How to Craft an Incredible Daughter of the Bride Speech

Few relationships are more complex, intimate, or special than the one between a mother and her daughter. Besides, who else knows you better than your mom? After all, she's been by your side since you were a little girl. If you have the privilege of watching your mom exchange wedding vows with her new spouse, consider honoring the happy couple with a heartwarming wedding speech. This can be done during the wedding reception (before the maid of honor speech or best man speech) or at the rehearsal dinner, depending on when you feel most comfortable.

Not sure where to start? Not to worry: We've reached out to wedding planners, speechwriters, and other professionals to help you get brainstorming before the big day.

How Long Should a Daughter of the Bride Speech Be?

When it comes to length, wedding planner Lynne Goldberg of Ms. Wedding Planner in South Florida, New York and Las Vegas, advises keeping the entire speech under 5 minutes. Remember, she says, "A TikTok is usually under 30 seconds, so 5 minutes is really a lot of time."

How to Write a Daughter of the Bride Speech

According to wedding planner Tara Fay, the daughter of the bride should think of the speech as if they were speaking to their mother directly. She continues, "Start with ideas of what they would like to say, even just headline words and start framing around these. Then, develop this into stories that have a start and a finish."

Daughter of the Bride Speech Template

We're not all professional speechwriters, which is why we've compiled a simple wedding speech outline that can be easily personalized.

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Introduce yourself. "Even though most people will know who you are, kick off your speech with an introduction. State your name and that you're the bride's daughter," Katelyn Peterson of Wedding Words, a wedding vow, and speech writing service, says.

Share some anecdotes about your mom. "Each story should have the same theme," says Peterson. She continues, "For example, do you want to illustrate your mom's generous spirit or her thoughtfulness?" Moreover, make sure to select specific stories that tie into this theme.

Brag about your mom. According to Peterson, you'll want to start by describing your relationship with your mom. Think about how she has inspired you over the years.

Address your mom's new spouse. "Make sure to make your mom's new husband or wife feel welcome too by directly addressing them as well," Goldberg says.

Talk about the newlyweds. Goldberg recommends ending your speech by talking about how happy you are for your mom and her new husband or wife. "If there is something they love doing together [think: traveling, painting, or birding], definitely touch about that as well."

End with a toast. Invite the guests to join you in a toast to the newlyweds and express your heartfelt wishes for a happy marriage.

Who does the daughter of the bride thank in their speech?

Before you drop the mic, make sure to express gratitude. Thank your wedding guests, friends, and family members for coming out to celebrate this joyous occasion. You may also want to take a few moments to thank the bride—your mom!—for her guidance, support, and unconditional love throughout the years.

How to Give a Daughter of the Bride Speech

"Giving the daughter of the bride speech is very similar to giving the mother or father of the bride speech with reversed roles," Goldberg explains. Think of it this way: "Instead of remembering your mother as a child growing up, you will be reminiscing about your mom when you were a child, as well as revealing the relationship you share now as two grown women."

Daughter of the Bride Speech Jokes

Your daughter of the bride speech shouldn't be all sentimental, though. "While you want to make your mom feel special on her wedding day, make sure you get her to laugh, too," Peterson says.

Additionally, for an extra dose of laughter, Goldberg suggests sharing a few fun "secrets" about your mom, which is sure to make everyone—including her new husband—smile. Here are some LOL-worthy ones that Goldberg recommends:

"My mom gives great advice as long as you dare not try to speak to her until after she has had her morning [Insert favorite coffee or beverage here]."

"If you want a picture with my mom, take it tonight because tomorrow she will go back to blocking the cell phone camera lens if she does not have her full makeup on and her hair blown out."

Daughter of the Bride Speech Example

We hope this pre-written daughter of the bride wedding speech helps inspire your own.

Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for coming out today to celebrate the marriage of my beautiful mom and Campbell. As her daughter, I am honored to be giving this toast at her wedding. Please forgive me if I get a little teary-eyed.

I feel so lucky today to have been able to witness my mother—my best friend—marry Campbell, the love of her life. Watching their love blossom has been nothing short of heartwarming and has proven to me that you can truly find love at any age—and that it's certainly worth the wait.

Mom, even before you met Campbell, you've always shown me what unconditional love is, and it's shaped me into the woman I am today. Luckily, I have you to thank for that.

From cuddling on the couch with me every morning before high school to watching [INSERT TV SHOW] through all hours of the night—despite how tired you were after arriving home from work at 8:00 PM—you were always there for me. Looking back, I could not imagine how you had the energy or compassion to cook a healthy, three-course dinner for us every night following a 14-hour workday (including a two-hour commute!).

And, let's face it: I wasn't the most appreciative child or teenager. But you did it all with a smile on your face. Mom, you were always there for me, and I hope you know I'll always be there for you and Campbell.

And then Campbell. Campbell, you swept both Mom and me off of our feet with your charm, elegance, and famous—or shall I say infamous—dance moves. For those who don't know, when Campbell and Mom first met, they tried to connect with me by listening to One Direction, and, as a nerdy high schooler, I thought they were the coolest person over 40. We'd soon memorize every word to their songs, and Campbell even took me to their first concert after my mom, who was supposed to take my friends and me, got stuck at work. While I was angry at first, I now look back at that night with such fondness. It was one of the most moments of my life. Campbell, thank you for showing both my mom and me what it means to be truly, unconditionally loved.

Marriage isn't always easy, but, as you all know, my mom is incredibly strong. She's raised me to hold my head up high when faced with obstacles. Because of that, I know she and Campbell will be able to weather any storm that comes their way in life.

With all this being said, I am my mother's daughter, and I know there will be plenty of good times ahead, too. May this be the first of many.

So, Mom and Campbell, I want to wish you a lifetime of happiness. Friends and family members, please join me in raising a glass to the newlyweds!

How to End the Daughter of the Bride Speech

Not sure how to conclude your daughter of the bride wedding speech? Consider capping it off with a toast.

"When in doubt, a simple raising of the glass and a '...so here's to my mom and _______ . I'm so happy for you!' is a surefire crowd-pleaser," Sloane Haglund ofThe Framework Events in Southern California, says.

What NOT to Say in a Daughter of the Bride Speech

While the wedding toast will serve as your main moment to shower your mom with love in front of all the wedding guests, here are some things to avoid, according to experts:

Skip the sarcasm unless, Haglund says, "You are a comic by profession."
Keep past relationships in the past, advises Trista Croce of BTS Event Management in Phoenix, Arizona.

Avoid making the speech about yourself. Remember, it's your mom's big day—not yours!