“I found a diamond ring that I wanted and I let him know about it repeatedly!” – Bride Speech by Emma and Sam

Speech Type: Bride (& Groom)
Time to Read Aloud: 7 minutes
Our Favourite Line: “I know mothers-in-law are meant to be awful, so I’m trying to keep quiet about how brilliant she is in case they take her away from me.”
Notes: “We were inspired by the song ‘Summer Nights’ from the film Grease, where the two lovers recount the same events but from their own (very different) perspectives.”

Summer Nights

Emma: Thank you all for coming, sharing today with all of our favourite people has been really important to us so we thought that we’d also like to share the story of how this love began.

Sam: Emma will tell you that we first met on the 2nd September 2007, but we actually met a couple of times before this. The first time, I tried to make polite conversation with her as I walked past her at a bus stop but she gave me a dirty look.  The second time, a friend and I were driving past her at a bus stop, and we beeped the horn to get her attention. She again, gave us a dirty look.  These events would set the tone for the rest of our relationship since she doesn’t hide her displeasure very often and took so long to pass her driving test that she’d often be spotted at a bus stop.

But, all good fairytale events happen in threes and the third bus-stop-meeting outside Bar du Musee in Greenwich was my most successful.  I used my sharp chat-up lines (“I like your jacket”), and getting her number was easy… unlike her as I was to find out!

Emma: We first met exactly 6 years and 11 months ago, on the 2nd September 2007, outside Bar du Musee in Greenwich. I was travelling home after a party and was a bit tipsy, so it was not much of a surprise that I ended up giving my number to a strange man.

But, a week later, when we were due to meet up on our first date, I got cold feet and decided that I hated men. Despite telling Sam that I had got back with an ex-boyfriend, he used his excellent lie-detecting skills, called my bluff, and persuaded me to come out. I text Leonie to let her know where I was going, just in case. I think my text read something like: “Hi Sheridan, I’m just letting you know that I’m going on a date in Greenwich with some guy. In the event that I disappear, that’s where they should start looking for my body.”

Sam: Emma had a really good time on our first date. She was really interested in my love of animals and I could tell she was impressed with my conversation. When she excused herself, I patted myself on the back for having made such a good first impression.

Emma: Sam seemed nice but would not stop talking about animals, which was getting tiresome, so I excused myself.  In the loo, I text Leonie again to let her know that I was okay and that I didn’t think they’d need to send out a search party for me after all.

Sam: It all started from there and, before I knew it, a year had gone by and Emma was on her way to university. Finally, I was going to get some peace for a few years.

Emma: I expect many people doubted that we’d last through the long distance, but it was clearly meant to be.

Sam: …and while Emma went to university to better her education and further her career, I stayed in SE London and drank copious amounts of alcohol and I am now earning more than she is.

Emma: On my return from uni, I found that Sam had developed some habits that needed ironing out! I also found a diamond ring that I wanted, and I let him know about it repeatedly.

Sam: On Emma’s return from uni, I decided to get my act together and bought her a glass ring… I mean diamond ring. On the 11th of June 2011, Emma agreed to be my wife.

Emma: And now we’re here today celebrating with all our favourite people!

Sam: We’d like to say a big thank you to Emma’s parents, Yvonne and Nigel, for telling us to get a move on a year ago and helping us to organise our wedding. Thank you so much for all you have done to help us start our lives together!

Emma: We’d also like to thank Sam’s mum, Lynn, for allowing us to be together by putting up with us in her house for so long. We’ll be out of your hair soon, I promise!  I know mothers-in-law are meant to be awful, so I’m trying to keep quiet about how brilliant she is in case they take her away from me.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to remember those of us who are not here. Firstly, my grandmother, Eileen, who could not be here today. Secondly, our grandfathers who have sadly passed away. And very importantly, Sam’s father, Nick.  It is a travesty that he is not here to see his son get married.  So I would like you all to raise your glasses – to Nick.

Sam: Finally, it’s very important to say a massive thank you to all of our guests for celebrating with us today.  Some of you have travelled long distances to get here (thank you, Phil, Andy, Sarah, Luke, Theo, Amanda and Toby). Thank you to everyone who’s helped organise things for today; our parents again, of course, Lucy for the beautiful cake, Leonie for stepping up as a brilliant post-wedding-pub-finder, bus conductor and ceremony DJ. We’ve had a lovely day so far and we hope you will enjoy the rest of yours!