Speech by Todd Golden

Speech Type: Best man
Speech Creator: Todd Golden
Speech Date: Jun2007
For those of you that don't know me, my name is Todd Golden… the very fortunate brother of the groom. And I have both the pleasure and honor of toasting Jeff and Sarah on this, the biggest and most celebrated day of their lives thus far.

I'd like to thank Clem and Anne Steily, and all those who helped put this beautiful wedding together… you did a remarkable job. I'm sure it only took a couple of hours to plan, but those couple of hours paid off! I heard Jeff and Sarah spent maybe an hour or two as well, so thanks to both of you. And let me just say how amazing both you of look today. It was like you both jumped straight off the cover of wedding magazine or something… I think you guys are the hottest wedding couple I have ever seen. I'd also like to call out an unsung hero at this wedding who brought these two beautiful people together. Where are you Judy? There she is, this lady is the one who set these two up not quite a year and a half ago and certainly can take credit for putting in motion the events of this day. So if you looking to get married soon you might want to go over and say hi to Judy. Personally I'm going to stay the hell away from her!

Well Jeff, I do know that you just gave our parents a huge sigh of relief at the thought that neither of us would ever get married… and on that same note you either took a lot of pressure off of me or put a lot on, not quite sure which one at this point, I guess only time will tell. It took 28 years for one of us to finally end bachelorhood, and I'm glad it was you buddy. Now I can sit back and see first hand how this whole marriage thing works.

I mean 28 years was definitely worth the wait considering that in the end Sarah is going to be your wife FOREVER. It is weird to think that the next first date you're ever going to hear about is going to be from your future thirteen year old daughter telling you she has just fallen in love with the guy across the street who rides the harley. PAUSE That thought should make you drink a little heavier tonight.

For those of you that know Jeff I'm sure you would quickly agree that Jeff fits the model of the perfect guy. He's certainly the best guy I have ever known. And I'm not saying that because he is my brother or because that's what you're supposed to say… I'm saying it because out of every guy I have ever met, Jeff is the most trustworthy, dependable, caring, fun-loving person I've ever known… basically what I'm trying to say is that he is a woman's dream. Let's face it, if you take the average guy and wrote down everything that is going on in his head for just one day, human life would cease to exist because no woman in their right mind would ever talk to us again.

Jeff just isn't programmed like that for some reason. Let me give you a quick example, and I apologize to you in advance for those of you with children present. Maybe it would be a good time for them to put their ear muffs on for a minute. You see Jeff's engagement to Sarah was my only shot at planning a bachelor party because all my best friends have brothers. So for years I've been thinking about what I wanted to do, you know my big chance to coordinate a stripper fiasco of some sort. I mean I had visions of strippers rappelling off the ceilings and an entire night filled with the most sinful things I could think of PAUSE… but you know what the first thing out of Jeff's mouth was… I don't want any strippers at the bachelor party. Now that was a year ago and my first thought was ahhh that is really cute… but damn it he was serious. I tried explaining to him that these strippers really weren't for him. They were for everyone else… but he wasn't going to have any of it. He said and I quote “strippers disgust me and they reminded me of homeless people asking for change.” You're all laughing, but that statement just about made me cry. In the end at least I gave him a nice blueprint for mine in the future.

But then it also reminds me just how perfect this guy really is for someone as great as Sarah. And speaking of Sarah… It isn't everyday that you find a person totally beautiful on both the inside and outside. And Sarah's smile – that will light up an entire room. See there it is, that is what I'm talking about. My brother is truly lucky to have finally found you, Sarah. Thank you for coming into our lives. PAUSE

I remember the day Jeff came home after their first date. I honestly have never seen him that excited about a date. I think he had so many cases of the wrong women that the thought of the perfect one stepping into his life lit him up. I know that he fell in love with you, Sarah, that first day, and I couldn't be happier that both of you are now married and get to enjoy that love everyday for the rest of your lives.

So… hold up the glass for the toast and pause Would everyone please raise your glasses and join me in wishing Jeff and Sarah Golden all the best in their new journey together, and a lifetime of happiness.

Cheers