Speech by Dave Hankinson

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Dave Hankinson
Speech Date: Sep2006
Ladies and Gentlemen,

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I am Dave, Paula's dad, and on behalf of myself and my wife Sue, would like to welcome you here today to celebrate P and A's wedding. I would like to extend a special welcome to A's mum and dad – Chris and Derek and their family and friends, not forgetting A, who has already become one of the family.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO KNOW ME, you will all realise just how proud both Sue and I are today on this special occasion, and would like to thank you all for coming and helping to make this a brilliant day.

I WILL TRY TO KEEP THIS SHORT, as I'm just the warm up man and I know that Andy and Simon are itching to get up.

WELL, WHERE TO START? I am sure you will all agree, Paula looks stunning here today, and as a dad with only one daughter, I am extremely proud of her, as I am of our only son Glen.

But it's hard to imagine, looking at her now, that this is the same girl, who I drove to the NEC in Birmingham 16 years ago, to see the love of her life in concert “BROS”. Yes, ladies and gentlemen….Paula was a Brossette!……Right down to the Grolch bottle tops in her Doc Martins.

A FRIEND OF OURS ONCE COMMENTED…
Paula was the only girl she knew who could walk down the aisle on her wedding day, in Doc Martins and carry it off! Luckily, she grew out of that phase a while ago, but I checked this morning… just in case.

SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRONG WILLED, and followed her own path, through college, then to Tenerife and now back in Warrington, where she has successfully set up her own business.

AND TALKING ABOUT STRONG WILLED, that brings me nicely to Andy – our son-in-law!

THE FIRST TIME THAT ANDY CAME TO OUR HOUSE, we were having a BBQ.… And like you do at BBQ's we had a few drinks. Well, by the time the taxi arrived at the end of the day, we had all had few more drinks and were all a little the worse for wear. While Paula was at the gate sorting the taxi out, Andy was reluctant to go as he still had a drink to finish – saying “The taxi can wait – the drink can't” – doesn't sound like Andy does it?

HAVING FINISHED HIS DRINK, he turned to me and out of the blue said “Do you know Dave, I am going to marry your Paula”

This came as quite a surprise, as this was our first real meeting, but I was convinced that he meant it and us being here today, proves that!

WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PAULA LOVES ANDY, as we have all grown to feel the same about him.

I DON'T LOOK UPON TODAY AS HAVING LOST A DAUGHTER ,more like gaining an upholsterer and a mate

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A BRILLIANT TIME in the Maldives on your honeymoon, which Andy, by the way, you'll find is the period between you saying “I do”, and Paula saying, “You'd better”

SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, or should I say old friends and new, it is now my very proud duty to ask you all to be upstanding whilst I propose a toast to the happy couple .…

wait for everyone to stand

Ladies and Gentlemen, the toast is… “Paula and Andy”