Congratulations, your daughter is getting married! As the mother of the bride, we bet you’re filled with all sorts of emotions as the big day approaches. And if you’ve been asked to give a mother of the bride wedding speech, one of those emotions might be full on terror.
But don’t worry! As professional wedding officiants, we talk at weddings for a living. We have tons of experience helping couples craft their vows and helping wedding party members prepare their speeches and readings.
A mother of the bride speech is an awesome opportunity for you to highlight the bond between you and your daughter, share your well wishes and wisdom with the happy couple, and take the mic – because you earned it! Traditionally, only men spoke at weddings. But we believe mamas deserve a turn too!
Below, we’ll walk you through exactly how to write your mother of the bride speech, inspire you with some sample speeches and answer some frequently asked questions so you speech goes off without a hitch!
Template for a mother of the bride speech for your daughter’s wedding
Follow these five steps to write your perfect speech for your daughter’s wedding!
PS: Not your daughter getting married but your son? Check out our tips for mother of the groom speeches.
Step 1: Introduce yourself and welcome everyone
Start your speech off nice and easy by introducing yourself. While your side of the family likely knows who you are, some of the guests may not. So let everyone know you’re the proud mother of the bride!
After introducing yourself, share a welcome message. If you’re hosting the wedding (i.e. paying for it), it’s appropriate for you to welcome all of the guests. If you’re co-hosting, you can still say something like, “Thank you all for joining us in celebrating [daughter’s name] and [partner’s name]’s special day.”
You also want to welcome your new in-laws! Welcome your new child-in-law to the family and extend that welcome to their parents as well. You’re all one big happy family now!
Step 2: Share a happy memory about your daughter
Jump into the meat of your speech by sharing a special memory of your daughter. As their mother, you likely have so many to choose from. But you’ll want to be selective so your speech doesn’t carry on for 10+ minutes!
Choose one or two stories to share that highlight the best qualities of your daughter or speak to your bond. Avoid stories that are embarrassing, confusing, too long or too full of inside jokes. It’s best if the memory you share can relate to the rest of your speech.
PS: Don’t worry about getting too emotional. It’s completely fine to take a moment and wipe your (hopefully happy) tears. However, if the memory you’re sharing leaves you so emotional you’re unable to speak, maybe choose a different one.
Step 3: Include their partner
As much as this speech is about your daughter, it’s also about their partner. Don’t forget to include your new child-in-law in your wedding speech.
You can do this by sharing a cute story of the two of them together, how you knew they were the one or what you love best about them as a partner for your daughter. Don’t forget to speak from your unique POV as the mother of the bride.
Step 4: Talk about their future together
As you begin to wrap up your wedding speech, tie the stories and memories you’ve shared to the couple’s happy future. You can reflect on their past accomplishments, let them know how proud you are of them and share your well wishes for their bright future ahead.
This is the perfect time to share a little marital wisdom or sage advice for the couple. Just keep it short and sweet! Go with a meaningful sentiment rather than something controversial, lengthy or too specific.
Step 5: End with a toast!
Last but not least, you want to end your mother of the bride wedding speech with a toast. Ask all of the guests to join you in raising their glasses as you cheers to the newlyweds!
Sample wedding speeches for the mother of the bride
To inspire your own speech, check out these sample mother of the bride wedding speeches and toasts.
Sample wedding toast by the mother of the bride
If your daughter has asked you to make a short wedding toast rather than a longer wedding speech, keep things short and sweet like in this example:
Good evening, everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m [Your Name], the mother of the bride. Thank you all for being here to celebrate this special day.
Ever since [Bride’s Name] was a little girl, she has always had a natural ability to make everyone around her feel loved and cared for. When she met [Partner’s Name], it was clear she had found someone who brings out the best in her. Together, they are a perfect match.
Please join me in a toast to the happy couple. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness, love, and laughter. Cheers!
Wedding welcome speech by the mother of the bride
Perhaps you’re giving the first speech of the night, which means it’s up to you to welcome everyone. Remember that you want to welcome the guests as well as your new family members!
For those who don’t know me, I’m [Your Name], the mother of the bride. I’d like to start by extending a warm welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here to celebrate this wonderful day with us.
Today is not just a union of two people, but also the coming together of two families. I want to take a moment to welcome [Partner’s Name] and their family into ours. We are so grateful to have you all here and to be joining our families together.
[Bride’s Name], you have always been the light of our lives, and seeing you so happy with [Partner’s Name] fills our hearts with joy. [Partner’s Name], we are thrilled to welcome you as a son-in-law and a cherished member of our family.
Please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple and our newly united families. Here’s to a future filled with love, laughter, and many wonderful memories together. Cheers!
Mother of the bride wedding speech with jokes
Want to keep your speech fun and lighthearted? Add in some humour! Rather than trying to write a comedy routine, focus on a few funny stories that will make guests smile and laugh along with you.
Hello, everyone! For those who don’t know me, I’m [Your Name], the proud mother of the bride. Thank you all for being here to celebrate this wonderful day with us.
Raising [Bride’s Name] has been a delightful adventure. When she was little, she had a knack for turning every room into a circus. I always joked that we didn’t need a TV because [Bride’s Name] provided all the entertainment we could ever need. Whether it was her impromptu dance performances or her creative “redecorating” of the living room, she kept us on our toes and laughing every day.
When she met [Partner’s Name], I knew they were special because they not only joined in on the fun but also brought a sense of calm to the “Hurricane [Bride’s Name]” we all know and love. [Partner’s Name], you’ve shown that you can match her energy and bring out the best in her. We couldn’t be happier to welcome you into our family.
Now, as you two start this new chapter together, I have one piece of advice: Keep laughing together. Life is full of ups and downs, and a good sense of humour will carry you through both.
Friends and family, please join me in raising a glass to the happy couple. Here’s to love, laughter, and a lifetime of shared joy. Cheers!
Heartfelt mother of the bride wedding reception speech
Get inspired to speak from the heart with this meaningful wedding speech example:
Good evening, everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m [Your Name], the proud mother of this beautiful bride. I want to start by welcoming all of you and thanking you for being here to celebrate this joyous occasion with us.
As I stand here today, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey that brought us to this moment. One story that comes to mind is when [Bride’s Name] was just a little girl. She would always insist on organizing these elaborate tea parties for her dolls and teddy bears, with every detail perfectly planned and executed. Even then, she showed a remarkable capacity for love, care, and attention to detail. It’s no surprise that she has grown into the remarkable woman we see before us today.
When [Bride’s Name] met [Partner’s Name], it was clear that she had found someone who complements her perfectly. [Partner’s Name], your kindness, patience, and unwavering support have brought out the best in [Bride’s Name]. Together, you are a perfect team, facing life’s challenges with grace and celebrating each other’s successes with joy.
As you embark on this new chapter of your lives together, my wish for you is to continue building a life filled with love, laughter, and endless happiness. May your marriage be as wonderful as the love you share today.
Friends and family, please raise your glasses and join me in a toast to [Bride’s Name] and [Partner’s Name]. Here’s to new adventures, shared dreams and a future filled with all the wonderful moments that make life truly special. Cheers!
Mother of the bride wedding speech FAQs
Before you start writing, read through our FAQs below and check out our top tips for wedding toasts!
How long is the mother of the bride speech?
Wedding speeches can vary in length from 2-10 minutes. We think the perfect length of time for a mother of the bride speech is 3-4 minutes. That gives you enough time to share a story or two but not so much time that guests get bored.
Before you commit to a specific speech length, check in with your daughter and their partner. They likely have a time limit in mind for all of their speakers.
How do you begin a mother of the bride speech?
Start your MOB speech by introducing yourself, thanking guests for joining you in celebrating your daughter’s wedding, and welcoming your new child-in-law and their family into your family.
This could sound like, “Good evening! For those who don’t know me, my name is [your name] and I am the proud mother of the bride. Thank you all for being here today to join us in celebrating [bride’s name] and [partner’s name] wedding. I’d like to extend a special welcome to [partner’s name], their parents and their siblings. We are so excited to have you all as part of our family!”
How do I write a mother of the bride speech for a gay wedding?
The format of your speech can be largely the same no matter who your daughter is marrying. You can still share a story about your daughter, talk about their partner and offer well wishes for their future together. Follow along with our speech writing template above.
If you don’t already know, check in with your daughter to ensure you’re using the correct terms and pronouns for them and their partner. They may prefer to be called “partners,” “spouses,” “newlyweds” or even just by their names, rather than using terms like “bride” or “groom.”
What are some wedding toast ideas for the mother of the bride?
If you’re stuck on what stories to share or what to talk about in the middle of your speech (after the intro and before the toast), here are some wedding toast ideas:
- Something funny your daughter did in their childhood
- An important moment you shared with your daughter
- A family memory you cherish, like a trip or holiday
- When your daughter and their partner first met
- When you knew their partner was the one
- A memory you share with your daughter and their partner
- The best traits your daughter and their partner bring out in one another
CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WEDDING SPEECH RESOURCES:
- 4 Mother of the Groom Wedding Speech Samples
- Father of the Groom Rehearsal Dinner Speech Samples
- How to Write Your Wedding Speech as the Mother of the Bride
- How to Write Your Wedding Speech as the Father of the Bride
- How to Write an Incredible Best Man Speech
- 5 Maid of Honor Speech Examples
- 12 Tips for Wedding Readers
- The Ultimate Wedding Toast Guide
- How to Write A Killer Bride or Groom Wedding Speech
