Speech by Steve Waddell

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Steve Waddell
Speech Date: aug2002
I was a wee bit nervous about standing up here and speaking, suffice to say
this is not the first time today I've risen from a warm seat with a
piece of paper in my hand.

Well, as Henry VIII said to each one of his wives ‘I shall not keep you
long’.

On behalf of my wife and I, I would like to thank everybody here for sharing
our very special day. Thank you all for the gifts that we have received.
We seem to have had quite a few bathroom towels and soap dishes though – I'm not too sure what people are trying to tell us!

I'd like to thank my father-in-law, for those wonderfully kind and generous words. Lewis- I'm just glad you could read my handwriting and that £10 was enough to cover it!

I would like to thank Margaret & Lewis for everything they have done for us
and especially for making me feel so welcome in the family whenever I have
visited.

I feel very proud to be able to say that I am your son-in-law and I will
always do my best to live up to your expectations and promise to take good care of
Angela and, of course, do everything that she tells me to do…now I'm not saying she's bossy ..but I know my place!

Thanks for all the help with today's preparations, the flowers, the invitations, the finance the list is endless. I must also thank you for bringing up such a lovely daughter.

In addition, due to the number of phone calls between Angela and her mother, British Telecom would also like to thank you both.

Mum and dad.

You have both been there for me when I've needed you and have given me so much love and support over the years. You've seen me through my university days and have given me a wonderful start in life. I am very fortunate and proud to have you as my parents.

Thanks for all the guidance and advice you've given me, for putting up with
me and for pointing me in the right direction – usually to watch me go off and
do exactly the opposite, but that's what sons are for, and do best.

We now have a token of our appreciation for our parents.

Many people have told me how lucky I am to be marrying Angela, including
Angela. It's puzzling because they never explain why. What does everybody
know that I don't? I think they must have tasted her fried eggs too.

But I'm just happy to see her wearing a dress for a change. And I half expected
to see a pair of white doc martins peeking out from underneath the gown.

Now Angela, you thought you knew about all the "thank you's" that would be
in my speech. Well there's one you didn't know about. I thank you for becoming my
lovely bride. You can't help being lovely but you could help becoming my bride.

Thank you Greg for agreeing to be my best man. I've known Greg for about 10
years now, and he has been and will continue to be a great friend. Knowing him so well, I know that he'll be feeling extremely nervous about his speech right
now, but Greg, I've seen you make a fool of yourself in the pub every Friday
night for 10 years, so just imagine your in the pub.

But the kind of pub where you keep your clothes ON !

Thanks for your help before the big day and more importantly for getting me
here on time! Although I still think trying to wash and dress me was a bit over
the top !

Thanks to my sister Isabel and Gail for your readings today, we are glad
that you could be part of this occasion that is so special to us both.

Angela and I would also like to thank our brothers for being our ushers today. I feel they added that air of night-club doorman respectability to an otherwise stuffy old building.

Seriously though, you did a good job so thanks very much guys.

A special thanks to Angela's brother Paul for all the help he has given us
over the past year or so, you have really done a lot for us and we really appreciate it.

Finally, thanks also to the two bridesmaids. You both look stunning today.
Angela and I appreciate your help and support over the last few months, especially as one of you has had a baby recently. And I have to say, Kirstin, you're really
looking great, you'd never know !

(Actually it was Alison who had the baby.) (Sorry Kirstin)

And so I shall finish with a toast to the bridesmaids and apply a little knowledge I've gained from living with Angela so far – Whenever you're wrong, admit it; whenever you're right, shut up.

To the bridesmaids.

cheers

Steve Waddell