Maid of Honor Speech: Dos and Don'ts

Your best friend asked you to be the maid of honor at her wedding. It's the most important role in the bridal party and should be taken very seriously. Besides the bridesmaid dresses, you also should think about the speech you must give and maybe you will start to get nervous. What do you say? What if you make a fool of yourself? 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.

1. Treat this duty with respect, and you'll wow the crowd with your speech -- whether it's heartfelt or hilarious. To avoid too many nerves or worries on the day begin preparing your speech as soon as you have been asked to be the Maid of Honor. If you start this early then it can be finished and practised weeks before the wedding date arrives.

2. Maid of Honor speeches follow the Best Man's speech and you certainly don't want to flounder and embarrass yourself by not having anything prepared. This is your time to show the appreciation of the friendship you have with the Bride and also to wish her well in her marriage. The Best Man will have mainly concentrated on the Groom in his speech and so it is now your turn to say something about the Bride.

3. Avoid Negative or Embarrassing Stories. You should also avoid stories involving drunk, high or deviant behavior. It's definitely not appropriate for the setting. The goal of your speech is to celebrate a friendship and a new marriage, not to air your friend's dirty laundry.

4. Stay Calm, Cool & Collected.Take deep breaths. Think pleasant thoughts. Maybe have a glass of wine, but don't overdo it. You definitely want to avoid that drunken honor attendant cliche. Remember, when it's all over, you get to party hardy. Speak slowly, and no, no one's going to care that your hands are shaking.