Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. For those who don’t know me, my name is Daniel Chen and I was summoned to be the best man in this wedding (pause to bask in glory).

I would like to start by thanking Gene and Linne Atteberry and Dean and Kathy Waits for this lovely and amazing wedding. If it weren’t for them, this wedding would have never happened, literally. 23 years in the planning.

I would also like to thank everyone who was able to come here today. If it weren’t for you, I would be giving a very calm and boring speech, rather than shaking in dread. In fact, when Brian told me that he wanted me to be his best man, my first reaction was to ask “you realize how awkward I am in public situations, right?” he merely responded “you just ahve to stand by me and look not quite as good as me in a tux”, well, sorry Brian.

I met Brian in freshmen year, when we first moved into the dorms as college roommates. Over the years, I have come to know Brian as one of the finest people I have had the privilege to meet. He is honest, courageous, loyal and very intelligent. A man of his word and whom you can always count on even in the toughest of times.

I remember how during sophomore year in college. My car was rear ended and had to take it to the body shop. Well, I didn’t plan ahead so I ended up pacing back and forth in the shop whilst frenetically calling everyone I knew for a ride back to school, but no one answered. ---Until I called Brian, apparently he was sleeping at 2 in the afternoon. I told him the dire situation I was in and all he said was “let me get dressed and I’ll get there in 20 minutes” I offered a 6pack, but I don’t think I ever delivered and he never asked for it.
Brian is also a very focused person. Whenever we watched movies, he would close his eyes and reflect on the scenes he watched while making a very special and meditative sound, easily confused with snoring.

A few words about the bride:

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing Sarah for that long.  But I know she is astonishingly beautiful (as we can see today), charming, smart, funny, loving and caring. We met at one of Brian’s parties, and by then they were already a couple. On that day I felt how kind of a person she was, and the effort she exerted to socialize with even the most antisocial persons in Brian’s circle of friends (point to self). I mean, come on, she gave us a ride home after the party even though it was Brian who agreed to do so. She baked a cake for Duncan’s birthday during junior year, and she even played super Mario brothers for the wii with us. On one of those occasions, I witnessed an extraordinary teamwork maneuver. In an ocean based level, where 4 teammates jumped from island to island to get to the exit, Brian grabbed a character, and flung it backwards, this is when Sarah jumped up grabbed the character in mid-air and threw it down, towards a jumping giant goldfish which ate it, effectively killing it. That character was me.

Anyways, after that day, I already knew. She is the one. They are a perfect match. Whether Brian knew so or not at that time, I don’t know. But I did know that if he had messed it up, he would have lost the only chance in a lifetime, I believe there is no better match for them. And I’m glad he did not.

And with that, I ask you to please join me in a toast. To Sarah and Brian, may today be the beginning of their happily ever after.