(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out all the different ways the Speechy team can help you write & deliver a great speech. Or check out our new AI-powered team member, SpeechyAI.)
‘(Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out Speechy’s bespoke speechwriting service. We also have a range of excellent speech templates that might be just what you need.)
(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out our eulogy writing service or our eulogy template.)
(Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out Speechy’s bespoke speechwriting service. We also have a range of excellent speech templates that might be just what you need.)
Whether you’re the bride’s childhood partner-in-crime, her older sister, or her wildcard best mate, this guide will help you rhyme your way to glory.
At Speechy, we’ve worked with dozens of bridesmaids who’ve bravely swapped prose for poetry – and when done well, it’s witty, wonderful, and totally original.
Delivering a poem can make you seem clever – or cringey. Here’s how to stay on the right side of the line.
At Speechy, when we work with bridesmaids creating poetic speeches, we follow a pretty specific process:
“Put the weaker rhyme first. Land the joke with the second.” – Heidi, Speechy Founder & author of The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeeches
This keeps your rhythm dynamic and makes every stanza feel like it’s going somewhere. Just like a great stand-up routine.
Struggling with how to kick things off? Don’t worry – the first verse is always the hardest. When we work with bridesmaids, we find that once you’ve nailed the opening, everything else flows faster than prosecco at the pre-wedding brunch.
So here’s your inspiration starter pack – four different bride types, four original rhyming openers to help spark your own poetic genius. Whether your bride is a bossy big sis or a rock queen in heels, there’s a way to begin that gets everyone listening (and laughing).
The Older Sister Bride
She’s always been bossy, it’s kind of her style,
She’s been telling me off since I was a child.
But beneath all the sass is a heart full of grace,
And a woman who cries at The Great British Bake… (off).
The Super Organised Bride
Her wedding spreadsheet had multiple tabs,
With colour codes for cake and collabs.
If love is a timeline, she nailed every stage,
Even booking her honeymoon before she was engaged.
The Rock n Roll Bride
She wore boots to prom and never looked back,
With eyeliner sharp and a leather jacket knack.
And now she’s tied down (who’d have guessed?),
To a groom who thinks Metallica is a bit too aggressive.
The Incredibly Competitive Bride
She once cried at Monopoly – ‘That’s NOT how it ends!’
She doesn’t just beat you, she DESTROYS her friends.
But today she’s a winner, there’s no bigger prize,
Than the man who loves her ambition (and her battle cries).
We can’t share our client’s speeches but here’s an example of a maid of honour/sister of the groom speech that was read at the wedding of Speechy’s Heidi & Rog (and yes, he really did treat Heidi to all those ‘amazing’ dates)…
So, I believe that you met on a girl’s night out,
Rog fitted in well with his lip balm and his pout.
He soon fancied Heidi from the One Show crew,
And the feelings were mutual, after a drink….or two…?!
With a wish to impress his lovely new beau,
To romantic Nandos they did go.
A half roasted chicken, no sides, was the main,
And to all our surprise, she saw him again.
For date two Rog took Heidi to a Tapas place,
She went along, armed with her spray can of mace.
And after dinner, she said ‘Well, that was great’,
Was it was Rog’s charm? No just amazing whitebait.
Soon they were dating & Rog was super keen,
But then Heidi learned about his full moisturising routine.
And the dental floss, mouth guard and anti-wrinkle cream,
Not really conducive to love’s young dream.
But Rog didn’t give up, wanted to be Heidi’s boyfriend,
He decided to whisk her away… well, he drove her to Land’s End.
He erected a tent, thought that should do the trick,
Then he took her to a nudist beach to show off his… suntan.
Weirdly this sight didn’t immediately repel
Despite his looks and personality, Heidi fell under his spell
His kindness, his humour, Heidi clearly saw,
And today, I’m delighted she’s now my sister in law.
ETC …
As you can see, it’s easy to create original humour with the poem. Remember the adage ‘it’s funny because it’s true’.
Read our How To Be Funny Guide and you’ll pick up plenty more tips.
Even in rhyme, your ending needs impact. Don’t let it trail off.
Examples:
Older Sister Toast
So here’s to the bride, my sister, my mate,
And her husband who knows he’s sealed his fate.
They’re perfect together, like prosecco and brie,
And I couldn’t be prouder – now pour one for me!
Rock n Roll Toast
Here’s to love, loud laughs, and bands on the run,
To wedding days wild and forever more fun.
To the couple so cool they put Glasto to shame,
Long may you rock – and share one surname.
Competitive Bride Toast
May every argument end with a laugh,
May your race to be right always split in half.
And may love be the medal you proudly wear,
Even when you’re arguing over who picks the chair.
RhymeZone – Great for finding rhyming words, near rhymes, synonyms, etc.
Poetry Foundation – For inspiration on rhythm and structure, especially if they want to reference a style.
Writer’s Digest: How to Write Poems – Tips for adding humour to verse.
Bespoke is the way to go…check out our Maid of Honour Services here. No rhyming dictionaries required.
And for more on how to be funny, read our Funny Speech Guide.
The Speechy team are TV-trained scriptwriters/comedians by trade & we’ve helped 1,000s of speakers around the world deliver their dream speech.
Our advice has been quoted everywhere from The New York Times to Grazia and from Forbes to The Observer. Our founder has also featured on the BBC Sounds’ Best Men podcast with Jason Manford and written ‘The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches’, published by Little, Brown.
