Speech by ian chaplen

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: ian chaplen
Speech Date: 01/04/2014 13:22:58

Well WHAT an emotional day, even the cake is in  tiers!!!

INTRODUCTION

For those of you that don't know me I'm IAN and I am ROSE'S dad……..and as the father of the bride I have the dubious pleasure of making the first speech.

However, I KNOW I am just the warm-up act for the star speakers this afternoon – the Groom and Best Man……………..Liam and Warren.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to THANK all of you for being here today…….ESPECIALLY those of you who knew that I'd be saying a few words…….… it's very touching that you STILL decided to come.

You'll be PLEASED to know that this speech will be a bit like Kylie Minogue………SHORT and HOPEFULLY entertaining! 

On behalf of my BEAUTIFUL Wife, Mandie, and I -let me extend a WARM welcome to Rosie and Liam's wedding reception celebration……..… I know your presence here today is INCREDIBLY important to them. So THANK YOU

At this point IT IS customary to thank every one for making the long journeys to join us today…..… Do you know that, INCREDIBLY we have guests here from afar afield as Milton, Cosham, Farlington and even HAVANT!!

But, TODAY I am the proudest man in the whole world.

SEEING your daughter looking so HAPPY and RADIANT is a truly AMAZING experience.

Wedding days are MEANT to be unforgettable and this one CERTAINLY will be.

I, FOR ONE, won't forget how HEART WARMING it was to see two SUPER people like Rosie and Liam making their vows to each other this afternoon.

I won't forget how PROUD it has made me feel to be the bride's father, ESPECIALLY walking her down the aisle today.

And I WON'T forget what a pleasure it is seeing them now, sharing the HAPPINESS of their great day with all of us.

TOAST

A wedding IS a time for joy and fun……with FRIENDS and FAMILY gathered to see the happy couple off as they start their NEW life.

BUT…….it is a time too, when our THOUGHTS inevitably turn to those people who have meant so much to our families….CAN'T be here today- BUT hold the BEST seat in the house on this special day.

SO,I'd like you to please JOIN me and be upstanding in a TOAST……to ABSENT friends AND loved ones. 

ROSIE

Following tradition it's NOW time to say a few words about my BEAUTIFUL daughter.

Rosie gave me ONLY ONE instruction about what to say today………And the message was clear “Dad … PLEASE don't embarrass me.”

So I know that she will be PARTICULARLY nervous about what I might say NEXT.

After all IT IS part of a father's job description to embarrass his children, and I KNOW from experience I am particularly TALENTED at this.

BUT you can relax Rose, I'll wait until I am throwing a few DAD MOVES on the dance floor LATER before I start today.

When preparing for this speech MANDIE suggested I should look through some family photographs for INSPIRATION.

A couple in PARTICULAR stood out from the others.

There was a picture of our LITTLE GIRL lying NAKED on a rug, in front of a FIRE, dribbling, gurgling………and THEN another of her trying to take a few wobbly steps………….

SADLY they're the only photo's we have of HER on her Hen night………but they are special.

I raise my glass to HONOUR my daughter on THIS…..her wedding day.

It is hard to find the right words to EXPRESS the depths of my feelings.

She has been like a ray of sunshine on my soul from the DAY she was born……..BUT now, she begins a NEW life…..… and there will be ANOTHER man to whom she will turn to for love and protection.

She was a PERFECT daughter, and I know she will make a FINE wife. (Rose…you've spelt perfect wrong)

TODAY though I am filled with a CURIOUS mixture of joy and wonder.

JOY at the HAPPINESS I see in her eyes……and WONDER at the miracle of seeing my baby grow from a little girl to a BEAUTIFUL woman. 

ROSE is truly a SPECIAL girl.  

She is HONEST and loyal.

She MAY appear vulnerable … BUT the velvet gloves certainly HIDE a steely core. And I KNOW that she is adored by us all. 

NOW………..PLEASE forgive for a while I use some props to complete my words about ROSE……

I used some A4 size playing cards here – suited Hearts

Ace        ALWAYS has been, AND always will be my ANGEL

Two       Today she becomes one half of a SPECIAL couple

Three     As you all know there are THREE of them in the NEW XXXXX home. I'd just like to take this opportunity ANGEL to Thank you for the WONDER that is Little Albie…

Four       If we (mandie and i) are honest we do hope secretly that this may be FOUR one day?

Five       Now ANGEL…..FIVE is the number of letters in DADDY…….Sorry, Liam I will ALWAYS be ROSE'S Daddy……..I will ALWAYS be there for you Angel and NEVER judge you.

Six         On the same theme SIX is the number of letters in MOTHER……..And what a SPECIAL mum you are to Albie, and NOW Step Mum to Megan and Ralphie.

Seven     It was 12 minutes past SEVEN on Wednesday 29th May 1991 that Rosie first entered the world and I FELL in love – AGAIN

To be honest she was a really UGLY baby when first born, in fact I was quite SHOCKED when she was first handed to me – that WAS until the nurse turned her the right way up.   

Eight      She has certainly inherited some of her Mum's traits, Bless Her, and can often be found in bed by Eight!

Nine       Like all Kids she has been a bit like a Cat with nine lives…..and She DEFINITELY used one of them up when we caught her drinking neat VODKA….. from the bottle cap….… in the park with a friend at the tender age of JUST……… 12!!

Ten        All that said to me she IS….The PERFECT Ten.

Jack       You have finally found YOUR Jack the Lad

Queen    and…Today you ARE…..EVERBODIES Queen

King       And you have turned your PRINCE into a KING today

Rose, there is SO MUCH more I'd like to say about you. BUT I my time is almost up.

You look INCREDIBLE today.

You are a BEAUTIFUL woman AND a wonderful daughter.

You have married a TERRIFIC man. And you WILL make a perfect wife.

I DO hope I've managed to communicate just what a WONDERFUL daughter I've got.

She's passionate about what she BELIEVES in. INTENSELY loyal to her friends. And FULL of  affection for the PEOPLE she loves..

Turning to LIAM

It is ALSO customary to spend a few minutes on the qualities of our new son in law..… I have 3 pages of Liam's notes here but SORRY………not only the is the bar open but Warren is up soon and I CANT wait.

Liam has made a BIG mistake today. NO … fortunately, NOT that one.

He's chosen to have a particularly FUNNY best man…… I have a FEELING that Warren will include a few embarrassing stories…….. SO it only seems fair to have laced my PRAISE of Rosie with a little HUMILIATION too.

NOW, like most fathers I was EXTREMELY protective of my little girl, and prepared to fend off ANY potential suitors.

I took the view that NO man was good enough for Rosie AND was in favour of capital punishment for ANYONE who TRIED to take her away from me.

AND SO……….… it was in this WELCOMING atmosphere of open mindedness that I was FIRST introduced to Liam.

SO there he was. My FIRST thought was OMG, NOW what has Rosie found?  Six foot two, tattooed from head to toe, skinhead hair cut………….and POSSIBLY just a little bit Ginger!!

BUT, from the DAY we met him he has been a polite, well mannered, and DAMN it, EXTREMELY likeable, friendly, hardworking young man.

He has been an ABSOLUTE credit to you Pam.

NOW, if there's one QUALITY that my new son in-law has in abundance, it's LOYALTY.

And it's a loyalty that he's had tested BEYOND belief over the last 30 years of BROKEN dreams AND betrayed trust …I guess that is what you get as a XXXXXXXX fan!!

So Rosie, you can REST assured that however you behave over the next 30 years, Liam will ALWAYS stand by you. 

AGAIN, please excuse me while I use a few props to say a few more words about Liam

King       No longer KING on the Town

Queen    You HAVE found your Queen

Jack       NO more JACK the Lad

Ten        NO more TEN Pints a night

Nine       From now on you'll be in BED by Nine

Eight      If you're LUCKY…… by Eight

Seven     Having taken your Wedding Vows today it is a “seven days a week” life of WINDOW shopping now!

Six         Six is the number of letters in FAMILY, and It is great pleasure to formally WELCOME Liam and the XXXXX family into our family.

I say ‘formally’, because Liam has ALREADY made himself at home with us AND to all intents and purposes has LONG been part of the family …..… and makes a mean Roast Dinner.

Five       Now no speech would be complete without a little chauvinism…….so you CAN expect your dinner on the table at Five

Four       From the bottom of my heart I'd like to THANK you for LIGHTING up Rose's life for the last 4 years, and of course many years to come.

Three     You ARE a terrific Father to Three WONDERFUL kids…..Albie, and of course our NEW Step Grand children….Megan and Ralphie

Two       Today you become half of a SPECIAL couple today

Ace        To top it off you're just an ACE bloke.

FINALLY Liam, I COMMEND your intelligence. ANY man who chooses to get MARRIED on their Birthday, meaning they will NEVER forget their Wedding anniversary is CLEARLY far brighter than the REST of the men in the room today. Happy Birthday Liam.

ADVICE

I won't bore you with any LENGTHY pieces of advice regarding MARRIAGE and life together…….

This world is ENTIRELY yours……..and it is ONLY both of you who WILL determine its rules.

Although Mandie and I have been married for 30 years this June I CANT claim to be an expert in marriage……..… but I WILL give you SOME advice from my experience.

In marrying each other you have CREATED a partnership so TREAT each other with respect AND of equal standing.

BUT Liam, be prepared to accept that in MOST arguments YOU will be wrong, EVEN when the facts demonstrate that you are not.

Keep things FRESH and give each other surprises.

Marriage is a 50/50 split. BUT it's a 100% commitment by BOTH of you, with patience, tolerance and forgiveness thrown together in EQUAL measures.

A wise man once said, “a successful marriage requires falling in love MANY times, but ALWAYS with the same person”

TOAST 

I can't stress ENOUGH how PROUD I am today………… and how GOOD it is to have you all here.

I hope you have a FABULOUS time this evening. 

NOW it is my PLEASANT duty to propose a TOAST to the happy couple……..

and I KNOW that everyone here will WANT to join me in raising their glasses in a toast to a LONG, HAPPY and HEALTHY future together, filled with the SOUND of laughter. 

Here's to the PAST, and for ALL that you've learned.

Here's to the PRESENT, for ALL that you share.

Here's to the FUTURE, for ALL that you look forward to together.

Ladies and Gentlemen, PLEASE be upstanding and RAISE your glasses to the Bride and Groom … Rosie and Liam…The NEW Mr. & Mrs XXXXXXX