Speech by Lee Roberts

Speech Type: Best man
Speech Creator: Lee Roberts
Speech Date: May2007
Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. For those of you that don't know me, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Lee and I'll be your best man for the evening.

Firstly, please join me in showing our appreciation to Julie and Summer, the bridesmaid's, who I'm sure you'll agree look stunning and have done a magnificent job today clap.… and I'm sure we all agree, that Fai look's absolutely Incredible………….… Pete you're a lucky man and you too are looking pretty handsome…………… even though he's plainly copied my outfit today!

The bridesmaids and myself would like to thank Fai and Pete for allowing us to share in this very special day. I must also offer thanks to Pete for his support to me throughout the day. He's been brilliant, solid as a rock and I couldn't have got through it without him being here!

In addition, I'd like to thank everyone here on behalf of the bride and groom, for sharing their wedding day, particularly those who have travelled long distances, which I know many of you have.

I would also like to thank the staff at ‘The Romans’ for their hospitality today and for I'm sure you'll agree an excellent spread.

So, thank you's aside, it seems, as best man I have been blessed with the unpopular task of presenting a speech, but do you know, a wise man once told me that a best mans speech should only last as long as the groom makes love…………, sorry Pete, what can I say ….thank you and goodnight…………sit down for at least 5 secs

Joking aside though, In the time I have known Pete, we have been through a lot together – Guinness, bitter, lager -top's, most spirits, a few wigs, the occasional inflatable sheep don't ask but mainly lots of fun and friendship, for which I am extremely thankful. In all the years I've known Pete, no one has ever questioned his intelligence come to think of it, I've never heard anyone mention it!

It's a great honour to be your best man today, although with this role, comes the job of writing this speech, and I wanted to make it as simple as possible for myself, so where do you begin for ideas?

The obvious starting place seemed to be the internet – so with the worlds largest resource at my fingertips, I began searching and after several hours, I had found some really awesome stuff……….… and then I remembered I was supposed to be looking for best man sites.

I actually did find plenty of ready prepared speeches but sadly, none of them were about a couple called Fai and Pete so, back to the drawing board I went.

As part of my research I discovered that according to tradition I'm supposed to sing the groom's praises and tell you about his many good points……..… But….I'm sorry to say that I can't sing and I'm not going to lie……… Of course, I'm only joking…..so now I've started talking about the man himself, I may as well continue.

Pete was born in 1969 – yes I'm going back that far. It was the year Neil Armstrong took his first tentative steps on the moon, just as Pete was taking his own baby steps. His Mum Linda tells me Pete also made his own “giant leap for mankind”. Unfortunately Pete's was off the big slide in the park and resulted in a lovely little scar which I'm sure Fai will be seeing later………….…

Also in the year of his birth, the 50p piece was introduced into British currency, just as Pete was making his own first little “pee's”. It was also the year Sesame Street first hit our TV screens and I'm told that Big Bird was a huge favourite of Pete's! That same year saw the publication of the first issue of Penthouse magazine and, I'm told that's still is a huge favourite of Pete's.

My first encounters with Pete came about 12 years ago whilst we were both working for Parcelforce in Shoreham. He was a driver and loved driving around Brighton and Hove posing all day long in his big 7.5ton lorry. Although as I remember he didn't actually deliver much!

Unfortunately, I had the unenviable task of becoming Pete's manager during the time we worked together. So, Fai, I do realise just how difficult the responsibility you've taken on will be and I fully sympathise with you.

Pete was always one for good team spirit and a bit of male bonding at work. So much so that he often surprised myself or a colleague by creeping up on us to wrestle us to the floor onto bags of large, soft, cuddly toys, but lets not go there! Suffice to say that everybody quickly learnt to keep their wits about them when Pete was around.
Fai and Pete met at the ‘Creation’ night club in Brighton about 4 years ago now. It was a Sunday night called ‘Wild Fruit’. For those people that don't know, let me tell you ‘Wild Fruit’ is a gay night, so can you imagine my surprise, when Pete told me he'd met someone special that night.

Anyway since that romantic meeting Fai and Pete's romance has blossomed at an alarming rate and it's been clear that they are extremely well suited. Fai brings to the relationship beauty, integrity, honesty, reliability and intelligence – while Pete brings, er..… ,ah, Pete brings his used beer matt collection and a wrinkly old copy of Penthouse.
Pete once confessed to me that he was no longer that interested or bothered about going out on the town for a night out. He told me he'd rather spend time at home with Fai which surely is the ultimate commitment a man can make before marriage. It was from this point that I realised it was true love and it's this love that has lead us here today.

In all seriousness though Pete, it has been a great honour to have been your best man here today, but more importantly to have known you as a true friend over the last 12 years. I sincerely wish you the happiest of marriages and may our friendship continue for many years to come.

I also hope you have a great honeymoon, which I'm told is that period between ”I do” and ”You'd better”. Prague is a lovely city – relax and enjoy it both of you!

I've got a short message I'd like to share from distant friends Kirsten and Pete in Australia that reads ‘wishing you all the best from down under, we both really wish we could have been there to celebrate with you both. We'll be over next year so be ready for round 2. Lots of love and best wishes to you.’ Kirsten and Pete.

Finally, before I finish, I would personally like to apologise to all the football fans amongst us. As it must have been a tough decision to forfeit today's FA cup final. It is quite obvious from his choice of date that Pete has never been a keen sportsman, either watching or playing! In fact it was only a couple of weeks ago when I questioned him, that he realised that his wedding day was on FA cup final day and the church service kicked off precisely on the big match kick off!

So…I started planning this speech a few weeks ago.… &amp it feels to me like I've actually been delivering it that long – so it now gives me immense pleasure, not to mention relief, to invite you all to be upstanding for Pete and the lovely Fai!! The new Mr &amp Mrs Beck.

Have a good evening everyone.