Speech by Bernard Lennon

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Bernard Lennon
Speech Date: mar 2004
Reverend Father, Ladies, Gentlemen, and all our Guests.

"As Henry V111 said to each of his wives in turn, ‘I'll try not to keep you very long,’”

As father of the Bride it is my privilege to make the first speech, and I would like to start by saying what a real pleasure it is to welcome Larry & Maura, their family, our family and all our friends to join us in celebrating Pamela and Laurence's very special day.

I would like us to particularly remember both sets of Pamela's grandparents. Rose's Mam and Dad, May and Joe. My Mam and Dad, Sally and Frank. Who we know would have very much liked to be part of this celebration,

For those of you that don't know me I am quiet shy, reserved and laid back, and for those of you that don't know Rose she is the complete opposite. So as I look down along the table I see a very talented and independent, pretty attractive, beautifully elegant, gorgeously stunning young woman, Pamela, no doubt you'll agree a reflection of her mother. Her reflection from me of course is her cooking skills, her dancing talent, her humour, good and bad, and her allergy to housework.

You might laugh about me being on the same level with Pamela in regard to her dancing and cooking just because I have it in my head and Pamela has it in her hands and feet does not mean we are not as good as each other.

This is a very happy day for Rose and I.

Every Father hopes his daughter will find a smart, reliable, sensible, and considerate and perhaps a little bit better than average around a poker table type of fellow. So I have to say I'm a contented father as I am delighted to see my daughter looking so happy and well today. It is a real pleasure Laurence to welcome you into our family.

As much as you try not to interfere in their lives, you always hope once your children are grown, that they will make the right choices and that things will go well for them. So we're delighted Pamela chose someone we like so much to be her partner.

I hold little or no fear for these two in life as I have watched them over the last year, open a new business, buy a new house and organising their wedding, any one feat enough to stress the best of us.

I think it is ironic that Rose and I met under similar circumstance to Pamela and Laurence; we met in the canteen in McDonnell's, while they met in the kitchen in Mosney. Laurence was delivering his prime beef from his Gourmet Butchers. And while we are in the Kitchen, if anybody thinks Laurence is in for gourmet meals at meal time they are mistaken, the nearest he'll get to gourmet is in the name of his shop. I foolishly thought that when Pamela decided to become a Chef that I would be a candidate for all the new dishes she was learning, alas, Pamela was not one to bring her work home.

If you want to make time fly, have a daughter. It seems not long ago I was holding a newborn 8 &1/2 lb baby Girl with blonde streaky hair in my arms, one of my proudest moments; another was in the Irish dancing Championships when Pamela was just pipped to the post by the reigning world champion. Another proud moment is of course today. One only has to look at the centre of the table to see the radiance that I hope is a reflection of Rose's and my own contentment.

Today Pamela and Laurence you may feel that this the best day of your life, well it is the best day of your life, to date.

Our wedding day was one of the best days of our life, but our time together since has given us very many more good days. Our relationship is now bonded by memories and mutual experience. We are human and therefore capable of doing dumb things from time to time. What is important to note is that at those times you learn from experiences and emerge from them a better and more complete person. There can be no substitute for experience and learning from your own doing. Marriage is not about finding the perfect partner, but also about being one.

My one piece of advice to Laurence would be, if, and I am sure she will, turn out like her mother, always, and I stress this, always let her decide what you wear, because no sooner have you dressed when she will decide that you are not co-ordinated with her outfit or that you have the wrong tie to match the shirt and slacks you are wearing. I have discovered over the years it is much easier to say ‘yes dear’.

I would especially like to thank my sister Julia for the beautiful gown she designed and made for Pamela, also for the Bridesmaids, flower girl and Rose who you would agree look particularly well today.

I don't know if many of you frequent public houses or bars, not being a drinker myself, but I've had the odd occasion to visit such places. One such place was the local of golfers, I'm sure a lot of you know what I mean when I say this, at one point I thought I walked onto a golf course, every shot and every putt was being replayed over and over again. Another place would be after a football match, did you ever see them, and you think they actually played the game. The reason I say this is because you might not be aware that some of Laurence's friends from the Hunt are here, so any of you wearing feathers or stoles that might resemble a bird or a fox, I would advise that you hide them now.

I have to stop now to save my throat … Rose said if I went on to long … she'd cut it.
Toast the Bride and Groom.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, family and friends let us raise our glasses and join together in wishing them happiness.

I give you the toast of the Bride and Groom, and May God bless them."