That daughter of mine!

[deptfordmarmoset]

That daughter of mine has only gone away to New York and left the grandparents holding the babies (well, 1 and 3 years old) . If that wasn't enough, she just phoned me up to say her partner has just given her an engagement ring. So I'm about to become a father-in-law to a son-in-law and both our side of the family aren't even married.

It occurs to me that I have a very limited understanding of what the father of the bride has to do. Of course, I've been to weddings but always as a musician, so it's all about playing, being indulgent to the guests and getting home ASAP for a beer or more. The worst thing about weddings is that the groom often pays before the playing bit and I prefer to get paid afterwards. It's a reward thing.

So, anyway, as an unmarried grandfather, with no job and very limited funding, who knows how to get through this? In the normal run of things it's the parents that get married first. Now, apparently, it's the children that get married first.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Congratulations DM

All you have to do is be very proud, tell her she looks stunning as you walk her towards her husband to be and then grin from ear to ear all day.

It will be wonderful.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You're going to have a great time! You don't have to spend wedges of cash, although if the engagement happened in Poo York then who knows!

 

[ufkacbln]

Make it a double Wedding?

 

[biggs682]

congrats to all involved and lets hope you all enjoy it

 

[Beebo]

Get planning your speech now.

 

[Fnaar]

You have to rummage around for photos of her as a kid, and put them into a powerpoint presentation to show during the wedding. That is in all the etiquette books these days. Probably.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Hide behind the sofa until it all goes away.

 

[Bollo]

I believe it's traditional for the father of the bride to start the first fight. Get drinking!

 

[Booyaa]

Got a new mortgage, start to write a speech and get used to everyone commenting on how beautiful your daughter is.

 

[srw]

Traditionally you pay for it, walk her up the aisle in the church - and patronise her in the reception by making a speech on her behalf (women, of course, being completely incapable of public speaking). Untraditionally you can do what the hell you like. If they can afford to swan off to NY to get engaged and he can afford an engagement ring then they can probably afford to pay for the party that they want to throw.

Since you've done wedding gigs, it sounds as if you've got the wedding present sorted - you'll provide the music. Just pick the right mates to do it with so that at some stage you can leave them to it and enjoy the party.

 

[Venod]

My daughter & partner had 3 children they then decided to get married, being a chip of the old block she went for the registry office and a pub that did 2 for 1 on meals, I was well impressed, a down to earth Yorkshire lass.

 

[rich p]

You perform the role that your daughter wants you to perform, give a witty but not spiteful speech, get drunkish (but not before the speech), dance with the father of the groom, dance with all the young women that will let you, practise your píss-poor Italian on the foreign visitors, glad hand anyone that you see and sleep the sleep of the dead.
It worked for me.

 

[ufkacbln]

You have to rummage around for embarrassing photos of her as a kid, and put them into a powerpoint to show during the wedding. That is in all the etiquette books these days. Probably.

You missed out the important bit - FTFY

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Thanks for the well wishing, chaps and chappettes. My thoughts about a speech are that I have the power of speech and I didn't get that power by giving them. But it's all going to be an experience!