JayBee

The Dreaded "Father-of-the-Bride" Speech



Posted: Tuesday, June 06, 2006

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Besides being a day for congratulations, Father's Day is a day for remembering one's responsibilities. One such responsibility is the "Father of the Bride" speech. You may enjoy reading mine..... All Christian names have been removed to protect the innocent!

"Firstly, on behalf of our son-in-law's parents and ourselves, I would like to thank all of you, both relatives and friends, for being here today to make this occasion so memorable and enjoyable.

Some months ago our daughter sent me a video of the 1991 film, "Father of the Bride". Steve Martin played the title-role in his usual frenetic, over-anxious manner. I wasn't quite sure whether our daughter meant his character to serve me as a role-model or as a warning. Of course she didn't know that this film was a remake of the original 1950's production, which had Spencer Tracy in the title-role, a role he played with quiet patience, much understanding, and splendid fatherliness. In case our younger guests don't recognise his name, I must tell you that Spencer Tracy was about the same size as me, with just as short a frame and similar greying hair. So I thought about adopting him as a role-model.Unfortunately I didn't have the support of his excellent scriptwriters!

In the traditional jargon the father of the bride is said "to give his daughter away". I don't know whether you've realised how "male-chauvinist-piggish" that phrase sounds. The joy my wife and I experienced some 25 years ago when we became the proud parents of a blond, blue-eyed baby girl still continues to this day. I can recall our early camping holidays in southern France and Spain. On more than one continental campsite olive-skinned, brown-eyed, dark-haired French and Spanish matriarchs cooed over our blond, blue-eyed baby daughter, who no doubt today scarcely remembers that, nor remembers the fact that, while she was still a babe-in-arms, the only males she allowed to approach her without throwing a tantrum were myself and her elder brother. But, as you've no doubt noticed, the proximity of other males in general - and her new husband in particular - provokes a much more natural reaction now.

Over the years our daughter's joys have been our joys, her achievements our pride, and now her commitment to her new husband our commitment to them both.

Please raise your glasses and toast both them and the tremendous commitment they made to each other earlier this afternoon!"

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