Speech by Aneesh

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Aneesh
Speech Date: 01/11/2015 18:27:55

John, I'd like to thank you for your speech and your kind words. Also, for going first.

Now there are going to be a few toasts coming up so can everyone please make sure they have their glasses topped up.

Ladies and gentleman, family and friends (and Lewis), on behalf of my wife and I, I'd like to thank you for joining us on our special day. It means so much to us that we're able to share today with our closest friends and family. I appreciate the lengths that everyone has gone to be here today. It really wouldn't have been the same without you. As well as traveling from all over the UK, we have friends here from Hong Kong, Melbourne, Uganda and California. As I said to Helen the other day, some people will do anything for a free meal.

Today wouldn't have come together without the help of our parents so I'd like to express my gratitude to them. John and Sue- I know traditionally, I should be thanking you for welcoming me to the family but you've been so welcoming from day one that I've felt like a part of the family for some time already.

I'd also like to thank you for raising such a beautiful, intelligent, considerate, and on occasion stubborn daughter, and for allowing me to marry her. I promise I will do my all to make her happy.

I honestly couldn't have hoped for nicer in laws and I don't want you to think of today as the day you lost a daughter, rather the day you gained another seat at the dinner table.

I'd also like to thank you for all your help in making today come together- Sue -for making the amazing cake and brownie stack, for helping get the hall ready for today and most of all for going through the embarrassment of looking like raging alcoholics when buying wine by the trolley full in the run up to the wedding.

To my parents, I'd like to congratulate you on raising such a perfect son. Seriously, I will forever be in your debt for making me the man I am today. Growing up,I know life hasn't always been easy but you've always been there for me and supported me and for that I'm eternally grateful. I hope today I have done you proud. If, in years to come, Helen and I can become half the parents that you have been to me then I'm sure we won't go far wrong.

So if you could please be upstanding and raise your glasses…

TO THE PARENTS

I'm sure everyone will agree that Helen's bridesmaids, Laura and Jen look stunning today. Christian, our bridesman, has also scrubbed up well. I'd like to say a big thank you for all the support you've given to Helen in the run up to today and for the unenviable task of keeping her calm in the last 48 hours.

If you could please be upstanding again and raise your glasses…

TO THE BRIDEMAIDS AND BRIDESMAN

I'd also like to make a special mention to probably the two best dressed people here today- our flower girl and ringbearer- Gina and Ewan. Take a bow.

Now on to the star of the show, my brand new wife, Helen. I'm sure everyone will all agree you look beautiful today. When I saw you walk down the aisle this morning you took my breath away.

When Helen first told me that she wanted to plan our wedding in four months I thought she was mad. But now we've finally arrived at the big day, I know that she is.

In all seriousness, Helen has put a ridiculous amount of effort in to organising today and I don't think we could have had a more perfect wedding day if we'd tried.

Tradition dictates that I should entertain you all with an embarrassing story about Helen however Helen dictates that I do no such thing, which is a shame given the amount of material available. So instead, I thought I'd tell you about one of our first dates when we started going out six and a half years ago.

We made plans to go out for dinner and I was tasked with finding a restaurant. Keen to impress, there was only one place I had in mind – Nandos. Anyone that knows me knows that I like my food very spicy, and in an attempt to impress me, Helen ordered her meal HOT instead of her usual MEDIUM. As soon as we started eating, it was obvious that Helen was out of her depth. Her face went red, her nose began to run uncontrollably, but to her credit, she persevered and finished her meal.

I learnt two very important things about Helen that day: Firstly, Helen does not like to admit when she's made a mistake.  And secondly, I saw in Helen a willingness to try something new, an adventurous side, a willingness to put herself out of her comfort zone (quite literally on this occasion.) Even though it didn't go to plan, this sense of adventure is one thing I love about Helen and it's meant there has never been a dull moment in the time we've been together. Whether it's trying out a new restaurant she's read about, going on holiday to somewhere off the beaten track or in the most extreme case two years ago, quitting our jobs and booking one way flights to Hong Kong, the last six and a half years have been the most enjoyable, the most fun of my life because of Helen's sense of adventure. They would have been nothing though, without my best friend by my side.

Helen, you're beautiful, kind and considerate and I love you with all my heart.  You know me and understand me like no one else, and despite that you still agreed to marry me. I feel like the luckiest man in the world to be marrying you and I can't wait to begin our next adventure together as husband and wife.

With that ladies and gentlemen, you all to be upstanding. if you'd please be upstanding and raise your glasses TO MY WIFE, TO MY LOVE, HELEN

Now, I know it's an unwritten rule that no man is supposed to outshine the groom on the wedding day and I'd like to thank my best men and ushers – Jonny, Stew, Ameet and Will, for adhering to that- not just today but in general.

In all seriousness, I'm grateful for your help in the lead up to the wedding and for some of the best ushering skills I have seen in a long time. I'm not sure it was strictly necessary to frisk people and check their handbags as they entered, but I admire your enthusiasm. and for some first class ushering this.

Now before I hand over to my best men, Jonny and Stew, I have to warn you that they have a tendency to exaggerate the truth for effect. With that in mind I'd urge you not to pay too much attention to what they tell you. Just follow my lead and laugh and clap in the right places and it'll be over before you know it.

So with great trepidation, I would like to hand you over to my best men and two of my best mates (for now anyway), Jonny and Stew.