Speech by Peter Keating

Speech Type: Best man
Speech Creator: Peter Keating
Speech Date: Jan2008
OPEN…

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Peter, Pippa's Dad. Come to think about it, most of you have probably already figured that out!

WELCOME…

On behalf of the bride's mother, Kathleen, and Pippa's brother Marc, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the relatives and friends who've joined us to celebrate Pippa and Justin's marriage. I know that some of you have traveled long distances to be here – including very long journeys from the UK and North America.

Thank you all for coming to help celebrate this very special day.
As I look around the room I realise how many friends Pippa and Justin have, and I hope that you all had a wonderful afternoon and that you'll have a great evening.

ABSENT FRIENDS…

But as well as all of us who are fortunate enough to be here today, there are many other relatives and friends who've been unable to join us and I know that they'll all be thinking of Pippa and Justin on their wedding day.

Pippa's grandfather Ted is now 85 and a 20,000 kilometre journey is no longer possible for him.

Justin's Aunt Norma would also love to have been here but has been unable to make the journey.

Also, my younger brother Phil and his wife Sue are enormously fond of Pippa and had made the travel arrangements to be with us here today. But unfortunately, Sue has since been taken ill and so it hasn't been possible for them to travel.

So please all raise your glasses with me in a toast to family and friends of the bride and groom including those who are not lucky enough to be here with us all today.

TO FAMILY &amp FRIENDS!

PIPPA TODAY…

Those of you who know me well will know that I can be quite a doting father at times! But I must admit that I am the proudest dad in the world to have accompanied Pippa down the aisle today. I think that you will all agree that she looks absolutely stunning.

Kathy and I are both very proud of how she looks today, and how she has grown up into such a beautiful person – not just physically beautiful which of course she is but perhaps more importantly beautiful in her outlook on life..… her determination and resilience..… her positive spirit.… her kindness ….and her warmth.

We are just so pleased that, in Justin, our daughter has found someone who she obviously loves and cares for so much.

MILESTONES…

As Pippa grew up, Kathy and I remember the many milestones along the way. However, I've been asked to keep this speech to less than an hour and so I won't recall all of them here now!

In any case, Pippa has always been such a “goodie two shoes” that she doesn't give me a lot to work with!

But she isn't getting off completely Scot free and there are a few moments in her growing up that I'd like to share with you – as it will give you all a better insight into the “real’ Pippa.

As a little girl she always loved the “Little Miss” story books and so it seemed to me to be appropriate to use that theme.…

LITTLE MISS STUBBORN…

The first little story is about Little Miss Stubborn.

When Pippa was a little girl growing up she suffered badly from car sickness. She was about 18 months old when we were on holiday in South Wales with my brother Allan and his late wife Vee. Pippa was letting us all know that she wasn't feeling very well and so we pulled over and let her out for a walk around. Within a few minutes she was feeling much better – and the ringing in our ears had almost gone too!

But when we decided it was time to go, Little Miss Stubborn didn't agree and there followed a terrible scene with her rolling around in the gravel and throwing some of it at the designated driver – her Uncle Allan – who was obviously to blame!

I know that Justin will be able to relate to – and even love – Little Miss Stubborn.

LITTLE MISS PROPER…

So on to the second little story – about Little Miss Proper.
When she was growing up she always wanted to do everything properly. I'm sure that many of you – and certainly Maxine and Marina – will be able to attest to that!

One year when she was about 7, we were all on holiday in France. We stopped in the middle of nowhere in order to take a photo – and because it was so remote we left the keys in the car. As Little Miss Proper got out of the car, she decided the area was probably infested with car thieves and so she proceeded to lock every door. So there we were stranded in the middle of nowhere – but Little Miss Proper had definitely thwarted the local bandits!

I had to use my very best Liverpool car stealing skills to get us back in.

LITTLE MISS GIGGLES…

Now for the third – and final – little story.

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Little Miss Giggles who didn't drink often. Actually, she wasn't so little at the time because she was at University. Anyway, Little Miss Giggles and her friend Tamie – one of her beautiful bridesmaids today – must have been so far ahead of the pack with their studies that they decided to spend the afternoon in the Oxford Hotel on Swanston Street to pass the time.

But that evening, they were both due to play doubles in the local tennis ladder. And so they arrived back home to pick up their racquets and Little Miss Giggles parents tried to counsel them that they were not really at peak fitness levels.

But Little Miss Giggles and Tamie knew it all and wouldn't listen.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, what followed became the subject of a formal complaint by their opponents as the Giggles twins had apparently staggered around the court missing most balls and collapsing with laughter at every lost point – which was an awful lot!

JUSTIN…

Enough of Pippa for a while – and now on to Justin! But I won't use the Mister Men theme for Justin and will leave it to his dad John to give us all the inside info’ on him!

What I have to say of Justin is really quite sincere.

I am sure that all of you who have been close to Pippa over the past few years will have seen – as Kathy and I certainly have – what an enormously positive impact Justin has had upon Pippa's life.

To me, the things that stand out about Justin are his obvious love for Pippa…..his kindness.… and his great sense of humour – which is an essential part of the survival kit in the Keating household!

Kathy and I are simply delighted that Pippa has found Justin and we warmly welcome him to the “Keating Clan”.

ADVICE TO JUSTIN.…

But Justin, to help you with the marriage, I thought I'd give you some sound advice based on my own 35 years’ experience of married life….…
There is no challenge in a marriage that can't be overcome by one or more of the following: ………

I was wrong! ………You were right! ……….Yes Dear. ……… I love you!
And, … remember these 3 words ……… ALL, ……… JUST ……… and ONLY. You will hear them time and again in phrases such as,.… ALL you need to do is, ……… it JUST costs this much ……… and ……… it will ONLY take 5 minutes. ………
These are all gross understatements you need to be very wary of!
Justin, now that you are married, understand that Pippa will always have the last word in any argument – ….any word that you come out with afterwards is, by default, … the start of the next argument! ………

PHOTOS JOKE…

Since our wedding day, I have carried a photograph of my beautiful wife Kathleen in my wallet. Whenever I encounter a problem, I just look at the photo and the problem seems to disappear. That shows what a miraculous and powerful influence she has upon me.
Similarly, Kathleen carries a photograph of me and whenever she encounters a problem, … she takes out my picture and says to herself, ……… ‘What problem can possibly be bigger than this one?’ …..…

CLOSE…

Speaking seriously again, … marriage is the meeting of two minds, … of two hearts, … and of two souls. It is clear to us all that Pippa and Justin are a great example of this.
I wish them enjoyment for today, … the fulfillment of all their hopes and dreams for tomorrow … and love and happiness, forever

TOAST… It is now my pleasure to propose a toast to the happy couple. …

Please rise, and raise your glasses……….…

TO THE BRIDE AND GROOM, THE NEW MR &amp MRS WEARNE!