Speech by Will Shropshire

Speech Type: Groom
Speech Creator: Will Shropshire
Speech Date: Dec2007
Thank you John for those kind words. I hope that as Heathers husband, I can live up to the image you painted of me or, failing that, at least continue to keep pulling the wool over your eyes!

So welcome everyone to our wedding breakfast! I hope you're all enjoying yourselves on this special day. It's great to see so many friends and family and the effort you have all put in to be here is very much appreciated. I did have a fantastic speech all worked out and prepared ready for today, but now I'm married my new wife has told me what to say instead, so here goes a few words from both of us.

Unfortunately there are those that couldn't be here now but fortunately only a few. Granddad and Gran S could not make it to the reception here at Ickworth but did make it to the church which was fantastic, thank you to Dave and Mary for helping with that, and of course Big Nick who should have been outside the church greeting you all but is instead in Afghanistan on a tour of duty and I hope you will all join me in wishing him a safe return. I'll say a few thank yous all together as I don't want to go on for too long, so thank you to the Reverend Ian for his service and to the choir and bell ringers at the Holy Trinity and special thanks to Richard Dawson the piper for playing Heather in and us both out, none of these people are here now so that was pretty pointless but I've got to make the most of this! Thank you to Grandma M, Sue and Mum for the cakes which we will have a bit later, as a man its hard to realise how much effort baking those cakes could be, so thank you and thank you to Andy and Neil the paparazzi. Clearly, large family events like todays don't just happen. They take a considerable amount of hard work and organisation and it would seem an appropriate point, therefore to thank the next two most beautiful women here, other than my new wife, no not the bridesmaids but our mothers, as without their constant hard work and efforts, today may not have happened. So from Heather and I – a huge thank you. under breath – Hopefully that's scored some brownie points with the monster-in-law!, [to my new wife and her father] ‘no I didn't say it I muttered but just forgot about the microphone’!.

Thanks to Woody and Laura for some very eloquent reading in the church, and again to Woody for all his efforts organising an exceptional Stag do, along with Pete who managed to find an interesting but understanding hotel. We had a superb time and Barcelona will certainly not forget us for a while that's for sure, I think its safe to say we all learnt a thing or two. Smithy learnt the meaning of keep your valuables safe, he was robbed twice in 20 minutes for those of you that don't know, I learnt what 2% of 100 is, and thanks to Guy the 150 passengers on easy jet that Sunday learnt why a parachute is more use than a life jacket if we crashed between Spain and England. So thank you to those who made it an unforgettable weekend. Thanks to my Ushers Ed, Tudor, Dave, Dan and Bryce. It was a stipulation for the wedding that the ushers weren't allowed to look better than the bridegroom and I'm pleased to say the have accomplished their role admirably. Cheers guys you've done a good job! Thank you to my Dad for the boys suits and also for your calmness and wise words – while everyone else was pulling out their hair worrying about today Dad wasn't, his calmness has been a god send and has provided a needed break at times so thank you.

Now to the bridesmaids Lucy, Fiona and Ag you all look delightful, you have made Heather look stunning and have helped make the day shine. Ladies and Gentlemen a toast – to the bridesmaids.

To James or Smithy as many of you will know him as he really is an exceptional friend, – we have played cricket together for 10 years, football for a few less, we have had some pretty interesting and funny times together. He has ducked and dived for me, covered up and washed clean –but I don't think I have ever seen him so worried as when I asked him to be best man, especially yesterday when he remembered he has to do a speech, although that was before I saw him next to me at the church today anyone would of thought it was him who was putting an end to his fun in life and getting married, so be gentle on him in a few minutes! Seriously, he is such a good friend, there is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for him and nothing he wouldn't do for me, so in-fact we spend most of the time doing nothing for each other.

So thank you James for today and thank you for being a great friend for the last 10 years.

I'm very impressed by the number of people who have rallied round in all sorts of ways to help us lay on this reception. If you're not mentioned by name, and that's probably most of you, please be assured that my wife and I are very grateful.

However the Biggest thanks today is to John and Carole, Heather's parents. They have helped immensely with the wedding but more than that if it wasn't for them not only would Heather not be here she would not be the determined, strong and wonderful person I know, I hope they are very proud of themselves as they have made a great job of being parents and bringing up their girl. Without them my life wouldn't be as much fun or as happy as it now is so thank you very much. Would you please raise a glass with me to the brides parents, John and Carole.

The invites we sent you if you read them – and as most of you came in the wrong way you obviously didn't…!! all said we come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by loving an imperfect person perfectly– that may be true of most people, but to me Heather is perfect and it makes me very happy and proud to call her my wife. Its not always been easy living together, especially as she is a teacher I don't know how many times I have had to stand in the hallway for talking too much or write lines for not putting the toilet seat down, but we laugh after a row and seem to be able to row after a laugh, but I never tire of her company or sense of humour. Like so many others of you she has worked so hard to make this day a success and she even managed to get me involved– well I signed the cheques anyway!!! Heather You look wonderful today. Thank you for your love and support and now that you are my wife I have everything I could ever ask for. So may I ask you all to be upstanding and toast the brilliant and beautiful Heather Shropshire.

So I'm nearly done, thank you again to everyone here I have, and haven't mentioned, no doubt we will be circulating later and hope to get to have a good chat to you all, and when the music turns up I have requested John Michelle Jarre and Oxygene 1 for Pete and those who were left awake in the van at the end of the stag do as a gentle reminder!

I'll leave you with a little quote I found while scouring the internet: “They say a man is incomplete until he is married, After that he is finished! And so now I am.”