A maid of honor speech can be one of the most anticipated speeches at a wedding. A wedding is considered to be the most special event in a young bride’s life. Therefore it can often be the case that an opportunity arises for appropriate wishes to be offered on behalf of the ladies present at the ceremony. The maid of honor, as the bride’s most trusted friend, usually delivers this message to the happy couple on behalf of all women present.

A maid of honor speech may not be as essential as a best man’s speech but that doesn’t make it less significant. With a different presentation and content from the speech of the best man, the maid of honor speech offers a different perspective.

Usually, the maid of honor gives her speech prior to that from the best man and immediately after the bride's speech.

In the normal wedding order, there is no such thing as a maids of honor rule by which only maids of honor may render a speech. Should a maid of honor decline to give a speech during the reception, the bride may select another person from her group who can deliver a speech in her place. One of the bridesmaids for example may be asked to render a speech in lieu of the maid of honor.

When preparing a maid of honor speech, make sure that the presentation is well thought out. A maid of honor speech often contains references to family traditions, so you may wish to research the traditions of the family by talking to the bride and the groom’s parents. What you learn can be incorporated within your speech, but it is important to understand the context and truth of the information as if used wrongly you may offend the couple or may affect the marriage in the future. The family traditions with which the couples have grown up with will serve as their guide in building a harmonious relationship together as husband and wife and as a newly adopted member of each other’s family.

As with other wedding speeches, the maid of honor speech should have substance. It should be equivalent to the best man speech. Weddings are a good reason to celebrate. Talk from the heart but do not forget to talk sensibly. Being given the chance to stand among a group of celebrating friends and talk about happy memories and offering best wishes for the couple, is something to be proud of.

Even the simplest speech that a maid of honor can deliver during the wedding will be welcomed at the reception, most especially to the bride. Maids of honor are often the bride’s best friend or sister. It is therefore expected that she should be able to talk about the bride and about her relationship with her new husband.