Speech from the Father of the Bride

Good evening, everyone.

Welcome, and thank you so much for being here.

On behalf of our family, I want to welcome you all from the bottom of my heart, and to thank you for coming to London today to share this celebration with us.

I know that some of you have come from nearby, while others have travelled a very long way—from across Britain and from much further afield. Having you all here with us today means a great deal to our family.

We are a family from Jerusalem, and there is something very special about London bringing us all together today: two families, and friends from so many different places, many of whom might never have met if it were not for Celine and George.

I would especially like to welcome George, his family and his friends.

George, welcome to our family.

From today, you are not a guest, and you are not simply our daughter’s husband.

You are one of us.

We are so happy that Celine chose you to share her life with. And as we have come to know you better, we have understood why she chose you.

We have seen the respect you have for her, how much you value her, and how you stand beside her. But perhaps most importantly, we have seen how happy the two of you are together.

For a father, there is nothing more important than seeing his daughter happy, with someone who loves her, respects her and will always be there to support her.

And then there is Celine…

Ever since she was little, Celine and I have been very close. I have always loved talking with her, listening to her thoughts and hearing her opinions.

There was always something distinctive about her. She thought deeply, she asked questions, she formed her own opinions, and she was never afraid to follow her own path.

Her journey began in Jerusalem, at the Rosary Sisters’ School. There she learned four languages, but she also learned something equally important: to respect and value difference, and to see the variety of people, cultures and ideas around us as something beautiful—something that enriches our lives.

She went on to study at the Hebrew University, completed her master’s degree in Haifa, and later moved to Britain, where she was accepted to study at the University of Cambridge.

That was a wonderful achievement, and we were incredibly proud of her.

But sometimes life takes us down paths we could never have planned.

And one of those paths is what eventually brought Celine and George together.

Celine and George,

Your backgrounds and your cultures may be different, but marriage is not about two people being exactly the same.

Marriage is about respecting one another, learning from one another, laughing together, and supporting each other through both the good days and the difficult ones.

And above all, remain friends.

Celine, looking at you today, I am prouder of you than I can possibly express.

You have grown up and are building a life of your own, but a part of me will always see the little girl who used to ask me for chocolate and something sweet—and who, even now, as an adult, still reaches for my hand when we cross the road together.

Some things never change.

But this is life.

We watch our children grow up and build lives of their own, and then one day we find ourselves standing beside them as they begin a completely new chapter.

And today, Celine’s new chapter is George.

George and Celine, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you a life filled with love, laughter and wonderful adventures.

Be each other’s support, each other’s friend and each other’s partner.

And enjoy every day you have together.

Because marriage is not only the wedding day.

Marriage is all the days that come afterwards.

Finally, thank you again to every one of you for coming to London and sharing this day with us.

From Jerusalem to London, today our family has grown.

George, welcome to the family.

And Celine, my beloved daughter, I will always be proud of you.

Congratulations, Celine.

Congratulations, George.

And now, please raise your glasses with us…

To Celine and George—and to all of you.