Speech for Kim's Wedding

Kim asked me to speak at her wedding, so I wrote this here. Was still writing it as I arrived at the reception, haha, and I think I could have done a better job if I had recorded the speech I kinda prepared in my head driving home from the rehersal dinner but oh well -- I've been told this one went off pretty well anyway.

 Hi, I think the best man does all the jokes that make this an “Adult Reception” and I’m supposed to provide the sweet, awe-inspiring anecdotes as the BFF that was there when these two started dating.

My name is Andrew, and it’s crazy to think that Kim has been one of my best friends for almost 10 years now. I was there, in the summer 2004, at the Garfield Heights Homedays when all this started.

Knowing what I know now, I would have told Kim that Ross was a fine, upstanding young man with a good head on his shoulders and a heart of gold, that would become the love of her life, and an inspiration to anyone who sees them together.

At the time, I think I said something more akin to “Don’t talk to him, he’s as old as the 2001: A Space Odyssey ride and probably as creepy, don’t get caught alone with him.” Lucky for her, she did not heed my advice, which I proudly recant.

My friendship with Kim is pretty much based on these random tangent stories, so bear with me: the other day, I was helping my mom enroll to pay her credit cards online, and one of the security question options was “What was your High School best friend’s last name?” I asked mom, and she couldn’t remember. She hadn’t seen the person in thirty years.

It would be sweet to say “let’s keep in touch, and prove the people wrong” that say ten years after college you don’t speak to any of the friends you had in college. But today marks the change in Kim and Ross’ priorities. They’re married now, and their family (including little future Kim jr.s and Ross jr.s) is their top priority. So I’ll understand if planning those birthday extravaganzas, theme park outings, movie parties, New Year’s parties, Christmas parties, end of semester parties (we have had a lot of parties) – is not at the forefront of your mind as much.

Your top priorities is to love each other, and provide for each other, and help  each other through any hardships you come across. Because like I told you the other day, when you were trying to figure out how many people were coming to your Rehersal Reception and how to buy shoes and pay for this wedding – or as I wanted to tell you today when the cake slicer was missing, the rings were forgotten, no one knew who was picking up Macie, and the gazebo had lost power: working together to get through these hardships now, will prepare you for real prosperity later. One day down the road, you will look back and say “Haha, I’m so glad times are easier now.”

So Kim, Ross, best wishes, I speak for the whole room when I say: we Love you both and know you will be infinitely happy together.