Speech by William Edgar

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: William Edgar
Speech Date: Jul 2009
I expect that from the previous events of the day those of you who haven't met me or don't know me will have already come to the conclusion that I'm Barry's dad. I'm Will and my wife, Dorothy, is seated here beside me.

I'm glad that you're here today to celebrate Barry &amp Lynne's wedding, and I thank you all for your part in making the wedding a wonderful occasion.

It states in the Bible:-
Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a good thing.
It has also been said:-
Nothing maketh a good wife like a good husband.
and
A husband's last words should always be “OK buy it”.

I'll let you ponder on those words of wisdom.

3rd July 1978. I can still picture the scene. It was evening time.
Some of you might remember Adair House, the maternity building at Ards Hospital. Barry was on his way. I got a job that evening. It seemed that they were a bit short-handed and somehow I was roped into pushing expectant mothers in their beds from the wards into the delivery room.

Well I suppose that it occupied my mind during the period of waiting.

Anyway, I thought that that it was Dorothy that they wanted moved so I tried to look unconcerned, but when I looked at the girl in the bed it wasn't Dorothy. I said to the midwife that this isn't my wife and she said “I hope not for your baby is nearly born”. So Barry duly arrived that evening and I don't recall too much more except for going home, pouring a big glass of whiskey and wondering what the future would bring. Well, amongst other things, some two years later it brought Katherine.
At this stage I want to say how proud Dorothy and I are of Barry &amp Katherine. They were good children, studious and always wanting to learn. I'm happy to believe that they have grown into two fine upstanding adults.

Barry was a lovely wee boy. He had long golden curls, just as I had when I was his age. When I look at him now I wonder who must have had the more worry. It mustn't have been me, for at least I have some hair left even if it is a mixture of grey and white.

Barry &amp Lynne have known each other since they were both at Regent House school, so I would expect by now that they have a good understanding of each others traits and habits, but experience suggests that there will surely be something that crops up from time to time.

To Lynne's mum, Margaret, a big thank you for all the preparation, work and effort on your part in making the day so successful.

When we first met Lynne there was a wee bit more of her than you see here today. There is a good percentage of her left behind over at the Fitness First gym in Bangor. You should see the rippling biceps she now has. I couldn't imagine that anyone could be so dedicated to not only getting fit, but keeping fit.
So Lynne, maybe you'll take it just a wee bit easier now and make us all feel less guilty about our own shape.

Lynne, it is with great pleasure that Dorothy and I welcome you into our family. May the love between you and Barry be as great as that between my wife and me.

There is a saying that – marriage is an institution in which a man loses his Bachelor's degree and a woman gets her masters. There might be an element of truth in that, but hopefully in a few month's time you will be able to say that you have got your own Masters – degree I mean.

Just before I finish, I want to call upon my own personal experience and I'm sure many of the men here will be able to identify with the situation. You're standing outside the doors of the shop with bags of shopping in each hand, waiting for the appearance of “she who must be obeyed”. Be prepared for it Barry.
In the words of John Milton, and used by Winston Churchill in World War 2
“they also serve who only stand and wait”.

And now would you join me in a toast to the newlyweds:-

“May you live as long as you would like, and have all your needs for as long as you live
May the road you choose be smooth and your burden light
May your pleasure in each other, grow with your years together”

Barry &amp Lynne