You said yes to the dress — the ugly bridesmaid one — and now you have to say yes to the speech. The one where you stand in front of 150 people and somehow capture your entire relationship with the bride in under four minutes.
No pressure.
Whether you're her sister, her best friend, or the college roommate who saw too much — we've got you. Here are real maid of honor speech examples across every tone, plus a structure that actually works.
The Maid of Honor Speech Structure
Every great maid of honor speech follows the same bones:
- Quick intro — Who you are and how you know the bride.
- A story — One specific memory that shows who she really is.
- The partner — When you knew this relationship was different.
- The heart — What you admire about them together.
- The toast — A wish and a raised glass.
That's it. Everything else is decoration.
Maid of Honor Speech Example: The Funny One
Hi everyone! I'm Priya, and I've been best friends with the bride since freshman year of college — which means I know things about her that could absolutely derail this wedding. [pause] Don't worry, Jen. Not today.
When I first met Jen, she was wearing a neon green fanny pack and asking everyone on our dorm floor if they wanted to join her "morning jog club." Nobody joined. She went jogging alone every morning for four years. That's the kind of person Jen is — relentlessly optimistic and slightly unhinged.
Then she met Tom. And I knew it was serious when she stopped talking about her 10-year plan and started talking about a person. Jen doesn't do that. Jen has spreadsheets for her spreadsheets. But Tom? Tom made her throw away the spreadsheet. [pause] Okay, she made a new one. But it had Tom's name on it. That counts.
Tom, you got yourself the most stubborn, loving, impossibly organized woman alive. And Jen — you got someone who actually joined the jogging club.
To Jen and Tom. [raise glass]
Maid of Honor Speech Example: The Heartfelt One
Good evening. I'm Danielle, and I've had the honor of being Allison's best friend for 15 years.
I've been trying to figure out how to describe Allison to a room full of people who already love her. And the best I can come up with is this: she's the person who shows up. [pause] Not in a small way. In the "drives across two states because you sounded sad on the phone" way. In the "takes the day off work to help you move even though you didn't ask" way.
When Allison met Kevin, I watched something shift. She stopped asking "is this right?" and started saying "this is right." She wasn't nervous. She wasn't second-guessing. She was just... sure. And if you know Allison, you know she's never sure about anything. [pause] Except this.
Kevin, thank you for being the thing she's sure about. [look at couple]
To Allison and Kevin — may your life together be as steady and warm as the love you already have. [raise glass]
Maid of Honor Speech Example: The Short and Sweet One
I'm Chloe, Megan's maid of honor and the person who introduced her to Ryan — so I'm basically taking full credit for today.
Meg, you once told me that the right person would make you feel brave instead of scared. I watched you fall in love with Ryan and become the bravest version of yourself — you moved to a new city, started the business you always talked about, and said yes to this guy who can't cook anything except scrambled eggs. [pause] Love makes you do wild things.
Ryan, take care of my girl. Megan, take care of yours.
To the couple. [raise glass]
Maid of Honor Speech Example: The Sister One
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Lauren, the older sister. For those who do — yes, I'm the one who cut her bangs in kindergarten. She's finally forgiven me. I think.
Growing up with Sophie meant growing up with my best friend whether I liked it or not. And honestly? There were years I didn't. [pause] But she kept showing up at my door anyway. That's Sophie. She doesn't let you push her away.
When she brought Matt home for the first time, I did the thing older sisters do — I interrogated him. But halfway through dinner, I looked over and saw the way he listened to her. Not just heard her. Listened. And I thought: okay. He gets it.
Sophie, you deserve someone who listens the way Matt does. Matt, you deserve someone who never lets you push them away. You found each other.
To Sophie and Matt. [raise glass]
For more sister-specific examples and tips, check out our full guide to maid of honor speeches for your sister.
Delivery Tips
- Practice until you can get through it without reading every word. You don't need to memorize it. You need to know it well enough to look up.
- Mark your pauses. Write [pause] in your notes where you want a moment to land.
- Slow down. You will speak faster than you think. Everyone does.
- It's okay to cry. But take a breath, look at the ceiling for a second, and keep going.
- Look at the bride. Especially during the emotional part. She's the one you're really talking to.
Wondering how the best man structures his speech? The approach is similar but the tone usually shifts.
Don't Want to Start From Scratch?
Our speech builder asks you a few questions about the bride, your favorite memories, and the couple — then generates 3 personalized maid of honor speeches with delivery cues built in. Funny version, heartfelt version, short version.
Free to preview. You only pay if you love it.