Speech by Obi Aghanya

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Obi Aghanya
Speech Date: 22/06/2014 20:47:52

Thank you Colin for your kind words.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of my wife and I, to welcome you all here, and to thank you sincerely for sharing our special day with us. Many of you have travelled a long way to be with us today, and Mel and I really appreciate that. It wouldn't be the same without you all. It would have been a lot cheaper, but definitely not the same!

I read while researching wedding speeches that a good speech has a good beginning and a good ending. But the best speech of all keeps these close together.

Please note, there will be plenty of toasts over the next few minutes so do make sure that your glasses are charged.

Unfortunately, it's not been possible to have everyone we love here with us today, like Mel's Dad Mike, Mel's Grandma Margaret, my parents Ben and Julie, and many other loved ones. However, we know they're not only in our thoughts today, but more importantly they're with us in our hearts. Please raise your glass and join me in a toast to absent family & friends. “To Absent family and friends”

Mel and I have a lot to be grateful for, and so many people to thank for making today so special.

Thank you all for your lovely cards and very generous gifts.

Thank you to Gwen for all your help to us over the years – we love and appreciate you. There aren't many people who would willingly take on the task of looking after all 4 of our children – brave woman!  Mind you, I understand that one of the ushers made the mistake of asking Gwen on the way in to the service, “Excuse me madam – Are you a related to the groom”, to which she replied “Bryan, you know that I'm the bride's mother.”

Please raise your glass and toast Gwen – “To Gwen”

We would like to say big thank you to Mel's step dad Colin. He has been a massive support to us over the past few years what with babysitting our children, building 2 sheds, and being an all-round handyman. Here's hoping Motherwell Football Club do well again next season – just not as well as Partick Thistle.

Please raise your glass and toast Colin – “To Colin”

Thank you to bridesmaids Emily and Daisy for looking after Mel so well, and looking fabulous themselves.

Thank you to Chioma and Grace for being great flowergirls, and doing such a good job walking down the aisle with Mel and looking after her dress.

Thank you to Anizoba for being a wonderful pageboy, and doing such a great job looking after the rings. Mind you, I can't help wondering how the day would have turned out if he had, in fact, played the part of CAGEboy as he and his sister Grace had initially thought?

There is an unwritten rule of wedding etiquette that states that nobody should look more handsome than the groom and I'd like to thank our ushers Bryan, Nnamdi and Chucks for sticking to that rule to the letter. I'm sure you'll agree that they lent an air of ‘nightclub bouncer respectability’ to their roles  and I particularly admired the way they searched the ladies’ handbags and frisked the men as they came in with such discretion and subtlety.  I'm not quite sure that saying “You'll sit where you're ruddy well put” was really in the spirit of the day, but we'll let that pass. 

Thank you to Catherine for conducting such a warm service and Mel's brother Elliott for playing the piano so beautifully during the ceremony.

Please raise your glasses and say “Cheers” to the bridesmaids, flowergirls, CAGEboy, ushers, Catherine and Elliott. “CHEERS”

A special thank you goes to the maid of honour, Susie, who has been a valued and trusted friend to Mel since 1st year at University (and I have seen the pictures that prove it!), and has supported Mel greatly over the past few years. Please raise your glasses to Susie – “To SUSIE”.

Last, but not least, I'd like to thank my best man, IJ, who also happens to be my brother. I am indeed fortunate to belong to such a wonderful family, and am grateful that IJ is standing beside me here today. Thanks for everything, dude. Please raise your glasses to IJ – “TO IJ”.

So, what can I say about this beautiful woman sitting beside me? She is beautiful, intelligent, kind … I could go on. Honestly, I would love to, but I'm having difficulty reading her writing.

Mel and I first met through a shared love of dancing, and for many years worked together on stage teaching Ceroc. Although our family have had our fair share of ups and downs over the past few years, we are fortunate that things are looking up for us, and symbolically, today marks the start of a brighter future for us all. For starters , Partick Thistle are still in the Scottish Premier League (just), and the fact that there will be many lumps of disappointment to come on Saturdays around 5pm just proves that every silver lining has a cloud!

I think you'll agree that she looks absolutely gorgeous today and when she walked up the aisle, she took my breath away.

They say you don't marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you can't live without and I think that sums us up perfectly.  Mel has put a huge amount of effort into making today perfect, hand-making the invitations, orders of service etc and I think that she succeeded in achieving that.  

Mel, thank you for marrying me and making me the happiest man alive.  I can't wait to grow old with you, and am grateful that you said I should continue give the ongoing World Cup my full attention, while you take care of the house and kids. That's what you said, right?

May my wallet be empty, but your wardrobe full, May my hands be blistered, but your house upright and true, May my few annoying habits be tolerated, but yours ignored, and may my love keep you warm always!

Ladies and gentlemen, please stand and raise your glasses to my wife, Mel. (To Mel!)

Now, I'm not going to stand here all afternoon and bore you all with a load of stale old jokes.  That's the Best Man's job!  So, without further ado, I'd like to hand over to IJ.