A toastmaster that takes your day from Great to Amazing

The Master of Ceremonies is the person with the microphone whose job it is to keep the guests informed and up to date about what is going on throughout the day. Over the course of a traditional English wedding, the guests may need to move between venues or rooms or need to be available and ready for specific moments like the official wedding photographs or the cutting of the cake.

The Master of Ceremonies is an important role, as even a delay of ten minutes can sometimes throw an entire schedule out of kilter. The Master of Ceremonies can also help in keeping guests calm and happy, keeping them informed as to when and what is happening. The Master of Ceremonies can be particularly important if your wedding is going to have a more non-traditional part to it or isn’t going to run in a ‘usual’ way.

The Master of Ceremonies doesn’t need to be a performer, although sometimes it does help, but simply someone who can offer a dignified and clear voice to your proceedings. Often the Master of Ceremonies will use whatever sound system is in place for the band or DJ.

No matter what the occasion, I can help you make your “special” day very different! Taking the worry out of the arrangements, I will help you to do just that, leaving you to enjoy the moment, knowing that everything that was planned by you is now in my safe hands! I will ensure that all goes well on the Big Day – whatever it is – Wedding, Birthday, Awards, Conference, Dinner Dance, Cocktail Party, Anniversary, Graduation Ceremony – your part is to enjoy it and leave the rest to me!

I will meet and greet your guests, keep them informed, make the announcements, help with speeches (if needed), ensure that all the details are in place, everyone is at the right place at the right time, assist with your photographer, the caterer, the venue and look after the “top” table, whether it be a Wedding, Conference, Dinner, Awards Night, or any other function. I will introduce your speakers or your special guest – whatever you require – consider it done! With all my experience over the years, you will find that I can help you make your event just that little bit more special.

Your guests will be looked after professionally, and they will report back to you with delightful comments on how well you organised your event and how calm and smoothly it all went.

It is important to meet with you and discuss your requirements for the occasion – the style, the protocol, the fun and even the complications, if any. I will help you set out the day, the evening, the event and even the “surprises” for your guests, family and colleagues – whatever it is, where so ever it is.

Before I became a Toastmaster, I had been to weddings that were very good but lacked in the finer detail, the meet & greet, introductions, who does what and where, what has been left out, should we cut the cake now or what? When do we do the speeches and when shall we present the gifts etc.?

I make a promise to you right now, I will help you to make your day (and evening) even more special by being there to ensure that it runs smoothly, confidently, efficiently but with lots of fun too! After all, it is a joyous occasion, and you should be able to relax and take it all in. It will go quickly and before you know where you are, you are saying goodbye to everyone. You focus on the fun, and I’ll focus on keeping your day a great success.

The etiquette of the day, the speeches, seating, and something I think is very important – “mingling”! Yes, apart from doing the announcements, liaising with your venue, DJ, and Photographer, I “mingle” with your guests, keeping them informed of what is happening and when. You will be able to enjoy the whole proceedings knowing that the “red coat” is working and looking after you and your guests, with the intention of making it a true day to remember!

Your wedding day is the most important day of your lives, and almost universally in human culture weddings have represented an important ceremony filled with significant traditions and meaning. Not only are weddings the celebration of two people who love each other forming a lasting union, they are often seen as the coming together of two families and the start of a new, unique family unit in their own right.

Modern English weddings can be as different and special as the people getting married, and there are many new and exciting ways for the imminent newly-weds to celebrate their marriage. The only legal part of the ceremony that needs be upheld is the short statement of marriage and the vows which need to be publicly made, followed by the signing of the marriage register by both parties and their witnesses. Other than these key legal steps, the rest of a modern English Wedding Ceremony can be as unique or as traditional as the couple desire.

Sikh, Hindu, Muslim or mixed weddings

As we know, Asian weddings are usually quite large occasions with parties lasting for days, even weeks! I would be pleased to guide you through your Wedding Day and offer my experiences of Asian weddings to help you to make yours that little bit more special.

Whether your wedding is Sikh, Hindu or Muslim, or maybe a mixed wedding, the experience I have will help you to create additional highlights to your day. Maybe attending the Gurdwara, welcoming the Baraat, assist or organise and call the Milni, attend at the Mandap, Shawl ceremony, Nikah and everything through to cutting and feeding of the cake, the speeches, announcing the dancers and finally handing over to the DJ for everyone to dance the night away!

One of the greatest moments of the day is the special announcement for the “grand entrance” of the happy couple, when they enter the room as newlyweds, in front of all their guests. Oh, and don’t forget the parents – it’s their special day too as their families grow in numbers!

Corporate Events, Award Evenings & Dinner Dances

For years I have been working & involved with corporate conferences and Awards Evenings such as The Civil Engineering Contractors Association Awards (CECA), The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation Awards (CIHT) Awards, The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers Wards (CIBSE) and the Warley Rugby Football Club Dinner & Dance are just four of the most recent events that I was pleased to have on my calendar.