridesmaid on her wedding day. This has been a beautiful celebration of love that I am honored to be a part of, and I know Kelly and Robert will have many happy years together. I want to say congratulations to them both — you are both so lucky to have someone so fantastic to share your life with. Here’s to health, happiness and love, now and for the years ahead!

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The Bride – Sample Wedding Speeches & Toasts
Mother and Father of Bride – Sample Wedding Speeches & Toasts

Bridesmaid Speech

Weddings are beautiful, dazzling and presents itself like a giant expensive playground where you can have fun, dance, eat a lot of delicious food. Weddings include heartfelt wedding vows and speeches from the couple and their respective parents. The best man and the bridesmaid also have to give speeches as well.

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What Is a Bridesmaid’s Speech?

A bridesmaid’s speech is a type of speech given by a bridesmaid at a wedding reception, typically after the meal has been served and before the dancing begins. The wedding speech is usually a heartfelt and lighthearted tribute speech to the bride and groom, and may include personal anecdotes and memories about the couple, as well as well wishes for their future together.

How to Write a Bridesmaid’s Speech

Step 1: give a short introduction.

To start off your bridesmaid speech, give a short introduction . Remember that your introduction to your speech should not be focused on you, rather, it should be focused on the wedding event, the bride and the groom, and the guests in the event. Focus your intro on saying thanks and move on to the next.

Step 2: Share a Happy Memory

Talk about a happy memory you may have of the bride. Share how you are related to her or an impact you have about her. However, do not share anything embarrassing or something too private for everyone to know and hear. Be mindful of what you are also going to be sharing.

Step 3: Thank the Guests in Your Speech

Next is to thank the guests in your speech. All the while you offer your congratulations to the happy bride and groom. Remember to express your gratitude and excitement when you make your speech. However, do not overdo your reaction as it may also be too much for the guests. The focus is not only in your speech and the guests, but also for the bride and the groom.

Step 4: End Your Speech with a Happy Note

The end, the conclusion , or the conclusion paragraph part of your speech must end with a happy note. Bridesmaids speeches often end with happy tears which are expected. You must know that ending with a happy note is expected and will also give a boost for both the bride and the groom to expect a happy marriage life.

Why is a bridesmaids speech important?

The simplest reason why a bridesmaids speech is an important part of the wedding agenda is because a bridesmaids speech helps to celebrate the bride’s wedding and to mark an important milestone in her life. It also helps set a good tone and theme with everyone present.

What to expect in a bridesmaid speech?

The elements of a bridesmaids speech consists of the introduction wherein the bridesmaid greets and thanks everyone for attending the wedding. The introduction is also to lighten up the mood before moving to the body of the speech. The body of the speech is where the bridesmaid shares a story or an experience that meant well to her with the bride. The last part or the conclusion is to give the happy couple a hoorah! or a proper send off to their new life together.

How long is a bridesmaids speech?

The length of a bridesmaids speech should not be beyond a single page long. The whole point is to congratulate the bride and to share some memories. Not to talk about you or something else.

If you are lucky enough to be chosen as the bridesmaid, there are a few basic things you should remember when writing a speech. Begin your speech by giving your gratitude to the people who’ve come to share this eventful day and don’t forget to introduce yourself. Instead, share a story with your friendship with the bride and also mention some experiences you had with the couple. Sum up your speech with happiness and best wishes for the couple.

Bridesmaid Speech Generator

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How To Write A Wedding Speech: The Ultimate Guide For Do’s, Don’ts, and Delivery PART 1/3: Do’s

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How To Write A Wedding Speech: The Ultimate Guide For Do’s, Don’ts, and Delivery PART 2/3: Don’ts

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Someone you love is getting married, and you’ve just been asked to give a speech at the wedding. What an honor! But also, if you’re not used to giving speeches, what a nightmare! Public speaking can be scary , which is why many people prefer to avoid it. But when your bestie asks you to make a speech at his or her wedding, it’s time to rally. But now you’re wondering if you even know how to write a wedding speech! What makes some wedding speeches fun and memorable, and what makes others cringy and fall flat? We’ve got you. We’ve put together the ultimate guide for how to write a wedding speech, focusing on things you definitely should do, things you definitely should NOT do, and then how to deliver your killer wedding speech like a pro.

If you’re wondering how to write a wedding speech, here are a few “Do’s” to keep in mind.

Start planning early
Introduce yourself and how you know the bride and groom
Thanks to hosts, guests, and wedding party; congratulate the couple
Make it personal
Think of 3 traits with 3 stories
Talk about the couple
Have a beginning, middle, and end
Consider your audience
Keep it short and sweet
It’s okay to be simple and meaningful

1. Start planning early

If you don’t know how to write a wedding speech but the bride just asked you to give one, this is not a time to procrastinate. Public speaking is one of the number one fears many people have, so it’s likely you’ve avoided giving too many public speeches before this. And unless you’re a performer or a veteran improv comedian, you might not do too well winging this one. If you get nervous in front of an audience (as most of us do), the best defense against freezing up when you take the mic is being prepared.

As soon as you know you’ve been asked to give a speech at the wedding, begin jotting down notes immediately. Whenever you’re inspired by a thought of the couple or remember an anecdote that might be worth retelling, make note of it. This will help to give you a pool of ideas to draw from when you start writing down the speech.

Begin gathering ideas and writing the speech a couple of weeks to a month before the wedding. You’ll need time to edit, fine-tune it, and make it concise. And as wedding showers, bachelorette parties, and other wedding festivities begin, you might find there are entertaining stories from these events you want to add as well. If you want to write it all at once, you can do that too. However, make sure to sleep on it and come back with fresh eyes. You don’t want just “okay,” you want your speech to be heartfelt and meaningful.

You will also want to begin early to give yourself time to practice and rehearse your speech plenty of times.

2. Introduce yourself and how you know the bride and groom

No matter how large or small the wedding is, it’s likely you will not be familiar with many of the guests on one or both sides. And they won’t be familiar with you either. So don’t leave them guessing!

Make sure when you start to write a wedding speech to introduce yourself and mention how you know the couple. This will help them understand the context of your speech, which will also help it to be more well-received.

3. Thank hosts, guests, and wedding party; congratulate the couple

It’s also courteous to take this time to thank the hosts and other members of the wedding party for all the hard work that went into the event, and to thank guests for being there to support the newlyweds, especially those who had to travel far.

It’s also a good time to officially congratulate the newlyweds and offer them your personal well-wishes for their future. It is imperative that you don’t forget this part, because they are the whole reason you’re there and giving a speech!

4. Make it personal

Whether you are the maid of honor, the best man, father of the bride, or just a friend, you were asked to give a speech because of your close connection and relationship with either the bride or groom (or both).

And since you know your friend as well as you do, you probably have plenty of stories to share; so the next tip for how to write a wedding speech is don’t hesitate to make it personal and share those stories! This will also help guests get to know the other half of the couple they might not know as well or are just meeting for the first time. And those guests who do know them will love hearing some entertaining stories they might not have heard yet.

5. Think of 3 traits with 3 stories

If you’re finding it difficult to come up with anything, a useful approach for how to write a wedding speech is to think of 3 positive defining traits or qualities of the bride or groom and recount three stories or examples that illuminate a time they exhibited these traits. These stories could be comedic, heartwarming, or both. Just make sure they are relevant and entertaining!

6. Talk about the couple

If you’re the maid of honor and have been chatting up the bride for the whole speech, part of how to write a wedding speech is to make sure at some point it circles around to the groom, too, and to the two of them as a couple.

Recount the time you met him, or how you remember talking about him with the bride in the beginning stages of their relationship. If you don’t know the groom all that well, talk about how good they are as a couple and about how happy he makes her.

And If you’re not a fan of the groom, this is not the time to air your grievances. Always keep it positive.

7. Have a beginning, middle, and end

All good speeches have a good flow and take the audience along with it.

Don’t let your speech fall flat or jumble together in a haphazard confusion of disconnected anecdotes. Give it the structure of an overarching theme, with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

We are not talking about a novel here, just make sure there is a direction to where the speech is going, and that the destination, end, or sentiment is achieved. It doesn’t need to be Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator, but a three-act structure does help keep you grounded. Most people also follow a story easier when there is a clear direction for a story or speech.

8. Consider your audience

The next thing to keep in mind when considering how to write a wedding speech is to make sure you consider who your audience is.

This is not the bachelor or bachelorette party. There will be a wide range of people present from children to the elderly, and from close friends of the bride and groom to casual acquaintances and coworkers. Make sure your speech is free of any crudeness that might not be fit for such a varied audience. Also, this isn’t the time to take a shot at any of the religious cermonies.

Be considerate and keep it positive and use language everyone can relate to.

9. Keep it short and sweet

You want your speech to be meaningful and memorable; but the wedding is not about you, and yours is not the only speech.

No one ever complains about a speech being too short, but they do begin to grumble if it runs on too long. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind when figuring out how to write a wedding speech is to keep your speech between 2-5 minutes long. Any longer than 5 minutes and you’ll lose everyone to thoughts of cake and whether or not to Cupid Shuffle later.

10. Add humor

Don’t be afraid to be funny! Another tip for how to write a wedding speech is that if you’ve got a lighthearted, creative, joking side, use it and add humor to your speech! Everyone likes to be entertained.

This doesn’t mean you should scour the internet for generic wedding-themed jokes, but if you’ve got some good original material to use that helps relate a story about the bride or groom in a comedic way, do it. As long as you’re not making fun of the couple but having fun with them, jokes are great. Or you can even poke fun at yourself to illuminate a higher quality in your bestie. It’s all about making the newlyweds shine.

If you’re creative and have other talents, use them! If you are musical, bust out your instrument and/or vocal cords and make the speech in the form of a song! Use props, and get the other guests involved! The newlyweds will feel special because you created something for them, and the guests will love joining in the fun.

11. It’s okay to be simple and meaningful

If entertaining isn’t your thing, that’s okay! Don’t force it – just be yourself. It’s okay to be simple and meaningful with your speech. Always keep in mind when you go to write a wedding speech that what’s important is that you are genuine and speak from the heart.

Hopefully, you found these tips for how to write a wedding speech helpful, and can start writing today! And stay tuned to our blog for the next part in this ultimate guide for how to write a wedding speech where we highlight a few things you should definitely avoid.

Love this content and want more? Read more about weddings on our blog ! Involved in the wedding planning process and the bride is still looking for a venue ? Give us a call today and we’ll help you find the perfect place!

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Voices of Love: Unforgettable Wedding Speeches

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Wedding speeches are an essential part of every wedding. They let all the members of the bridal party and guests share their overwhelming emotions about the big day. Best wedding speeches stay in our memory forever, marking the significance of the wedding day for everyone involved. It can be quite challenging to fit all the feelings you want to share into a single toast . In this article, you will find invaluable tips from the expert Amanda Layton, an experienced wedding vow and speechwriter, in crafting memorable wedding speeches.

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Wedding Speeches Examples

Best wedding speeches.

Writing a wedding speech can seem daunting, but with some preparation and guidance, you can deliver a heartfelt and memorable speech that will be cherished by the newlyweds and their guests.

Good evening, everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Sarah, and I’m the ___ I’ve known the bride, Emily, since we were little girls, and we’ve been best friends ever since. I remember the first time she told me about Alex, and how excited she was to go on a date with him. From that moment on, I knew he was something special. Seeing them together over the years has been such a joy, and I’m so happy to be here today to celebrate their love. Emily, you are the most kind, caring, and generous person I know. And Alex, you are her perfect match. I’ve never seen her so happy as she is with you. I know you will continue to be each other’s best friend, confidant, and partner in all of life’s adventures. So, let’s raise a glass to the newlyweds. May your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day. Congratulations!

Groom Wedding Speech

“I would like to thank my parents for all the help they have given me over the years, if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here now. I would also like to thank (my wife’s) parents for making me feel like the son they never wanted, sorry the son they never had, right from day 2. Day 1 was a bit rough, but hey, they’re over it now. I would also like to thank them for having such a beautiful, intelligent, kind, and caring daughter. I hope to do you both proud and thank you both for everything you have done today and to make today happen.”

The groom’s wedding speech starts at the reception. On behalf of himself and his bride, he expresses his gratitude to everyone involved in the wedding preparations. He toasts his parents, bridesmaids, and the groom’s party, and mentions their help and support. His speech is often quite sentimental, as he shares some personal memories. He also mentions how his life has changed since he met his bride.

Wedding Speeches for Parents

When the kids find love, the parents are also happy. So, it rests upon them to give wedding reception speeches in honor of their children. Now, depending on the chosen style, you’ll have to fit in with the wedding theme. Most times, a funny speech is just perfect, because it works for every wedding. Below, we’ll see wedding speech examples for different parents.

Wedding Speeches for Mother of the Groom

“The first time I saw you, it was love. My little baby grew into a wobbly toddler, and then a smart child. The pre-teen and teen years and the next thing I knew, you’ve become a man. I am so proud of you. You’ve made us proud of everything you’ve done. And on your wedding today, we wish you only the best.”

As a mother of the groom, wedding speeches for your son will be an emotional one. You’ll talk about his growing up, the bond you share, and how he was well-raised. You can add one or two romantic quotes and close. See the wedding speeches sample below.

Wedding Speeches for Mother of the Bride

“It’s no news that we love our kids so much, and seeing them grow up is hard. Everything they do fills you with pride. But you also miss the little girl who cuddles into you. And cried to you when she scraped her knee. Now my daughter is older and I’m grateful and proud that she found love in the groom. May your lives be long, happy, and peaceful together.”

The wedding speeches for mother of the bride isn’t a norm. But today, it’s becoming acceptable especially if the father isn’t involved. Tell your daughter that she’s beautiful and strong. Talk about the good memories in her growing years. And if her father has passed, talk about him with fondness.

Wedding Speeches for Father of the Groom

“My greatest blessing is having a son, one that mirrors me in many ways. But like his dream, he’s grown into his own person. He has taught me as much as I’ve taught him and I’m proud. My son is someone who goes the extra mile for people and I know he’ll make an amazing husband. I wish you every best, as we raise our glass to the groom and his amazing bride.”

Your son getting married excites you because he carries on the torch. Again, he will be looking to you for support and wisdom for marriage. So, good wedding speeches from the father of the groom must contain lots of quotes about marriage . Draw inspiration from talking about your own marriage, the bond you share, and why he’s a great son.

Wedding Speeches for Father of the Bride

“Looking at both of you in your beautiful dress and dapper suit, my wedding day comes to mind. We were quite excited, filled with love, merriment, and of course nervousness. From me to you, I’ll tell you for free that a successful marriage requires falling in love many times. And doing it with the same person always.”

As the father of the bride, you have responsibilities to your baby girl. From walking her down the aisle to the father-daughter dance. Throwing in a great speech is just perfect. Let your love for your baby shine through and talk about her growing up. Remember the groom, give them pieces of advice, and your best wishes. See the wedding speeches template below for some inspiration.

Wedding Speeches for Sister

Ladies and gentlemen, today I stand before you with immense pride and joy as I celebrate my sister’s union with [Groom’s Name]. As her older sister, I’ve had the privilege of watching her grow into the amazing woman she is today. She has found in [Groom’s Name] the love and support she deserves. Here’s to a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. Cheers to the newlyweds!

When delivering a wedding speech for your sister, begin by expressing your love and pride for her. Share heartfelt stories that illustrate her special qualities, highlight her relationship with the groom, and offer well-wishes for their future. End your speech by raising a toast to the newlyweds.

Best Man Wedding Speech

Take a look at this great example of a witty speech, presented by the best man.

“There comes a time in everyone’s life when they meet their one true love, their soul mate, the person that’s going to know and love them for the rest of their life. That moment came for the groom…3 years ago when he met me. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, for those of you that don’t know me my name, is Dan, What-would-you-like-to-drink. I hope you’ll come and say hello at the bar later, but please…call me by my full name. On behalf of the bride and groom, I’d like to thank you all for coming. And I want to give special thanks to the parents of the bride and groom… it’s amazing how far some people are willing to travel, just for some free food and drink. And finally, I’d like to thank my best friend (the groom), for giving me the first EVER opportunity…. to be able to speak for five minutes without him interrupting!”

“They say, in a good marriage the husband is the head, and the wife is the heart. So let us drink to the fact that our young people did not know in life either headaches or heartaches!”

“Love is not a fire, it will catch fire, you will not put out. In the hearts of our young people, the fire of love burns. This is a sacred fire. So, fill our glasses and amicably drink to ensure that it never goes out in their hearts!”

“I drink to ensure that our newly married and in 10 years and 20 years of family life, looking at his charming wife, lost his head, but not reason.”

“Friends! I offer a drink for a kiss! After all, he came up with a man, because he did not find any other way to close a mouth to a woman.”

Wedding speeches best man deliver are usually the most humorous of all the others. Thank you’s are also appropriate, especially to the bridesmaids and fellow groomsmen. Some anecdotes about the groom would be also much anticipated. People expect wedding best man speeches to be memorable, funny, with well wishes to the couple . Humor is a must.

100+ Best Wedding Toasts For Different Types Of Guests

Maid of honor speech outline.

“Before I go any further, I just want to say, Bride, you look absolutely beautiful and Groom, you’ve never looked more handsome. For those of you who don’t know me and for those who can’t tell, I’m Bride’s sister. Thank you Bride for the honor of being your bridesmaid. Obviously, I’ve known Bride all of my life and we know more about each other than we would probably care to. We’ve laughed together, cried together, and laughed until we’ve cried. We’ve also had the odd fight! We also have so many inside jokes that only we find funny.”

“A real woman can make a man who surrendered to her, always think that he is the winner. Look at our groom. He looks like a winner. Therefore, let us drink to his beautiful victory and the woman who allowed herself to be defeated, the bride.”

“What is the difference between the fairy tale and the reality? A fairy tale is when he married a snake, and she became a princess. A reality when it on the contrary. Let the life of our newlyweds be like a fairy tale!”

There is one thing all wedding speeches maid of honor makes have in common: they boost the bride. Like any other wedding speech, the maid of honor’s speech can be witty and humorous, but the most important feature of this category is love and sentimentality. Add a couple of memorable stories you have of the newlyweds. Don’t forget well wishes!

Wedding Speeches for Best Friends

“I’m here to talk about two very special people, John and Eve. I’ve been friends with Eve since kindergarten. On our first day at school, we met and formed a friendship that has lived two decades and some. We got into trouble a lot and got grounded many times by the parents. My bestie is free-spirited and has a strong will to date. James, I hope you’re prepared for marriage with a woman who is full of life and spirit. With her, you’ll never live the same day twice. I wish you heaven’s best all your life. A toast…”

Wedding Welcoming Speeches

“Welcome to the celebration of James and Eve’s wedding. A tale of love that promises to last forever. Today promises to be one of beauty, friendships formed, and bonds lasting forever. For you all who have come from far and near to celebrate, we hope you take joy home with you. The happiness of marriage is the highest happiness on earth. And this is what we’ve witnessed today. Sit back, relax, have the time of your lives, and thank you for choosing to share in our joy.

Funny Wedding Speeches

Good evening everyone! For those who don’t know me, I’m the groom’s brother. I’d like to start by saying that I’m delighted to see so many people here tonight, and I hope you’re all enjoying the celebrations as much as we are. Now, it’s not often that you get to make a speech at your brother’s wedding, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to share a few stories about him. Growing up, my brother was always the smart one. He was top of his class and excelled at everything he did. And then he met his beautiful bride-to-be, and everything changed. Suddenly he became clumsy, forgetful, and absent-minded. I guess you could say that love really does make you do crazy things. But in all seriousness, I couldn’t be happier for the two of them. They truly are a perfect match, and I have no doubt that they will have a long and happy life together. So let’s raise a glass to the newlyweds – may your marriage be filled with love, laughter, and lots of adventures!

Writing a funny wedding speech can entertain guests and create lasting memories. Keep it appropriate, short, know your audience, and practice for a smooth delivery.

Short Wedding Speeches

“Groom, thank you for being an anchor, a friend, and brother. And I can’t be more proud that you married an amazing bride. Man! You’ve won a lottery! We celebrate both of you tonight, and all of the good things you are. You care for everyone and I’m sure you’ll care for her. We wish you success, laughter, and love. May your humor in bad times and appreciation in good times never leave you. May you get answers to prayers. May the friendship you share keep growing till death parts you. Cheers to you!”

Whether you’re giving wedding speeches for the bride, best man, or brother; the shorter the better. This will help make sure you don’t bore the audience. 11 /14

Wedding Thank You Speeches

“We (couple) worked really hard to make this day perfect. But we remembered that being bound to the one you love in the presence of your loved ones — is what makes the day perfect. I’m overjoyed that we had beautiful weather. The food and drinks were great and everyone is happy. Thank you all, especially my beloved, because today I’m bound to him to start a beautiful journey together. And after all my fears and jitters, today turned out to be much more memorable than we planned. Thank you.”

Wedding thank you speeches give you the opportunity to thank your guests. You will also extend your appreciation to everyone who made your day possible. If you intend to mention names, have a list, so that you don’t leave anyone out. This speech can come from the bride or groom. But it’s always better to skip the names. Also, infuse some humor. 12 /14

Wedding Officiant Speeches

“Shall we all sit? Today, we gather to witness and celebrate the matrimony of Eve and James. What they have is an existing bond, and we’ve come together to strengthen it. As family and friends, it’s our honor to witness today. Marriage is a lifetime commitment where two people work tirelessly to bring out the best in each other. You get an opportunity to share your joys, success, failures, and burdens with an ally for life. You get an opportunity to share and grow. One relationship which no other can equal. You are in for a physical and emotional binding that has the promise of a lifetime.”

Great wedding officiant speeches must be short, sweet, and have the perfect length to keep guests dialed in. The officiant should leverage the relationship and how much they know the couple. You must also tailor your speech in line with the wedding style. 13 /14

Wedding Anniversary Speeches

“Anniversaries are beautiful recollections of the past years and reflections for the years to come. The years past were happy and successful ones in many ways. They’re shrouded in a kaleidoscope of great relationships, supportive families, and happy memories. I’m not saying it’s smooth, but with your support, the journey became easier. We can only be grateful, even as we look forward to better years. As we celebrate our 50th year, I want to thank you for walking with us. It’s not a question of where you, it’s who goes with you. Thank you, everyone.”

A wedding anniversary speech must be heartfelt, sweet, and short. Whoever is giving the speech must know that it’s a time to reminisce and give good wishes. So, you’ll talk about the marriage, throw in some humor and bless the couple. If it’s the couple giving the speech, some advice will go a long way. 14 /14

Wedding Quotes for Speeches

“I’ve seen nothing more satisfying than two people coming together to become one. They share in each other’s pleasure, and bear each other’s pain. They crush their enemies together and make home with their friends.” “The pain and weight of life vanish from our lives by one word. It sets us free and we live again. It’s called LOVE.” “If you want to keep your marriage cup filled and running over, always admit your wrongs. And, if you’re right, be kind to shut up.”

Wedding Speeches Tips

Ready to seize the mic, command the room, and leave everyone applauding your wedding speech? Not quite yet? Amanda Layton, a Professional Wedding Speech Writer, shared top 5 tips to help you craft and deliver an epic wedding speech. With a little bit of guidance, you’ll be delivering an unforgettable toast that captures hearts and makes memories for years to come!

Keep it Short and Sweet First things first–when it comes to wedding speeches less is more. Did you know that a 5-minute speech is approximately 700 words? It’s important to keep your speech concise and to the point, ensuring that every word is impactful and resonates with the audience.
Skip the Roasts Steer clear of roasting the couple. It might sound funny in your head, but trust me, some things are better left unsaid. Avoid cringeworthy moments by focusing on heartwarming and positive anecdotes that celebrate the couple’s journey and love.
Harness the Power of Storytelling Capture everyone’s attention by using storytelling to highlight either the bride or groom’s wonderful qualities. Is she loyal, adventurous, generous, or kind-hearted? Is he optimistic, resilient, hilarious, etc? Share a touching story that really showcases one of these character traits, allowing everyone to get a deeper insight into how amazing this person truly is.
Celebrate the Path to Becoming a Husband or Wife Remember that this is a wedding celebration and your wedding speech is a great opportunity to encourage the bride in her new role as a wife or the groom in his new role as a husband. Share your heartfelt wishes and why you believe they will make an amazing partner in this new chapter of their life.
Practice Makes Perfect Confidence is key! Practice your speech a few times to build up your self-assurance. Remember to speak slowly when practicing because you are more likely to speed up in front of a crowd. Think of the areas you might tear up at and remember to pause and take a second to breathe. You don’t have to rush through the toast. Everyone wants to hear what you clearly have to say. Here’s the thing, the audience wants you to succeed, so embrace those nerves and let them fuel your confident delivery! You’ve got this, my friend! With these tips and a little bit of preparation, your speech is bound to be a show-stopper that leaves everyone applauding and reaching for the tissues! Crafting a memorable wedding speech is an art form, and your words have the power to touch hearts and create lasting memories.

Wedding Speeches Order

The order of wedding speeches can vary depending on cultural traditions and personal preferences. However, a common order for wedding speeches is as follows:

Father of the Bride: Welcomes guests, and expresses love and pride for his daughter.
Groom: Thanks guests, expresses gratitude to both families, and shares love for the bride.
Best Man: Shares humorous anecdotes about the groom, and proposes a toast.
Maid/Matron of Honor: Expresses friendship and admiration for the bride, offers wisdom, and proposes a toast.
Additional speeches: Other family members or friends may give shorter speeches or toasts as desired. Note: The order and inclusion of speeches can be customized to the couple’s preferences. Communication with the wedding party beforehand is essential for a smooth flow of the reception.

Wedding Speeches Template

Introduction:

Greet the guests and introduce yourself.
Express your gratitude for being chosen to speak at the wedding.

Personal Connection:

Share a personal story or memory about the couple.
Talk about your relationship with either the bride or groom (or both) and how you’ve seen their love grow.

Compliments and Qualities:

Compliment the couple individually and as a pair.
Highlight their qualities and what makes them a great match.

Anecdotes and Humor:

Share light-hearted and funny anecdotes about the couple.
Keep the humor appropriate and avoid embarrassing stories.

Words of Wisdom:

Offer advice or lessons on love, marriage, or relationships.
Use heartfelt and meaningful quotes or poems if desired.
Raise a toast to the couple’s happiness and future together.
Invite guests to join in raising their glasses and toasting.
Express well wishes and congratulations to the newlyweds.
End with a final heartfelt message or a toast to love.

Remember to personalize the speech to your relationship with the couple and make it heartfelt and authentic. Practice it beforehand to ensure a smooth delivery and consider keeping the speech around 3-5 minutes in length.

Things You’d Better Exclude From Any Wedding Speech

At the same time, there are things great wedding speeches avoid.

Do not include any embarrassing information.
Do not mention previous boyfriends or girlfriends of the newlyweds.
Do not say rude things like ‘We thought that day would never come’.
Do not include any crude language, there are all sorts of guests around, and what is totally appropriate in a group of friends is inappropriate at the celebration.
Adding humor, don’t make fun of the bride or groom. This is your best friend’s wedding, do not spoil it! If in doubt – use examples above, but by no means copy them. It is only a piece of speech to boost your imagination.

Wedding Speeches can be tricky to write, but we hope that now you have everything you need to deliver a perfect speech. A couple of jokes, a sentimental story, and letting your love for the couple shine is all it takes.

What Not to Say in a Wedding Speech

Embarrassing Stories : Steer clear of tales that could embarrass the couple.
Negative Remarks : Refrain from negative comments or jokes.
Excessive Inside Jokes : Ensure your speech is inclusive for all guests.
Lengthy Monologues : Keep it concise and engaging.
Controversial Topics : Avoid sensitive or controversial subjects.
Overuse of Clichés : Aim for originality over clichés.
Inappropriate Humor : Be mindful of cultural or personal sensitivities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you say in a wedding speech.

Express your love and support for the couple.
Share personal anecdotes or stories about them.
Offer well-wishes for their future together.

What is a good speech to give at a wedding?

A good wedding speech is heartfelt and genuine.
It engages the audience with humor or sentiment.
It balances praise, personal stories, and wishes for the couple.

What is an example of a short marriage speech?

To [Couple’s Name], may your love be as endless as the horizon, your laughter as infectious as a melody, and your journey together full of joy. Here’s to a lifetime of love and happiness. Cheers!

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Bridesmaid Speech Examples

January 31, 2017 By Kate

While a bridesmaid is not at all expected to give a speech during a wedding, it is something that can be appreciated. Usually a speech is expected of the Maid of Honor or the Matron of Honor, but if you feel like you have something nice to say, then you can certainly prepare a thoughtful speech for the big day.

1. Hi everyone, I am one of the bridesmaids in this wedding and I just wanted to say how happy and lucky I am to be here to celebrate [bride] and [groom’s] wedding with everyone. Today, everything looks effortless.

From the beautiful wedding ceremony to the food, music, and decorations at this venue, every little detail was planned by [bride] and [groom.] And lots of time was spent shopping for dresses and doing fittings. When you get to peek behind the scenes, you see how much work really gets put into planning a wedding. There were a lot of late nights and hours spent working on this wedding and I have to say that it all turned out quite beautifully. Let’s all give a round of applause for [bride] and [groom.]

[Bride] and [groom,] thank you for such a wonderful day. I raise my glass to the two of you and wish you nothing but the best in your life together. May each day be full of love and laughter between the two of you.

2. Hello everyone, obviously by my dress you can tell that I am one of the bridesmaids but most of you know me as a good friend of the bride. For many years, we have been partners in crime and have shared many memories. Today is another great day to add to our countless memories together.

Today is truly [bride] and [groom’s] day and [bride,] you look positively radiant today and [groom,] you are looking as handsome as ever. You have both truly outdone yourselves.

But while this is [bride] and [groom’s] day, I also want to give a shout out to her parents. From raising a wonderful daughter who has been one of my best friends in the world, to occasionally getting us out of trouble and acting as my second set of parents, I want to thank the two of you for raising such a wonderful person who I am so lucky to have in my life. And of course, you have also made this wedding what it is. It has been a lovely day that we will all remember for many years to come.

3. I am a bridesmaid and I am friends with [bride.] [Groom,] I hope you know how lucky you are to have someone as awesome as [bride] for a wife. She is an amazing, thoughtful, and loving friend, and I know she’ll be an even better wife to you. And you are pretty great yourself.

4. As someone who was your bridesmaid on your wedding day, I cannot adequately tell you how beautiful and touching this day has been to me. And this is my wish for the two of you: that today is not the happiest, day of your life. I hope that today is not the day that you loved each other the most. In fact, I hope today is the day that you loved each other the least because my wish for you is that your love for each other will grow with each passing day.

5. Hi everyone, I am a bridesmaid. And anyone who knows me knows that I love seeing two people in love. So you can imagine how great this day has been for me. I am so thankful to have been a part of [bride] and [groom’s] big day. [Bride] and [groom,] I don’t know if I have ever told you this, but you guys are the cutest couple I know. In fact, you are one of my favorite couples.

You are both such sweet and thoughtful people and together those qualities are multiplied. The way you two look at each other makes me believe in fairy tales again. You are even better together and I wish the two of you many more sweet memories to come.

6. Being a bridesmaid comes with certain responsibilities. Helping with the bridal shower, making sure the bride has fun at her bachelorette party, and shopping for dresses are just a few things we bridesmaids do. There have been a lot of wonderful bonding moments as we helped [bride] prepare for this wedding. But we also got the opportunity to see a woman who we deeply care about and love prepare for one of the most important days of her life.

This woman over here loves [groom] so much. And it is one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen. I am so happy and excited for the two of you. Let’s all raise a glass to the lovely newlyweds.

7. I am one of [bride’s] bridesmaids. While we are not related by blood, I would say that we are a lot more like family than friends. From [bride] and her siblings to their parents and grandparents, I can say that they are all amazing people and I feel so lucky to be able to take part in this day with you. I feel lucky to know [groom] as well, he is a wonderful guy who happened to fall in love with a lovely woman and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them. Let us all toast to [bride] and [groom!]

8. As one of [bride’s] bridesmaids, it has been a joy to watch her on this journey. From getting to know her to meeting [groom,] and then watching her plan her wedding, it has been one amazing adventure. [Bride] and [groom,] I am so happy for the two of you. Your wedding day has been absolutely wonderful and I know that I am not alone when I say that I love you both and wish you all the best in your new life together.

Check out our Rehearsal Dinner Speech Examples.

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How To Thank The Bridesmaids

When you're making a wedding speech, you have to fulfil three sacred duties in order to pass through the experience unscathed. First, you must pay respectful homage to the married couple and their kin. Second, you should be as entertaining as it is humanly possible for you to be. And last but by no means least, you must thank a bunch of people for basically doing nothing but standing there and looking pretty.

Acknowledging how lovely the bridesmaids look is an obligation all Best Men, Grooms and Father's of the Bride must fulfil. But depending on your role and indeed the tone of the day, this brief dispensing of praise can often be harder than it looks. Luckily for you, we've got your back, so here are a few ideas to help you thank the bridesmaids without looking like a pervert.

Father of the Bride

This isn't the Daily Mail; it's your daughter's wedding day. Be refined, be generous and be gentlemanlike in your praise. Do this, and you'll come across as the sophisticated and charming older man, rather than the grubby old deviant you secretly are:

"On behalf of myself and my wife, I'd like to thank Imogen's bridesmaids for everything they've done for our little girl. Not just today, which was a considerable effort in itself, but throughout your years of friendship. No doubt you've been a drunken shoulder to lean on many times for our Imogen, and I expect that'll be evident shortly after the bar opens... but for that, and all the support you've given her over the years, we thank you."

Alternatively, if you're feeling bullish and you're confident that a more risquÃ© tone would go down well, you could try your luck with this little number which subverts a typical dad line to good effect. Be warned, though; you can probably only pull this off if you're handsome. I'm talking guy on the packet of Just For Men handsome here. That's the level you'll need:

"Martha, Harriett, Joanne, Alannah; what can I say. You four look magnificent. Honestly, if I were twenty-five years younger, I'd be too scared to talk to any of you and I'd spend the whole night sitting in the corner nursing a beer and eating a whole pizza to myself."

Unless you're a complete and utter cradle snatcher, it is safe to assume that your wife's bridesmaids will be reasonably similar in age to you, the Groom. As such, you can get away with a little bit more than the Father of the Bride. But you can also trip up in some other places too. This isn't the time to say you've always fancied your new wife's friend, and nor is it appropriate to insinuate that they're even close to outdoing her in any way shape or form.

Keep it classy, keep it brief and keep it complimentary. Oh, and you'd better be hilarious too. The Groom's speech often follows a toast towards the bridesmaids from the Father of the Bride. So not only must you riff on that to continue the acknowledgements, but you've also got to open up your own speech with a bang:

"I'd like to echo what Gary said there and thank Mel, Violet, Cathy and Leah for not only helping my wife prepare for today but also making such a huge effort and looking so magnificent. Not that any effort was needed, mind. Unlike myself, who had to spend hours grooming, plucking, waxing and scrubbing to bring myself up to the standard of your average dole queue."

Mentioning the appearance of the bridesmaids may not be appropriate for a number of reasons. Perhaps one of them is your sister, and it'd make you feel weird to say she's pretty. Perhaps one of them is a bit, you know, and she'd be all self-conscious. Or maybe your wife's just a nutter, and the mere mentioning of another woman's beauty is enough to get a heel through your nutsack. If so, try this alternative line instead:

"And as for the bridesmaids, well, ladies you've been a wonderful help to Amanda, and I know that if the brutally patriarchal wedding customs allowed it, she'd thank you herself. But they don't, so thank you from me instead."

The Best Man

Best Men get to go further than most regarding the tone of their wedding speech, and this is no more evident than during the acknowledgement of the bridesmaids. Tradition dictates you must dance with the chief bridesmaid, and male pride requires you to at least take a crack at seducing her at some point in the night. Both of these things can be referenced during a wedding acknowledgement, as can the relative restraint shown by your previous speakers:

"Thank you to both Ian and Liam for their kind words regarding the services of myself, my fellow groomsmen and the bridesmaids this evening. You were correct, we have indeed done a bang-up job, and it feels good to receive validation of that fact. However, Liam, my friend, one thing I would say is that you could've gone much further with your compliments towards these beautiful young women. You could've called them sexy, ravishing, titillating, or jaw-dropping, but I respect the fact that you didn't. As a married man myself, I can see you've learned your place faster than I ever did. Well played sir, well played."

Another source of material is the notoriously competitive nature of today's bridesmaids, who often seek to out-do each other in various bizarre ways. Tapping into this world will provide you with plenty of ammunition to send a few light jibes in their direction, so why not try something like this next snippet to reference one of the unspoken truths of modern weddings:

"Also, it would be remiss of me not to thank the bridesmaids, who look wonderful and have performed their roles well, despite the well-known rivalry which tends to erupt between such ladies. In fact, just before the service, I overheard a furious sisterly argument about who was going to be first to dance with the Best Man. But ladies, this was all for nothing. Phillip (Father of the Bride) and I intend to buck tradition once and for all; we've been practicing the Foxtrot for months. Then you can all take a number and wait your turn."

So there you have it. If truth be told, nobody really expects much from the formalities segment of a wedding speech. You could say nothing of interest whatsoever, and you'd still get a round of applause for even the slightest hint of a compliment. But by adding a few jokes and sentiments into this otherwise bland material, you'll give your speech the extra spark it needs to become truly, truly memorable.

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How to Write a Wedding Toast: Examples, Tips, and Advice

Make sure your moment in the spotlight is memorable—in a good way!

Jaimie Mackey was the real weddings editor at Brides from 2013 to 2015. She also worked as a luxury wedding planner and produced over 100 high-end weddings and events in Colorado

Photo by Olivia & Dan Photography

In This Article

Figuring out how to write a wedding toast can be an incredibly intimidating and nerve-inducing task. Wedding toasts can go one of two ways: They’re either hilarious, memorable, and totally sweet, or a train wreck waiting to happen. Every couple hopes the speeches at the reception fall into the first category, but there’s no guarantee—until now.

To combat those awful speeches, Marisa Polansky and Kristine Keller founded Speech Tank , offering completely custom, one-of-a-kind toasts for any occasion. And what better reason to turn to the experts than for your best friend’s wedding? We sat down with Polansky and Keller to get the inside scoop on writing a totally killer speech . With their help, your audience will be begging for an encore!

Meet the Expert

Marisa Polansky is a book editor, author, and co-founder of Speech Tank, a collaborative speech-writing service for any occasion.
Kristine Keller is a writer and the co-founder of Speech Tank.

Wedding Toast Template

Your wedding toast should be meaningful, but not drawn out. Make sure to have a beginning, middle, and end.

While everyone's speech will be unique to them and their relationship with the couple, we put together a general outline to help you get started.

Congratulate the couple. Express how happy you are that the two of them are getting married and what it means to you to witness it.
Introduce yourself. Not everyone will know you met the bride or groom at the fourth-grade space camp, so be sure to let guests know about your relationship with the couple before you dive into your speech.
Tell a (curated) story. When you’re writing your speech, “Choose anecdotes that all fit a theme and support your argument,” Keller says. The theme will help tie it together, making your toast feel intentional instead of random.
Address both partners. You may not know them both well, but you shouldn’t focus all of your attention on your friend and ignore their new spouse. “Even if you’ve only met your friend’s partner once or twice before, find a way to include him or her in your toast,” Polansky says. “Tell the story of their engagement or share something your friend told you about them that proves what a great partner he or she is.”
Go for the crowd-pleasers. “Anything that’s an inside joke may have been funny at the time, but no one else will understand what you’re talking about,” Keller says. “Run your stories and jokes by a neutral audience to see if they are as funny as you think.” And remember, a little humor is fine, but this is a toast, not a roast!
Raise your glass for a toast. To wrap up your speech, invite everyone to raise their glass to the couple, or to love, etc., then cheers glasses together and take a sip.

Don’t count on your phone, which may lock or turn off mid-speech. Instead, print out your toast or put it on note cards for reference. “It’s your moment to have the floor, so don’t risk forgetting your point!” Keller says.

Wedding Toast Tips

Here are Polansky and Keller's best tips for writing and delivering your wedding toast.

Just get started. It’s your big moment, but figuring out where to start can be tough. “When we work with our clients, we always start with a stream of consciousness,” Keller says. “We ask them to just start telling us stories. You might not think every anecdote is important, but all of a sudden you’ll land on a real gem.”
Start writing things down. When you’re doing this at home on your own, Polansky says to just start writing stuff down. “Put it all down on paper. Don’t worry about editing as you’re writing, just get it out and then go back and pick and choose details when you’re done.” This will help you identify a theme, which is what you’ll need to make your toast really memorable.
Use examples. “If you’re trying to make a point about the bride or groom's personality—say, that she or he's particularly loyal—don’t just say that and move on. Pick a specific moment that proves your point. Have something to back it up!” Polansky says. Including some proof will make sure your listeners really buy what you’re saying about the couple.
Make it quick. “The best length for a toast is about three minutes,” Polansky says. “It’s enough time to say what you need to say, but short enough that you’ll still have everyone’s attention when you ask them to raise their glasses to toast the happy couple.”
Practice. Think you know what three minutes feels like? Think again. “Practice reading your speech out loud (not in your head!) and time yourself,” Polansky says. “Don’t wing it, especially if you’re nervous,” Polansky continues. “Give yourself time to prepare. Practice with an audience to check your timing, and give yourself time to make edits.”
Don't overstuff your speech. “If you’re a fast talker, try to slow yourself down so everyone will understand you,” Polansky says. Better to cut a few lines than to try to fit a 10-minute toast into a three-minute time frame!
Keep it clean-ish. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to know your audience. “Cursing and stories about exes are totally off-limits,” Keller says.
Don't embarrass the couple. “Ask yourself how each story will present the couple. If it sheds any negative light on either person, avoid it.” Continues Polansky, “Think about how close you are with the family as well as who you know will be there. Will it make the bride or groom's great aunt uncomfortable?”

Every time you feel nervous, tell yourself you're excited instead.

Get Brainstorming!

Now that you know the basics, here are a few questions to ask yourself to help you get started writing that killer wedding toast.

What is your first memory of the bride/groom?
What is your favorite memory of the bride/groom?
What did they say when they first told you about their partner?
How did you know they were meant to be?
What has the bride/groom or the couple as a whole taught you?
What qualities do you admire in them?
When are times that they displayed these qualities?

Bridesmaid at 34 Weeks

Is it a style that accommodates your bump (empire waist) or fitted?

Craft a Memorable Father of the Bride Speech with Our Guide

Introduction.

A s a father, your daughter's wedding day is one of the most significant moments in your life, something you've eagerly anticipated since the day she was born. But while you may have imagined walking her down the aisle, nothing compares to the reality of that moment. The father of the bride speech is essential to any wedding, but getting it right can be daunting. You want to strike the perfect balance between humor, emotion, and sincerity while avoiding cringe-worthy moments.

But fear not because this article will guide you. From what to say to the dos and don'ts, and even some sample father of the bride speeches to help you get started, this article is your true friend when it comes to creating a unique and memorable father of the bride speech.

The Father of the Bride Speech : What to Write, Say & Do

We've got you covered, whether you're a pro or feeling the jitters. Stick to our tips and give a father’s wedding speech that will make your daughter beam with pride.

Father Of the Bride Speech Template

Wondering how to write the best father of the bride speech? Here's a breakdown of a simple yet impactful speech.

1. Breaking the ice

Start your father of the bride speech with a quick introduction and a funny joke to break the ice. While everyone knows who you are, it's always better to set the tone of the speech and welcome the guests. However, don't take too much time thanking them; it's the groom's responsibility.

2. Remembering fond memories

This is your daughter's big day, so highlight her life journey. Share some endearing anecdotes from her childhood that reflect her personality today. You can be funny, but avoid any stories that could make her uncomfortable. After all, it's her special moment

3. Praising your daughter

Use this day to show how proud you are of your daughter. Add to it the memories from her childhood - elaborate on how she has always been a source of joy and inspiration. Express your love and admiration for her without holding back.

4. Welcoming the new family member

The speech is also ideal for welcoming your son-in-law to the family. Focus on the positive aspects of his personality and how he complements your daughter. If you don't know him well yet, share your daughter's thoughts and feelings about her new spouse.

5. Humor in moderation

Share a funny story about the newlyweds that will make everyone laugh. It could be about how they met or your first impression of your daughter's spouse. Just make sure it's not too embarrassing or inappropriate for them. After all, you want to keep the mood light and enjoyable.

6. Gratitude and acknowledgement

It's important to acknowledge and thank the bride's mother and new in-laws in your speech. Thank your wife for raising an amazing daughter, and embrace your new family members with open arms. Show your appreciation for their support and participation in this special day.

7. Parting words of wisdom

As the eldest of the speakers, you can share some wisdom and advice for the newlyweds. Share your insights on maintaining a healthy and happy marriage or living a fulfilling life. Make the most of this moment, and inspire the newlyweds to create their beautiful journey together.

What Should A Father Of The Bride Speech Include? Tips and Pitfalls to Avoid.

With the father of the bride speech templates in consideration, let's discuss what to include and avoid to ensure a successful speech. Avoid the 7 common pitfalls and deliver a speech your daughter will cherish forever.

Pick a theme

Select a meaningful theme for your speech that reflects the occasion and your relationship with the couple. A well-chosen theme will make organizing your thoughts and delivering a cohesive message easier.

2. Keep it short

Aim for a five-minute speech. Stick to the main points and share heartfelt anecdotes to keep your audience engaged.

3. Stay positive

Remember that a wedding toast is not the time to bring up negative stories or air grievances. Keep your speech uplifting and focus on positive memories and wishes for the couple's future together.

4. Personalize your message

Make your speech unique and personal by sharing stories and memories that showcase the couple's love and commitment. Speak from the heart and avoid cliches or generic advice.

5. Practice makes perfect

Prepare and practice your speech well in advance to ensure you feel confident and comfortable delivering it. Practice in front of a mirror or with a friend, and aim to memorize your speech if possible.

6. Be yourself

Don't try to be someone you're not in your speech. Speak authentically and from the heart, and let your personality shine through. Remember, your words should reflect your relationship with the couple.

7. End on a high note

Conclude your speech with a memorable and heartfelt message that leaves a lasting impression on the couple and guests. Wish the couple well and raise a toast to their future happiness together.

Kick Start the Brainstorming

It's normal to feel unsure about what to say in your speech. If you're struggling, try using these questions to get your creative juices flowing.

What's your earliest memory of your daughter? - Asking this question can bring heartwarming and nostalgic memories that you can incorporate into your speech.
What qualities do you admire most in your daughter's partner? - Focusing on the positives of your daughter's partner can help you build a connection and show your support for their union.
What advice would you give your daughter for a successful marriage? - Drawing from your own experiences and mistakes can provide valuable insight and guidance for the newlyweds.
How has your relationship with your daughter changed over the years? - Reflecting on the changes and growth in your relationship with your daughter can add depth and emotion to your speech.
What message do you want to leave with your daughter and her partner on their wedding day? - A clear message can help you stay focused and deliver a meaningful speech that will resonate with the couple and guests.

Father of the Bride Speech Examples

Get inspired by real-life father of the bride speeches, as they have been tried and tested. These excellent examples showcase what has worked for others and can help you craft your speech.

Simple father of the bride speech example

My dear daughter, today is a day I have both looked forward to and dreaded. As I stand here, watching you radiate with joy and beauty, I feel proud and nostalgic. It seems like only yesterday when I first held you in my arms, and now you are, all grown up and getting married. You have been the light of my life.

Today, I am thrilled to welcome my new son-in-law into our family. I am so glad to see that he makes you happy and loves you so much. I do not doubt that together, you will build a beautiful life filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

Looking back, I see how much I've learned from you. Your tenacity, courage, and kind heart have taught me valuable life lessons; I am grateful for that. It is an honor to walk you down the aisle and give you away to your beloved.

Lastly, I want you to know that no matter what, I’ll always be there for you. You will forever be my little girl, and I will forever be your proud dad. Congratulations, my dear daughter, and cheers to the happy couple!

Funny father of the speech example

Hello everyone, I am thrilled to have you here today to celebrate the marriage of my beloved daughter. As a father, it's hard to let go of your little girl, but I'm happy to see her in good hands with her charming groom.

When my daughter first brought her future husband home, I was relieved that he wasn't covered in tattoos or piercings. Instead, I found a kind-hearted and successful man who loves my daughter unconditionally.

Marriage is a journey, not a destination. There will be moments when you'll want to scream and other times when you'll laugh until you cry. But always remember to be each other's biggest supporters and love each other fiercely.

As for myself, I'll be retiring as a "Dad" today and promoting myself to the "Father-in-law." But don't worry; I'll still be here to offer unsolicited advice and embarrass you in front of your friends.

Cheers to the newlyweds, and may your love be as strong and vibrant as your wedding day!

Sentimental father of the bride speech example

Dear guests,

As I stand here before you today, watching my beautiful daughter start her journey with the love of her life, I am filled with overwhelming emotion. From the moment she was born, I knew she was destined for greatness, and seeing her marry the man of her dreams only confirms that belief.

Daughter, I'm so proud of the person you've grown up to be. You have become an independent, caring, and intelligent person, and it has been a privilege to watch you blossom over the years.

And to the groom, I want to thank you for being the perfect partner for my daughter. Seeing how you love and support her makes me grateful that she found someone like you to share her life with.

I do not doubt that the future holds wonderful things for both of you, and I am honored to have been a part of this special day. Congratulations to the happy couple, and may your love continue to grow stronger with each passing day.

Short father of the bride speech example

Ladies and gentlemen,

On this beautiful day, I feel grateful to have gained a son-in-law and a new friend. As a dad, I've watched my daughter grow into a beautiful, independent woman, and it brings me so much joy to see her this happy. It takes a special person to win over my daughter's heart, and I am glad you have done so with flying colors. To the happy couple, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness. Cheers to a new chapter in your lives, and may your love continue to flourish and grow.

Thank you.

As your daughter's wedding day approaches, crafting a heartfelt father of the bride speech can be overwhelming. But with the right tools and techniques, you can deliver a speech that will leave a lasting impression on your daughter, her new spouse, and guests. From templates to start with to questions for brainstorming, to tips for avoiding common pitfalls, this article has provided you with everything you need to know. And with the help of some real-life father of the bride speech examples, you can add your personal touch to create a speech that will be treasured for years to come. Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding!

ALSO READ: Special duties that concern the father of the bride on the wedding day

Uncomfortable Conversations: Being a bridesmaid is expensive. Can or should you say no?

It's worth having the uncomfortable conversation about money up front when the bride pops the question..

Welcome back to Uncomfortable Conversations About Money, a new series where we will tackle topics or situations around money that make you uneasy. We'll outline the problem and try to get you some usable solutions.

The dilemma: Being a bridesmaid today is not the same as it was when I was in my early 20s and when I got married nearly 29 years ago. My bridesmaids bought a dress (OK, I now admit it was ugly), I had a bridal shower in my maid of honor's family basement and I honestly can't remember if I had a bachelorette party. This was definitely before there were big blow-out "destination" festivities.

Being a bridesmaid is different now – and more expensive

These days, being a bridesmaid can get very expensive, especially if the ceremony and prenuptial festivities are out of town, adding even more costs on top of the bridal party attire and other expenses. Can or should you turn down an invitation to stand beside your friend at the altar?

My 27-year-old niece and I were comparing notes recently when she was telling me about an extravagant March destination wedding where she was one of 13 bridesmaids.

Learn more: Best wedding loans

Yes, you read that right.

She learned in a “Bridesmaid Zoom Call” – the first of several – that she and other bridesmaids were responsible for tasks normally handled by the bride or a wedding planner. For instance, my niece and the future sister-in-law were in charge of planning the rehearsal dinner and my niece was also in charge of coordinating reception drinks.

Other bridesmaids were tasked with booking the DJ or arranging for hair and makeup on the wedding day (for $180 to be paid by each bridesmaid).

“In my head, I was like ‘I don’t want to do this. Hire somebody to do this for you,' ” my niece told me.

But she put on a smile and said yes since other bridesmaids – most of whom she didn’t know – were enthusiastically accepting the duties.

“I think she was trying to save money and DIY it, so wanted help with everything, but we really didn’t have a choice,” my niece said, adding that the group didn't receive an accurate breakdown of all the costs. “I feel like that’s a lot to put on somebody else.”

When I finally tallied up all my niece had spent being a bridesmaid – between the dress and alterations, travel to three different places – for a bachelorette trip, bridal shower and destination wedding – and a lot of other “extra” expenses, I asked if she wanted to know.

“No,” she laughed nervously. “But yes.”

“That’s a lot,” she said.

How much should you budget as a bridesmaid?

While the bride may have been a bit over the top, my niece's dilemma was not that unusual.

The costs and responsibilities of being a bridesmaid have exploded in recent years.

The Knot, an online wedding resources website, has an article outlining costs for bridesmaids that can top $3,430, with the destination bachelorette party bearing the biggest price tag at an average of $1,300 per person.

A LendingTree survey in 2021 said one-third of bridal party members went into debt for their friend’s wedding and 68% used a credit card for bridal party expenses, with 37% charging more than $1,000.

Peer pressure is a thing for bridesmaids

The pressure to say yes to your friend – even if it puts the bridesmaid in a financial bind, or worse, in debt, is high, my niece said.

She spent $1,000 on a four-day destination bachelorette party in Las Vegas. That included a $140 per person Sunday brunch with a pre-planned menu. My niece has some dietary restrictions, so she couldn’t eat most of the food, but she felt she couldn’t turn down the invite out of fear she'd be left behind in her hotel room.

Even once the bridesmaids got to the weekend of the wedding, there was no hotel block set aside so the bridal party or guests could get a discounted rate. There was also no transportation provided for the bridal party. My niece and others had to use ride-hailing apps to get themselves to hair and makeup appointments, the church for the wedding and then the reception.

Here’s the final tally of her expenses:

◾ $140 dress.

◾ $60 dress alterations.

◾ $300 to fly to bridal shower.

◾ $50 bridal shower gift.

◾ $1,000 for Las Vegas bachelorette trip.

◾ $600 airfare for niece and her boyfriend to fly to destination wedding.

◾ $500 for hotel for the wedding.

◾ $180 ($90 each) for hair and makeup on the wedding day.

◾ $50 boat activity pre-wedding day.

◾ $100 wedding gift.

◾ $120 for Uber rides from the hotel to the makeup appointment, then to the church, on to the reception, and then back to the hotel.

◾ Total: $3,100.

'I feel like saying no could ruin a friendship'

I asked my niece if she would have said yes to being a bridesmaid if she knew she would have to spend $3,100. She said she would, though it was a hit to her finances.

“If I had more than one of these a year, I wouldn’t be able to do it,” she said. “I would probably have to say no and I would probably feel embarrassed... it just puts you in a weird position.”

My niece shared a text thread with some girlfriends she had after our conversation. One friend said she was on her 11 th bachelorette trip “so I would hate to do all the math on all mine.”

Another friend said, “I feel like it needs to become a new social norm to tell your bridal party upfront what the financial commitment is going to be.”

Another replied: “Honestly, I feel like saying no could ruin a friendship.”

One friend said she's never said “no” to being in the wedding, but she’s opted out of bachelorette trips.

Experience makes niece a more sensitive bride

My niece is now a bride-to-be.

She’s already cost-conscious and considerate, but her bridesmaid experience has also made her a more sensitive bride.

She’s only having two bridesmaids and plans on paying for their hair and makeup.

She said she's also been ”saving up like crazy because I want to pay for the bachelorette trip,'' though her friends will have to pay for their flights.

Why, I asked her.

“It’s an unnecessary trip that everybody has to go on and it’s really for me,” she said.

She’s also looking for a less expensive hotel as a second choice for budget-conscious guests from out of town.

And she’s not doling out any jobs to her bridesmaids.

“We’ve hired a wedding planner,” she said.

Want more?: Uncomfortable Conversations About Money: Read past stories here

Expert: Bridemaids' duties/expenses 'exponentially larger'

The expert advice: Being a bridesmaid has indeed changed and it is causing financial stress and straining friendships, said Marissa Forsyth, business development director for Junebug Weddings, an online wedding inspiration resource and vendor directory.

“The expenses that go along with not only being a bridesmaid but being a friend of a bride are just exponentially larger than they used to be, say even 10 years ago,” said Forsyth, who has been involved in the wedding industry for about a decade.

“I think the rise of destination weddings, destination bachelorette parties are a thing now too.”

There are also costs for gatherings like a lingerie shower, a stock-the-bar party (a co-ed trend to stock the engaged couple’s at-home liquor supply and engagement celebrations, said Forsyth.

Forsyth said bridesmaids are spending anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000.

A few years ago, one of Forsyth’s friends was in 12 weddings in one year.

“She couldn't go on vacation with us or have time off because everything was dedicated to these wedding weekends,” Forsyth said.

How do you have the awkward conversation about costs?

At Junebug, the advice is to “be honest and upfront. Don't come up with an excuse of why you can't be at the wedding that's not related to finances,” Forsyth said.

“If the friendship is strong enough, it shouldn't affect the friendship in a negative way,” she said, though she acknowledges broaching the subject is much easier said than done.

Just as important, Forsyth said, is not to flat out pass on the chance to be in the wedding without first calculating your own budget and talking to the bride about your concerns.

Maybe you attend the destination wedding but skip the destination bachelorette party. Maybe you ask the bride if you can buy your dress off a second-hand website or do your own hair and makeup, she said.

Forsyth said it breaks her heart to hear comments like those from my niece’s friends saying they feel like being honest about the financial strain and saying no to being a bridesmaid would ruin a friendship.

Don't try to put on a fake facade that everything is OK, she said.

"Showing a little vulnerability can be beneficial to the friendship too,” Forsyth said. "You might find out that your friend is also having financial struggles."

Forsyth also advises tackling the conversation early in the process.

“You don't want to be the person who everybody assumes is attending the bachelorette party and then back out last minute, and then it causes everybody else to have a bigger bill,'' she said.

So... do you still have to get the bride a gift?

Forsyth said the bride should “make clear to everybody involved what she's expecting."

Some brides say "‘No gifts because you being there is my gift," she said. That "takes the pressure off the bridesmaids in a really easy way."

A group gift among bridesmaids, where everyone is contributing $40 or $50, could also work, Forsyth said. Also DIY or homemade gifts or buying something small but special on Etsy “is still super meaningful, something that you dedicate your time to without having to put a big budget toward.”

Responsibility is on the bride

The bride should also outline the budget and responsibilities she's assigning her bridesmaids, said Forsyth.

Map out expenses as soon as you can for bridesmaids so there are no surprise $140 brunches during an already expensive destination bachelorette party, Forsyth said.

Finally, is it ever worth going into debt?

“We want to say yes, but we can’t be afraid to say no,” said Forsyth of accepting bridal party invitations.

“It's OK to say, ‘I'd love to do this. I'm going to have to be excluded from this point, but I'm so happy to be a part of your wedding day, and I cannot wait to see you walk down the aisle.’"

The conversation may be difficult but “If the outcome is going to be way more negative than positive to participate in this wedding, then you kind of owe it to yourself to be honest,” she said. "This isn't the end all, be all for your friendship, even though it feels like it.''

Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @blinfisher . Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.

Your Ultimate Guide to Writing a Meaningful Wedding Speech

Bride and groom listening to groomsmen's speech at wedding

Lauren is a contributor for The Knot covering topics such as music, cakes, venues and speeches.
She has been published in a wide array of lifetsyle-oriented publications including SELF and Allure.
Lauren is a proud graduate of Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School of Public Communication.

Getting asked to speak at a wedding is exciting, but it can also be nerve-wracking, especially since you're not a professional speaker or speechwriter! So, if you're unsure how to write a wedding speech , know you're not alone. Whether you're a member of a wedding party or a parent or sibling of the soon-to-be-married couple, you may be wondering what to say in a wedding speech. However, that's where we come into the picture: Keep reading for a full rundown of wedding speech tips , insight and, last but not least, a fully written example that you can use as a guide. Happy speechwriting!

In this article:

How to Write a Wedding Speech

Wedding speech example, wedding speech tips.

Writing your wedding speech is no easy feat. To help ensure things go as smoothly as possible, we tapped into Renée Dalo, owner of Moxie Bright Events in Los Angeles, California. Below, she shares a step-by-step guide.

Brainstorm a great opening.

To captivate other guests' attention, Daloe recommends taking some time to brainstorm a great opening. For example, she says, "Try to resist saying, 'For those of you who don't know me, I'm Erica's sister, Michelle.'" Instead, skip this entirely in favor of something more fun and creative.

Start with a story.

…but be sure to make it a short one, says Dalo. "Make sure it's relevant to your friendship and/or the couple." When selecting what story to share, the wedding pro recommends sterling clear of any that involve ex-partners—and for that matter, anything negative about the newly married couple. "Even if you think it's funny , she says, "it's not." Instead, think of a special moment or fun memory you shared with the couple. What did it involve? What was so great about it? All of these things are worth considering as you jot down your wedding speech.

Share your well wishes.

After all, what would a wedding speech be if it didn't include some well wishes for the newlyweds? "Make sure to include both people in the couple in your remarks," advises Dalo.

End with a toast.

Cap off your speech on a fun and sentimental note by ending with an actual toast . Dalo recommends this foolproof example: "Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple. Cheers to X and Y, and best wishes for a lifetime of laughter!" Afterward, go in for a hug with the couple, making for the perfect photo op !

Rehearse away.

After you write your speech down, spend a significant amount of time rehearsing it so that you feel confident and comfortable while giving the actual speech. "Don't try to wing it," says Dalo. "You're going to want to rehearse this [so that] you can be as calm and present as possible."

Still trying to figure out where to start? Don't fret: If you could use some additional assistance writing your wedding speech, consider Provenance , which helps users create personalized, meaningful wedding speeches using AI-powered tools along with real responses to personal questions.

Take the Provenance Toast Builder , for example. Couples can invite those who will be giving wedding speeches—including the father of the bride , mother of the bride , father of the groom , mother of the groom , maid of honor and best man —to use the Toast Builder. Upon being invited to use the platform, these individuals will "get alerted to how long their speech can be," as well as any other important information to mention—or steer clear of. "From there," says Provenance CEO Steven Greitzer, "you can see the status of the speech and the estimated length."

To help get those creative juices flowing, check out the below wedding speech example.

Hi! As Lisa's younger sister—and now maid of honor—I've had the unique privilege of growing up alongside her. Since we're just two years apart, we've been each other's built-in best friends from the start. Like most sisters, we bickered constantly throughout our childhood, hurling insults over clothing, makeup and missing pieces of jewelry: I'll finally admit it, Lisa, I was the one who lost your charm bracelet at summer camp! All kidding aside, I hope I've made it up to you with this epic speech.

When Lisa first met Jay on the train coming home from work (romantic, I know!), we lived together in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in the city, an experience that only brought us closer together. After their first date to their now-favorite pizza place, she came home all giddy—bubbly, smiling, and laughing. She told me that the two of them already planned their next date. I had never seen her so happy. The look in her eyes since that night has not faded, and if I know Jay—which I do!—he will make sure it never will.

Like Lisa, Jay is kind, patient, and compassionate, and this was evident from the first time we met, which was right before his and Lisa's second date. I ran to the door to catch a glimpse of the guy who was slowly but surely stealing my sister's heart. Upon meeting, Jay and I instantly hit it off. He greeted me by name, hugged me, and took the time to sit down and truly get to know me. Less than 10 minutes later, we were already cracking jokes. It was clear to me then that Jay was, without a doubt, my sister's perfect match.

Lisa and Jay, you've set the bar (very) high for all of your friends and family when it comes to relationship goals. The love and commitment you share with each other is inspiring and everlasting. I know Jay will spend the rest of his life making Lisa happy and supporting her through every endeavor—and I know she'll do the same, too.

So, Lisa and Jay, I wish you nothing but a lifetime of love and happiness together. And I'm so excited to have a front-row seat to all that's in store. Everyone, please join me in raising a glass to the newlyweds!

Keep it short and sweet.

According to Dalo, your wedding speech should be "no more than three minutes." She continues, telling The Knot, "Three minutes is a long time, and when you figure in getting up to the mic and then hugging afterward, it's about five minutes total which is ideal." If you go any longer, you run the risk of losing guests' attention and potentially boring them (a no-no in our book!).

Acknowledge both partners.

"A big speech taboo that we see way too often is when the person giving the speech only talks about the partner they're closest with, unintentionally making the other partner feel left out and unimportant," says Greitzer. If you need a helping hand, Greitzer recommends using the Provenance Toast Builder , which offers "thoughtful prompts to encourage you to share why they're both 1) good people and 2) a great match for each other."

Bride giving speech during wedding reception.

6 wedding traditions that are overrated, according to wedding planners

In the US, common wedding traditions include the bride wearing white and guests throwing rice.
However, some traditions have lost their appeal in modern times.
Wedding planners told BI that garter and bouquet tosses are overrated.

It's no secret that weddings are expensive . In 2024, the average cost of a wedding in the US is $33,000 — a 14% increase from 2023's $29,000, reported Zola , an online wedding registry, planner, and retailer.

With these costs, many couples are choosing to rethink their wedding-day priorities, especially post-pandemic, forgoing tradition in the name of comfort and cost.

BI spoke with three wedding planners to learn which traditions have lost or are losing their appeal. Here's what they said.

Sleeping apart the night before the wedding

The tradition of spending one's wedding eve apart stems from marriage's roots as a contractual obligation rather than a romantic one, Brides reported. Keeping the couple apart until the wedding was a way to ensure the bride's virginity and create some mystery before the ceremony, as many unions were arranged.

But in 2019, the Pew Research Center reported that nearly half (48%) of adults in the US believe couples who live together before marriage have a better chance of having a successful relationship.

So, with more couples living together before tying the knot, the tradition has lost some appeal.

"You don't need to change that dynamic of your relationship for one day," Lara Mahler, founder and owner of The Privilege Is Mine , told BI. "So it's like, wake up next to your partner. Also, why pay $1,000 for a hotel suite, you know, so that one person can stay in there?"

"Eat breakfast the way that you do together. If you like to work out together, go work out," she added. "Do those things that will make you feel comfortable and give you that sense of security."

Brides feeling forced to wear white

The white wedding dress tradition was popularized nearly two centuries ago when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840. Before her fashion statement, most brides wore colorful dresses that could be worn for other occasions, Vanity Fair reported. Conversely, brides who wore white did so as a symbol of wealth because it denoted their dresses could be cleaned.

Although white remains the primary color for bridalwear, more brides are beginning to favor color or other traditional variations like ivory and blush.

"We'll see a lot of white dresses, which I think is a nice tradition," said Jennifer Taylor, founder and creative director of A Taylored Affair . "But if someone says that they don't really wear white ever and it just doesn't feel like them, wearing white, I say, 'Then don't wear white. Let's find something fabulous that you feel amazing in.'"

She estimated that about 15% of brides she works with choose a color other than white.

Bridesmaids wearing matching dresses

Bridesmaid dresses can be a major point of contention when planning a wedding, especially for couples with large wedding parties.

That's why Lauren Zizza, founder of Lauren Zizza Events , recommends letting bridesmaids choose dresses they feel most comfortable in.

"I think that women especially are self-conscious about their bodies, and no woman would look the same in any dress that a bridesmaid would have to wear," she said.

Instead, she recommends letting bridesmaids choose their own shape or style, perhaps in a color selected by the bride.

"It photographs really well, too," Zizza added. "Everyone has different personalities and different styles and that shows through in a wedding party."

Walking down the aisle with only your father

In line with marriage's roots, fathers walking their daughters down the aisle once represented a transfer of ownership.

While some brides still follow tradition, others have looked for ways to reinvent that portion of the ceremony by walking in with their mothers and fathers, other family members, or alone.

"It's a nice tradition when you have a good relationship with your father," Taylor said. But those who don't can "end up with a lot of guilt."

"It's turmoil, having to think, 'Do I have him walk me down the aisle anyway? Do I not? What do I do?' So again, it's to each their own," she said.

Another untraditional option couples are beginning to favor is walking into the ceremony together.

Mahler said, "The symbol to that is we are walking — we are making this decision — together. They're walking down the aisle together."

So there are ways to customize the traditions to fit your family's needs and make it special.

Tossing the garter

There's a lot to unpack with this wedding tradition. Per The Knot , a bride's garter has been a symbol of good luck since the Middle Ages, so it became customary to throw it to guests. However, since garters were traditionally worn to keep up stockings, they could also represent a bride losing her virginity.

Over time, the garter toss has become the male equivalent of the bouquet toss, but both have largely lost their appeal, with some couples now viewing the traditions as unnecessarily gendered, and even embarrassing.

"People don't even usually bring it up as an option. They don't even have any interest in doing it," Taylor said.

"But if I have a client say they want to do a garter toss, I say, 'OK, let's make it happen,' because it's about them and what they want. If a client says, 'Do I need to do a garter toss?' I say, 'Absolutely not. You absolutely do not need to do a garter toss. If you'd like to do one, I'm happy to facilitate that, but it's totally not something anyone's gonna miss, or you're gonna think that you wish you should have done in 25 years,'" she added.

And tossing the bouquet

Similarly to the garter toss, a bride's bouquet was considered good luck, so she'd throw it to the unmarried women in attendance with the idea that whoever caught it would be the next to wed.

However, in modern times, the tradition has faded. Mahler estimated that she'd only done five bouquet tosses in her eight years as a wedding planner.

Zizza said, "I think nowadays, especially in a post-COVID world, people don't go according to order or according to plan. So implying that catching the bouquet would make you the next one to get married is just very, very silly."

Taylor agreed that it was an outdated tradition.

"To me, it feels like singling out single women who are already getting asked all the time when they're going to find 'the one,' or when they're going to get married, which they're probably thinking about all the time anyway," she said. "So to put the pressure on these women, it seems … yeah, it's not my favorite."

The most important thing, though, is the couple's happiness.

"It is not my job to judge or make assumptions," Mahler said.

"I'm not going to be the wedding planner that's like, 'No, don't do that, that's stupid,' but I also just want to let people know that there are alternative ways of doing things so if they're opting to do this because they don't know any other way, then it's my job to tell them what those other ways are," she said.

Taylor added, "It's putting a spin on some of these traditions that can make it fun."

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‘misunderstood’ ohio state commencement speaker defends viral speech he wrote on ayahuasca: ‘did not expect the boos’.

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The commencement speaker who delivered an outlandish speech , which he wrote while on ayahuasca, to Ohio State University graduates called himself the “most misunderstood person” days after he claimed bitcoin was a “misunderstood asset class” — to resounding boos.

Social entrepreneur and 1999 OSU alum Chris Pan, 46, defended his graduation address — and using the hallucinogen to help him write it — while admitting that the jeers for his bitcoin quip on Sunday were hard to digest and caught him off guard.

But he also laid blame on people’s poor listening skills for the visceral reaction during his speech that also featured two awkward sing-alongs, a Navy SEALs breathing exercise and a magic trick.

“I’ve never been booed by 70,000 people, it’s not a good feeling,” he told The Post Thursday. “It was hard, I’m human, it was not easy, but you know I had a job to do so I had to keep going.

“What was I gonna do, start crying, I mean dove walk off the stage. I mean, that would have been dramatic, too,” he added.

Chris Pan defended his Ohio State University graduation address -- and using ayahuasca to help him write it.

Pan denied he was hawking bitcoin, but only offered the cryptocurrency as a possible investment option for the Class of 2024.

“All I said was keep an open mind, I know it’s polarizing but I did not expect the boos because I thought people would listen to me but I didn’t realize people didn’t listen to me because they have their own biases,” he said.

But looking back, he admits he might have pulled the bitcoin bit from the speech and focused more on emotional and spiritual learning.

Pan leads the crowd at Sunday's commencement in a "OH-IO" chant on May 5, 2024.

Pan, founder of MyIntent.org, said the style he deployed on Sunday is similar to talks he’s been hired to give to corporate workers. His company brands itself as a project that pushes for “meaningful conversations and positive actions” — though it also sells custom bracelets.

“I am the most misunderstood person right now in this world,” he proclaimed. “And it’s OK because people will eventually understand. But right now, it is what it is.”

Pan also shot back at critics who complained he used the psychedelic, ayahuasca, while penning the speech. He also uses magic mushrooms.

“I do it for creativity, as well as for healing,” he said. “John Lennon, Steve Jobs, like, they all worked with this to fuel their creativity.

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“Some people are saying you’re a f–king moron, you’re the biggest embarrassment for Ohio State, but I also have, my inbox is filled from all over the world saying I’m a f–king genius.”

Pan explained he accepted the gig after he received an email from the school in March. He previously told a school official in January he would love to return to campus to speak with students.

“In my wildest dream, I didn’t think that was in the realm of possibility,” Pan said. “It just didn’t occur to me.”

One grad left disappointed was Rory Ewing, who criticized Pan in a scathing letter she sent him that she also shared with The Post.

Pan explained he accepted the gig after he received an email from the school in March. He previously told a school official in January he would love to return to campus to speak with students.

“You claimed that those who did not enjoy or appreciate your speech either didn’t understand what you were saying or didn’t understand bitcoin, which is both untrue and wildly condescending,” according to part of the letter.

“To insinuate that the lack of appreciation stems from a lack of education or thoughtfulness is an insult to the exact purpose we were gathered together this past Sunday.”

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How to Pick Your Wedding Date by Using Astrology

Looking to the stars could help you craft a day that is unique to you and your love story

If you look to the stars for guidance in matters of love and destiny, why not let them help you choose the perfect wedding date? From saying “yes” to the dress to coordinating vendors and managing guest lists, wedding planning is far from easy. Although it may seem unconventional at first, using astrology to select your wedding date could actually help make your special day all the more meaningful. After all, just as the planets in your birth chart perpetually impact the highs and lows of your human experience, the cosmos can also serve as a backdrop of energy on the day you say “I do.”

Each planet carries its own unique significance, and the zodiac signs serve as powerful archetypes. By aligning your wedding date with favorable planetary positions and astrological aspects, you have the opportunity to craft a day that is uniquely yours, a day that mirrors your love story and amplifies the love, harmony, and prosperity of your union.

Looking for the perfect day to tie the knot? Read on to learn more about what you should consider astrologically when planning your wedding date.

How does your birth chart play into your wedding date?

Before moving forward with selecting your wedding date, it's crucial to understand your birth chart. An exact snapshot of the sky at your time of birth, your chart is like a map that can unveil your strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and triumphs. Remember, you still have free will, but in astrology, the position of the planets tells us a story.

To calculate your birth chart, you’ll need an exact time, date, and location of birth. You can do this on sites like astro.com .

Which astrological houses are important when planning your wedding date?

Once you have your birth chart, you’ll notice that it’s divided into 12 houses, each representing a different area of life. Below are the astrological houses that hold the most significance when planning your big day. First house (Ascendant/Rising Sign): Your personality, sense of self and physical appearance. The planets occupying this house on your wedding day could determine everything from the look on the groom's face when the bride is walking down the aisle to the couple's wedding attire. Second house: Your finances, possessions, values, self-confidence and sense of stability. Planets in this area of your chart could describe the dynamics of your pre-wedding self-care rituals, such as the bride's glam squad. Luxury items like extravagant floral arrangements could also fall under this house. Fourth house (Imum Coeli): Your home, family, roots, early upbringing and the foundation of your life. Celestial traction in this area of the chart could describe the couple's family dynamics or even the choice of venue. Key planetary influences here could reference a couple that opts to exchange their vows via a cozy backyard wedding. Fifth house: Your creativity, hobbies, children, love life, passion projects and self-expression. The bride and groom's authenticity shines through this area of the chart. This can describe the wedding decor and entertainment choices, whether it be live performances or the DJ's music choices. Sixth house: Your health, daily routines, work schedule and acts of service. Planets transiting this area of the chart can influence the logistical wedding planning and overall timeline to ensure the bride, groom, and guests have a smooth experience. Key planetary influences here could also describe the menu choices. Seventh house (Descendant): Your commitments, partnerships, marriage and significant others. The planets transiting this area of the chart are pivotal to the success of the marriage. These planetary influences can indicate the qualities and dynamics of your partnership and, more importantly, the energy surrounding your commitment. 10th house (Midheaven): Your career, legacy, reputation in the world and sense of authority. Planets occupying the 10th house could influence everything from your reputation as a couple to the public's perception of your ceremony. The same goes for wedding announcements and social media recaps of your big day. 11th house: Your friendships, associations, community affairs and future ideals. An action-packed 11th house on your wedding day could focus on the couple's guest list and loved ones who choose to give toasts during the reception.

Which planetary transits are most important when planning your wedding?

The positions of the planets at the time of your nuptials are incredibly significant, as they influence the energy and dynamics surrounding your wedding and marriage overall. Below are key planetary influences that hold the most significance when planning your big day.

The sun can influence the energy, visibility, and warmth on your wedding day. Its transit through the zodiac can illuminate different facets of your wedding, from the overall vibe to the themes and activities. Favorable transits: Sun in Leo, Sun in Taurus, Sun in Libra, Sun in Capricorn. Favorable house transits: Fourth, fifth, seventh, and 10th.

The moon can influence emotions, family, mood and the overall receptivity of your wedding day. Everything from its aspects, lunar phase, and zodiac placement can determine the emotional tone of your wedding and the flow of events and interactions between you and your guests. It's best to marry during the new moon phase, as it is symbolic of new beginnings, but the full moon phase can also be exciting and celebratory. Favorable transits: Moon in Taurus, Moon in Cancer, Moon in Leo. Favorable house transits: Second, fourth, fifth, and seventh.

Mercury can determine general communication, logistics, transportation and travel on your wedding day. Its transit can also influence the exchanging of vows, speeches and interactions between you and your loved ones. Favorable transits: Mercury in Gemini, Mercury in Virgo. Favorable house transits: Third, sixth, and seventh.

Venus oversees aesthetics, beauty, harmony, marriage and relationships. The love planet is essential when considering the foundation of your union and the romantic atmosphere of your wedding. Look at its aspects and zodiac placements to create the ultimate celebration. Favorable transits: Venus in Taurus, Venus in Libra, Venus in Pisces. Favorable house transits: First, second, fifth, and seventh.

Jupiter is the planet of abundance, expansion, faith and opportunity. Its transits can bring optimism and prosperity to your nuptials and their aspects can help determine your plans for the future. Favorable transits : When Jupiter transits the same sign as your natal Sun, Venus, or Jupiter. Favorable house transits: Seventh and ninth.

What are the best dates to get married in 2024?

Below are some of the luckiest days in 2024 to tie the knot. Please note, to each their own; everyone's birth chart is unique in terms of houses and placements, but these are astrologically "up to par" when it comes to love.

May 23, 2024: On this day, the moon will be in the expansive sign of Sagittarius, while its bountiful planetary ruler, Jupiter, sits together with Venus in Taurus. This auspicious alignment makes it an ideal time to wed, offering a solid foundation for a long-lasting partnership. Venus and Jupiter will also harmonize with numinous Neptune, adding a touch of magic to your union.

June 14, 2024: This is a day that promises harmony and balance. The moon will be in the relationship-driven sign of Libra, while the sun, Mercury and Venus sit together in Gemini, ensuring that the vows being exchanged are beautiful and deeply meaningful.

June 30, 2024: Heartfelt and aesthetically pleasing, the moon will be exalted in Taurus on this day, and in mutual reception with the love planet Venus. Luna will also harmonize with the sun, while Venus dances with Mars. This sensual configuration promises a day of delight, harmony, and passion.

July 28, 2024: On this day, the moon will be in its sign of exaltation, Taurus, making it ideal for commitments like marriage. In the meantime, Taurus' ruler, Venus, will sit together with the sun in the warm and festive sign of Leo, adding a vibrant and celebratory backdrop to the day.

When should you not have your wedding?

Tying the knot during Mercury retrograde isn't suggested, as it is notorious for causing complications and misunderstandings, which could disrupt the logistical flow of your wedding day.

Venus retrograde (especially) is no exception, as it could introduce challenges and uncertainties, specifically regarding love, relationships, and the harmony of your relationship.

If the complexities of astrology and wedding planning seem overwhelming, remember not to put too much pressure on yourself. Choosing the perfect wedding date can sometimes feel like solving a Rubik’s Cube, but trust your intuition and follow what feels right for you.

Astrology has its own kind of magic, more than often proving the power of divine timing.

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How to Write a Wedding Speech: Examples, Tips, and Advice
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All kind of Best Wedding Speeches : Bridesmaid Speech For Wedding

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Bridesmaid speech to my middle school friend
Best Bridesmaids Speech Ever! Peak Edge Hotel 2016 Take That
Best Wedding Speeches: Maid of Honor
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Maid of Honor Speech Example

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11 Impressive Bridesmaid Speech Examples To Use At The Wedding
Being a bridesmaid is a great honor. The bride considers you one of her closest friends, which is a very important role to play. This is why you need to give an excellent speech at her wedding. You should let her know that you are happy for her and that you will still be there for her even though she is now married. Your love and support through your speech will surely mean a lot to the couple.
Maid of Honor Speech: Expert Tips with Inspiring Examples
Say a few words about the bride and groom, highlighting their qualities and how they complement each other. You can talk about their journey as a couple and your hopes for their future together. End your speech by raising a toast to the newlyweds. Maid Of Honor Toasts. One of the tips for giving good wedding speeches - to use a good toast.
Bridesmaid speech
Reading them will help you begin the process of deciding what to put in the speech you need to prepare. Go to: maid of honor speech examples. 1. Introduction. In the opening segment of your bridesmaid speech include a greeting to welcome all the guests. Mention any special ones by name, your name and your relationship to the bride.
Cheat Sheet to Ace Your Maid of Honor Speech
9. Smile, even if you're nervous. If you're talking about something amusing in your toast, be sure your facial expressions match the levity of your story! Don't just stiffly deliver your toast as if you're trying to get through it. 10. If you get emotional, it's okay — let a few tears loose, don't hold back.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Nailing Your Maid of Honor Speech
Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family and all you lucky souls who scored an invite to the wedding of the century. My name is [Your Name], and I have the pleasure of being the maid of honor today, or as I like to call it, the 'official party planner, the emergency dress fixer and human tissue dispenser.'.
How to Write a Maid of Honor Speech
Example 1. "Good evening, everyone. I'm Cami, the maid of honor and the bride's best friend. Over the past 15 years, I've witnessed Madison prioritize everyone else's happiness, but today ...
How to Write a Wedding Speech: Examples, Tips, and Advice
Father of the Bride Wedding Speech Example. "Good evening, family, and friends. I'm Daniel Lee, the father of the bride. I'd like to welcome you to this special occasion where we get to ...
Here's How to Nail Your Maid of Honor Speech (Examples Included!)
Here are the things to include, along with several bridesmaid speech examples. Using these tips from real life maids of honor, we can help you keep your cool and give a toast that both your bff and wedding guests will love! So raise your glass to the happy couple, because here we go. SEE MORE: Wedding Speech Disasters. Make It About The Couple ...
How to write a (kick-ass) bridesmaid speech!
In the past, only the father-of-the-bride, the groom and the best man tended to give wedding speeches but, today, it could also be the bride, her mother, a close friend or, of course, her bridesmaids. Here are some tips for pulling off the perfect bridesmaid speech though, of course, they could be used by anyone tasked with speaking at a wedding.
How to Write a Maid of Honor Speech
7. End with a toast. Don't forget to toast to the happy couple at the end! Raising your glass is a great natural finisher to your maid of honor speech, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. You can add a few words, like "Now, let's all raise a glass to the newlyweds!" or something similarly concise and to the point.
Ultimate Guide: How To Write A Maid Of Honour Speech
TIP: Try this basic structure for a maid of honour speech. 1. Introduce yourself - Tell people who you are and your relationship with the bride. 2. Start with the bride - Talk about why she's a good person and friend. Don't just say, "She's really great", share a story about why she's great. 3.
What to Say in a Wedding Speech & What NOT to Say
For example, " the father or mother of the bride or groom may start by thanking everyone for attending, since they may be the host of the occasion." If you're giving a maid of honor speech or best man speech, you may want to start by introducing yourself, Chertoff explains. This introduction may include how you know the bride or groom — and ...
Great Short & Sweet Maid of Honor Speech Examples
Keeping is short & sweet may help. In this maid of honor speech example, she does just that. "Hello ladies and gentlemen, I am so happy you are all here today to celebrate the wedding of my best friend, I'm the maid of honor, Suzie, and I'll be honest, I'm kind of nervous (giggles). You know girls are always competitive, but we were ...
The Bridesmaids
The Bridesmaids - Sample Wedding Speeches & Toasts. February 22, 2013 knotfor. Sample Speech #1. I'd like to offer my deepest congratulations to my friend Kelly and her new husband Robert. Kelly, you are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen, and I am honored to serve as your bridesmaid today. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and ...
35 Maid Of Honor Speech Examples
Well, together, (Bride) and (Groom) are two of the goofiest people I know. ***. Hello everyone, my name is X, and by my dress you can tell that I am a Maid of Honor today. For many years, we have ...
How to Write Your Bride Speech With Examples & Tips
Thank Your Guests. The first step when it comes to how to write a killer bride speech: thank your favorite people! The room is filled with loved ones who put in the time, money and effort to support you on your special day, so the first words you say should be a big, heartfelt "thank you." 2. Shout-Out Your VIPs.
Bridesmaid Speech
Step 1: Give a Short Introduction. To start off your bridesmaid speech, give a short introduction . Remember that your introduction to your speech should not be focused on you, rather, it should be focused on the wedding event, the bride and the groom, and the guests in the event. Focus your intro on saying thanks and move on to the next.
How To Write A Wedding Speech: The Ultimate Guide For Do's, Don'ts, and
If you don't know how to write a wedding speech but the bride just asked you to give one, this is not a time to procrastinate. Public speaking is one of the number one fears many people have, so it's likely you've avoided giving too many public speeches before this. And unless you're a performer or a veteran improv comedian, you might ...
Wedding Speeches: How To Write, Free Samples + Etiquette Tips
Day 1 was a bit rough, but hey, they're over it now. I would also like to thank them for having such a beautiful, intelligent, kind, and caring daughter. I hope to do you both proud and thank you both for everything you have done today and to make today happen.". The groom's wedding speech starts at the reception.
Bridesmaid Speech Examples
Bridesmaid Speech Examples. 1. Hi everyone, I am one of the bridesmaids in this wedding and I just wanted to say how happy and lucky I am to be here to celebrate [bride] and [groom's] wedding with everyone. Today, everything looks effortless. From the beautiful wedding ceremony to the food, music, and decorations at this venue, every little ...
How To Thank The Bridesmaids
How To Thank The Bridesmaids. When you're making a wedding speech, you have to fulfil three sacred duties in order to pass through the experience unscathed. First, you must pay respectful homage to the married couple and their kin. Second, you should be as entertaining as it is humanly possible for you to be. And last but by no means least, you ...
Wedding Toast Examples, Tips, and Advice
Your wedding toast should be meaningful, but not drawn out. Make sure to have a beginning, middle, and end. While everyone's speech will be unique to them and their relationship with the couple ...
Bridesmaid at 34 Weeks
I'm a bridesmaid in my sister in laws wedding in 2 weeks. I'll be 16 weeks and given I'm very petite and this is my third I'm already showing. I had to size up in my dress, because it is a very fitted dress and I knew I wouldn't fit in it come wedding time. We got them from azazie where the production time is only 2 weeks.
Bride and groom blasted for 15 outrageous wedding-day rules for guests
Guests had to say "I do" to this matrimonial mandate. A bride and groom have been blasted as "a-holes" for giving guests a list of 15 rules to follow on their wedding day.
Craft a Memorable Father of the Bride Speech with Our Guide
The Father of the Bride Speech: What to Write, Say & Do We've got you covered, whether you're a pro or feeling the jitters. Stick to our tips and give a father's wedding speech that will make ...
The costs of being a bridesmaid have exploded. Should you go in debt?
Other bridesmaids were tasked with booking the DJ or arranging for hair and makeup on the wedding day (for $180 to be paid by each bridesmaid). "In my head, I was like 'I don't want to do this.
How to Write a Wedding Speech: Your Easy Step-by-Step Guide
End with a toast. Cap off your speech on a fun and sentimental note by ending with an actual toast. Dalo recommends this foolproof example: "Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple. Cheers to X and Y, and best wishes for a lifetime of laughter!" Afterward, go in for a hug with the couple, making for the perfect photo op!
Overrated Wedding Traditions, According to Wedding Planners
It's no secret that weddings are expensive. In 2024, the average cost of a wedding in the US is $33,000 — a 14% increase from 2023's $29,000, reported Zola, an online wedding registry, planner ...
'Misunderstood' Ohio State commencement speaker defends viral speech he
Pan also shot back at critics who complained he used the psychedelic, ayahuasca, while penning the speech. He also uses magic mushrooms. "I do it for creativity, as well as for healing," he said.
How to Pick Your Wedding Date by Using Astrology
Planets transiting this area of the chart can influence the logistical wedding planning and overall timeline to ensure the bride, groom, and guests have a smooth experience. Key planetary ...

11 Impressive Bridesmaid Speech Examples To Use At The Wedding Reception Of Your Friend

Funny Bridesmaid Speeches

Bridesmaid Short Wedding Speeches

Touching Bridesmaid Speech

Tips for Delivering a Great Bridesmaid Speech

1. Practice, practice, practice

2. Speak clearly and slowly

3. Keep it concise

4. Use humor

5. Avoid inside jokes

6. Speak from the heart

7. End on a high note

Conclusion: Make The Bride Smile On Her Wedding Day

Vincent Otieno

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The bridesmaid speech

What you'll find on this page:

Here's a basic 4 step outline to follow

Be yourself, honest, and, ready!

Read an example maid of honor speech for a sister

Read MOH speech examples from a best friend's point of view

1. Introduction

Here's an example of an introduction:

2. History of the your relationship & a story

3. History of the couple's relationship & story

4. Conclusion

More pages to help you prepare:

Use cue cards to help you deliver your speech well

The importance of rehearsal: practice, practice and more practice

speaking out loud

Top 10 popular pages

From fear to fun in 28 ways

Useful pages

How to write a (kick-ass) bridesmaid speech!

It’s just like telling a story

Think Goldilocks: not too short and not too long

Practice makes perfect

Be humorous but also sincere

Talk about the bride and the groom

Suppliers you'll love

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How to Write a Maid of Honor Speech

When to start writing a maid of honor speech.

The maid of honor speech outline.

2. Talk about the bride.

3. Talk about her partner.

4. Talk about them as a couple.

5. Keep it short and sweet.

6. Practice.

7. End with a toast.

What to NOT say in a maid of honor speech

1. Exes, drunken nights or anything else remotely inappropriate.

2. Anything that could even potentially cause tension.

3. Don’t feel pressured to be anything but yourself.

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Introduce yourself...

Tell a story...

Inject humour but don’t force it...

Practice but don’t memorise...

Go easy on the anecdotes...

Less is more...

Be sure you've got it right - get it written!...

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