Wedding toastmaster: duties, a schedule and tips for the evening
Updated 13 October 2026 · Written by Lysela
The toastmaster runs the dinner. Before the wedding they collect every speech and act, plan a schedule with the kitchen and answer the guests' questions, so the couple does not have to. On the night they welcome everyone, introduce each speaker, keep time and tell the room what happens next. Many Swedish couples pick two toastmasters, one from each side. Here are the duties, a schedule and a welcome speech to start from.
Try it yourself, no account neededWhat does a toastmaster do before the wedding?
Meets the couple
Go through the evening together: the times, who is likely to want to speak, what the couple would love and what they would rather avoid.
Collects speeches and acts
Guests contact the toastmaster, not the couple. Note each name, their connection to the couple, roughly how long, and whether they need a microphone, a screen or music.
Plans the schedule with the kitchen
Ask when each course goes out and how long it takes. The speeches sit between courses, so the schedule starts from the kitchen.
Talks to the venue and the DJ
Check the microphone and speakers, when the dancing starts and when the bar closes.
What does the toastmaster do during dinner?
The toastmaster welcomes everyone once they are seated, introduces themselves and explains how the evening will run: roughly when the speeches come, where the toilets are, and that anyone who wants to say something goes through the toastmaster. After that they introduce each speaker by name and connection to the couple, and call the toasts.
The most important job is time. Keep an eye on the clock and the kitchen, and cut your own talking before anyone else's speech. The toastmaster also handles the unexpected: a speech that runs long, a speaker who does not turn up or a microphone that stops working. Keep your introductions short, since the evening belongs to the couple and the people speaking.
A sample schedule for the evening
These times are for a dinner that starts at 18.00. Ask the kitchen for their times and spread the speeches to match.
| Time | What happens | The toastmaster's job |
|---|---|---|
| 18.00 | Guests sit down | Welcome, run through the evening, first toast |
| 18.20 | Starter | One or two speeches, for example the parents |
| 19.15 | Main course | Speeches from family and the wedding party, a song |
| 20.30 | Dessert | Friends, maybe a game, the couple's speech |
| 21.30 | Cake and coffee | Announce the cake and when the dancing starts |
| 22.00 | First dance | Hand over to the DJ or the band |
Welcome speech and introductions
Replace what is in square brackets.
Dear [name] and [name], dear guests, welcome. I am [name], [connection to the couple], and together with [name] I am your toastmaster tonight. If you would like to give a speech, sing or show something, come to us, so the couple can be surprised. Now it is time to eat. To the happy couple.
Our next speaker has known [name] since [when]. Over to you, [name].
The toilets are [where]. The bar opens after dinner, and the dancing starts at about [time].
Before we move on to dessert, the couple has something they would like to say to you.
Games and traditions
Games are optional. Ask the couple what they think before you plan anything, and keep it short.
The shoe game
The couple sit back to back, each holding one of their own shoes and one of the other's. The toastmaster asks questions like "Who is the better cook?" and they answer by raising a shoe.
The kisses
In Sweden, when one of the couple leaves the room, the guests may kiss the one left behind. The toastmaster usually mentions it early in the evening.
Songs
New words about the couple to a tune everyone knows, in a song booklet on the tables. Sing the first one early to get the room going.
The toastmaster and the schedule on the wedding website
With Lysela, the couple adds one or two toastmasters to their wedding website, with a phone number or email, on every tier. Guests get in touch there about speeches instead of going to the couple. The schedule with times is on the same site, and on the day the site shows what is happening now and next at the top. From Plus, the print studio gives the programme and song booklet the same look as the place cards.
You pay once, SEK 795, SEK 1,795 or SEK 4,990 including VAT, and the site stays up for 12 to 18 months depending on the tier.
Frequently asked questions
Who should be toastmaster at a wedding?
Someone who is comfortable speaking in front of people, knows many of the guests and can ask a speaker to wrap up. Often a friend or a sibling, and ideally two: one from each side.
When should you ask someone to be toastmaster?
Before the invitations go out, so guests know who to contact. The toastmaster needs a few weeks to collect speeches and plan the schedule.
Does the toastmaster give a speech?
Usually not a long one of their own. The toastmaster welcomes, introduces and calls toasts, and may say a few words about the couple at the start.
How many speeches fit into one dinner?
Eight to ten speeches of three to five minutes work well over three courses. If there are more, a few can move to the coffee, or two speakers can join forces.