What do toastmasters do?

As a wedding photographer, I have found the toastmasters I have worked with to be fantastic. (They cut down the time taken for formal photographs by announcing each set of people needed, and directing them to the photographer). Toastmasters are also enormously helpful, very friendly and really make a wedding day run smoothly. I'm quite confident that they take potential stress away from the Bride, Groom and Best Man. What exactly do they do though?

At larger weddings without a toastmaster a great deal of time is spent by the photographer, videographer, Best Man and Groom on directing events. The photographer and videographer have other jobs to do, and the Best Man and Groom would much rather be enjoying themselves and mingling with guests. This is where a toastmaster comes in. They usually exude a certain amount of natural authority. This combined with their formal dress makes them very skilled at getting people to quickly go where they are needed, without ever seeming bossy.

Without a toastmaster, moving guests into the formal dining rooms can easily take fifteen minutes of running around. A quick announcement by a toastmaster sees this accomplished in a small fraction of the time and also appears more dignified and enhances the sense of ceremony and occasion. A toastmaster will also help ensure that nothing is forgotten. From arranging guests to be greeted by the Bridal Party, announcing each speaker during the speeches, formally announcing the cutting of the wedding cake and the starting of the first dance, a toastmaster will see that events proceed with a level of decorum and efficiency.

For registry office weddings and very modest events the services of a toastmaster might not be necessary, but for weddings with more than a hundred guests they can be worth their weight in gold. Fortunately, they do not cost nearly that much though, and are very reasonably priced for what they do and what they add to a wedding.