Father Of The Bride Speech - Griffin/Bernard Wedding

You all represent our family and our most dear friends. And we recognize what a busy time of year this is, the obstacles that you all overcame to be here with us. And I just want to say thank you. It really, it means a lot. Also, I would be remiss if I also didn't say I lost Scott and Peg. What a great time last night, great reception and so forth. It was perfect to kind of get everybody together. You know, it kind of gives us an opportunity to get our sea legs underneath us before the real festivities tonight. So, you know, I did want to say I very much appreciate it. As you might imagine, I don't get many opportunities to do Father of the Bride toasts. I did do one three years ago. And so I'll probably be a little bit rusty, but I hope you all will bear with me. I guess my first thought is for Matt. And I wanted to say to you how happy I was to be able to walk Keely down the aisle this afternoon and to know that she had chosen well. It is the most important decision you can make, bar none, in your life. And I don't know what it would feel like to stand up here tonight if I had a reservation in my mind or if I knew there was a reservation in Keely's heart. So I thank you for that. The fact that you're an NC State and a Chicago Cubs fan, is a bit problematic. But I am magnanimously willing to overlook these obvious shortcomings in the interest of family unity. So I wanted to start off by saying, Matt, you are welcomed into our family, and son, you are loved. All right. That was the easy part. So I find myself in the same place. Sometimes there are not enough words in the world. But I do have this image in my head. It's of a picture that sits on my dressing table. Keely, she was about three years old, and she's wearing this light blue jumper and a pink shirt. It was taken on the playground equipment where all three of our daughters attended preschool down the hill from our house. And she's sitting there, her hair's this sunshine blonde, and she's sort of holding on to the railing of the play equipment. Her body and her head are tilted to sort of one side. And it's almost as if the smile that's on your face and the innocence in your heart is just too great a way to bear. So I think of that picture in all of the intervening years, and I see you look so lovely. And Matt, you look lovely, too. And I ask myself, you know, where did the time go? And that I can't answer that question, I'm sure will leave a loving ache in my heart the rest of my days. So, take a deep breath. I wish I could impart to you some words of wisdom that, you know, once I uttered them would guarantee you a happy marriage. The one thing I have learned is that love and marriage is a calculus far too complex for this mere mortal to solve. But I actually would like to maybe share some lyrics from a Bruce Springsteen song. Now, don't be worried, I'm not gonna sing. And number two, don't be worried, it's not born to run. But it is a song, the lyrics of which have always resonated with me, and I think they are particularly instructive tonight. And they're the words of a simple country boy to his bride just days before they're to be married. And he says, we said we'd walk together, maybe come what may, that come the twilight should we lose our way. If as I'm walking, my hand should slip from you, wait for me, and if I fall behind, wait for you. We said we'd travel the garland side by side, we'd help each other to stay in stride. But each lover's hearts beat so differently. But I'll wait for you, and should I fall behind, wait for me. And so maybe the wisdom that I can impart is that love and marriage is as simple and as complicated as the words to that song. So as a concluding thought, I actually would like to propose a toast. I know you guys have to be sitting there going, when is this guy just gonna stop crying and make a toast? So I will ask you all to raise your glasses now and to toast Matt and Keeley. May your journey be a glorious one. Stay in stride and wait for the other. May your marriage be the defining treasure of your life. May it be blessed with all the joy and the wonder that this crazy world has to offer. Thank you.