Speech by LLOYD WILLIAMS

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: LLOYD WILLIAMS
Speech Date: 28/08/2012 16:36:14

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen – boys and girls – for those of you who have never met me before – I'm Lucy's Dad – Lloydo – the father of the Bride – self appointed wedding planner!

You may call me Frank!

On behalf of my wife Sue and I – welcome one and all to ‘Shred Wed’

Could someone take notes for me I might as well use this as an employee's review meeting.

In this great country of ours it used to be tradition for the father of the Bride to hand round Cigars to smoke whilst the speeches took place.

Because the law was changed – probably for the better – if anyone would like to join me after the speeches – I will be sparking up a few cigars and drinking a glass of Port outside – whilst telling the true story of how Lucy met Ben!

Anyway back to my speech

Where's Terry – Terry what's the first rule of business remind me?

Today – we are here to celebrate the first day of Lucy and Ben's future married life together!

I am sure you will all agree that they make a smashing Couple and that the bride looks absolutely stunning!

Like all fathers the world over – since the day my daughter was born she has done nothing more than give me pleasure – coupled with a little pain around the age of 15.

Lucy you have filled me with such emotion and pride today and having the honour to escort you at lunch time in Church and give you away to your new husband Ben at your wedding is one of the most pleasing things I have ever done in my life!

Core what an emotionally charged day – even the cakes in tears!

I would personally like to welcome my new Son in Law and congratulate you both and as one of life's romantics say how well suited you are!

And can I be one of the first people wish you both, every happiness in your future together.

Having had a first class wedding service at Lowdham church where the children went to Sunday school and with School as they were growing up!

It's normally a tradition for the Bride's Father to tell stories about their daughter, I could tell stories about school and all her achievements, the brownies and guides, the pets, she had or even some of the boy friend's along the way!

Should Ben ever won't her to jump to it in the future – she still holds the family record of 3246 jumps on her pogo stick, she also was the proud owner of shoes with springs in them when she was 12 – she fancied leaping over hedgerows on her way to school at one time.

What I can say to you all – is Lucy is very determined and when she wants something she goes all out to get it! Here is some proof!

Picture interlude!!!!

All I would say is she is blonde and can act extremely dizzy on occasions, don't let anyone be miss-lead by her! She is no fool, she uses this as a ploy and when she has all the information she needs – she normal gets what she wanted from the situation in the first place!

One word of warning to Ben – her Maths are terrible – well look at this place, I might as well wheel a barrow load of £20.00 notes and let them blow out in the wind.

I have a few words of thanks –

My darling wife Sue for giving birth to our 2 delightful children – Lucy and Nik who have both become great adults – both are upright good citizens that make us both very proud – they give me great pleasure everyday – they are also my work partners!

I would also like to thank Ant – Bens Dad – for letting me have all his off cuts from his suit to make this figure hugging waste coat!

I would also like to thank some People who have made a major effort to be here today!

Lucy's Granny Jo and Ben's great grandfather who is 101 – Ben calls him Dadar! They both attended Church this morning.

Sue Aunt Sheila who will be 90 later this year has travelled up from Salisbury this morning.

From Canada – Pat and Gale travelling here from Toronto.

For inviting himself Jim Macmillan travelling from Cleveland Ohio.

My Nephew Sam and his new bride Alex travelling from Romania.

His brother Joel and his girlfriend Mary Lou travelling from Toulouse.

Rachel my sister in Law – from Alicante.

Then there are Lucy's old school friends!

The Holygirt school friends – still in regular touch and remaining great loyal friends for over 20 years –

It reminds me of the day when all the girls were called together by Mrs Banks when they were 15 – the joke

The Becket friends – Lucy then had Boy school friends – what a shock that was to her system  

The Liverpool University friends all remaining good friends through thick and thin who shared many of life's experiences that we all go through when we are growing up!

And Lucy's new friends she has become acquainted with through meeting Ben

In this Olympic year I thought it would be a great idea to present medals to the 18 girls that I have heard stories about from Lucy's hen party in Marbs – my wife came back a different person having read – 50 shades of grey along with the other 14 people on the trip!

She has also found out what a ‘reverse cowboy’ is – I always thought it was what the CISCO KID did in films when I was a lad – he could ride his horse the opposite away round!

So here goes in

Bronze Place – Archna Reddy – The hen party organiser!

Don't look so worried Jo I've not included mothers!

Silver Place – Hanna Shipley – Lucy's new sister in Law – I am assured she is a real party animal!

 And in Gold place – Charlotte Bovey Niks fiancé and soon to be Sister in Law – for endurance! First out on the first night and then last one home on the third night.

There are numerous people here today who attended my own wedding to Sue 34 years ago including our chief brides maid – my niece Zoe and Charlotte my God Daughter – and my nephew Tim our page boy who recently married Laura!

To Ben and Lucy I would give you two pieces of advice my Father in Law gave me on our wedding day

He said you should never go to bed and sleep without making up an argument and always kiss each other good night –

If you live by that rule – that will test the pair of you!

Another piece of advice he gave us was –

Never to be envious of other people!

It's also a coincidence that Lucy and Ben have chosen the same song for their first dance that Sue and I chose back in 78 –

Ben the two us need look no more!

There are numerous lifer's here today who have been married for many, many years! and Lucy and Ben have often said that they use their parents and our friends as role models and they have waited to make sure they are making the right commitments here today – I would like you all to join me in wishing them every happiness!

It is said – A woman worries about her future until she finds a husband, but a man never worries about the future until he takes a wife.

Anyway back to being Frank

I offered the happy couple advice – whether it was required or not – I made suggestions again whether they were requested or not – I have been to planning meetings that took longer than any meeting I have at work – We have seen spreads sheet – colour coded excel sheets – we have had wedmin flying around everywhere by email and letter – people have been axed from the list and added or re-added

In fact – I'm sure we axed Las Vegas back in November 2010 to get the numbers down.

And – We are still waiting for my brother Dan to reply to his invite.

It's been an experience that I wouldn't have changed – Lucy and Ben have made this their wedding unique and they have everything today they both have wished for!

 I would also like you all to know that Jo and Ant and Lucy and Ben have made large financial donation's to today's event – so if you're not happy – tell them before you tell me!

Both families have all got to know each other along the way – Although I first met Ben, Jo and Ant when Ben was the pot washer at my then Local pub when he was 15 – by coincidence Lucy was the waitress – she said although he was young he had kissy lips!

To let you know more about the Shipley's will probably come out later when Ben and Adam speak!

A couple of words of advice to Ben –

First never forget this date – it's your wedding anniversary – usually an expensive day of the year – but be rest assured if you miss it – it will get even more expensive.

Joke on my 3^rd wedding anniversary I forgot and Sue said get something that goes from 0 to 100 in 4 seconds outside the house by tomorrow – so I left a pair of kilogram scales in the porch!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Ben to the Williams side of the family and congratulate him he now has a mother in law of his own!

He is a great lad not only have we worked together for over 7 years but he's a Forest Fan and that made the decision easy!

He gets on well with all my brothers, which makes him even smarter and as I told him on the day he asked for my daughters hand in marriage

‘you must lover her Ben – because only a fool would marry the boss's daughter’

especially a boss who owns a shredding business!

Ladies and Gentlemen please be upstanding I would like to propose a toast to my darling Lucy and my new son in law – Ben!

I give you the toast of the day – The Bride and Groom’