Speech by Keith Broadey

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Keith Broadey
Speech Date: Jul2004
Welcome everyone to the Tea Room at Rockingham Castle. For anyone who hasn't worked it out yet, I am Sarah's father.

On behalf of Margaret and myself I would like to thank you all for accepting the invitation to Sarah's and Noel's wedding and turning up to support them on this very special day.

I get to go first in making a speech, so I can say what I like and for as long as I like! The rules of engagement do not allow for heckling and there will be no question time at the end.

This wedding has turned out to be a popular event, but there were folks who couldn't make it, some because they are on the other side of the planet. I am sure they are here in spirit. They all sent good wishes and lovely messages, for which we thank them.

Given the antiquity of the venue, I suggested to Sarah that a suit of medieval armour would be appropriate dress in which to give her away. Give her away? That's a joke. It cost a fortune! However, Sarah's assertiveness skills are very effective (I wonder who she learned them from?) and the response was “ NO Dad”. So here we are in different fancy dress.

You are all to be congratulated. You have all scrubbed up really well [Lesley, not in the technical sense] you all look splendid and it is a delight to see you all here today.

I would like to make a special welcome to Noel's family, to Alan, his father, Lesley, his mother, and Jodie, his sister, who is Sarah's bridesmaid today.

Now organising weddings is a complicated business and it took over a year to plan. Margaret and I first met Lesley and Alan in the pub in Rockingham village last July, when we came to view this pile. Availability was limited even one year ahead. My advice to any wedding planner is to avoid an Olympic year, Wimbledon, and any major football or rugby tournament. However, we have to compete with the Ladies Final at Wimbledon and we are here the day before the Euro 2004 Final. As England were robbed in the quarter final, we can breathe a sigh of relief that you are all here today and not in Portugal. There have been remarkably few hiccups in the planning, though there were at least two ladies hats crises, and we have tested Debenham's formal dress hire system almost to destruction.

We had the benefit of lots of help, starting with Sarah and Noel's computorised wedding plan. These two could run a country if they had a mind to.
Alan and Lesley have made many of the arrangements, including the photographs, the flowers and the cake and they took charge of transport and logistics. They also roped in several other willing helpers. There is some interesting history, which I will probably get wrong. The photographer's and the florist's predecessors were involved at Lesley's and Alan's wedding? Yes? All Alan and Lesley and their helpers have done was kind and helpful and we would like to thank you for your very significant help and support. Many thanks.

The organising is down to the Bride's mother. Happily, Margaret is a super organiser. Thanks Margaret.

Rockingham Castle have done a great job in getting the arrangements right. Thanks to them. The cheque is in the post!

What did I have to do? Well not a lot really, except to try and fail to emulate one of my fellow NHS managers, a wee Scottish lass, from whom cash can only be extracted by surgical intervention. The firm response to my querulous query ‘Will there no be change from 10p?’ was a disdainful silence and a withering look. Could we have a collection at the end? No, perhaps not.

Round the room there are several groups to be welcomed. When John Lennon addressed a Royal Command Performance he asked those in the cheap seats to applaud and those in the posh seats to rattle their jewelery. I assure you these are all posh seats.

We welcome Noel's family here today: from Northampton and roundabouts. A special welcome to Joyce: Grandma Baker. I think that you are on table Nara. According to my Philips’ Modern School Atlas, Nara is in Japan on the island of Honshu. That is about 10,000 miles away and the time there is now 2am. So I hope you are awake and can hear me. You will need to be quite loud so we can hear you. Welcome- applause [encourage a response from them]

Also here are Sarah's family: Margaret's and my brothers and sisters, their partners and representatives of their tribes and Andrew, our son, who produced the designer stationary. Thanks. Andrew. Margaret, my mother, has made a special effort to be here and may just be the senior person present. You have possession of table Kyoto and parts of Nagano and Tokyo. Welcome. [encourage applause]

Now we have Sarah's and Noel's friends and colleagues who are here today. There appears to be a wedding party circus of people of a certain age with an ongoing programme of stag nights, hen parties and weddings. You poor things, it must be so exhausting! So, please congratulate yourselves on your stamina in making it here. You are on Osaka, Fujisan, Nagoya and parts of Tokyo and Nagano. Welcome. So let's hear from you. [encourage applause]

I hope that has included everyone. Yes? OK.

By now you will have noticed the Japanese theme on the tables. I gather there is some romantic attachment, but that is for others to say if they wish. It does, however, give me the opportunity to tell a little story, which contrasts Japanese and English cultures. I have adapted it a bit to include husbands and wives, so it may just have some relevance here today.

Mr Yakamoto is the Chairman of a large Japanese company and is addressing a conference audience in London. He says – “In Japan when Chairman of Company or husband he say ‘We go this way’, workers and wives, they go this way. In England, when Chairman of Company or husband say ‘We go this way’, workers or wives say ‘Why?’
So, go steady on the Japanese approach if you want to succeed in England.

And now, to the most important person today, my daughter, Sarah, the bride. We could not ask for more in a daughter. Today she is quite stunning, and I am overwhelmed. Her father's heart swelled with pride at the sight of her. Now Sarah looks good in anything: just try her in any hat. But how to describe the Sarah behind those looks? Well, I do remember that she persistently cried a lot and would not sleep. The answer was to play Elton John's ‘Yellow Brick Road’ repeatedly and at high volume whilst rocking her cot. I mounted it on rubber feet to assist with the rocking! So, Noel, should it recur, that's the cure. I won't mention the comfort cloth!

But parents can be so gauche and SO uncool. Sarah, I apologise here, in public, and unreservedly for making you have picnic ham buns in the car at Motorway Service Stations instead of MacDonalds in the restaurants. I know it nearly ruined your life.

Sarah is kind and thoughtful. Last year she sent me a message on my retirement including thanks for my efforts to give her and Andrew a good start in life. Fathers don't expect such messages. It brought tears to my eyes and still does. Thanks for that Sarah, it meant more than you know.

Sarah tries, and she usually succeeds. There is much evidence of this including a First Class Honours Degree, a Duke of Edinburgh's Scheme Gold Award and a developing career in pharmaceutical research.

It has been a delight to see her grow up and to support her. She will grow more yet: she has only just begun. She has our unreserved support: she deserves it. We continue that support as she joins with Noel in her marriage.

I propose a toast to my daughter, Sarah, the bride. To Sarah – ‘Long life, health and happiness’. [May the Force be with you.]

We welcome Noel to our family and we are delighted to have him as our son in law. Sarah has made an excellent choice. They are together, they are an item; they are strong as a couple. There is a quiet certainty with Noel. He gives me confidence. Sarah, look after this man.

He is not infallible, and I am told he wrote off his first car on an icy road. You are not alone Noel: I did the same thing!

He has made an excellent start, with appropriate behaviour. He has already borrowed my electric drill and returned it! He shows early promise in that essential husbanding skill – putting up shelves. Indeed his and Sarah's skills go way beyond this and they seem to have a plan to rebuild the entirety of Cheshire! They don't have a house; they have a property portfolio! I know I can rely on Noel to fix the mortgage, the stereo and anything to do with the Internet. More seriously, he is a man I know I can trust with the future care of my daughter. Look after her well Noel. She is now your responsibility and very precious.

I propose a toast to Noel, my son in law. To Noel [Live long and prosper.]

Now to the whole point of these meanderings: the toast to the bride and groom. Sarah and Noel are now setting out on life's great adventure together. Today we witnessed their commitment one to the other. We believe in them. We wish them all happiness and success in a long life together.

Ladies and gentlemen please drink a toast. To the bride and groom.

To Sarah and Noel.