Maid of Honor Speech Opening Lines
The first sentence of your speech does more work than any other line you will write. Before the room has heard a second word, they have already decided whether to lean in. These 12 openers give you proven structures to adapt -- not scripts to copy, but directions to start from.
Skip the preamble
Never start with 'For those who don't know me' or 'I'll keep this brief.' Every one of these lines signals to the room that you're apologizing before you've said anything. Drop the audience into a moment instead.
Earn their attention first
The room needs a reason to pay attention. Give them specificity, an unexpected image, or a relationship detail that tells them something true. Context can come later, once they're already listening.
Know your tone
The opening line sets the entire emotional register for your speech. Pick one that matches how you actually want the next five minutes to feel, then build from there.
These openers establish authority without arrogance. They tell the room: I know her better than almost anyone here, and I am going to prove it.
I have known Sophie since we were seven years old, which means I have also known every version of her that existed before Daniel. I have to say, this one is my favorite.
Works for long friendships. The final line earns a laugh and sets up warmth.
Lily has been my best friend for twelve years. In that time, she has been the first person I call in a crisis, the person who shows up without being asked, and the person who tells me the truth even when I do not want to hear it. Tonight, I get to be that person for her.
Flips the dynamic in the final sentence. The room feels the weight of the role.
I am not going to stand here and list all of Grace's best qualities. Partly because we would be here until midnight. Mostly because what I want to say is not a list. It is just this: she is the most genuinely good person I have ever known. And watching her find someone who sees that the way the rest of us do has been one of the great joys of my life.
Skips the comedy entirely and goes straight to conviction. Works for a MOH who prefers sincerity.
I have been preparing this speech for four years. I just did not know it yet. Because every time something happened to her that I stored away to tell her husband someday, I was writing this speech without knowing who he would be. Now I know. And I am very glad it is you.
Excellent for a close friend who has watched the bride date other people. The payoff in the final line lands hard.
Humor that earns the laugh by being specific, not by being self-deprecating or apologetic. The room relaxes when the MOH is comfortable, and these openers signal exactly that.
I have given a lot of toasts in my life. Birthday toasts. Retirement toasts. The toast I gave at book club when we finally finished a book none of us actually read. This is the first one that I genuinely could not write without crying three times.
The comedy is in the specificity of the book club line. The emotional turn at the end reframes everything that came before it.
Emma and I have a tradition. Every New Year's Eve, we write down the one thing we most want for each other in the coming year. Two years ago, I wrote her name down, and under it I wrote: 'I hope she finds her person.' She did. And he is exactly who I hoped for.
Warm rather than comic, but the specificity of the New Year's tradition gives it a lightness. Adapt the timeframe to fit your friendship.
Maya did not tell me about Noah right away. She waited three months, which is unusual for us, because we tell each other everything. When I finally asked her why she waited, she said: 'Because I wanted to be sure before I let myself say it out loud.' I think that tells you everything you need to know about Maya.
The humor is understated. The reveal in the final sentence does double duty: it's funny and revealing.
There are two kinds of people at this wedding: people who knew her before she met him, and people who've only seen the upgraded version. I'm here to represent the original.
Short, confident, immediately funny. Works for a MOH who is also a natural performer.
For MOHs who want to lead with sincerity. These openers skip the warmup and go directly to something true. The room tends to go quiet quickly.
When Rachel called me to tell me about David, she said five sentences and then stopped and said, 'I'm scared.' I said, 'I know.' And I did. Because she had never sounded like that before.
Short, specific, immediate. Works best when said slowly and with a pause after the final sentence.
There is a photo on my phone from the night after their third date. She texted me a blurry selfie at 11pm with the caption 'I think this is it.' I texted back 'I know.' I have been right about exactly one thing in my life.
The self-deprecating punchline at the end softens the sentiment just enough. Strong option for a MOH who wants to be heartfelt but not overly earnest.
I met Claire on the first day of freshman year. She was the only person in the dorm who had a French press and knew how to use it. I knew immediately that we would be friends forever.
The specificity of the French press detail grounds what could otherwise be a generic 'we met and knew we'd be friends' opener. Replace the detail with yours.
She is the most loyal person I have ever known. That is not something I say lightly, or often. But if you want to understand who she is -- and why he is the right person standing next to her today -- it starts there.
Direct and deliberate. Signals to the room that this will be a speech with weight. Best delivered slowly, with eye contact.
Your maid of honor speech opening line is the door. You still have to furnish the room.
Once you have chosen your opener, you need two or three specific stories, a genuine turn toward the couple, and a close that costs something to say. The structure guide covers all of it.
Read the full MOH speech guideYou have the opener. Now write the rest.
SpokenVow interviews you about your friendship, draws out the stories only you know, and builds three complete drafts you can shape until one sounds exactly like you.
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