Speech by Kelli Boyd

Speech Type: Best man
Speech Creator: Kelli Boyd
Speech Date: oct 2002

Good evening Ladies and Gents and welcome, I would like to thankyou Dennis for the kind words and want you to know I'm proud to be your son in law, and hope to look after Kelli to your expectations moving forward.

The last time I was at a wedding reception I was a best man, so it's fair to say that currently I feel as though I've moved from the witness box to the dock.…

More seriously folks, I do have a great speech lined up for you today, and if you can hang in there for a bit my best man Mat Cagney will be making it in about ten minutes. I had actually put a lot of time and effort into my address but now that Kelli and I are married, she has told me what to say.

Before we move on to some thankyou's I would like to share with you a brief conversation I had with Matt Coleman our MC earlier (I'm sure Kim his partner will shoot him later). But he actually made quite a valid comment that has sort of hung around in the front of my mind. To be honest, I can't shake it! He said “Kris, congratulations! You'll look back on today as one of the happiest days of your life. Now you would think that a statement like that is fair enough wouldn't you, being my Wedding and all.

He said it on Thursday night at my bloody stag do!

Guys, thanks for being here! I realise how much effort you have all made to share this special day with us, and that's why I stand here looking so proud, and probably be-wildered, however I know we are going to have a great night. If you don't think so, then I'm sure that the free alcohol will certainly make it interesting!

When I think about success in life, I would comment that some people judge their success on how much money they have in the bank and others on how they look in the mirror. If there was a preferred way for Kelli and I to do it, then it would have to be by looking at the friends and family that surrounds us. If you're here with us today its because you are important to us and we say this earnestly. When I look around the room I'm in total awe of how lucky and successful Kelli and I really are. I state for the record that you are all welcome in our home and our lives moving forward, (except tonight after the reception of course) and I want to thankyou all again for taking the time to be with us today and for the wonderful gifts.

On that note I would also like to say a special thank you to my God Father Uncle Con and Kelli's Bridesmaid Emma and partner Graham who have come all the way from the UK. I'd also like to mention the Aussie team who we have missed immensely since coming back to the land of the long white cloud. And finally, to our friends and extended family including Nana and my Aunties, Uncles and Cousins who have travelled up from various places down country to be here with us. This also includes you G-man who has come from Greymouth in the South Island where I don't even know if they have tar seal yet let alone a runway?

Thank you – Mum and Dad
(Maureen and John) because without you I wouldn't be here today. I would like to thank you for your love and support over the years and all the advice you have given me. For putting up with me, pointing me in the right direction, providing moral support and for always giving me a balanced outlook in life that has served me well so many times.

It's fair to say that they have even managed to teach me the difference between right and wrong, but only so that I know which I am enjoying at any given time!

Thank you – Dennis and Patricia
I must thankyou for bringing up such a lovely daughter and for giving me her hand today in marriage. For always making me feel very welcome when we come to visit; and for your love, knowledge and support always.

I would also personally like to thank Mat for agreeing to be my Best Man, although the trouble really with being the best man at a wedding is that you never get to prove it. I've known Mat for nearly 11 years now, and he has been and will continue to be a great friend. Knowing him so well, I know that he will be extremely nervous about his Best man speech right about now. The truth is Mat, I've seen you make a fool of yourself in front of a crowd most weekends for the last few years, so just imagine your in the pub, But the kind of pub where you actually keep your clothes on!

Whilst we are on men who in the bridal party, also a big thanks to my groomsmen, Tony, Gareth, Dave and Matt. It was a stipulation for the wedding that the groomsmen weren't allowed to look better than the Groom today and I'm pleased to say the have accomplished their role admirably. Cheers Guys and an awesome job!

To my brothers Damian and Jaron, cheers for you tremendous effort as Users, it was good to see all that testosterone holding the flower confetti. Cheers to my Bro's.

I would also like to make a special address to two very good friends of mine that have been absolutely awesome with help recently whilst we renovate our house. Matt Collie and Cam Arbuckle, I will run and hide when it is your turn but appreciate the many hours of commitment and effort with Wingate St. I will regret til the day I die but here goes “I owe you”.

To my wife Kelli Boyd (or Snooks as I like to call her), I wrote out the cheques and almost turned up on time, whilst you did all this.…

I often wondered as a single man what it was like to meet somebody that you were prepared to marry? I even vividly remember on a number of occasions asking people I respected what it was like to meet someone you were prepared to marry (now don't let it upset you if your married and I didn't asked you O.K? It was a select audience) But nearly every single time I got the same answer “Kris, you just know”. You can probably tell that that really put my mind at rest, you just know ay, but what if you don't know? You can probably appreciate that I found that fairly hard to believe.

But ironically with Kelli, I just knew?

When I think of Kelli and I as a team, we are awesome (If I don't say myself that is), Kelli's spending habits and my earning potential are almost in equilibrium, and it's fair to say that without exponential growth in one the other does not exist. So without Kelli to keep on pushing me I could end up broke!

Seriously though, it's as simple with Kelli and I as this “her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa” We are a team and I love her very much for completing me.

I asked Kelli's mother (Patricia) in the church, how did she look in her Wedding dress, Patty said looked wonderful, but that didn't prepare me enough for when I saw her walk down the isle. I was overwhelmed to the say the least by how beautiful she looks today.

So a toast to my wife Kelli Boyd, (my bride and joy). Thank you for everything you have done. You know everything about me and love me just the same. I have my faults, yet you still agreed to marry me. I am extremely lucky today to be the one to marry you – and I hope this is the start of many happy years together. Cheers!

And finally thank you – Bridesmaids
And big thank you goes to our beautiful bridesmaids. I would like to say how lovely the bridesmaids look tonight and thank them all for doing such a wonderful job.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me again with a final toast to our to these stunning woman in the silver dresses.

On that note I will leave you, but I must say – isn't it funny how history repeats itself? 27 years ago Kelli's Mum and Dad were putting her to bed with a dummy – and now it's happening all over again!

Thanks everyone!

NOTES:
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Now I must admit standing on this side of the lectern looking at all of you lot is a pretty daunting experience, so with that in mind I actually prepared a few lines earlier to get me through the whole experience. The good news is, after taking them I feel fantastic.

Actually probably the reason I was feeling nervous is
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When we got engaged, I was really surprised at the number of married men advising me not to get married.
Don't worry; those people will remain nameless today. I am open to bribes though.
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Actually he looks too handsome. It's an un-written rule at weddings no-one is allowed to look more handsome than the groom. Fortunately we've not had the same problem with the ushers.
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Thanks to everyone that offered their advice when I told them I was getting married. The comments ranged from well done, to you stupid fool, to about time, you've been happy for long enough!
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And as we come to the end of this afternoon's programme I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has expressed congratulations to us on the termination of the isolation and to those who have expressed an appreciation on our determination to end the desperation and frustration which have caused us so much consternation in giving us the inspiration to make a combination to bring an accumulation to the population
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I must say I was very surprised to learn today that I can have 16 wives? The vicar said in the Church service – 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer. The day just gets better!
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Most people on their wedding day describe it as the happiest day of their lives. That worries me…because it implies, as from tomorrow there's a lifelong decline ahead, so I'm making the most of today. However, I'm so happy today that even days less happy would still be blissful.

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Quotes:

-To the lamp of love – may it burn brightest in the darkest hours and never flicker in the winds of trial

-Congratulations on the termination of your isolation and may I express an appreciation of your determination to end the desperation and frustration which has caused you so much consternation in giving you the inspiration to make a combination to bring an accumulation to the population.
May your love be modern enough to survive the times and old-fashioned enough to last forever