The Bride's Speech
Hi everyone!
Thank you all for coming, especially those of you that knew I'd want to say a few words of my own - it's touching you still came along anyway! But the best thing about it being a bride's speech is that there's absolutely no rules on what I should or should not be saying...
I haven't yet been able to complete my whole speech without bursting into floods of tears, so when it gets to the point where only dogs and rodents can hear my high-pitched squeals, someone else will have to come and take over! Matt will be doing the main thank yous and giving out some gifts, but there's just a couple of small thank yous I wanted to say from me personally.
Firstly, my wedding confidante, Sam. I really can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me, from keeping Johno on the straight and narrow with his best man duties to everything you’ve done today. After finding out this room could only be set up this morning and realising that meant there was no way I'd be able to do it all by myself as originally planned, there was only one person I knew I could trust to do the job well and you didn't let me down. I know who'll be getting free chair covers for their wedding!
Matt's parents, Martin and Ruth, obviously if it wasn't for you Matt wouldn't be here in the first place! But thank you for bringing him up to be such a perfect gentleman, and to have such a good taste in women! Martin, Ruth and the whole of Matt's family have been ever so generous, welcoming and just brilliant to me, and even though changing my surname now means my namesake is a male character in Coronation Street, I'm more than happy to become part of such a wonderful family.
Next on the list are my stunningly beautiful bridesmaids. Thank you for being a part of our big day, but most importantly my best friend in all the world, Anneka. I still don't know if I'll ever trust you again after finding out you knew Matt was going to propose three months before he actually did! But we'll gloss over that for now! Anneka put more effort than I ever thought possible into organising not one but two hen parties for me, and not only that, you've basically been the best, most supportive and undemanding maid of honour you could imagine. We initially bonded over a love for some certain boy bands, so I would also like to reassure you that marrying Matt is just a short term solution until Nicky and Shane from Westlife finally get round to whisking us off into the sunset!
The next big thank yous from me go to my brother and sister. Hannah, thank you for drawing such lovely pictures of me in each wedding dress I tried on so we didn't forget which ones were our favourites! And also for all your help cutting and sticking and gluing over the last few days, and for being so beautiful and well-behaved today. And Harry I'm so grateful to be able to say that we’re as close as we are and we've always been there to support each other. I don't quite know when it was you changed from being my baby brother to a handsome young man that can pull off wearing no socks, dungarees or a top hat, but to me you're still the same old Harry you've always been, and I know you love me really even though I’ll never hear you say it!
Cheryl and Rob. Not only does having two extra parents mean that we get extra Christmas presents, it also means we’re lucky enough to have twice as many birthday presents. I’m only joking! I’m so happy that my parents have now found the partners of their dreams, and that they’ve found such wonderful people to spend the rest of their lives with. Speaking for myself and Harry, we have got through some tough times in the past but I’m honoured that you’ve welcomed me into your hearts and families as I have with you in mine. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me whilst I grew up, it did not go unnoticed and I really do appreciate everything.
Now Mum and Dad. Thanks Dad, for giving me away, though you're probably glad to be rid of me! And thanks for understanding that when one is driving, sometimes it is hard to avoid obstacles like roundabouts, oncoming coaches and more recently maniacs riding motorbikes! However much you think you missed out on Harry and I growing up, you really didn’t. And it’s because of all the love and support that you and Mum have given throughout the years that has made me the woman I am today. I just hope I’ve made you both proud and that after 25 years, all of your hard work has been worthwhile. Mum, I’ve always wanted to be just like you when I grow up, and if I turn out to be half the Mum you’ve been to me I’m going to have very, very lucky children. Without your help over this last week in particular, I would never have got everything finished in time for our big day. There is so much to say to both you and Dad that I will have to leave it at 'thanks for everything'.
The final thank you obviously goes to my husband! I can't tell you all how happy I am to be married to Matt - funny, gorgeous and talented, I can see why he chose me! It took a lot to get you to ask me after nearly six years of being together, and I even had to go as far as planning a trek in Peru, but you got there in the end! Seriously though, you put up with my tantrums when I can't find the right shoes, buy me chocolate when I’m grumpy, fetch my hot water bottle when I have tummy ache… I could not ask for a more thoughtful, devoted and selfless husband. Thank you so much for proposing to me and for turning up today; clean shaven, in the right clothes and not hungover! Thank you for marrying me and making me your Mrs. D, I can’t wait to continue turning all our dreams into reality. You've been the best boyfriend, fiance and the best friend to me, and I know you'll be the best husband and hopefully one day the best Dad in the world too - but believe me you've got a lot to live up to, to be that last one! So to sum it all up, thank you and I love you very much!
Now, you all know Matt and I wanted to do a few things a bit different for some parts of our wedding, so as well as the gifts that Matt’s going to give out, we have got a couple of trophies to present to people.
Our first trophy is for the people that have set us the best example of marriage, and in whose footsteps we wish to follow. So our trophy to the longest married couple in the room, who’ve been married for over 60 years, goes to...
Grandma and Granddad Duckworth!
Our second trophy is the opposite, as it’s for the newest newlyweds in the room. We actually attended their wedding just two days ago! So the trophy titled the couple that should be on honeymoon but chose to come here instead, goes to...
Natalie and Richard Brotherton!
Our third trophy, is for the person that traveled the furthest to be with us today. The way we judged it in the end was by drawing a straight line on a map, and the winner of the trophy for the person most desperate for free food and drink, from Paisley in Scotland, is...
Nicola Stewardson!
Last of all, we thought we’d award a trophy to the person who, if it wasn’t for them, Matt and I would never have met. Thankfully on this fateful night, this person did get tipsy enough to be politely asked to leave a nightclub early, and we bumped into Matt on the way home. So I would like to present the final award, to the best drunk friend...
Miss Nicky Harley!
I would like to end with a couple of toasts, if you could all please be upstanding.
A wedding can happen anywhere and at any time, but it can only be a true celebration when all the people you love the most are there to share it with you, so my first toast is to dear friends and family.
Finally, I would like to propose a toast to my husband: To the world you're just one person, but to me you're the world. To Matt!
Thank you all for coming, especially those of you that knew I'd want to say a few words of my own - it's touching you still came along anyway! But the best thing about it being a bride's speech is that there's absolutely no rules on what I should or should not be saying...
I haven't yet been able to complete my whole speech without bursting into floods of tears, so when it gets to the point where only dogs and rodents can hear my high-pitched squeals, someone else will have to come and take over! Matt will be doing the main thank yous and giving out some gifts, but there's just a couple of small thank yous I wanted to say from me personally.
Firstly, my wedding confidante, Sam. I really can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me, from keeping Johno on the straight and narrow with his best man duties to everything you’ve done today. After finding out this room could only be set up this morning and realising that meant there was no way I'd be able to do it all by myself as originally planned, there was only one person I knew I could trust to do the job well and you didn't let me down. I know who'll be getting free chair covers for their wedding!
Matt's parents, Martin and Ruth, obviously if it wasn't for you Matt wouldn't be here in the first place! But thank you for bringing him up to be such a perfect gentleman, and to have such a good taste in women! Martin, Ruth and the whole of Matt's family have been ever so generous, welcoming and just brilliant to me, and even though changing my surname now means my namesake is a male character in Coronation Street, I'm more than happy to become part of such a wonderful family.
Next on the list are my stunningly beautiful bridesmaids. Thank you for being a part of our big day, but most importantly my best friend in all the world, Anneka. I still don't know if I'll ever trust you again after finding out you knew Matt was going to propose three months before he actually did! But we'll gloss over that for now! Anneka put more effort than I ever thought possible into organising not one but two hen parties for me, and not only that, you've basically been the best, most supportive and undemanding maid of honour you could imagine. We initially bonded over a love for some certain boy bands, so I would also like to reassure you that marrying Matt is just a short term solution until Nicky and Shane from Westlife finally get round to whisking us off into the sunset!
The next big thank yous from me go to my brother and sister. Hannah, thank you for drawing such lovely pictures of me in each wedding dress I tried on so we didn't forget which ones were our favourites! And also for all your help cutting and sticking and gluing over the last few days, and for being so beautiful and well-behaved today. And Harry I'm so grateful to be able to say that we’re as close as we are and we've always been there to support each other. I don't quite know when it was you changed from being my baby brother to a handsome young man that can pull off wearing no socks, dungarees or a top hat, but to me you're still the same old Harry you've always been, and I know you love me really even though I’ll never hear you say it!
Cheryl and Rob. Not only does having two extra parents mean that we get extra Christmas presents, it also means we’re lucky enough to have twice as many birthday presents. I’m only joking! I’m so happy that my parents have now found the partners of their dreams, and that they’ve found such wonderful people to spend the rest of their lives with. Speaking for myself and Harry, we have got through some tough times in the past but I’m honoured that you’ve welcomed me into your hearts and families as I have with you in mine. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me whilst I grew up, it did not go unnoticed and I really do appreciate everything.
Now Mum and Dad. Thanks Dad, for giving me away, though you're probably glad to be rid of me! And thanks for understanding that when one is driving, sometimes it is hard to avoid obstacles like roundabouts, oncoming coaches and more recently maniacs riding motorbikes! However much you think you missed out on Harry and I growing up, you really didn’t. And it’s because of all the love and support that you and Mum have given throughout the years that has made me the woman I am today. I just hope I’ve made you both proud and that after 25 years, all of your hard work has been worthwhile. Mum, I’ve always wanted to be just like you when I grow up, and if I turn out to be half the Mum you’ve been to me I’m going to have very, very lucky children. Without your help over this last week in particular, I would never have got everything finished in time for our big day. There is so much to say to both you and Dad that I will have to leave it at 'thanks for everything'.
The final thank you obviously goes to my husband! I can't tell you all how happy I am to be married to Matt - funny, gorgeous and talented, I can see why he chose me! It took a lot to get you to ask me after nearly six years of being together, and I even had to go as far as planning a trek in Peru, but you got there in the end! Seriously though, you put up with my tantrums when I can't find the right shoes, buy me chocolate when I’m grumpy, fetch my hot water bottle when I have tummy ache… I could not ask for a more thoughtful, devoted and selfless husband. Thank you so much for proposing to me and for turning up today; clean shaven, in the right clothes and not hungover! Thank you for marrying me and making me your Mrs. D, I can’t wait to continue turning all our dreams into reality. You've been the best boyfriend, fiance and the best friend to me, and I know you'll be the best husband and hopefully one day the best Dad in the world too - but believe me you've got a lot to live up to, to be that last one! So to sum it all up, thank you and I love you very much!
Now, you all know Matt and I wanted to do a few things a bit different for some parts of our wedding, so as well as the gifts that Matt’s going to give out, we have got a couple of trophies to present to people.
Our first trophy is for the people that have set us the best example of marriage, and in whose footsteps we wish to follow. So our trophy to the longest married couple in the room, who’ve been married for over 60 years, goes to...
Grandma and Granddad Duckworth!
Our second trophy is the opposite, as it’s for the newest newlyweds in the room. We actually attended their wedding just two days ago! So the trophy titled the couple that should be on honeymoon but chose to come here instead, goes to...
Natalie and Richard Brotherton!
Our third trophy, is for the person that traveled the furthest to be with us today. The way we judged it in the end was by drawing a straight line on a map, and the winner of the trophy for the person most desperate for free food and drink, from Paisley in Scotland, is...
Nicola Stewardson!
Last of all, we thought we’d award a trophy to the person who, if it wasn’t for them, Matt and I would never have met. Thankfully on this fateful night, this person did get tipsy enough to be politely asked to leave a nightclub early, and we bumped into Matt on the way home. So I would like to present the final award, to the best drunk friend...
Miss Nicky Harley!
I would like to end with a couple of toasts, if you could all please be upstanding.
A wedding can happen anywhere and at any time, but it can only be a true celebration when all the people you love the most are there to share it with you, so my first toast is to dear friends and family.
Finally, I would like to propose a toast to my husband: To the world you're just one person, but to me you're the world. To Matt!