Speech by Dai Jones Wrexham

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Dai Jones Wrexham
Speech Date: 19/09/2014 13:36:09

I've been really worried about this speech. So worried, in fact, that I‘ve been tearing my hair out.’ Please can you make sure you have a drink to hand as there will be a few toasts, and Clarkie when I say toast it doesn't mean down it in one.  As if standing in front of you all today and speaking isn't bad enough, I've still got to stand up and dance in front of you all later on. If there weren't kids present, this is the bit I would be swearing at. I have also had a warning that football talk is banned, so Kate it was very good of the Premier League to arrange a free weekend.

Right lets get this speech started. Thank you to my brand new shiny Father in Law Bill for those kind words. It's marvellous what you will say for a pint of bitter. Distinguished guests, tramps, gypsies and anyone I haven't mentioned on behalf of my ex-girlfriend who is now updated to my Wife and I, are both proud to welcome you to our special day. You are here today because Kate and I wanted you to celebrate our special occasion. We hope you enjoy the day as much as we will and celebrate long into the night. With luck I will end up looking like the figure on the groom's cake which you have most probably seem on your way in? To help me along the way when you go to the bar don't forget mine is a cider! Some of you have travelled many miles, Scotland, Manchester, Macclesfield, not to mention Australia just to be with us thank you, without you all it would not have been the same. We would also like to thank everyone for their generosity shown in the gifts you have given us. For those who have given cheques the bank details have been noted and don't worry if you see any strange direct debits appearing on your statements! Following on from Bill's toast to absent friends there are a couple of special people I want to mention. Teg and Netta over in the Isle of Man, unfortunately Teg wasn't well enough to be here with us, I am sure you will join me in sending our best wishes. John and Charlotte over in Oz. Also I have to mention my Mum and Dad, Dad wasn't lucky enough to meet Kate but Mum was. Mum and Kate got on great together in the short time they knew each other. One bit of advice Mum gave me which I will always remember is “you make sure you look after Kate she is bloody lovely” Well Mum I'm not doing too badly just look how beautiful she looks.  Ladies and Gentlemen please be up standing. Absent friends and family  I would also like to thank all of Kate's family for being so warm and welcoming, from day 1, yes including you Claire. When I first met Claire, I was greeted with a heart-warming welcome of “you hurt Kate and you'll have me to answer to”. Seriously I have had tremendous support from Bill and Pauline, Lee, Claire, Soph, Tom and all the family here.  Bill and Pauline thank you for the wedding breakfast and the evening celebrations that you have provided for us all to enjoy.  As you know you have raised a beautiful, intelligent and sometimes stubborn daughter and – of course we will be eternally grateful for providing us with the opportunity for Kate to marry the man of her dreams! I can tell you both that her happiness is so important to me and I promise to do you both proud.  As a token of our appreciation Bill and Pauline please accept these gifts. To the Jones side of the Family, I would like to say thank you to you all for welcoming Kate in a way she has felt comfortable and loved. She used to be incredibly nervous when I mentioned we were off visiting but with the friendliness you have all shown her she now feels settled and comfortable. Tradition dictates that at this juncture I tell a couple of funny stories about my wife. However, my wife dictates I do no such thing so let's move on quickly.

Events like today don't just happen. We have been planning this wedding for some time now, in fact since I proposed to Kate at Pink Lady Tourist Site, Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia. For those of you wondering where the table names came from, they are places and beaches which we visited in Australia. Kate actually did most of the planning, as one of the best things about being a man is that weddings seem to organise themselves. So to Kate and everyone else who has helped organise today I would like to say well done it all looks amazing. I will keep the rest of my speech nice and short, just like a mini-skirt. Long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to hold your attention!

Apart from Kate, there are 9 other beautiful ladies and one good looking young man with us. Kate and I would like to say a special thank you to the wonderful bridesmaids for their help and support and for some of you for getting Kate home safe from Magaluf. Hope you left the inflatable over in Majorca, Becky? To Claire, Sophie, Becky, Gemma, Ella, Livvie, Tia, Jasmine and Lilly not forgetting our little page boy Joe thank you from us both. Wait till Joe throws his moves on the dance floor later, ladies you will be queuing up for a dance. I can reveal some breaking news Channel 4 have been in touch with Jean and the video of today will be screened on the next series of “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding” in the spring. Hope we get a share of the royalties!

Ladies and Gentlemen please be up standing. To the bridesmaids and page boy  We have a small gifts her for you if you would like to come up. There is an unwritten rule of wedding etiquette that states nobody should look more handsome than the groom, some of you buggers obviously did not take note but thanks to Panda, Phil and Tony, my ushers for following the rules to the T. You also did a great job organising the guests in the Church, and sitting everyone on the correct sides. Good to see there was no crowd trouble between the Mancs and the Scousers for a change. Well done lads, I hope you have a trouble free evening when the rest of the rabble will join us! Ladies and Gentlemen please be up standing. To the ushers Here is a small gift to show our appreciation. To my Best woman, Beth, thank you for standing beside me and delivering a reading. You know how much your support means to me and how proud I am of you. I am so glad you managed to come home from Canada where I know you had a wonderful time. I think the weather is warmer today than the -40 degrees you endured in the winter. I will save the stories about you for your wedding and believe me there are a few! Ladies and Gentlemen please be up standing again. To the Best women Here is a small gift to show our appreciation. That brings me onto the best man. I am sure he may have a few fanciful stories which he will share with us in a while. When Kate was late at the church earlier he was reassuring me saying she would actually turn up. We have had some good times and sad times and today I am glad to say is a happy occasion when we can have a beer or 2. Well done in Berlin for keeping me erm, relatively sober and making me jump off a hotel 125m high! As some of you will know we looked a picture on the beer bike never mind as 19 monks and a priest. The only thing Steve was missing when organising us all was his brolly. The laughs we had in Berlin will live with me forever.  Ladies and Gentlemen please be up standing Claire you still got a drink left? To the Best man

I'd also like to thank Northop Hall Country Hall Hotel Staff and especially Dot our wedding organiser, our Photographer Ant Jackson and our Videographers, Jean and James. Thank you, we will look back on today with great pleasure and fond memories Bear with me not long left now. There are 2 special people who Kate and I are proud to call not only our 2nd bosses but also our friends. Phil and Jan thank you for all your help and support over the last 2 years without you we would not have been able to have the day of our dreams. Not sure if Kate has told you she can't do the next week as we are in Yorkshire!!

I first met Kate in a small café on the Wrexham Industrial Estate comically called “Get Stuffed”, Kate would be there organising the staff, the cooking, telephone order and emails. Along with Terese and Michelle we would toddle off for lunch where Kate grew to know me as Dave 12.30. Without those 3 we would not be here today, so big thank you to Terese, Michelle and Get Stuffed

This leads me onto my gorgeous new wife,

Please excuse me if I get a tad emotional – it started the other day when I went to get diesel, not sure what happened, I got out of the car and just started filling up.

I can't even begin to explain how absolutely stunningly beautiful you look today. When I saw you walking down the aisle you took my breath away. I said to myself……… I would…….I realized just how lucky I am; I looked at myself and knew it's definitely me getting the best deal. I pinched this short verse from a wedding we attended a few years back, so if you have heard it before I apologise, but I would like to read this now to Kate because when you listen to the words I am sure you will agree we can all empathise with the thoughts and meaning.

The Art of Marriage A good marriage must be created, In the art of marriage the little things, are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands, It is remembering to say, “I love you”, at least once each day, It is never going to sleep angry, It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives, It is standing together, facing the world, It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family, It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways, It is having the capacity to forgive and forget, It is giving each other an atmosphere, in which each can grow, It is finding room for the things of the spirit, It is common search for the good and the beautiful, It is not only marrying the right partner, It is being the right partner. Kate, in front of all our friends and family I promise I will try my best to practice this art. We've lived together for over 5 years, but I haven't married the women I want to live with, I have married the women I can't live without. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding, for the most important toast I'm ever likely to make, TO MY WIFE, MY BRIDE, TO KATE It gives me great please to pass you over to Steve because my bit is now done.  But before I do I would like you all to join me in wishing Michelle a happy 30th birthday and also Derek who is …… today we are glad you can celebrate with us on your special day. Can you all join in and sing Happy Birthday. Steve over to you.