Speech by Roy Sharp

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Roy Sharp
Speech Date: 15/04/2016 22:58:03

Good afternoon everyone and welcome…For those who don't know me I am Roy…KT's father and it falls on me to make the opening speech. Just think of me as the warm up act for Andrew and Mikey…

I would like to start by extending a warm welcome on behalf of myself, and my wife Debbie, Andrew's parents Brian and Sue and Sue's husband Martin…A big thank you also goes to KT and Andrew who had very definite ideas on how they wanted today to be. To all the family and friends who have joined us to celebrate KT and Andrew's wedding. What a fantastic setting for a celebration…and what a beautiful ceremony it was…I hope that you all have a wonderful afternoon and evening. I am pleased to see so many Family and Friends here, I know that all of us have travelled long distances to be here with us today… Thank you all for coming to help celebrate this very special occasion….

Especially those of you who knew that I'd be saying a few words – it's very touching that you still decided to COME…Ladies and gentlemen I should probably make you aware from the very start that I lack any real practical experience as a speaker. Having spent over 20 years of my life living in a house with three women there have been few opportunities when I have been allowed to speak and even fewer opportunities when anyone has actually been listening…

SO.… after living with three women in the house it was a nice change to have some decent conversation with ANDREW…… about ancient aliens and UFO's ………

DEBBIE..… Has warned me to keep it short because of my throat. She said she will cut it if I go on too long………..… Keep it short she said, and remember the ABC & XYZ of public speaking…….… ABC- Always Be Confident..… XYZ – Examine Your Zip!!!………… Laugh……..… This is, of course, the first time I have had the Honour of walking a daughter down the aisle and it has been magical if not tinged with a little sadness – magical because I felt like a King escorting his Princess into the next part of her life and a little sad because she no longer will be my little Princess,…..… Now being fully committed to another man. I am blessed to have not one but two truly wonderful daughters, both of whom I am immensely proud of………

A wedding is a time for joy and fun, with family and friends 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 watched you both grow and would have loved to be here to share your happiness.

Sadly, it's not possible for everyone we love to be here with us today.

I would like make a special mention to KT's nanny Kath.… She passed away 18 months ago..… But she did have the joy of seeing KT in a beautiful wedding dress………

So, would you please all stand, and raise your glasses, & join me in a toast

To loved ones who are unable be here in person.

THANK YOU…….

Debbie and I are very immensely proud of KT and pleased to see her looking so radiant and happy today.

Over the years we've had the privilege of watching KT blossom from a gorgeous baby daughter into the beautiful woman we see before us today.

KT is a wonderful daughter; she has provided us with so much joy and happiness over the years. ….… We have always been proud of her, in everything she has done.

As a child she was a shy at school but she has always worked extremely hard and at college received Student of the year award, later she moved on to complete her studies at Northampton University where she achieved her Degree in Graphic Design… One of our proudest moments was seeing her collect her Degree…………

And the embarrassing moment when my wife Debbie turned up with a Black eye, enough said…..PLEASE!!!…….I'M AN INNOCENT MAN………

Now it's traditional at this point, for me to share some stories about the bride, but don't worry KT, I won't embarrass you in my speech……….… We all know Katie as being a bit scatty, one memory which stands out is when Debbie and I was taking Katie back to university, she assured us she had EVERYTHING packed and ready to go, however this was not the case… AS we arrived in Northampton and to our dismay Katie announced she has forgotten all of her SHOES!! To which I replied you will have to wait until we come down next time. KT…… There have been only three times in my life when I have been absolutely speechless. One was the moment I first laid eyes on your Mother all those years ago, the second was when I saw you today looking absolutely stunning in your wedding dress and the third was when you told me exactly how much it was going to cost us…….… HOW MUCH!!! During the time we have known ANDREW we have come to realise how special he is to KT and what a great Husband and son-in-law he will be.

I would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Andrew into the Sharpe family…….

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 my 35 years of marriage.

Neither of you will ever be perfect, but you can be a perfect match for each other. A successful marriage is not about finding a person you can live with, but finding a person that you can't live without and I know that you've found that with each other.

Remember that marriage is like a deck of cards……….in the beginning all you need is 2 hearts and a diamond a few years later there will be times when you could really make use of a club and a spade……………..(you need to think about that one)

Seriously ……with all the pressures of modern life it is easy to forget what is really important…………..

I would urge you to make time for each other and make time for your marriage, it is bigger than both of you……… and at the end of the day it is the only thing that matters………

Well… Ladies and Gentlemen I think I'm getting close to outstaying my welcome and I can see ANDREW ‘s like a coiled spring ready for action, MIKY the Best man not far behind ……

SO….It is my very great pleasure to propose the first toast to the happy couple.

Here's to the past, 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.

So could I ask you——- please be upstanding and raise your glasses to the….… Bride and Groom

KT and ANDREW….