Speeches at a wedding an undoubtedly be a really boring affair and although speeches made by the near and dear ones tend to get the biggest applause, if you’ve been asked to give a speech as the maid of honour, we have some great tips on how you can absolutely sweep everybody off their feet and make an impression. The sweet and lasting kind. And no, you really don’t have to stress about what the Best man or the best friend to the groom is going to say and whether your speech is going to beat his. All you have to remember are these 4 tips and trust us, you’ll have a winner of a maid of honour speech in your hands:
1. Avoid cliches
We suggest staying away from Hollywood flicks where the maid of honour gives the usual dripping with honey sort of speech that makes everybody reach out for their hankies. Yes, it’s great to switch on people’s emotional sides but going generic and using adjectives and phrases that are oh-so-cliché is so last century. You think the bride is great and that’s why you need to quit singing her praises and instead do it differently.
Image courtesy Justin Rabindra Photography
2. Tell a great story
Everybody loves stories and if you have a couple of great memories with the bride to share, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t tell the audience a story or two. But here’s the warning- do not and we really mean DO NOT talk about any incident that the bride will find embarrassing, insulting, shameful or humiliating. The idea is to talk about the bride’s qualities without making it look like a song of praise and yet to add a humourous human touch to it. Share a sweet memory that you remember and that you will treasure. Trust us, you will make the bride blush with happiness.
Image courtesy RawPixel Films & Photography
3. Avoid raking up her past relationships
So, you’re the best friend and you’ve allowed her to cry on your shoulders many a time. And plus, you know all about her long list of exes, her secret crushes, her pet peeves and so on. If you’re having a girlie night out, talking about it and giggling over a few drinks, then that’s fine. But talking about her past relationships in full public view and that too in front of her folks and HIS folks isn’t going to make her look good and make you look that nice either! It’s a big N O.
Image courtesy Gareth Hoover Photography
4. Be creative
Nobody said you can’t add a touch of creativity to your maid of honour speech. Watch YouTube for inspiration and you’ll realise that the maid of honour speeches that truly impress are the ones in which a lot of thought and emotion have been applied to. Do a speech sung as a song, create a presentation with throwback snaps of the two of you, put together a cute photo shoot or a video that you and the gang may have made of her. But all the same, don’t forget to wish the two of them all the best at the end of your maid of honour speech either!
Main image courtesy Fotoskarma