Speech by Gordon Morris

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Gordon Morris
Speech Date: 04/06/2016 17:36:23

Good Afternoon everyone. For those of you that don't know me my name is Gordon and I am the very proud father of this beautiful bride and in case I should forget, Sue, Matt's Mum, gave me socks and cufflinks with it printed on.I would like to begin by welcoming you all today and saying a big thank you from all of us on this table for taking the time and effort to join with us to celebrate Becks and Matt's wedding. Also I would like to say what a pleasure it has been to get to know Sue and Steve and all the Igoe family and we would like to thank them for their love and affection shown to Becks since meeting Matt.This was always going to be an emotional day and as a father standing in the doorway of the church it gave me the chance to say to Becks what I've been wanting to say to her for a long time, I looked her in the eyes and said “Becks soon you are going to be a married woman………..… when are you going to clear all your stuff from our house?”Both Becks and Matt know that I am rarely speechless so today I am going to share with them and you that there have been only three times in my life when I have been absolutely speechless.One was the moment I first laid eyes on Lyn over 41 years ago across the dance hall in college, the second was when I saw you today looking absolutely stunning in your wedding dress and the third was when I was told exactly how much it was going to cost for today.But I have to say it is well worth it!!Now I believe that tradition dictates that a dad should share a few anecdotes about his daughter. I know that Becks will probably be getting nervous about what I may say in this next part of my speech. After all it is part of a father's job description to embarrass his children and I am particularly talented at it. But you can relax Becks I'll wait until we are on the dance floor and Robin Thicke's ‘Blurred Lines’ is playing.It's is hard though on a day like today not to think back to lots of the things that have happened throughout the past 27 years. I'll give you the bullet points. Probably the most significant things that Becks did was:-1. Change our plans for 4 children to 32. Create a nightly routine of travelling around the neighbourhood with Chris and Nicola in their pyjamas, because that was the only way of getting her to sleep.3. Finally, subjecting Lyn and I to years of dance shows at the Floral Pavilion.Lyn and I are very proud of Becks and all that she has achieved and also pleased to see her looking so beautiful and happy today.We do have to thank Staples because one of the Rewards was that Becks met a very young and shy Matt who over the past 10 years has become a big part of our family already.During the time we have known Matt we have come to realise how special he is to Becks and what a great son-in-law he will be. We also realised that they were perfectly matched because he's happy to watch Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory and all the other American series that drive Lyn and I mad.You often wonder as a parent just how well your children will turn out. You wonder what sort of life decisions they will make especially those that you have no control over. What friends will they choose? Who will they pick as a partner to share their life with? Will that person love and care for them as well as you would? Will you approve?Well your Mum and I think you have made a cracking choice.It is customary on these occasions to offer the happy couple some worldly advice on marriage. So I'll try and offer a few words of wisdom based on our own 40 years of marriage.———————————————————————————————-Marriage will teach you many things, loyalty, self-restraint, obedience – I am still in training aren't I dear?Remember, certain phrases can smooth things out, like I was wrong, you were right, yes dear, I love you.Never go to bed in the middle of an argument, be a man, stay up, watch some TV, you've lost anyway.MARRIAGE IS A WONDERFUL THING BETWEEN TWO SPECIAL PEOPLE AND TO KEEP IT SPECIAL, SAY TO EACH OTHER EVERY DAY THESE THREE LITTLE WORDS = I LOVE YOU.Becks and Matt, you are a lovely couple; Love and support each other, stay friends and have a long and happy life together. God Bless you always.Ladies and Gentlemen please be upstanding and raise your glasses to the Bride and Groom.To Becks and Matt