Speech by Alan Gorton

Speech Type: Father of the bride/groom
Speech Creator: Alan Gorton
Speech Date: 15/11/2012 16:44:02

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, ON BEHALF OF GEMMA, ADAM, FIONA, MIKE, BERNICE AND MYSELF, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME YOU ALL HERE TO THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY .

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS ALAN AND I'M THE PROUD DAD OF GEMMA. AND AS THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO MAKE THE FIRST SPEECH. AT LEAST I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRIVILEGE UNTIL I REALSISED THAT I'M THE WARM UP ACT FOR THE GROOM AND BEST MAN. WITH THAT IN MIND I'LL TRY TO BE LIKE RONNIE CORBETT- SHORT AND ENTERTAINING OR AS HENRY V111 SAID TO EACH OF HIS WIVES, IN TURN, “I WON'T KEEP YOU LONG”.

TODAY IS , OF COURSE A CELEBRATION NOT JUST OF THE LOVE THAT HAS UNITED GEMMA AND ADAM IN MARRIAGE, BUT ALSO OF THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE CREATED, MOULDED AND INFLUENCED THE LIVES OF THESE TWO SPECIAL PEOPLE. SO BERNICE AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO FIONA AND MIKE AND THEIR FAMILY, AND TO RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF BOTH FAMILIES. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US IN CELEBRATING THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY. IT IS GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE, SOME OF WHOM HAVE TRAVELLED MANY MILES TO BE HERE TODAY.

A BIG THANKYOU ALSO GOES TO GEMMA AND ADAM WHO HAD DEFINATE IDEAS ON HOW THEY WANTED THIS DAY TO BE.

THROUGH THEIR THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND EFFORTS THEY HAVE MADE TODAY A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS FOR EVERYONE.

BERNICE AND I ARE VERY PROUD OF GEMMA. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, (GETS THAT OFF ME). THOUGHTFUL, CARING AND WELL LIKED. GEMMA IS A WONDERFUL DAUGHTER SHE HAS PROVIDED US WITH SO MUCH JOY AND HAPPINESS OVER THE YEARS. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF HER AND IN EVERYTHING SHE DOES.

IT DOESN'T SEEM VERY LONG AGO, GEMMA AND HER FRIENDS WERE PUTTING ON SHOWS IN OUR LOUNGE, SINGING INTO HAIRBRUSHES PRETENDING TO BE THE SPICE GIRLS. LIKE MOST YOUNG PEOPLE GEMMA HAS ALWAYS ENJOYED MUSIC, SHE EVEN MANAGED TO DRAG ME TO A WESTLIFE CONCERT ALONG WITH BERNICE. I HAVE SPENT MANY A TIME PICKING GEMMA AND HER FRIENDS UP FROM CONCERTS, THEN LATER IN HER TEENS, GETTING A PHONE CALL IN THE EARLY HOURS TO PICK HER AND FRIENDS UP FROM CLUBS IN BOLTON OR WIGAN, (EVEN BEEN MADE TO WAIT WHILE THEY ORDERED PIZZA'S, TRACEY, LUCY WHERE ARE YOU.) GEMMA IS A TALENTED GIRL WHO HAS GAINED AWARDS IN PIANO PLAYING AND HAS ALSO ATTENDED BROWNIES AND GIRL GUIDES IN WHICH SHE BECAME A YOUNG LEADER AND GAINED HER BAYDON POWELL AWARD.

I CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN GEMMA WANTS SOMETHING (SHE CALLS ME DADDY) OTHERWISE IT'S JUST DAD.

GEMMA, WHEN YOU AND I SHARED OUR LITTLE GLANCE AT ONE ANOTHER AS WE WERE READY TO START OUR WALK DOWN THE AILSE, THAT  WILL BE A MOMENT I CHERISH FOR ALWAYS.

DURING THE TIME WE HAVE KNOWN ADAM WE HAVE COME TO REALISE HOW SPECIAL HE IS TO GEMMA AND WHAT A GREAT SON-IN-LAW HE WILL BE. AND BERNICE AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ADAM INTO THE FAMILY, EVEN THOUGH HE'S BEEN PART OF IT FOR A WHILE NOW’

IT IS ALSO CUSTOMARY TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES BRAGGING ON THE QUALITIES OF OUR NEW SON IN LAW. (ADAM)  BUT ADAM YOU FORGOT TO GIVE ME YOUR NOTES.

OF ALL THE QUALITIES THAT YOU POSSESS (AND THERE ARE MANY) THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME IS THAT YOU BRING A SMILE TO OUR DAUGHTER'S FACE.

MANY COUPLES SAY THEIR WEDDING DAY IS THE BEST DAY OF THEIR LIVES. BUT ANOTHER BEST DAY OF THEIR LIVES HAPPENED 16 MONTHS AGO WHEN THEIR BEAUTIFUL BABY SON, JACOB WAS BORN. AND AS FOR JACOB, EVERY DAY IS THE BEST DAY OF HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE HAS A GREAT DAD AND THE MOST WONDERFUL MUM IN THE WORLD.

GEMMA. NOW YOU BEGIN A NEW LIFE WITH ADAM, JACOB AND NOT FORGETTING JANEY (BEAUTIFUL BLONDE BOMBSHELL AS BERNICE CALLS HER) YOU WILL NOW HAVE ADAM TO TURN TO FOR LOVE AND PROTECTION. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW AS YOUR DAD I WILL ALWAYS BE HERE FOR YOU.

A WEDDING IS A TIME FOR JOY AND FUN, WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY GATHERED TO SEE THE HAPPY COUPLE OFF AS THEY START THEIR NEW LIFE. BUT IT IS A TIME TOO, WHEN OUR THOUGHTS INEVITABLY TURN TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MEANT SO MUCH TO OUR FAMILIES, BUT COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.  SO LET US RAISE A GLASS TO GEMMA'S NANNA PAT AND GRAN AND ADAM'S NANNIE MARGARET, AND GRANDPA GEORGE, WHO ARE NOW LOOKING DOWN ON US FROM THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE, WHO WE REMEMBER WITH LOVE AND PRIDE .SO LETS RAISE OUR GLASSES TO ABSENT LOVED ONES.

GEMMA AND ADAM, MARRIAGE IS A WONDERFULL THING BETWEEN TWO SPECIAL PEOPLE AND TO KEEP IT SPECIAL, SAY TO EACH OTHER EVERY DAY THESE THREE LITTLE WORDS  =  I  LOVE  YOU.        

NOW IT IS MY PLEASANT DUTY TO PROPOSE A TOAST TO THE HAPPY COUPLE… LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE RAISE YOUR GLASSES…ADAM AND GEMMA (MR AND MRS FERGUSON)

MUST BE A HAPPY WEDDING – EVEN THE CAKE'S IN TIERS.

RIGHT THAT'S MY SPEECH FINISHED NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO HAND OVER TO MY SON-IN-LAW ADAM.

THANK YOU