Speech by Tim Mcilroy

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Tim Mcilroy
Speech Date: 22/04/2014 20:17:44

Thank Father of the bride

Thank you John for your kind words; and your help in arranging the wedding.

Thank people for attending

I would like to welcome you all to our special day, I hope you are enjoying yourself and are ready to get drunk to celebrate the evening with us.

On behalf of my wife and I, or how I now like to call her … my ex girlfriend – I would like to thank you all for coming to share this special day. We appreciate the distance the majority of people have travelled to get here. Weather you have travelled from Llandudno, Scarborough, Portsmouth or Perth. We would like to thank you for the effort that you have made to be here.

Thank bride family

My wife and I would like to thank John, for everything he has done for Victoria in her life, and for everything he has done for us as a couple. John is a truly great man who will do everything he possibly can to make our lives better. He may support Man Utd but I suppose they aren't all that bad.

I would also like to thank him for giving her away, a bit too willingly if you ask me. I went to his house after work one night, nervous about how to ask him and how he would react to giving his only daughter away. I thought, just ask him, what's the worst he could do, say no and I'd ask her anyway. I was expecting a load of questions like.… Why do you want to marry my daughter? Why do you think you are good enough for my Victoria? But no, he replied with – yeah that's fine. I soon changed the conversation to the weekend's football.

He may be a man of few words but a firm handshake at the end of the isle was the only approval I needed today.

I then called up Lynda, Victoria's Mum to tell her about my planned proposal, to which when telling her she burst into tears, screamed at how happy she was that I was planning on asking her. I thought..… that was easy enough!!!! It was great to see that I could make someone so happy with something that seemed so natural to me.

We would like to thank Lynda for the help, support and friendship she has provided to both Victoria and myself in our lives, from bringing Victoria up right the way, and throughout our relationship. You have been a huge part of our lives, and for that we thank you dearly.

We would also like to thank Kevin, I know it wasn't easy to begin with but you eventually won Victoria over and have become an important part of her life. We, as a couple think the world of you and hope the future will bring more happy memories. We are truly blessed to have you in our life. 

I am quite lucky – I could have had much worse in laws!!!

Thank you all for bringing up such a brilliant intelligent, funny and beautiful daughter that I can now call my wife. She brings a smile to my face everyday, even when things aren't going our way. She still brings a feeling of happiness into my life.

Thank my family

I would like to thank my Mum for bringing up such a talented, successful and incredibly handsome young man. And that's not you Johnny!

I often wonder what it must be like to bring up 4 children practically on your own, and being deaf. I always end up coming to the same conclusion that my Mum is a remarkable woman, and I would like to thank her on behalf of my brothers, sister and myself for been our mother.

If you could all raise your glasses as I propose a toast to our parents as none of this would have been possible without them – To the parents.

You can all be assured that Victoria is in good hands now, and I will do my upmost to make sure she is looked after properly. I promise to take care of her, to look after her and to ensure that she has the life that she deserves.

I want to also thank our Grand Parents for basically just being Grand Parents. You mean a lot to us both. We are so glad that you are fit and healthy enough to share this day with us. Thank you for contributing so much to our upbringing.

People who are not here

We would just like to say a few words about the people that aren't here today. Unfortunately we have lost a some friends to Australia. 4 of our closest friends are over there and unable to attend today. For this we are truly gutted but know that if they could be here they would have been.

We also want everyone to share a thought for the people that can't be with us today. We know they are here in spirit, and they are not only in our thoughts but more importantly in our hearts.

I have also got a note from George, Victoria's Grandad that he wants me to read out:

Unfortunately he isn't well enough to attend today.

Dear Victoria & Tim 

Today is a very special day for you both, and a very proud day for your Mum, Dad, Tim's Mum and both families!  I am very sorry I can't be there to join the celebrations but Mr Arthritis won't let me.

I am thinking of you both and wishing you all the very best for today and also your future together,  Nana and I have been married 61 years so you have to beat that, so that will be my aim for you 

To your friends I would like to say thank you for making today very special for Victoria and Tim, my regards to you all, and again thank you!

With love………Grandad   xxxx

61 years would make us 87 & 86. We'll give it our best shot.

I would like to raise a toast to George as I know how upset he is that he can't be here today.

In true George style I'll have a whisky

Thank Bridesmaids

We would both like to thank Hannah & Laura for being our bridesmaids today, I know you will all agree they look beautiful.

We want to thank them for arranging what Victoria described as ‘the best Hen do ever’. Only Victoria would love walking round Newcastle in the middle of the day in a Panda outfit

We want to also thank Laura for the reading she did earlier, and for dressing me up as a girl as a child! I have to admit it – I did look pretty good!

Thank you to all the girls, and Luke that attended the Hen weekend that helped to make it such a good weekend for Victoria. She loved it.

Thank Ushers

Thank Usher for their help today! I don't know why I'm thanking them as all they have done is opened doors and told people where to sit.

Thanks to Chris & Johnny for being my brothers – being the youngest, and smallest it was obviously that I took a few beatings over the years. Was much appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed. The days of smashing mum's photo frames and from playing football in the house will be forever remembered.

I'd like to thank Sam and Tom for being a set of great mates. Over the last 18 years we have some great times and some funny trips away and many a nights out. It's being a pleasure growing up with you both.

Also like to thank Sam for the reading he gave.

Thank Sammy – readings

A quick thank you to my nephew Sammy, for the reading that he did. I'm sure you will agree for someone so young, he did a great job. Well done mate.

Thank best man

What do you want from a best man? Someone to organise the stag do? Bring the rings? Keep me sane the night before and on the morning of the wedding?

Well Mark managed a few of these – He just didn't help organise the stag do!!! He just about managed to book a mini bus.

As Mark is getting married in June, and me being his best man we decided to have a joint stag do to Budapest. To which Mark took as – you organise it and I'll turn up.

Although I will give him credit for putting me in a great costume and provided me with copious amount of shots and alcohol throughout the day – so thanks for getting me steamingly drunk by mid-day and well into the night. So he produced the goods where it mattered.

I can safely say that Budapest was the funniest weekend of my life – Cheers lads.

Mark is….… An absolute great man, a great friend and someone who is guaranteed to make you laugh. I've known him from the age of 4, I grew up with him through school and into adulthood.

We've gone from having sleepovers as kids watching Match of the Day and playing FIFA to weekends on the piss in town, to weekends spent as couples with Victoria and Alex – Mark has being the most constant and best friend I could ever wish for – And long may it continue!

We've had some great times together and I'm sure this will continue over the coming years.

I'd also like to thank Paul & Anne – for letting me use their house as a hotel, and cleaning up after me when I've been sick in your bathroom – or on the side of your caravan!!!! And for providing me with bacon, eggs and a cup of tea when I needed it most.

ONE UP, ALL UP!!!!

Wife

Before I go on to talk about my new wife – I would like to say that Victoria is an excellent judge of character and knows a great man when she meets one. I really couldn't wish for a better wife…..and if I did she would kill me.

Finally, now it's over to the most important person here today, the star of the show, my beautiful new wife Victoria.  It sounds great finally been able to say that, my wife, Victoria.

We are a perfect match for each other, she is great at giving orders, and I'm great at following them I would like to thank Victoria for planning this brilliant day – you have done an excellent job and the time spent and miles driven has well and truly paid off.

I'd like to thank you for turning up today – I did have my doubts but never did expect you to arrive on time. And after 8 years of being late, why would I.

Victoria McIlroy – (I like the sound of that) You look stunning, and your dress is beautiful. The feeling I got as you walked down the isle is hard to explain, but I realised once again, how lucky I am to have married you. The feeling inside was overwhelming.

Victoria you are the most important and special part of my life, you are my best friend & my soul mate.

After 8 years of being together I can honestly say that although I am madly in love with you, I am still falling in love with you which makes being with you so easy.

I am at my happiest when we are in our own little world, weather we are out for dinner, out walking with Molly or in the house alone my life feels perfect when I'm alone with you.

We hope to spend the rest of our life together, to raise a family together and be happy together. We have made this commitment to be together for the rest of our lives and we will do all we can to protect, to care for, and to love one another.

I would like you to raise a glass to ‘My beautiful Bride’

Handover to Mark

Before I hand over to Mark to deliver his speech – for those of you that don't know him – Mark is well known to exaggerate the truth, and lie out his back teeth.

I have an apology to make to Mark, not only is today the day Victoria and I got married and I asked him to be my best man. It is also his birthday!

I thought it was only fair to ask everyone in the room to wish him a Happy Birthday by singing to him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!