The great moment arrives.Father of the bride.
The speech and public speaking.
Now believe it or not I have had many experiences with and listening to speeches. From being taught at college and then on from there. Your twenty first birthday party, being best man at a wedding or master of ceremonies at another one or two. As captain of the golf club where a speech was made at least twice weekly. What has this taught me? Two things, the first being you somehow have to capture your audiences attention from the beginning. Secondly, keep it short and sweet.
So began my dilemma with the speech at my daughters wedding. We now live in Ireland which is a different culture to what we were brought up in and they laugh at different things. Now when I was golf captain back home in Zimbabwe I always started my speech with a joke and not one ever bombed. So I tried out some of my better ones on various people I met here and was met with blank, incomprehensible stares. So I then told some others which would have bombed back home and they almost died laughing. What to do and what to say? So I came to the conclusion that one has to make a speech according to ones audience and circumstances.
For what it’s worth, here is an example of Father of the Bride speeches. Mine.
“Ladies and Gentlemen.
Cead Mila Failte, a hundred thousand welcomes to Dagny and Hugh’s cosmopolitan wedding here in the grand old Isle of the Green. We trust that you will all enjoy yourselves? No, we insist upon it. They have both gone to a lot of trouble to try and cater to your every whim.
Now back in our old homeland everybody is given a nickname as you can see by your table place names. The Indigenous peoples ability to come up with apt nicknames is nothing less than astonishing. A few examples being:
Chimsoro……..which means big head.
Chimimba……..the one with the large stomach.
Scooter…..because he is small but he goes.
And in Dagny’s case…..Ambulance, because she cried a lot when she was a baby.
Now I could wax lyrical about all her accomplishments. Suffice to say that as parents one of our greatest pleasures was having her and we are both thrilled to see you marrying, such a fine young man today and wish you both long life and happiness.
As your Dad, and because we all now live in such troubled times, I just want to say to you both.
‘What is success?
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
That is to have succeeded’.
(Ralph Waldo Emmerson.)
Perchance we all need to remember this?
Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask you now all to rise and drink a toast with me to Hugh and Dagny.
Hugh and Dagny go braaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh.”
Lovely speech Spook..I can but imagine what you were feeling at the time but you did good…To Hugh and Dagny!!!
CHEERS!!!
That is a lovely thing to say and thank you George.
My dad never came to my wedding…..yet I can say by reading your speech it was like listening to my dad….He had the same sentiments..bringing us up…..Thank you Spook, you made your daughter happy…
Well I sincerely hope so and many thanks for your visit and comment.
truly excellent .. I tried this once .. (not my daughter’s or son’s wedding .. they are yet to happen … fortunately) .. and not long after there were two divorces … mine being one of them .. I guess I should have gone to Plumtree, rather than la di da Falcon and learnt some humo(u)r
No mate, you would have starved to death on the Pumtree fare, it was that terrible.
What a lovely, lovely speech, Spook! You put in a smell of Rhodesia -our old homeland – the love you have for your daughter and the best advice and wishes for their future. This speech should go on some blog for The Best Father of the Bride Speeches!
Thank you Iris and what a lovely thing to say.
Brilliant. Been down that route in November 2012 when our oldest girl got married. Hubby is use to public speaking as well, Gifford Boys use to have a toastmasters club, and that is where it started, to lecturing university students. But when it came to his own daughters wedding I think that speach was written countless times, and in the end he did not bother using it at all. Love the last paragraph, oh so so so damn true. Congratulations
Delighted to hear all this Maggi and for some people they can do it offhand. Personally I always battled with it. Gif ford all you’ve got eh? Plumtree boys had a debating society which I always loved.
Our youngster is at Canberra Grammar, good old fashioned boarding school, and hubby suggested the idea of a Toastmasters there to teach the boys how to speak properly in public. They were all ears, so will see where it goes. Love your photographs, such special days those.
Wonderful idea and go for me. My brother in law lives in Canberra.
Lovely Post, Spook and somewhat thought provoking ….. especially as Mother of the son (sadly no daughter), and in light of the fact that the father with probably be nowhere around on the happy day …. (deliberate choice) !
When it comes to what is humorous, you are right – there are certainly different strokes for different folks, hopefully this anomaly will make the melding of two families richer as they explore the different cultural “funny bones” ..
Love your quote – it does say it all in such simplicity — if only we would all take this and plaster it on the bathroom mirror to read every morning ….. Finally I just wanted to say that you were certainly blessed with a very beautiful family, which you are justly proud of … also you were certainly blessed with an amazingly beautiful day …….. spectacular by Irish standards … this combination serves to make unforgettable memories … ! The photographs are testimony ! Thank you for sharing !
Thank you Gomer for all your kind words and agree with you wholeheartedly.
Wonderful post, Spook!
Thank you so much at long last a comment.
Brilliant speech Kevin. Short and sweet! Well done. Siobhán
Thank you Siobhan and so glad you could finally get it. Erin go bragh.