FAQs

As a Toastmaster I am asked many questions, some of which are listed below which you may find helpful.

What does a Toastmaster do at a wedding?
My duties as a Toastmaster are to ensure all the correct procedures are carried out, to liaise with the venue management and to help make it a very special day for everybody, especially the Bride and Bridegroom.

Why are Toastmasters becoming more popular at weddings?
A wedding is a very special day and the Bride and Bridegroom want it to be as stress-free as possible, allowing them to enjoy the occasion. A Toastmaster is there to ensure the reception runs smoothly and to time, at the same time adding a touch of class to the occasion.

What do Toastmasters wear?
I wear a hunting long tailed coat (commonly known as a Red Coat), starched fronted white dress shirt, white bow tie and a starched white waistcoat, white gloves, black dress suit trousers and black patent leather shoes. This is the customary livery for all toastmasters.

Do you attend the church or civil ceremony?
I would not normally attend the church or civil ceremony but would be at the reception venue to greet you, having arrived at least 1 hour prior to the reception to acquaint myself with the surroundings and to liaise with the Banqueting Manager and staff.

I am getting married at the venue – will you be in attendance?
I would be present and would ensure that your Guests are seated in the room licensed for the marriage, liaise with the registrar and let the Bride know that everything is ready for the ceremony to start.

The Hotel says they have a Toastmaster service – why do I need you?
I would advise you to check with the hotel/venue that it is a bonafide toastmaster and to ask which Guild or Association he or she belongs to. It may be that the hotel/venue is providing only a duty or banqueting manager. It is then your choice whether you hire me or not.

How long will you stay at our wedding?
My duties are normally completed at end of the wedding breakfast formalities. However, if you want me to stay until the end of the first dance or to the end of the evening reception, perhaps an agreeable fee can be arranged.

What is a receiving line and should I have one?
A receiving line is where all the wedding Guests, some of whom may never have met the hosts, are formally announced by me to the parents of the Bride and Bridegroom, together with the Bride and Bridegroom.

What is the order of the receiving line?
The order of a receiving line would normally be the Bride’s mother, Bride’s father, Bridegroom’s mother, Bridegroom’s father, Bride and Bridegroom.

A receiving line can take time for guests to pass through it, so you should allow between 10/15 minutes for each 50 Guests attending.

If we have a receiving line when would it take place?
It was in the past customary to greet the Guests on arrival at the reception but, due to photography taking longer, it is now more usual to have a receiving line prior to your guests taking their places for the Wedding Breakfast

Does it matter if we do not have a receiving line?
No, it is your choice, but you should mingle with your Guests, trying to ensure you have greeted everybody during the reception and possibly during the meal when time allows.

Will you announce the Wedding Breakfast to our Guests?
Yes, it is part of my role to ensure all your Guests are assembled in the Banqueting Suite before I announce you.

Will you announce us and escort us into the Wedding Breakfast?
Most definitely – for many Brides and Bridegrooms this is the highlight of the day, being announced as the new Mr and Mrs to their guests and being escorted into the Banqueting Suite to an ovation.

Who would say Grace?
I would normally say Grace if requested and I have a selection of formal and less formal Graces. However, you may have a family friend who you may prefer to ask. If you have a member of the clergy at the Wedding Breakfast it would be usual to ask him/her to say Grace.

Do the speeches come before the meal or after?
Normally the speeches come after the meal, but it is not unusual to have them before to enable the speechmakers to enjoy their meal without having to worry. The downside to this is that, if the speeches over-run there is a chance that hot food waiting to be served could be spoilt. My personal view is to have them AFTER the meal and avoid any disappointment.

How many toasts should we have?
Usually there are 3 toasts. Firstly to the Bride and Bridegroom, proposed by the Bride’s father or whoever has been appointed in his place. The second toast should be to the Bridemaids and Best Man, proposed by the Bridegroom. Finally the Best Man would propose the toast to the parents of the Bride and Bridegroom or, as is more popular these days, to the Bride and Bridegroom.

Should the Best Man include any humour in his wedding speech?
Generally it is not advisable to embarrass any of your wedding Guests, remembering the different generations who will be present, and of course the use of bad language should be avoided at all costs. However a little light banter from the Best Man towards the Groom is more than acceptable and expected!

When should we cut the wedding cake?
Should you wish the wedding cake to be served with the coffee after the meal, you would normally cut the cake after the main course has been cleared. However, when Guests have eaten a large meal they do not always want wedding cake, so if you have an evening buffet it may be better serve the cake then, in which case the cake would be cut before the speeches take place.

We would like to have a Wedding Book for all our Guests to sign – who should we leave it with to get everyone to sign it?
The Wedding Guest Book should be given to me and I will ensure your Guests sign it during the Wedding Breakfast.

Will we need a public address system for the speeches?
This depends on the size of the room, but normally the answer is “Yes”. Some venues will offer you a sound system, others do not, so always check. If you are holding your reception in a marquee you will almost certainly need a sound system, as sound gets absorbed under the canvas. Remember, your Guests want to be able to hear the speeches, as they are an important part of the occasion.

We will have cameras on the table – how can we make sure our Guests use them?
I will explain to your guests prior to the Wedding Breakfast how to use the cameras and where to leave them.

After the Wedding Breakfast and speeches have finished what happens next?
I will ask the Guests to stand and then I will escort the Bride and Bridegroom from the top table and out of the Banqueting Room.