Speech by David Rooke

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: David Rooke
Speech Date: 18/05/2014 17:10:27

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and children, I'm David, the bride's brother-in-law, and on behalf of all our families, I wish to thank you all for coming to celebrate this special occasion with us. We are so happy that so many of our friends and relatives are able to come here to join with us today. I would like to thank Bethan, Carol's niece, for being such an attractive and attentive bridesmaid. Also Tim, Alan's eldest son and Best Man, for keeping him on the straight and narrow and for making sure that he got to the right church at the right time for this important occasion. Absent from this afternoon's proceedings are our son Simon and his wife Nicola. You will probably know that Nicola gave birth to Joy's and my first grandchild last Wednesday, and little Isabella Deborah obviously has to have first call on her parents’ time today.

Today seems like a magical dream. A short while ago, I proudly walked my sister-in-law Carol down the aisle to marry Alan, the man whom she loves so much. It was so beautiful to watch them exchanging their vows in the church. It's marvellous seeing these two good people come together.

As most of you will know, Carol and Alan met at Lee Abbey, down in Devon, on a retreat weekend. Both were personally grieving, Alan for his dear wife Hilary, taken from him so suddenly, and Carol for her niece, Joy's and my daughter Debbie, who tragically lost her life in a road accident while cycling in Norfolk last year. Two very sad and unexpected negatives brought these two together. Well in mathematics, I recall, we are taught that two negatives make a positive, and that is why we are here today, to wish this happy couple every positive blessing in their new life together.

There is, I have discovered, something of a coincidence of names in the choice of marriage partners by the three Mountier siblings.  Carol has, as we know, become a Howe now, (I can't quite read the next two words, which have been scrubbed out there) and in naval history you can learn of Admiral Lord Richard Howe, the British admiral who commanded the Channel fleet at the Battle of the First of June (1794) during the French Revolutionary Wars. Back in 1975 Joy chose me, taking the surname of Rooke, and again in history we meet Admiral Sir George Rooke, who commanded the allied naval forces in the capture of Gibraltar in July 1704. Not to be left out, Stephen married Nicky, but we have to cross the Atlantic for that connection, for there we meet Admiral William V. Pratt USN, who retired in 1933 after a long and distinguished career. So – if you have more than one car to insure, this is the family to see!

I'm not a good speaker, so I won't go on too much longer you'll be pleased to hear, so all that remains is for me to ask everyone to have a good time today and this evening and my final duty and very great privilege is to welcome Alan into our family and to propose a toast to Carol and Alan.  So would you please stand and join me in a toast to the bride and groom. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Carol and Alan, THE BRIDE AND GROOM.