Best man speech
Best man speech cue cards with a friendly opening, a story or two about the groom, kind words for his partner, thanks to the hosts and a toast that lands.
Speech9 cardsAbout 5 min to speakBeginnerWedding
Mother of the bride speech
Mother of the bride speech cue cards: welcome guests, share memories of your daughter, welcome her partner and their family, and close with a blessing or toast.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Welcome
“Good evening, everyone. I’m [your name], [bride]’s mum. Thank you all for being here to celebrate with us.”
- 2
Thanks
Thank [partner’s family], the wedding party and anyone who helped: [names or groups].
If you are speaking with or after [bride’s father / your partner], say one line about doing this together.
- 3
A first memory
“When [bride] was [age], she [a small, telling moment].”
Say what it showed you about the person she would become.
- 4
What I’ve learnt from her
Parents usually talk about what they taught. Turn it around: “[Bride] has taught me [patience / courage / how to laugh at myself].”
[An example.]
- 5
Watching them together
“The first time [bride] brought [partner] home, [what happened].”
One sentence on what you see when they are together.
- 6
Welcome to the family
“[Partner], you’ve been part of our family for a while now. Today makes it official, and we couldn’t be happier.”
Welcome [partner’s parents / family] by name.
- 7
A wish or blessing
Offer a wish from your own experience or tradition: [a family saying, a blessing, a short reading of your own words].
- 8
The days before
A light line about the planning: “Over the last [months], I have learnt more about [flowers / seating plans / napkins] than I ever expected.”
Thank the person who kept everyone calm: [name].
- 9
Toast
“Please join me in raising a glass to my daughter and [her husband / her wife / her partner].”
“To [bride] and [partner]!”
How to use this template
More and more weddings include a speech from the mother of the bride, either instead of the father, alongside him, or as a separate welcome. This template gives you a warm, personal speech that does not repeat what other speakers will say. It starts with a welcome and thanks, moves to a first memory of your daughter and what she has taught you, then turns to her partner and their family and ends with a wish or blessing and a toast. The cards work just as well for a stepmother, grandmother or the woman who raised the bride. Fill in the [brackets] with specific moments and time yourself; four to five minutes is plenty. If the father of the bride or another parent is also speaking, agree who gives the main welcome so guests do not hear it twice.
Tips
- Talk to the other speakers beforehand so you are not telling the same childhood story.
- Write the welcome-to-the-family card with care; the partner’s parents will remember how they were included.
- Keep a handkerchief or tissue close; if you get emotional, pause, breathe and pick up from your card.
- Hold the microphone steady and close; if your hands shake, rest your elbow against your body.
- Avoid embarrassing baby stories that the bride would not want her new in-laws to hear.
- Practise the toast line until you can say it while looking at the couple.
- Wear something with a pocket or bring a small clutch so your cards are within reach when your turn comes.
Make it fit
- If you are speaking jointly with the father or another parent, split the cards: one takes welcome and memories, the other the welcome and toast.
- For a daughter marrying a woman, say “my daughter and her wife” in the toast and welcome both families in the same way.
- In a blended family, mention stepchildren and grandchildren by name and celebrate the family as it is today.
- If your tradition includes a religious or cultural blessing, use the wish card for it and keep the wording short.
- For a short slot, keep the welcome, one memory, the welcome to the family and the toast.
- If you are the mother of the groom, the same cards work: change the welcome to thank the hosts and say what your son has taught you.
Updated October 28, 2026