Wedding Speech

As the bride's father, I was asked to deliver a speech at the wedding dinner.

Andrew’s parents , my wife Patricia,Cynthia & Andrew, grandparents, relatives and friends. GOOD EVENING!

Finally it has happened! Cynthia and Andrew have gotten married…..

Today is indeed a very special day as it signifies a major milestone for my second daughter Cynthia to her special one Andrew after seven years.

Such a happy occasion has been blessed by wonderful weather – we could not have made it wetter for the wonderful guests who have travelled from various places in Malaysia like Penang, Ipoh and KL. Penang is not the furthest place. People have come even from the UK and of course Karen came from Canada. Not forgetting the majority of guests who are from Singapore.

Sometime in the year 2000, C & A met at a tennis game and perhaps Andrew thought that Cynthia played like a Sharapova and decided to pursue her or was it the other way around?

But tennis was not their common interest. I was very surprised that Bible Studies was what brought them closer together and they had long discussions on religion.

Falling in love seems so easy. The story books used to have this plot. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, get married and live happily ever after. Those are fairy tales.

Cynthia and Andrew followed a different path.
After A levels, Cynthia went to NTU while Andrew did his National Service. Andrew then went off to the UK to study while Cynthia worked in Singapore for a few years before she too went to the UK to work.

Their love for each other grew in a colder climate until today we have come here to celebrate their wedding.

Let me share with you a little about Cynthia. She was the quiet one in the family but she could also be quite mischievous.
When she was about three years old, she kicked against the table whilst seated on a high chair and toppled backwards. She was stunned and we had to admit her to the hospital for observation.

Perhaps that jolt somehow stimulated her brain cells and enabled her to gain admission to the Gifted Education Program. But please don’t try this at home.

When she was about six years old, that was the time that fast food was the trend and I can still remember the family eating McDonalds and after 40 minutes, we were pleading with Cynthia to eat her food. Fortunately for McDs, there are only a few customers like C or they would have gone bankrupt!

When she was in early secondary school, I remember she came home one day and boldly declared, “I want to be a housewife!”
Obviously we had not coached her properly on a career choice.

Andrew strikes me as a quiet person though I understand both Cynthia and Andrew are quite capable of animated discussions.

But Andrew is a brave fellow. To win Cynthia’s heart, Andrew has had to venture into dangerous territory. He has followed Cynthia back to our home in JB and they even took the bus on a few occasions.

Cynthia is the second of my children to marry a Singaporean. Perhaps someone could recommend to the Singapore and Malaysian governments that such couples are the best people to negotiate projects for the two countries; crooked bridges or otherwise.

To the happy couple, I would like to give some friendly advice in just 3 areas – sex, money and relations.

There are other areas but I think these three are critical.

Starting with sex – just three words will do as we have children in the room. “Practice makes perfect.” The Bible urges “Go forth and multiply” but I suggest “Replace yourself.”

As Cynthia is an accountant, she should know about money but to reduce money complications I suggest the following:

Open 3 different accounts - one joint account is to pool income for shared household expenses and one each for personal savings and investments. Remember the basic requirement to becoming rich is that you must always spend less than what you earn.

The third item is your relations with your relatives.
Relatives always mean well and want the best for you but the advice they give may not be in the best interest of your special relationship.
Only you can decide if any advice will improve or worsen that relationship.
Be prepared to say, “Thanks for the advice. I will see how that can help things.”

Getting married is the starting point of a long journey and I am sure in seven years you have discovered how to settle some differences? That will surely help for marriage is a bed of roses. Remember there are thorns here and there.

Today as you start a new life together I have this wish for you

"May your love grow throughout the years
And may your children spare you many tears
When you do fight learn to quickly pardon
Before your hearts begin to harden
May your journey in love teach others to care
That life’s a mystery, a bounty to share.”

Ladies and Gentlemen: I give you Cynthia & Andrew!
Photo: Thanks to http://www.sunandseabeachweddings.com/DSC_0135_edited.JPG