Thank you Adolfo – and on behalf of my wife and I – I'd like to thank you all for coming. Especially those of you who have come from distant parts of Europe, where they speak a foreign language – like Wales. And Leeds.

I think I owe a brief apology to anyone who's missing the FA Cup Final and the Eurovision Song Contest to be here – Although I can't say I'll be supporting the Blue team at either event.

A bit about how we met – Daniela was a mutual friend of Tracey and Will, who suggested we go out on a double date. This was on the 13th October 2007 – a date I will never forget: The date the England Rugby Team beat arch-rivals France at the World Cup, to reach the final!

Now, most of you might not know, but we played Australia the week before -and they were expected to knock us out. But we beat them. So, the vital France semi-final kicks off at 7pm on the Saturday evening – meaning I'm a little bit "double-booked".

Now I'd love to say I chivalrously decided not to watch the rugby, and devote all my attention to Daniela. And I'd love to say I didn't drag her and our friends to some dodgy sports pub in Brixton to watch the game, which none of them were interested in. But this was a World Cup semi final – against France!

To my shame I was so caught up in the excitement of the game I practically ignored Daniela for the first couple of hours into our date. However, this did give us both a chance to have a few drinks – which she probably needed more than me – and we got together before the end of the night.

Now, England may not have won the World Cup in 2007, but they were very lucky that year – and so was I.

Just over two years later, at the end of 2009, I asked Daniela to marry me – which was a cinch after I'd managed to get up the courage to ask Adolfo earlier in the day.

I proposed at about two minutes to midnight on New Years Eve, so we she spent most of the start of 2010 answering questions from well-wishers like "Was he drunk?" and "Did he actually have a REAL ring?"

Well, I did, and some of you may not know, but our engagement ring is actually a Boyland family heirloom. However, I had to warn Daniela that the ring not only has a family history, but also holds a terrible curse – the wearer has to agree to marry a Boyland.

Despite all this, she said yes – the curse was lifted, and she became the Beauty to my Beast.

So my first thank-you has to be to my new wife Daniela – I am sure you will all agree she looks absolutely amazing today, and I feel like the luckiest man alive to be married to her.

I have never known anyone as kind hearted as Daniela – although the animals she treats at the vets probably don't think so. But that's because they're too stupid to understand how much she cares for them – And this is something I have learned from.

When Daniela smiles, she makes everyone around her smile too – and she is one of very few people on this planet that is truly beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. Daniela, I will love you always, and I will do everything I can to keep you safe and happy for the rest of our lives together.

The next thank-you is to my Mum and Dad for all their invaluable help in getting everything organised, for helping Daniela pick the dress, and generally, just putting up with me for 30-odd years.

Next, I'd like to thank my brother Mike, and my new brother Sandro, for being our ushers.And if we could all raise our glasses in a toast to the beautiful bridesmaids, Emma and Tracey – who've been so helpful with all the organisation and helping to stop Daniela panicking too much.

And once again I'd like to thank everyone for attending, and for all the extremely generous contributions towards our honeymoon we have received – which Daniela has made me promise not to spend on Mohitos and cigars!

A few special mentions for people who have helped today go smoothly – thanks to Gill at the Lovekyn Chapel (and Will for doing the music!) – Thanks to the florist for all her help, thanks to Amanda the photographer, the drivers, and everyone who worked so hard to help Daniela look so beautiful. And especially thanks to Ernesto and all the staff at the Vecchia Roma for such a wonderful meal and a perfect venue. Cheers!

Next, the toast to Absent Friends – our friends and relatives both here and abroad who could not be here today – and in particular Daniela's Mum, who I unfortunately never had the pleasure of meeting, but who I'm sure would be as happy and as proud as I am of her beautiful daughter on this wonderful day. Absent friends.

Finally, once again a massive thank you to Adolfo – for everything you have done to make today happen. And thank you for having such a beautiful, intelligent, kind and caring daughter, and of course, for giving me the privilege of being her husband. I hope to do you proud. 

So that's enough from me – I could go on all night, telling tired old jokes and exaggerated anecdotes, but instead I'm going to leave that to my best man: Over to Greg!

Yes I did get nervous – particularly as I didn't get to do it until nearly
9pm after all the delays
…

The Best Man was much more nervous than me, and I think it spoiled his day a
bit – I think there's a fair call to have the speeches as early as possible for
this very reason… In fact I might start a forum thread about this :o)