this is a wedding toast.

Firstly I would like to start off by welcoming everyone and thanking you all for sharing such a special day with our families – I know it means a lot to all of us. Being the little sister of the groom it certainly means a lot to me that I get to stand up here today on Mark and Sarah’s wedding day.

Since I can remember my brother has always been there for me. I know it might sound cliché but it’s the only thing I can say that outlines just how it was. Mark was just seven years old when I was born and even at that age he gladly took the role of big brother. We have always been close and I am truly thankful for that. My earliest memories of just how lucky I am starts with the St. Theresa of Avila wall at recess. Only my friends and I were allowed to hang out along the wall with the grade eights. Although as saying this speech today I’m starting to think it was all just a rouse to get girls through you’re cute little sister. I could stand up here and lie and say that as we grew up we maintained a picture perfect relationship. But while we still loved each other as brother and sister one can just imagine the kinds of fights we had going through our different stages of life. But I always had someone to pick me up or drop me off at school, even if he did walk way to fast.

Sibling fights came and went. I even sometimes took the initiative to write an apology when I felt particularly bad like one fight when I almost bit a chunk out of his arm. As we got older our arguments and fights became much more humorous- now that I look back on them. Like one instance when Marks temper put a hole in my door. We both realized that as mad as we were at each other when our parents got home it would be about ten times worse. So we stuck together, took the door off the hinges and moved it to a different location; anything to avoid getting in trouble.

As I got older our relationship changed quite a bit. High school came around and we had much more in common than we ever did. A similar taste in music brought us together where at the same time my underage drinking tore us apart. I’m positive even some people here today can attest to just how strict my big brother was with me up until the very day I turned 19; worse than even my own parents. Even that beautiful lady sitting on his right couldn’t help me in that situation, although she did try several times.

I remember when Mark first brought Sarah into our lives. She was just about as quiet as a mouse but with the influence of my family that soon changed. Sarah and I quickly developed a relationship. We would take shopping trips together, watch movies, eat pizza, gossip, and drink endless amounts of wine. Remember that one time we polished off 6 bottles? No you don’t- me either. We would do pretty much anything two close friends would do. Being able to have that kind of relationship with Sarah couldn’t make me happier and it pleases me so much to welcome her into our family as a sister-in-law, daughter-in-law and as always a friend.

This is a toast to Mark and Sarah – two people who are just perfect for each other. They carry the right mix of love, kindness; passion and hostility that will make their marriage last forever. Cheers!