Maid of honor, we salute your decision to grab the microphone from the best man at toasting time. After all, your inspiring words need to be heard, too. Here's your complete guide to the maid of honor's toast -- what to say, when to say it, and how to get rid of those nervous butterflies.
Take It Seriously
In agreeing to toast the bride and groom at their wedding, you're not just speaking for all the guests, you're essentially a poet with an important story to tell. It's both an honor and a huge responsibility. Embrace this obligation with the grace and maturity it deserves.
Don't Procrastinate
We recommend writing your toast about three weeks before the big day. Approach this "assignment" with the same seriousness you would a college paper. Have someone you trust edit your work, and do a couple of drafts. Advance preparation will prevent hastily scrawled thoughts on cocktail napkins and last-minute panic attacks.
Cover All the Bases
While we encourage you to innovate and personalize the standard as much as you want, an expert toastmaster will usually:
- Express how thrilled she is to be at the wedding and thank the bride and groom (and their parents, if appropriate) for inviting everyone to be a part of their special day.
- Include a personal touch (a favorite memory, joke, or special secret) that will be emotionally significant to everyone.
- Offer encouraging (and often moving) words of advice for their future together. (A quote will usually work its way in here.)
- Offer triumphant of well wishes.
- Conclude with the standard raising of the glass, saying "To Jane and John" (don't forget to take a sip!).
