DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate

Friend of mine is getting married this weekend, and I've only ever been to one wedding... and I'm the best man. So this is the speech I've put together. Any thoughts would be appreciated

Hi Everyone, I'm Ash, I went to University with Mark and Tia, as well as grade school with Mark, though we didn't know each other at the time.
First and foremost - a big thank you to everyone who put in effort, hard work, money, sweat, and tears into today, though special acknowledgements must go to Marcel, Rose, Mario, and Rada for helping organize this, raising wonderful children to be married today, helping let this relationship blossom, and putting up with Mark and I eating all their frozen pizzas.

Most of the time, these speeches focus on how the best man knew the groom, what an upstanding guy he is, and how I know he's a great guy - I can't truly do that, not because Mark is not upstanding - he is, and not because I'm concerned about adding another inflated ego to the education system, but simply because by knowing Mark, I also know Tia. I've had the lucky opportunity of meeting them both just before they got together, and I've really had the opportunity to watch them grow into each other - becoming closer, watching their attitudes and feelings become more similar, watching as their feelings grew, and really having a front row seat to the ride that is their relationship.

And it was quite a ride. As I said, I've been there since the beginning, so I've been witness to many of the highs and lows a relationship can go through since an April weekend five years ago. Without bringing up the specific trials of the relationship, the one thing that was clear is the strength and effort that these two people put into making sure everything worked out in the end; no matter how hard something seemed at the time, I knew that Mark was willing to do what he could to work through any issues, and as we can see by them both being here, Tia clearly has the same resolve. I think we can all agree that it takes strength, hard work, and communication to make a relationship work, and I know that these two have it covered.

But back to how I started, thanks is really the most appropriate term in general today, because everyone here has something to be thankful for, I'm thankful to see the fruition of a relationship I've watched develop since almost the first time I met Mark and Tia, I'm sure everyone here is thankful to see a strong relationship featuring one of their friends or relatives come to fruition, and I'm sure Mark and Tia are both thankful that it's finally happened.

So like it says on your arm. memento vivere to both of you - and thank you, let's all have a drink so I can sit back down and bring the attention back to you two where it belongs.