Toast for Sarah and Troy

Welcome to the celebration of the wedding of Troy and Sarah. I'm Steve Will, the father of the bride. Most of you know this is the third wedding toast I've had the pleasure to give over the past year or so. My son Adam got married last June, and my other son, Lucas, got married in October. So you might think I would run out of things to say. It happens, however, that I've known for a long time what I'd say for the wedding toast for my daughter, Sarah. So, here it is.

{Pause}

"Once upon a time, there was a Princess, named Sarah."

When my children were young, before Leah was even born, in fact, I started telling them "Princess Sarah" stories. I made them up, usually as bedtime stories, over the course of several years.

Princess Sarah's life was somewhat different from our Sarah's, but it was also quite similar. Princess Sarah lived in a castle; our Sarah took walks with her family to "The Castle" nearby -- the name we gave to Kellogg Middle School to make our strolls more fanciful. Our Sarah, of course had two older brothers, Adam & Lucas. Princess Sarah had a younger brother -- his name was "Adam, or Lucas; whatever." Sometimes, it was "Lucas, or Adam; whatever." I could never choose. And when Sarah faced situations in her life, she did so with cleverness, courage and a caring heart. That was the same for each Sarah; Princess and Sarah Lynn.

I loved telling those stories. The kids loved hearing them.

But in those stories, Princess Sarah never grew up. She had adventures with her siblings (eventually, I'm sure there was a Princess Leah who joined the family) and her horse Graymane and her elf friend, Pip. But she was, forever, a child.

Why?

I think it had something to do with the inevitable course a Princess story must take.

A Princess must find her Prince.

When Sarah was three-or-four years old, I could not imagine a Prince who would be worthy of that Princess.

We are all here today, of course, because she found him. She brought a new character into her story. I couldn't be happier for her, and for them.

So I would ask all of you to raise your glasses and join me in a toast to Princess Sarah and her prince, Troy. We hope that they will live

Happily Ever After.