Speech by Nigel Bowles

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Nigel Bowles
Speech Date: 05/07/2015 21:54:43

Gary, Thanks for those kind words When speaking, they say it's good to follow someone who's not been that great so you look better – Well at least Steve gets that honour!! Now I get to say something I have been looking forward to saying for a while but officially since the 16th August last year….  Ladies & Gentleman, My Wife and I would like to thank you for coming and sharing our special day with us, I know some have you travelled long distances to be with us, others have had to cross the A30 Before I go any further I'm sure you'll agree with me how amazing the 3 bridesmaids look today, it's just unfortunate that they're overshadowed by how amazing Alice looks I have a number of toasts and thank-yous to make so please sip the bubbly or they'll be nothing left for when Stephen gets to speak Unfortunately, not everyone is able to share our special day with us – many have sent their best wishes whilst others we know are here in spirit watching, smiling, hopefully laughing and I know at least one will definitely be keeping an eye on us So please raise your glasses – To absent friends & family So now to Gary & Vivien, I'd like to thank them for doing an amazing job in raising Alice into such a fantastic lady and I promise to look after her to the best of my ability. When Gary heard about my first date with Alice he must have wondered what he'd done in a previous life. I took Alice to the Emirates on a cold Friday night in January; obviously we stopped off for a Michelin Star Burger on the way to the game… Already having one Gooner in the family must have been hard, but to now have two trophy winning supporters in the family.… WOW … oh well it could be worse, don't worry I won't say anything Colin….

Before I say anything else I must comment on how nice both Mum &.… I guess Mum look Vivien, thanks for supporting me with my Gin exodus – we're getting there. And also for the tea back in August, I'll tell you more about that in a minute I'd also like to highlight all the hard-work that you and Alice have gone to regarding the flowers and the room and obviously the dress adjustments that we found out would be needed for Tiggy a few months ago Mum – Thanks for supporting me through the highs and lows over the years, but as you can see I've just hit a brand new high and things keep seeming to get better and better.… & I guess both you and Dad did a pretty good job at raising both Louise & I prior to that. Always encouraging us to think differently and speak our mind… although I'm pretty sure you regretted that a second part a few times over the years So to the second toast: To our Loving Parents

I'm sure most of you have heard the story about the proposal, if not I'll let you ask Alice over a drink later, but I will tell you the pre-story to the proposal – well two stories to be honest… Permission & the Unicorn So Asking permission – I still haven't worked out what was more nervous. Sitting on a 7 hour flight thinking when I should pop the question to Alice or asking Gary whether I could… So as most of you know, Gary and Vivien live in Somerset so rather than just round the corner I had to plan this with Military expertise, which I did – Just the American Army!! So when was the perfect opportunity… on a day's annual leave, after a meeting with a client in the general vicinity… nope after an early morning meeting in Gatwick – Sorry Boss, I'm sure I must have worked late the next day to make the time up!! On what can only be described as a long, nervous drive with equipped only a bottle of diet Coke, an Apple and a tube of Salt and vinegar Pringles I set off on my 300 mile round trip – I did say it was planned with military precision. Obviously on a long trip you do the normal things such as do a couple of calls with my team and what I thought would be a good idea… listen to the radio!! So this was the time when a song by Magic, called Rude was being played.… Basically it's about a guy asking a dad for his daughters hand in Marriage and kept being told No – Sorry Gary, it's too late now!!  But seriously this song must have been played about 20 times on that journey… A real confidence boost but I kept going, I had a plan!!! So on the A303, I thought I'd be smart and catch Gary at his beloved Haynes Motor Museum – So in I strolled to the desk in a black suit, white shirt and I think a black tie & possibly sunglasses and asked if Mr Bateman was available as I needed to ask him some questions… In hindsight, perhaps not my best way of phrasing the question as the girls looked quite startled and rushed around a bit before coming back and saying Mr Bateman wasn't working today… Gary, sorry if you got a few strange looks at work for the few days afterwards… So next step Cassa Bateman, but first I needed to stop and actually do some work, work – after all this was a Tuesday.  So to the house, Vivien's and Colin's car in the drive… just what I needed a future brother-in-law around when I have to ask the toughest question ever to Gary about his remaining daughter.. anyway I'd come this far and wasn't going to bottle it, so I parked up walked to the door, knocked, d Vivien answered so I asked if Gary was about, only to receive the response.… Gary's at Cricket with Colin and won't be back until late, can I help?? At this moment I was thinking the gods really weren't on my side, so what should I do…? There's only one thing a true Englishman can do at a time like this – I had a cup of tea By now I think Vivien had worked out something was up, I think the fact I said I'd driven from Gatwick and said I needed to ask Gary a question before I went away with Alice… So I had my tea, got Gary's mobile number and drive back to Windsor… so 300 miles to get a phone number I rang Gary that night, I think I may have disturbed some sheep counting after his busy day but I asked the question and thankfully he said yes which then led to the next problem – The Unicorn!!! Thank-you Mr Gunstone So during one of our jam packed days Alice took a well-earned breather from the daily workload to have a chat with Paul Gunstone… at some point our relationship came up and then marriage, I'm not aware of what else was discussed and based on this story I'm nervous to ask… Anyway they decided that just asking Alice to marry would be too easy and I would have to give her a Unicorn before asking… Great so to ask Alice if she'll marry me I had to find a mythical magical creature with a horn, they might as well have said go to middle earth and collect the ring; at least I could have asked Tiggy & Colin for directions. Ok, so after killing two horses and a cat – do you realise how hard it is to put a spike, before you ask I'd already tried gluing it, in a Horse's head without them just lying there lifeless afterwards… so I realised that wasn't going to work – Don't worry I didn't really kill a cat I'd given up after the horses – Don't’ worry Tesco kindly gave them a new home. But I still had to find a unicorn, and one that I can secretly put on a plane and surprise her with, thinking back this would have also been a stumbling block with the real horses – in the end I found a Unicorn that went on a Pandora bracelet which also came in a nice little ring box So both challenges completed Ok, I've mentioned already mentioned how good the bridesmaid look, but I'd also like to thank them for a number of things,  Jessica for choosing Mum's outfit, Louise has already experienced shopping with Mum and couldn't face it alone again – thanks also for the regular updates on how many days we had to go… I was also nervous Alice might miss it so well done Tiggy & Hannah Thanks for organising a day out for Alice in lieu that she was adamant that she didn't want a hen do, thanks for welcoming me to the family and a special thanks to Tiggy for asking Alice the difficult question whilst we were on Holiday in Orlando. I was paying for Blanche's Gas, don't worry it wasn't a medical condition, Blanche was the Minivan – Tiggy asked Alice if she could keep me, as her and Colin liked me – I think this was a blessing or sorts So can we please raise our Glasses “To the Bridesmaids” My last toast is my most important Alice – Thank you for agreeing to be my wife I thought I was the luckiest man alive when Alice said yes just over 8 ½ months ago after I proposed, I was wrong… I'm the luckiest man alive today after she said “I will” When research grooms speeches and seeing what to say, loads of people write about how they met, first dates – mentioned that, we won 4-0, or a story about the past.… But in my opinion this is about the future. Anyone who knows me can clearly see how much I love Alice, how happy I am when I'm with her and probably how I am, when I have to be away from her for any period of time. . Alice – Hopefully I make you feel the same way and I look forward to us spending the rest of our lives together wherever that may take us but I suspect they'll be horses, laughter and maybe some travelling Please join me in my last toast, to the most amazing lady in the world, the Lady who has made this all possible To my wife, to Alice Ok, so now to the part that all grooms dread and most guests look forward to, the best Mans speech So what can I say about Steve.… Until he's done his speech all I'll say is thank-you for organising the Stag do and getting me home safe, after his speech I may have some more things to say, hopefully some nice.… So please give a round of applause for the Best Man