The Best Man’s Toast

My only brother got married recently (January 16, 2010) at Casa Español, Greenpark Village, Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines. I, being the Best Man, was given the privilege to make a toast to the bride and groom. The speech I made during the toast used two languages: English and Filipino (my native tongue) so that more people would [hopefully] be able to understand at least a portion, if not all, of what I was talking about since the guests were a mixture of Filipinos born inside and outside the country.

I have decided to share to [you] my readers the said speech (i.e. more or less how I intend and how I remember saying it), which I have now put down into writing, or more appropriate, typing, and have translated entirely into English.

——————–Start of Speech——————–

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to congratulate the newlywed because, as we all know, weddings are difficult to prepare for—requiring lots of time, unwavering determination and, of course, financial sources. I know the bride and groom really wants their Wedding Day to be perfect. I know they want us to witness and to take part in their special day. I know they want their love to be made official and to be blessed by God. And now that in a few hours their Wedding Day will come to a close, (turning to the bride and groom) I would like to say “Advanced Job Well Done.”

Second, I would like to congratulate myself for not having a nervous breakdown and still being able to continue my speech. In the past weddings that I have attended, I was either the ring-bearer or an amateur photographer. But of course, I can no longer be the ring-bearer because it would be ridiculous to have a five-foot plus adolescent carry the wedding rings—a task often assigned to little boys. I cannot also be the photographer because the bride and groom already hired experts (pointing to the wedding photographers) to do the job. And because I’m my brother’s only sibling, that means I have to be the Best Man. And because I am the Best Man, I have to give the toast.

Until now, I still do not know what to really mention in a toast. I cannot give the bride and groom advices because I am still single and therefore, I have no idea about everything going on within the boundaries of the circle of marriage. But there’s one thing that I believe is true in a married couple’s life. And that is, it’s not always a bed of roses. Marriage is a mixture of joyful moments and of troubled times. But the bride and groom must not fear as solving problems is an easy two-step procedure. The method is so simple that couples usually, most often than not, forget about it.