Before I undertake the customary duty of giving Martin an uncomfortable few minutes it is part of the official duty of the best man to thank Martin on behalf of the bridesmaids, Sezan, Canan and Clare for his kind words and for having them play a part of this really special day. I have to say they all look wonderful and have done an excellent job. Indeed they are only eclipsed by Arzu herself, who, I''m sure you''ll all agree, looks absolutely stunning.
It is a great privilege to be asked by Martin to be his best man. He has quite generously returned the favour that I asked of him 6 years ago, during which Martin took the opportunity to make lots of cheap jokes at my expense, so I now have the right to reply.
I suppose the first thing the best man should explain is how he knows the groom. Well, being his identical twin we first met long before we can both remember, so we are very close. There''s nothing I wouldn't do for Martin, likewise there''s nothing Martin wouldn't do for me, in fact we spent most of our time doing nothing for each other.
I will start at the point of our early life as toddlers.
Growing up together in those early days, I am proud to say that I was an angelic child, no trouble to anyone, but the same could not be said of Martin. He showed no respect to his elder twin brother. I became an innocent victim of his loutish behavior. "Lloyd, flush you socks down the toilet" he used to say. And under duress I did.
But that lout grew up into the well-mannered and well-presented individual we see sitting here today. Martin has matured.
For instance I can tell you that Martin is very well read - he has after all read all 45 of the Mr Men books from cover to cover. In fact, at the age of five, whilst living in Australia, Martin had a great idea to wander off into the dense, wild outback behind our house to look for Mr Jelly, whom he had read lived in the middle of a forest. He convinced me to go with him and we got terribly lost. By the time we had found our way home, there were lots of tears. Not for the fact that he had been lost in a forest, but that Martin never found Mr Jelly''s house.
It is a great privilege to be asked by Martin to be his best man. He has quite generously returned the favour that I asked of him 6 years ago, during which Martin took the opportunity to make lots of cheap jokes at my expense, so I now have the right to reply.
I suppose the first thing the best man should explain is how he knows the groom. Well, being his identical twin we first met long before we can both remember, so we are very close. There''s nothing I wouldn't do for Martin, likewise there''s nothing Martin wouldn't do for me, in fact we spent most of our time doing nothing for each other.
I will start at the point of our early life as toddlers.
Growing up together in those early days, I am proud to say that I was an angelic child, no trouble to anyone, but the same could not be said of Martin. He showed no respect to his elder twin brother. I became an innocent victim of his loutish behavior. "Lloyd, flush you socks down the toilet" he used to say. And under duress I did.
But that lout grew up into the well-mannered and well-presented individual we see sitting here today. Martin has matured.
For instance I can tell you that Martin is very well read - he has after all read all 45 of the Mr Men books from cover to cover. In fact, at the age of five, whilst living in Australia, Martin had a great idea to wander off into the dense, wild outback behind our house to look for Mr Jelly, whom he had read lived in the middle of a forest. He convinced me to go with him and we got terribly lost. By the time we had found our way home, there were lots of tears. Not for the fact that he had been lost in a forest, but that Martin never found Mr Jelly''s house.
