Speech by Francois-Xavier Lefebvre

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Francois-Xavier Lefebvre
Speech Date: Jun 2002
Ladies and gentlemen Good evening and welcome. First of all apologies to my family and all those who have come from across the Channel and expected my speech to be in French. I was hoping that my best man Kuya Andy would translate live tonight as French was his favourite subject at school. However I have had to concede that his vocabulary is limited to just a few words like voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir, French cancan, moulin rouge, menage a trois and other words which I dare not tell you, for fear of shocking some of you in the audience….… So…… I beg you to excuse his French tonight and mine at the same time.

I did, of course, have a great speech of my own worked out for you today, but as I am now married, my wife has told me what to say instead.

Both my wife and I would like thank you all for coming here today and sharing our special day with us. Especially those who have travelled some distance to be here including my parents, brothers and sister, my godmother Annie and her husband Pierrot, Muriel and Denis from Spain and France, and finally my best man Kuya Andy who came here by bus from the airport and managed to do the journey without falling asleep on the way and waking up in Reading like he has done many times in the past.
A special thank goes to Yoshi who has come all the way from Vietnam. Ever since I met Yoshi for the first time ten years ago he has always been like a third brother to me. Wherever we are in the world, he has always been there for me. I am really happy and proud to know you Yoshi, I cannot stress it enough you are a very great friend and brother and will remain like one for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, there are some people who cannot be here today, such as my wife's and my Grandmother and other members of both our close families, but we know that their thoughts are with us.

Today is a very special day for Theresa and I decided to get married exactly one year ago on the day our second son Darwin was born.
We would like to thank both our parents, all our godfathers and godmothers for making this day possible. Without their help and support, none of us would be here today.
Thank you Ma for all the time, energy and efforts that you spent to have your children close to you in this country, I will never be grateful enough to you for helping Theresa to come and live here in the UK, from that time you have given us both the chance to live a happy and long life together, we hope to share this happiness with you for many more years. Thank you for giving us this wonderful wedding, and reception. And most of all, thank you for giving me your blessing, to marry your sweet baby, Theresa.

Thank you papa thank you maman for all the support and love you have given me which made me the man I am today, I have still a long way to go to achieve what you have both achieved so far in your life but every single day I do strive to get where you are now and I will succeed like you eventually. I would also like to say that if it hadn't been for you meeting for the first time forty years ago this month my great sister and brothers and myself would not be here today, so a big thank you to those who helped bring you together.

The one person in the room to which I owe the most thanks, is Theresa, my wife, my bride and joy. She has done so much towards making this day a success.

Mon amour, I am overwhelmed to say the least by how beautiful you look today. A big thank you to Nina and Chan Dell for giving the last magic touch to your stunning dress.

Theresa and I have known each other for 5 years, our first encounter was in the corridor of the hotel we were both working in, it was 9.05 am in the morning I was slightly late at work, it's unlike me let me reassure you. So I was rushing to my office as fast as I could, unfortunately on the way I bumped badly into Theresa well in fact the rucksack that I was carrying on my shoulder hit her right in the face.
I was too much in a hurry and actually did not realise what I had done. Theresa remembers this quite well I'm afraid to say. Despite this incident Theresa and I managed to become friends thanks to my acquaintance to Mama at the time. I then became Theresa's lodger again thanks to Mama who told me that Theresa had just moved into a new two-bedroom flat. Then started the love story that we are still living today which grew more passionate day after day. However and contrary to what I was expecting Theresa still insisted on me paying her the rent, finally Theresa and I became fiance during a one to one celebration in front of the Harvester, I have an anedocte actually I had planned to propose Theresa on a trip to Canada in front of the Niagara falls about two years ago however the falls were so huge they left me speechless, anyway here we are today husband and wife…… beautiful isn't? Please don't cry Ma…

Many people have told me how lucky I am to be marrying Theresa, including Theresa. It's puzzling I haven't quite felt the same excitement about Theresa marrying me. Why not? Do they know something that I do not know Mon amour? Have you won the Millionnaire at Bingo by any chance? Oh is it something I should have kept to myself and not told everyone? Oups!!!! Sorry …Well,… joke apart Mon amour you are the most loving and caring person that I have ever known apart from my Mum of course. I am so thrilled to know that I will be spending the rest of my life with you, you are my angel. You have also proved to be the best mother in the world over the last two years. You have amazed me and a lot of people around you, when in less than a year you gave me the chance to live the best two days of my life by giving birth to our two wonderful boys Melvin and Darwin

Inspired from A Poem by Andy Fox entitled The Completeness of my life

Mon amour you've made my life worth while. joined together by love, You have always been there for me

I love you for who you are and not for what you've got. I know I‘m yours forever, and now you've made me so happy, Forever, no matter what. when you became my wife.

I just want you to know, The Angels’ must have looked upon me, Saw that I felt alone, that I love you now and for always, And sent a special woman; and I know our love will conquer all. A love to call my own.

They made you true and kind, you're wonderful and more; because you are my angel. That's how I knew you were meant for Me. You're the most generous and compassionate woman, Together with our children, our home will be full of love; our married life will be so wonderful.

Because now I know what love is, I pledge to you my faithfulness, now I know what love is for, I will love you today and tomorrow, From this day forever more, yes, I'll love you for evermore. May we never be apart.

You really are an outstanding mum and wife and I cannot stress it enough I am extremely lucky today to be the one to marry you.

I would like to thank Kuya Andy for agreeing to be my Best Man. Though he admitted that his main motivation was to organise my stag night at the Spearmint Rhino club. I have known Kuya Andy for the last four years, he has been and will continue to be a great friend.

Thank you Nerissa for organising the flowers and a big thank to you, Peter, Junior, Bernadette & Helen for making the church and this room as good as it does. Thank you Sarah for arranging this magnificent cake.

Thank you Agnes for organising the music and the entertainment today. I cannot wait to see you on stage later on.

Thank you all for the many presents and cards received. Some of you may have been wondering why Theresa did not to put a dishwasher on the wedding list well she will be able to tell you soon that she's married one and I shall add the best and most reliable dishwasher in the world

Thank you to Anna for being our chauffeur today. Unlike many women Anna has no points on her driving license and she proved it today. You have also been a great help in the last few days while I was writing this speech, thank you.

A big thank you goes to our maid of Honour Elsa my sister who has been such a great inspiration since Arnaud and her got married last year.

Finally thank you to the bridesmaids and pageboys and congratulation to my wife for a near world record with the number of them, I would like to say how lovely they all look today. Thank you for your help with getting Theresa so beautiful today. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding. I would like to propose a toast to the bridesmaids. Thank you all and please enjoy the rest of the evening and welcome my best man who arrived here with load of stale old jokes.