Speech by Scott Baker

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Scott Baker
Speech Date: sep 2003

Thank you Keith or should I now say Dad???

Right.

Now most of you probably know how nervous I am about my speech today but having prepared a few lines and now having snorted them I feel ready to go!

Before I do start I would like to bring your attention to the fun cameras. Please use them throughout the day to capture some memories for us, and can you give them to my Mum when they are finished. Best men no rude pictures!

Now I had hoped to start my speech today by giving you lot's of interesting facts about this day in history. Unfortunately not much has happened on June 14th . Until today that is!
On this day in 1965 Paul McCartney recorded a song called “Yesterday”. Let's hope the drink flows so we can't remember Yesterday tomorrow?! Do you need time with that one?
Also in 1971 the first Hard Rock Café opened in London.
Well I hope from this day on you all remember June 14th.

Firstly, I want to thank my wife. Not many people know how Lex and I met so I'll give you a brief explanation.

It's Friday, It has to be ritzy! I'm out enjoying myself. Not that, that will happen again after today! and then this one girl in particular catches my attention. A Petite girl standing 5′ 2” with long blonde hair and lovely blue eyes. I glanced at her and she seemed to glance back. Now with me being the shy guy that I was I just kept on walking. What I needed was some liquid courage in me to get the ball rolling. So I headed back to the bar for a few more Snakebite and Blacks. When I say a few you know I mean 8 or 9! Now a few more hours have past and a couple more drinks have been finished. I'm feeling pretty good and what do you know I'm not shy anymore.
The cute little blonde that had eye contact with me at the beginning of the night is on the dance floor. So I go over and throw down some moves. Which needless to say she is amazed at. So much so she promptly walks off. Now with my dancing confidence in tatters all I'm left with is my secret weapon. The lost puppy dog look. I use it, combined with the words “Don't leave me”

And guess what? She didn't!

Now here we are today, Lex you look gorgeous and you have made me happier than I thought possible. I could never have been prepared for how overwhelmed I would be when I saw you for the first time today. I love you!

You agreed to marry me and spend the rest of your life with me. You have accepted me for the man that I just can't help being. Thank you for making me very happy and for loving me not more, not less but as much as I love you.

Now Lex and I may have mentioned in the past that this day has been arranged more or less totally by ourselves. However if I was to stand by this claim it would be dishonest of me, because other than turning up at the right time for meetings and paying the odd bill here and there, Lex has arranged this wedding virtually single handed. So I hope everyone will join me in a round of applause for her, and the hard work she has put in to make this day a success.

(Pause for applause)

Now I recently read a short verse by a guy called Wilfred A Peterson called

“The Art of Marriage”

I'd like to read it to Lex but the sentiments apply equally to us all.

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 a 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 between family and friends,
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 the common search for the good and the beautiful,
It is not only marrying the right partner,
It is being the right partner.

Lex in front of all of our family and friends I promise I will try my best to practise this art.

I would like to thank our parents. Without our parents, today would not have been half the day it is.

Keith and Liz. Thank you for welcoming me so openly into your family. I was a bit worried at first because I wanted to propose traditionally and when I asked Keith for his daughter's hand in marriage he told me to leave my name and number and that he'd call me. Seriously though thank you for bringing up a wonderful and beautiful daughter and thank you for your help making today possible and for providing a wonderful venue. Having said that and now that I am part of the family I still have not changed my mind about joining your Northern Soul Club.

Mum and Steve. Thank you for all your help leading up to today and thank you for providing a great honeymoon for us. We are both very grateful.

Dad and Gill. Thank you also for all your help with today. And Dad well done for keeping up on the stag do, you did yourself proud.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to my Mum and Dad. As with most kids I probably don't do this enough and want to thank you for supporting me through every stage of my life. The bad and the good. You brought me up knowing I was loved and gave me a great start in life. I know there is not one person that wouldn't agree that you both did a great job of bringing up an upstanding guy. I want to thank you for everything and only you know what is included when I use the word everything. I am proud to have you as my parents and hope you are proud of me today.

I would like to give a small gift to the Mum's and Jill as a token of our appreciation for the help with today.

Thank you to our Bridesmaids, who have done a great job today and look beautiful. I don't think I will ever truly know how much Mel has helped with today and the build up to it. I have a gift for you here.
Thank you and I'd like to propose a toast.

“To the Bridesmaids!”

I want to also thank everyone on behalf of my wife and I for being here to celebrate our great day. Thank you for all your cards and your gifts. But most of all thank you for all the smiling faces that we see in front of us because it's something we will both remember for ever.

I now come to my last thank you.

The Best men!!!

Some might find it strange to have 3 but if you saw the carnage in Barcelona you would understand. It took 3 to get me home in one piece.
I have the utmost respect for these guys and they have done me proud over the years. I'd like to sincerely say thank you for nearly 20 years of great friendship, I hope there are many more years to come.
I have something for you to show my appreciation for today.
Also thank you for a great stag do. I'm told I enjoyed it immensely, and I can reveal that Grant has only just stopped “shaking that ass”.

I feel I should warn everyone at this point that these 3 do suffer a rare medical condition which makes them prone to embellishment. Seriously they often invent fanciful stories which they really believe to be true.

Bear this in mind everyone!

I'd like to close with a quote on what marriage means in these modern times.

And I think I have found the perfect one.

It is from the big man,
The true light,
My guiding spirit,
The one who has a following of millions.

Mr Homer Simpson.

When asked what marriage should be like he responded,
“Marriage is like being married to your best friend”
“And he lets you play with his boobs”

And with that I now give you the best men!!!!!!