Speech by Mark Hurst

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Mark Hurst
Speech Date: 13/05/2015 10:05:28

Firstly I would like to thank my new father in law for his kind words and his toast.

Today you are all about to witness a unique event in history. The very first and very last time that the wife is going to let me speak on behalf of both of us. It is a privilege and honour to do so, I just hope that so soon into married life I don't let her down. Of course I had planned a fantastic speech for today, but now that I am a married man, my beautiful new wife has told me what I can and cant say! (THROW COPY ONE AWAY)

After writing my second version, which contained a lot of jokes, a favourite saying of Bev's struck me which is that although I find myself funny apparently not everyone else does.(THROW COPY AWAY) Given that sentiment I have opted for version three and to go easy on the humour side of things. There are though a couple of subtle attempts at some humour so please laugh at those times!

On with the serious stuff. On behalf of my wife and I, We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for being able to join us on our special day, you have all shared a part of our lives and it is an honour to have you all here, we are genuinely touched by the effort and expense you have all incurred in joining us here today and for all your kind wishes, cards and gifts.

Unfortunately it is not possible to have everyone we love here with us today, but we know they are here with us in spirit and they are not only in our thoughts but more importantly in our hearts.

I would personally like to extend a heartfelt thank you from myself to both of Bev's families for welcoming me so warmly into your lives, and I hope I can repay that kindness by being a member of your families for a long time. I would also like to express my gratitude for the way you have all accepted Regan, that not so little boy sat on the end over there is my best mate and we go everywhere as a duo and it has been so heart warming how he feels part of both families because of the way you have all been so kind to him.

I would also like to thank my family for accepting Bev as one of our own, I have now come to terms that mum and Lee like Bev more than they like me, but I guess that is further testament to the amazing person she is.

I'm sure it's nothing new to you guys but in the two and half years or so that we have lived together she is pretty good at most things in everyday life, she has morals true to herself and her beliefs and that is credit to Mark and Michelle for raising such a well mannered and kind daughter.

My wife and I would like to thank both of our parents for their kind support and help in organising our wedding, and also for the fantastic jobs you have done in supporting us and loving us from day one. As a token of our gratitude and appreciation for everything you do we would like to present you all with a gifts – Michelle (Pause) Fiona (Pause)Mark (Pause) and Lee (Pause) – We would also like to thank Joanne for her support aswell (Pause).

Bev has been lucky (not only because she got to marry me!) but because throughout the whole wedding planning she has had a brilliant friend in Faye, who has been a calming influence throughout the whole time, helping and assisting Bev – I think you will all agree that both Bev and Faye look beautiful today and we are both proud to have Faye as our bridesmaid so keeping with the bridegroom toast tradition I would like to ask everyone to please stand and raise a toast to our bridesmaid Faye, and as a token of our appreciation we have a gift for you.

I have four groomsman today who have been a fantastic help in making the whole day a success. Connor, who has been so excited about the wedding, possibly as much as Bev at times. Scott, who I don't think I have ever seen him excited about anything so its unfair to compare. He is a cracking guy and will be a pleasure to have him as my brother in law. Both these two chaps have been great ushers today and we have a gift for you both to thank you for your help.

Next, we would like to thank Ben for agreeing to be my best man today, for those who don't know and you certainly wont have guessed, Ben is my brother. Now although we don't look similar a lot of people say we have film star looks bit like Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegar in twins. In all seriousness, being a best man at a young age (he is 17 today by the way) is difficult so it would be expecting too much to think he would have a helping hand in the stag do preparations or in the suit preparations or any preparations to be honest. Probably best said any preparations you need doing Ben is not your man, but he has done a good job keeping calm and chilled out, not panicking about anything and we would like to give him this gift to thank him.

The last of my groomsmen, and the penny may now be dropping with you all as to where our budget went with all these gifts, is a young man who was unfortunate not to be the best man or an usher but we sat him on the top table with us because of the high esteem we hold him in. He is my best mate and the apple of Bev's eye, that cheeky little chap on the end. On his own I love this boy as much as I love my wife but together well . . . . . . its fair to say I hate them both the same, they gang up on me, the double team me, and bully me but we wasn't going to let him get away without any embarrassment today, so we are going to make him get up and receive a gift from us.

We would like to thank Auntie Sonia for creating our beautiful wedding cake. I don't know what we imagined when we asked you to create our wedding cake but let me tell you that is what it would of looked like, it looks amazing and I know it will taste amazing, thank you so much and as a token of our appreciation we have a gift for you.

The one person in the room to which I personally owe the most thanks to is Bev. Firstly thank you for agreeing to marry me and making me the happiest guy in the room, and secondly thank you for all your efforts in co-ordinating our (sorry your) big day. Your creativity, attention to detail and preparation has been outstanding and you should take the credit for what has been an incredible day. I am sure you will all agree how stunning she looks today and nothing could prepare me for what I saw when she walked down that aisle, as Bev will tell you I am often wrong but in marrying her I know that I have made the right decision.

There are so many people who have helped today with the wedding, Clare, Mark and all the staff here at the Royal Toby for their effort and expertise, the make up and hair ladies for sorting me and the boys (sorry that should read Bev and the girls out), Alan for a fantastic service as our toastmaster today making everything run smoothly and our photographer Howard. From my wife and I a huge thank you to everyone.

When I was researching what to say in my speech, the guide says I should tell you all a story from our early days together but with Michelle sat next to me and Mark sat just there, I decided that any story I tell would probably land me in trouble barely 5 hours into marriage, what I would say though is that today Bev has made me so happy and proud by saying I do and now everyday I get to call her the wife (which is an improvement on the boss), but joking aside without her life for me would be so different. I know better than anyone she is portrayed as a hard, strong, dependable person, an agony aunt type of character to many of her friends, but behind closed curtains and locked doors she is the most loving and caring person I have ever met. In just over 3 years she has changed my life, and nothing has fazed her – me or Regan. And after taking us both on she has done it without a blink of an eye, she has now become a wife and a stepmother and both our lives have grown incredibly together and I can't take any credit for that as it is Bev's vision, love for her family, strong mindedness, ambition, and dedication to achieve that has propelled us to where we are now and if someone had told me back on Tuesday 22nd May 2012 that we would be here today, married about to move into our very own home, I would have politely told you that you was off your rocker but she has done it and I stand here before you as the happiest and luckiest man alive and proud to say that she is my best friend, soul mate and now my wife. Both myself and Regan love you to pieces, you look stunningly beautiful today as always. So please can everyone stand and join me in toasting my beautiful wife Bev.

Begrudgingly I will hand you over to my best man but please be aware he will have printed his speech off google and none of it will be true!