All Indian wedding toastmasters are different. If you decide to hire one here is a quick three point checklist of things they should offer for you.
- AVAILABLE FOR YOU. All good toastmasters will be available before the big day and will not book other events early the next morning for example. They should know who your close friends and family are to liaise with any big changes. This is one of the biggest advantages to sorting out any issues and making improvements on a busy day.
- HAVE A GOOD VOICE: Speaking to a toastmaster on the phone will give you a good idea of their voice/stature/personality. Many couples can “imagine or visualise” what a toastmaster can and will do for them by speaking or the phone or meeting one, before they confirm.
- SAVE YOU AND OTHERS STRESS: Get a good toastmaster to organise and announce the wedding photos. Make sure they know where the table plan is and encourage guests to have a look or take a picture of it. I have seen the number of times people crowd around one table plan only once people are urgently told to go in. It’s worthwhile giving the toastmaster a printed copy of the table plan, and if you have more than 250 guests, consider two table plans spaced a long way from each other so there is less crowding.
Information and communication are key when you finally agree to use a wedding toastmaster. The more information you provide the easier it is for the professional toastmaster to coordinate your special day.
Who has the authority in the wedding party?
I always like to know the close members of the families and important friends like the best men/ushers. These are the people a wedding toastmaster will trust if there is anything that needs to change from the original plan. It’s important to know who knows the full plan of the day and who has the authority to change it. That way somebody suggesting “we need to delay the food”, or “Let’s change the order of photographs” is less likely to occur because I will know the handful of people can change the plan and know from the bride and groom in advance what they definitely want and do not want.
The Wedding Toastmaster can help put your wedding back on track
If things need to change, or the schedule is running a bit behind then this is where your man in the red uniform is invaluable. He or she can pass messages onto others, liaise with suppliers, and get things moving fast. A favourite phrase of mine with a big smile is: “The food has just started being served, right now there’s no queue!” And it pretty much works. If you can get the first 25 people to do something others will quickly follow the crowd.
Everything going according to plan
Couples sometimes worry and have questions like ‘how will we QUICKLY sit 400 people at their tables after they’ve all had canapes and drank champagne?”. The answer is with good planning. Tell guests in advance of their table number. Encourage guests to take a picture of the table plan so they don’t forget and can tell other friends they are sitting with them.
Your toastmaster will get some guests to check with plenty of time to go. It is also very handy to have a paper copy so I can help if lots of people are crowded around one table plan. I always like to have a look at the room layout and where the tables are. With the modern style of themed tables being named after famous actors, football teams, famous cities, or even desserts I can help in ushering people to their seats, explaining the seating plan and/or pointing them to their place for the reception.
Be sure to contact wedding toastmaster Tejas Kotecha now via the contact form or 07786 513686 for further information about hiring him for your special day.