My Speech

I've been wanting to post this on here ever since Julie's wedding, but I kept forgetting until today! This was my speech at my sister's wedding reception, and I wanted to post it here so I'll be able to keep track of it forever :-) What I'm about to post is a little longer than my actual speech, because I didn't want to read it at the reception. I thought that would seem more impersonal than just saying it, and in my nervousness I skipped a few things. But this was the major gist of it: (I sprinkled in some vintage photos of us and of Julie and Andy just for the fun of it)

Julie has always been miss independent. Growing up, she said she would never get married! I, being the complete opposite and hopeless romantic of the family, knew that she was wrong. I knew it was just a matter of finding the right guy. He was out there somewhere, just waiting to change her mind.

{Julie being the little ham that she is - 1995}

Julie's junior year of high school she came home from a youth convention all giggly and smiley, talking about a boy from her class who had been there. Julie was never giggly and smiley when it came to boys. So I knew that Andy must have been different. I wondered if he was the guy who would change her mind.

{Julie and I, Winter Sports Dance 2003}

I watched Julie and Andy begin dating, go off to football games and proms together, graduate from high school together, eventually go off to college together, and even graduate from college together. They have learned so much together about life and relationships. They have literally grown up together.

{Julie and Andrew, Homecoming 2005}

So since they have been together for so long, they know each other pretty well. There are a few things I feel I should warn Andy of...be he probably already knows them. Like the fact that if Julie is crabby, she probably just needs food. Give her a cookie and she'll be happy again. Or the fact that her moods are like the weather in Ohio...if you don't like it, just wait five minutes. I don't have to warn him about those things, because after 6 years together, he already knows them all!

{Me and Julie at Magic Kingdom, 2005}

All kidding aside, I am so happy that Julie and Andy are sitting here today, and that I, as the older and wiser sister, was totally right...I knew she'd get married someday. I'm glad she finally found the man who changed her mind...and I'm glad she found him so young!

{Us at the wedding, June 25, 2011}

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I'm so excited for my sister and new brother-in-law!

{Julie, Andy, and Oopa, the new family, at the wedding - June 25, 2011}