Speech by Bryan Middleton

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Bryan Middleton
Speech Date: May 2002
Ladies and Gentlemen, when Vanessa and I decided to get married we looked at a number of possible dates, we chose today because of the very practical reason of both venues being available and of course there being no Hurricane's home game.

I had planned to tell you about all sorts of exciting events that have occurred today in history, but it's actually a pretty dull day as history goes. However, as I was to discover, it is a date that has significants in other ways. It was on this day back in 1947 that my grandparents were married- so I guess that getting married of the 13th of April can now be considered a bit of a family tradition.

Anyway, this aside in the future you will be able to say you attended this wedding reception and heard the finest wedding speech of your entire lifetime… and my best man, Dean, will be making it.

I would now like to thank a few of the players into today's event.

[Thank you – Families]
Vanessa and I would like to thank Janice for her support and help with today's event, especially in making the bridesmaid's dresses- they look spectacular.

We would like to thank Adrienne and Brendan for their kind words today and Jim Delaney for agreeing to referee the speeches and generally facilitate the reception.

We would like to thank everyone in our families who has given us advise or listened to us rant on about things we were planning- especially Tracey and Rob who have had to put up with it on most Sunday afternoons since last September.

You'll be pleased to know that the wedding ranting is over but the house ones have just begun.

[Thank you – All]
And as for the rest of you.… On behalf on my wife and I, I would like thank all of you for coming here today and sharing our special day with us, especially those who have travelled to be here. I would like to thank you all for all the presents and for your cards and kind thoughts, but most of all for the smiling faces I see in front of me.

I hope you can all get to mingle tonight and get to know each other a little better… and have good time of course.

[Thank you – Vanessa]
I asked Trudy a few weeks ago, how Vanessa looked in her Wedding dress, she said she looked wonderful, but that didn't prepare me enough for when I saw her walk down the aisle today. I am overwhelmed to the say the least by how beautiful she looks.

Vanessa and I have been planning this wedding for almost a year now, although it seems like a lifetime. It is such a fantastic feeling to see it come together as we planned.

I want everyone here, especially Vanessa, to know how lucky I feel to be here right now. Vanessa is beautiful, intelligent, hard working, caring. The list of her good qualities is extremely long. But, unfortunately I can't seem to read her handwriting…

But seriously, to my wife, my best friend and the love of my life, thank you for everything you have done. You know everything about me, including the really bad stuff, and love me just the same. I have my faults, yet you still agreed to marry me. I am extremely lucky today to be the one to marry you – and I know this is the start of many happy years together.

[Thank you – Dean]
I would like to thank Dean for agreeing to be my Best Man. He has been a tower of strength throughout the proceedings. Well, that is to say he was there when I made a fool of myself at the bachelor do and of course when we tried out the suits But seriously, thanks for your help and support today..

[Thank you – Groomsman]
I'd like to thank Louie and Paul for agreeing to be here today and for not getting a fit of the giggles at the alter, as Paul's wife Suzette knows, this can easily happen to the best-man and groomsmen at these things.

[Thank you – Ushers]
Vanessa and I would also like to thank Jason Delaney and Bryan Rehutai for being our ushers today. The toothless duo added that air of night-club doorman respectability to the an otherwise stuffy old building.

[Thank you – Trudy]
I'd like to give a huge thank-you to Trudy, Vanessa's chief bridesmaid. Trudy has been a rock for Vanessa during some really tough times in the past 18 months. Trudy will always have a special place in both our hearts, thanks so much.

[Thank you – Bridesmaids]
And finally a big thank you goes to our bridesmaids: Kerren and Pamela. I would like to thank you guys for your help with getting Vanessa ready today. I would like to say how lovely you look and thank you for doing such a wonderful job today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding. I would like to propose a toast to the bridesmaids.

The bridesmaids