A Wedding Toast...

This past weekend my sister got hitched and it was really a beautiful wedding. Mount Bethel, PA really exceeded my expectations although I do want to slap mother nature in the face for making the last two evenings as cold as they were. My sweatshirt wasn't really a good look for my bridesmaid gown. The four days I spent on the east coast were exhausting as we were finishing touched on the seating chart, favors, cake, and finding a hairdresser last minute, yikes!!! But everything turned out as perfect as could be up until 3 a.m. the morning of the wedding when I realized that even though I had thought about making my speech since the day I was asked to be Maid of Honor, I still hadn't actually written it! So... I thought that I would share the masterpiece that was created. The lyrics at the end of the song is what I sang to the bride and groom after my speech.... way after.... after the awkward 60 seconds of silence that they were looking for my song and realized they didn't have it. This was the moment when I told the crowd awkwardly, "I actually prepared the song 'The Sound of Silence' for you this evening". I got a few laughs at that cheese plate of a joke but really I couldn't believe I pulled that one out of my ass! Enjoy!

Hello everyone… Before I get started on my hot mess of a speech, I would like to start by thanking you all for being a part of Kelley and Doug’s special day. Some of you have traveled far to be here and I know it means the world to our happy couple here. I would also like to thank the bridal party, Katie Frye, Erica Charneski and Nicole Gruenthal for their hard work and stellar performance over the last few days bringing this wedding together. You all did an amazing job and I know that the Bride & Groom truly appreciate all your support.

For those of you who don't know me my name is Jackie, Kelley's sister. For those of you who do know me, know that I could really use a martini right about now. When I look at the bride and groom, I feel a whirlwind of emotions. I feel honored to be here to celebrate their love for one another. I feel proud to call them family. I feel nauseous because they are staring at me. I feel like an absolute cheeseball because I am so excited for them that I could skip around all day and paint rainbows. I feel hopeful that one day I will look a fraction as beautiful as my sister does on my wedding day, and I feel comforted that my sister has found the perfect person to spend the rest of her life with. I also feel like my dress might rip if I sit down again but I’ll spare you the details…

I never knew Doug before he dated my sister but he told me a story once that made me realize that he was the real deal. On one of their first dates in the dead of winter in NYC, he forgot where he parked his car. They walked around in the freezing cold for a half hour trying to find it. They then drove around in a cab for a half hour trying to find it. Then he dropped Kelley off in a warm store to wait while he successfully continued to look for it for another half hour. When he explained that this was something somewhat normal for him, I knew it was a match made in heaven. For anyone that knows Kelley – knows that she too is a forgetful Franny, but it is also something that makes her so unique and wonderful. Doug, Welcome to the family (you are a brave man). You have made my sister so happy so I ask you from the bottom of my heart- to please take care of her and be patient with one another. I am going to tell you something really important now so make sure you remember this one very important detail… If you have to be somewhere on time, tell her the actual time you have to be there is at least a half hour before the real time. It doesn’t matter how much you prepare for something in advance, you Will be late.

Kelley, There are so many things I want to say and I know that I won’t say it right. You are a beautiful person and you have taught me to open my eyes to the world and see all the opportunities ahead. You have supported me through good times and bad. I know that sometimes I am difficult and we don’t always see eye to eye but at the end of the day, all we need to do is love one another. That is exactly the message that Pastor was speaking about in your ceremony. And I do. I love you so much, wish you nothing but happiness and am so proud of you. Take each day and cherish your time together. Love one another and stand together. Take time to talk to one another. Put your love and your family first; your job and your hobbies second. My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years, your love for each other will deepen and grow. Years from now, may you look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.

Separately, you are two special, remarkable people, but together you are complete. You are family. You are home. I love you and congratulations!

"Feels Like Home"

Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life

If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

A window breaks, down a long, dark street
And a siren wails in the night
But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light

Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much

It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong