There is no doubt that a friendly red-coated Toastmaster can make all the difference to a Wedding Reception, whether it be a sit-down meal or a buffet, and whether it is held in a hotel, public hall or a marquee in your garden.

The presence of a Toastmaster means that the Bride, Bridegroom and both sets of parents are relieved of any worry about Who Does What and What Happens Next. They can relax and enjoy themselves with their guests, knowing that everything will run smoothly in the capable hands of a professional.

It may well be that up to now, you have not even considered engaging the services of a professional toastmaster for your Wedding Reception. Possibly you feel that your guests would consider a formally dressed, red-coated Master of Ceremonies to be "over the top". However, the modern day toastmaster has the ability to adapt to the particular requirements of each individual function which he attends, and his expertise and experience enable him to be as formal or informal as the situation demands. And some people prefer their toastmaster to wear a black tail-coat, dinner jacket, or white tuxedo. Whatever your preference, Mike Jacobs will be happy to oblige.

It's never too early or too late to book a toastmaster for your wedding reception. There are lots of details to be considered: Who will be in your receiving line ? How long will it take ? Do you want to honour The Loyal Toast ? Who will be making the speeches ? Will you need a microphone ? Are there to be bouquets for the mothers and/or grandmothers? Are there to be presentations to the bridesmaids ? ... and a host of other details some of which may not even have occurred to you! Your toastmaster is available, both on the day and beforehand, to advise and assist whenever necessary. Remember, although this may be the first time you have arranged a wedding, your toastmaster's skill and experience in all aspects of the function are at your disposal, and will ensure a smooth running, stress-free, and memorable day for you.

A wedding is your special day: Let your toastmaster look after the organisation on the day whilst you enjoy yourself. Mike Jacobs will do everything in his power to make sure that it is a day to remember, with the Host and Hostess, and the Bride and Groom being freed from the responsibility of supervising the event, so that they can enjoy the occasion every bit as much as their guests.

Mike Jacobs will ensure that all formalities are adhered to with the minimum of fuss and with that special 'personal touch'. You can sit back and relax and enjoy all the festivities. He has an extensive armoury of quips, quotations and similar, which can often help to lighten the atmosphere, and add that gentle touch of humour to alleviate any nervousness of people who are not used to speaking in public.

Your 'Special Day' will be transformed into a truly happy and a very memorable event, which will become a talking point for many months ahead.

So what does a toastmaster do at a wedding reception?

Having previously established with you exactly how you want the day to run, Mike Jacobs takes over as your 'Stage Manager', making sure that the right people are in the right place at the right time, and know exactly what is expected of them.

•He arrives at the venue at much the same time as you arrive at the church (or if you are having a civil ceremony at the venue), he arrives about an hour and a half before the ceremony is due to start.

•He has a briefing meeting with the hotel's Banqueting Manager, and has a final run through of the Function Plan, which he has prepared in consultation with you, and will have communicated to the venue in advance of the event.

•He checks out the top table seating, making sure that guests are seated in accordance with protocol, and your precise wishes.

•He makes sure that any presentations required for the bridegroom's speech are in place.

•He liaises with the catering staff and the video photographer throughout the reception.

•If the ceremony is at the venue, he announces the commencement of the ceremony and ensures that the guests are seated in good time.

•Upon the arrival of the Bride & Groom (or at the end of the civil ceremony), he ensures that the bride and groom have a few minutes respite before they are required for photographs.

•He makes sure that the guests are gathered and organised for the photographs, and works with the photographer to ensure that the photo session is completed satisfactorily in accordance with your wishes and within an agreed time-frame.

•He organises your receiving line and clearly announces the name of each guest. (Remember, the hostess who heads up the receiving line, is unlikely to know many of the guests from the bridegroom's family, or friends of the bride and groom, and a toastmaster's clear announcement can often prevent embarrassment !)

•He arranges the bridal party (the top-table guests, with the exception of the bride and groom) into the order in which they are seated, and formally escorts them to their seats, so that when they arrive there is not an unseemly scrabble of people looking for their places !

•He then announces the bride and groom, escorts them to their places, and says grace if required.

•He organises the 'taking of wine' if required, and the cutting of the wedding cake.

•He co-ordinates the speeches and toasts.

•He makes any other announcements which may be required, and handles any other problems or issues which may arise during the meal, to ensure that the host and hostess or bride and groom are not disturbed unnecessarily He is there to cope with the unexpected.

•Finally, he will close the formal proceedings, announce the evening function, and escort the bride and groom from the banqueting hall after what has been a smoothly flowing and perfect wedding breakfast.

BACK TO TOP