Mother of the Bride
Your Mother of the Bride Speech
Let’s start by reassuring you; it’s now relatively common to have a mother of the bride speech at weddings these days. Sometimes mums are asked to say a few words because the bride’s father has passed away. Sometimes they’re asked because the bride thinks her mum’s rather wonderful and knows she has a lot to say.
Whatever the reason, take comfort in the fact that all the mothers we’ve worked with have enjoyed giving their speech on the day. As ex-BBC scriptwriters, the Speechy team know the tricks of the writing trade.
Follow our simple mum-of-the-bride advice and write a speech you (and your daughter) will be proud of.
*Or let us do the hard work for you. Check out our mother of the bride speech template, our speech edit service or our bespoke speech writing service. We’re rated excellent on Trustpilot for a reason!
MOTB Speech Etiquette
This is the bit that gets some mums in a muddle. Relax, you only have two jobs to do; make everyone feel welcome and make your daughter feel loved.
Don't go overly formal
Forget about the traditional speech etiquette, as long as you’re polite and loving, no one cares if you address them as ‘ladies and gentlemen’ (in fact it seems overly formal if you do).
Don't steal the Groom's thunder
The biggest trap mothers fall into is thinking they need to thank people. Actually, that’s the groom’s job. That said, it pays to mention your daughter’s new-in laws.
Do NOT get sucked into thanking your friends or family members who’ve travelled far. It’s not your day and, quite frankly, too many thank yous becomes boring. Remember the bridesmaids will be thanked by the groom (and most likely, the best man) so keep it concise if you do!
Prepare to be emotional
Of course, if you’re speaking on behalf of a father who’s passed away, then you’ll want to pay tribute to him. Be careful though; you don’t want to turn your speech into a eulogy. Read our advice on how to write a heartfelt tribute to the dearly departed while ensuring your speech remains a joyful one.
Mother of the Bride Speech Structure
The structure of a mother of the bride speech is the same as a father of the bride speech. Here’s the idea…
- Welcome all the guests and get them laughing straight away
- Tell some funny anecdotes from your daughter’s childhood (ideally illustrating qualities that everyone will recognise in her today)
- Pay tribute to the woman she is today. The good stuff, the lovely stuff, but most importantly, the funny stuff.Â
- Recount meeting the groom for the first time and how you’ve grown to love him and his family (it helps if there’s an element of truth in there although it’s not compulsory)
- You may want to offer some funny or heart-warming advice to the married couple. Nothing too profound or pompous.
- Conclude your speech with a toast to the married couple – traditionally it was to their ‘health and happiness’ but feel free to create something more meaningful to the couple
Five speech tips
A heart-warming tribute to your daughter should be the focus of your speech but remember every bride is beautiful, kind and generally amaaazing.
Cut the cliches and concentrate on what makes your daughter unique.
Is she an indie chick, a library-lover, a technology fiend? Nailing her individual and quirky characteristics is key to delivering a great speech.
Whether she’s ditsy, gobby, obsessed with fake tan, people love her the way she is and it’s your chance to celebrate that.
Yes, the expectation may be on the best man, but all wedding speeches should make people laugh.
Of course, being funny isn’t about finding good jokes on the internet (if only it were that easy) but rather making witty observations about your daughter and her relationships with her family and the groom.
Imagine your daughter in a sit-com – what sort of character would she play? The high-powered businesswoman who can’t work the remote control? The fitness fanatic who does squats whilst she eats cake? Have fun with her character.
Remember the adage ‘it’s funny because it’s true’. Read our How To Be Funny Blog for more advice.
Create a narrative, so your speech doesn’t just sound like a collection of random anecdotes and ‘to dos’.
Your speech needs to hook people in from the beginning, establish a theme and carry that through to an almighty climax.
One of the mothers we worked with used the wedding venue as the inspiration for his theme. As her daughter was getting married in a theatre, she recounted her ‘best dramatic performances’, from the toddler tantrums to becoming a bridezilla. She then gave the happy couple a standing ovation.
Remember, as a Mother of the Bride, you have the best stories to tell!
A mother of the bride speech should be about six minutes long (eight allowing for laughter and ad libs) if you’re standing in for the father of the bride.
If you’re both giving a speech, then you shouldn’t go over five minutes each.
Remember no one has ever listened to a wedding speech and said ‘if only it were longer’.
Once you write your first draft, edit it down to half the length. We promise it will make it a hundred times stronger.
Lots of sites online can estimate your duration based on your wordcount.
A confident delivery is half the battle. Make sure your daughter has checked the acoustics of the venue and organised a mic if necessary (so many speeches are ruined simply because people can’t hear them).
Talk slower than feels natural – it will make you seem assured even if you’re feeling nervous.
Even if you’re reading from notes – try to maintain eye contact with the guests and your daughter.
Also, remember to smile. It’s scientifically proven to be infectious and those scientists know stuff.
Read our Delivery Guide on our blog.
Tribute to your Daughter & Son-in-Law
Tribute to your Daughter
This is the heart of the speech but where do you start? How about with a glass of wine and a brainstorm with some other family members? If your daughter has siblings, they’re likely to be a good source of content!
Get out the old photos and ask yourself lots of questions. How did she make you laugh when she was a child? Who was her first teenage crush (always good to compare the groom)? Rather than resorting to clichés about her being a ‘wonderful, funny child’, find the insights and anecdotes that paint a picture.
Of course, as well as the childhood years, talk about the woman your daughter has become. Again, rather than rely on platitudes, think about what makes your daughter unique. Cherish your daughter for exactly who she is – even if she isslightly crazy and still addicted to Haribos.
If you’re still needing inspo, check out our Mother of the Bride Quotes Guide or Mother of the Bride Videos.
Tribute to your Son-in-Law
Yes, it’s definitely worth mentioning the groom too! And try to make this more than a few cursory sentences at the end. Think about why the groom is suited to your daughter. What quirks of hers is he good at tolerating? What guilty pleasures do they share?
Think about how you and the groom have bonded. What do you like about the groom? Again try to make this tribute jam-packed with unique, honest insights (without alluding to any reservation you may or may not have!)
Mother of the Bride Speech - let us help you!
If you want to deliver a speech that creates a lifelong memory then work with us.
We’re rated ‘excellent’ on Trustpilot and that’s why we offer a DELIGHT GUARANTEE on all our bespoke services.
And, of course, in the world of Zoom, Whatsapp and Death Wish Coffee, we work with mothers around the world.
