Profession toastmaster. Toastmaster is a lifestyle or state of mind. How much does a toastmaster earn?

Ask a person from the generation of the last century “what does a toastmaster look like?” and you will certainly receive a broad description with the smallest details: a big fat woman with bright red lips and blue eye shadow, with a voice thickened by fat and a funny pencil skirt, or a mustachioed Georgian. Actually, such stereotypes come from the etymology of the word “toastmaster” - this profession was invented by Georgians, masters of their craft, who from ancient times were famous for their ability to competently conduct feasts.
Today it is already difficult to find such an example of a toastmaster, and it is not fashionable to be a simple toastmaster. Celebrations and weddings are now led by a toastmaster, whose program, by the way, is much more interesting and varied than in the last century. Toastmaster Anastasia Ivleva told us about how weddings take place now and how it is presented on stage.

TNR: How long have you been doing this work? Have you found your calling - to be a toastmaster?

Anastasia: I have been hosting events for 6 years. Well, or to be honest, not all six years I have been completely engaged only in holidays. The first two years it was something like a hobby. I completed courses for leading festive events and periodically conducted weddings, while at the same time I myself worked as deputy director at the Novosibirsk Cultural Foundation.

TNR: What do you think is the most important thing about this job?

Anastasia: “In our opinion,” the main thing is that the person who spends the holidays devotes himself entirely to this matter. So that the responsibility for the client’s good mood comes first, and then everything else. Unfortunately, now in Novosibirsk there is not a good trend when people put the financial side of the issue first. They do not care about their own image or about making their guests happy; they like the crunch of bills in their pocket.
This is primarily due to the fact that our profession, and I’m not afraid to call what I do a profession, is embraced (pardon the expression) by all and sundry. Every “thekla” who held a microphone in her hands at a friend’s wedding and suddenly it dawned on her that she is a great humorist and a good presenter, begins her solo activity. Of course, I’m exaggerating a little, but this is roughly what happens in many cases

TNR: How much does the toastmaster have to talk at the holiday? What is the difference between a toastmaster and a presenter?

Anastasia: This question can be compared to a question to a tractor driver. “Tell me, tractor driver, how long do you stay behind the tractor levers while working?” Let me answer for the tractor driver: “I spend all my working time at the tractor levers.” For the presenter, tongue work is her bread and butter. You always have to talk. Every action according to the script must be commented on by me, every competition, elements of tradition, communication with guests - all this takes place under my wonderful accompaniment.
I don’t know how it could be any other way. I just can’t imagine guests silently, in silence, pouring one glass after another and at the same time inventing a reason for themselves to drink, and when they got tired of it, they would start dancing to the music that they themselves would have ordered . Therefore, the presenter’s job is to talk, talk and talk again.

Well, regarding your question, what is the difference between a toastmaster and a presenter, if I may answer briefly. A toastmaster is a Georgian with a mustache, respected by all members of his teip, who tirelessly makes toasts and praises the hero of the occasion in every possible way. This is where his mission ends. The presenter is the person who conducts the event. After all, a modern celebration is not only about toasts and praise, it is also about entertaining guests. But in our country, unfortunately, the very meaning of the word “toastmaster” has long been transformed and distorted, and many simply do not understand the difference. But personally, I never focus my clients’ attention on this. If they want to call him toastmaster, let him call him. If only they didn't throw him into a thorn bush.

TNR: Do you have any special Toastmasters tricks? Something special?

Anastasia: Of course there is. But that’s why they are features, so that people learn about them directly at the event. And from me personally, because these are my chips. The main idea is to attract as many guests as possible to participate in the various elements of the holiday planned by the script, while making sure that they understand that they are participants only by directly participating. A bit of a pun.

TNR: Tell us about the unusual weddings that you managed to hold?

Anastasia: Of the unusual...hmm...well, I guess I can call a wedding on a boat unusual, since ninety-nine percent of weddings I spend on land, and a wedding in a sauna. It was “pretty” when the bride and groom jumped into the pool at the end of the curtain in their wedding dresses. In general, for me, each wedding is unusual in its own way and I approach each wedding individually, and with most of my newlyweds in the end we become just good friends.

TNR: How often do fights happen at weddings? And who usually fights with whom? What do you do in this situation?

Anastasia: fortunately, there have been no fights at my events so far (ugh, ugh, ugh, can’t jinx it). And where will they come from if the whole celebration takes place according to the script that you yourself wrote. They simply have no time to deal with nonsense, they are all having fun and relaxing. By the way, in my memory there are a couple of presenters who absolutely do not know how to “hold” an audience and that’s where, apparently, fights happen.

TNR: And if someone gets very drunk, what is the action? And how often do you think this happens?

Anastasia: Well, I can only remember isolated cases, but in general I never “drunk” guests on purpose. On the contrary, I try to move them more, to attract them. It is clear that if a person comes with one goal, to pour into himself as many alcoholic drinks as possible, he will get drunk, but somehow I can’t remember anything particularly memorable. Mostly, older people who are drunk want to listen to “Katyusha” and turn the music down (somewhere to the level of a mobile phone), or they try to snatch the microphone and start talking drunken nonsense. In general, I try not to remember these unpleasant moments and come out of all situations with a smile.
TNR: Have you ever been accosted by tipsy people at a wedding?
Anastasia: At the very beginning of my career. When I was doing low budget weddings. The issue was resolved correctly and quickly.

TNR: Tell us the funniest moments that happened at your weddings.

Anastasia: Everything is really funny there! The guests do things that are worse than in the film “Bitter”... Of course, there were funny moments too. For example, problems constantly arise with the bride’s bouquet: either the bride will be “pretty” and accidentally sticks the bouquet to herself, then the bridesmaids involuntarily fight for it and leave with broken noses, it is clear that everyone laughs at such moments, but in reality they don’t very situation. By the way, there was another case, one groom ordered Dyuzhev’s song “Airplane” no less than ten times, and everyone sat and watched him get high on it and dance.
Athletes were hanging out... such healthy guys... and the DJ is not tall... and all evening such a mountain man comes up to the DJ and orders “Golden Domes” (well, the man loves chanson) and so on 15 times in the evening. They had already taken him out and explained that he didn’t care. He comes up and orders. And you won’t refuse. Health is not ironclad!

TNR: Name three unusual events that must happen at a wedding (like a fight, spilled wine on the bride’s dress, etc.)

Anastasia: Funny question. I noticed two things: even if my fiancée and I discuss ten times that she won’t be “stolen,” she will still be stolen. And most likely more than once. I can't do anything about this. The guests come up and, looking piteously into their eyes, ask: “Well, let’s steal it just once.” You have to reach an agreement with the bride, she usually agrees. Or they can steal it without asking anyone. This is probably a stereotype - there is a bride, which means you need to steal.

And the second point. At every wedding there is always a guest who initially sits with a “don’t touch me” face. And indeed, at the beginning of the event it is better not to approach it, as practice shows that it will be impossible to lift it even with the help of eyeliner. At best, he will be publicly rude. But! By the middle of the event, a magical transformation occurs and this guest is already among the first to joke, participates in all my competitions and makes it clear in every possible way that he is a joker and a merry fellow. This is such a strange metamorphosis.

Georgia is a country where feasting is a ritual with rich traditions, numerous toasts, plentiful food and beautiful singing. It was Georgia that gave the Russian language the word that is now used to call the presenter at weddings, anniversaries and other holidays. This word is "toastmaster". According to Wikipedia, the word “toastmaster” translated from Georgian means “master of a feast” or a wedding ceremony. The word “toastmaster” appeared in Russian at the end of the 19th century, but did not immediately appear in dictionaries. And only in 1940 it appeared in Ushakov’s dictionary with an explanatory explanation and an indication of borrowing from the Georgian language. And although in Georgia the toastmaster can lead not only weddings, but also funerals, in the Soviet Union, and later in the post-Soviet space, the toastmaster was assigned the status of leading entertaining fun events: weddings, anniversaries, corporate events. And, if in Georgia the “toastmaster” is masculine, and this role could always be performed only by men, then in Russia and other countries the role of leading a wedding or other family celebration is very often performed by women. But we must honestly admit that today the traditional duties of the toastmaster (introducing guests, seating them in their places, establishing the order of speeches, making toasts, regulating the intake of strong drinks, creating a friendly and cheerful atmosphere at the table, monitoring the correct performance of rituals, gently suppressing conflicts) situations, etc.) a number of responsibilities were added. This includes holding competitions, games, announcing concert numbers, and very often transforming the presenter into some famous character. A male toastmaster in the Caucasus never does this. He doesn’t present any diplomas or medals for competitions, doesn’t hold the competitions themselves, doesn’t read words from a piece of paper (he knows all the toasts by heart), and he also knows how to tell beautiful parables and sing beautiful songs.

In Russia, the responsibility of the modern toastmaster, who has become a symbiosis of toastmaster, game technician and host, also falls on the conduct of rituals with explanations (after all, many modern newlyweds and their parents want to take part in wedding rituals, but they don’t know what to say or do), the organization of real show and turning the wedding into a themed colorful performance. Therefore, very often the word “toastmaster” in its traditional meaning does not correspond to the activity that modern managers of wedding feasts are engaged in. And they have to work very often, starting not with the feast, but with the bride price, with the wedding registration ceremony, with a walk, having fun and entertaining guests in different places. Therefore, it is not surprising that more and more often such a “person who amuses the people” is called a presenter, a mass entertainer, an entertainer, a showman, or simply a manager. But someone still calls him a toastmaster. It's more common this way.

If you think about it, today the person conducting the wedding is the host-toastmaster, that is, the manager of the feast, leading the feast and leading all the guests, taking them to the most adventurous competitions.

If we talk about traditions, then there were stewards at wedding feasts in ancient Rome. At a Russian wedding, a friend was often present - like modern presenters, this specialist also had many different tasks, of course, adjusted for the specifics of that time. A good friend not only entertained the people, but was also responsible for protecting the young from evil spirits. At some feasts a cupbearer was also present - and then it was he who regulated the process of pouring alcohol. There were wedding “positions” in other countries as well. In each country, weddings took place according to different scenarios, with different traditions and rituals, but they were all united and still are united by one thing: the desire of all participants in the wedding feast to make it unforgettable for the newlyweds, a real holiday for them and for all the guests.

But, just as before in Georgia, not everyone could become a toastmaster, but only an intelligent person with excellent organizational skills, a talent for feeling people, who can speak beautifully and hold the attention of others, so now the host-toastmaster at a wedding must have knowledge of rituals, traditions, etc. abilities and skills, among which acting talent is far from the last place. Maybe that’s why there are so many theater and film actors among the hosts of wedding events.

Some future newlyweds ask when they meet: “Are you a toastmaster or a host?”, for some reason believing that at weddings they are only toastmasters, and hosts work at corporate events and anniversaries. And some still believe that a toastmaster is a person who talks incessantly with a glass of wine, or sings songs to an accordion, but the presenter can offer an interesting program. Both are wrong. Therefore, when introducing yourself, it is better to immediately say that you are the host-toastmaster, that is, you lead the feast, hold competitions, know the rituals, and write an individual script (if necessary) according to the requests and wishes of the newlyweds.

But, no matter how you call yourself on business cards and advertising brochures, no matter how you call yourself when meeting with clients, the main thing is to choose for yourself all the most important things from each profession (toastmaster, presenter, entertainer, director, actor, etc.) and learn how to combine this in holding a wedding celebration, trying to do everything to make the wedding fun and beautiful, being understanding of the clients’ anxiety. It’s not for nothing that even Vakhtang Kikabidze sang in his song that the toastmaster, and this can also be attributed to the host-toastmaster, is the main person at the wedding feast. And the choice of the future newlyweds or their parents “very much depends on how we spend that evening.”

Hosting entertainment events is a difficult profession. It requires a person not only to have communication skills, but also such qualities as creativity and creative thinking. If the future toastmaster does not have such character traits, but has a great desire to work in this industry, then over time, by improving his skills, he can achieve great heights in this profession. If you don’t know how you can become a toastmaster, but have long been drawn to the profession of a host, then we have prepared some useful tips for you.

Who is Toastmaster

The word “toastmaster” comes from the Georgian word “tamadoba”, which translates as “seniority during a feast”. Most people associate the host at special events with the Caucasus, with the image of an old man with a beard who makes long instructive toasts. Indeed, this profession comes from the Caucasus Mountains, where the art of wedding planning used to be taught from childhood, and philosophical toasts were passed down from father to son.

A modern toastmaster is not just a manager at a holiday - he is an erudite, sociable person who knows how to find a way out of any difficult situation, easily gets to know all the people and inspires confidence in the customer from the first words of the conversation. A true professional knows how to smooth out corners in conflict situations and always knows how, with what intonation and what needs to be said in each specific case.

So that the inexperience of a novice toastmaster is not evident when receiving his first order, he needs to direct all his energy to preparing an interesting scenario. And we will give some useful tips to the novice party organizer:

Choose your manner of behavior, depending on the social status and general educational level of the participants in the celebration. If you still cannot determine this at first glance, then focus on the host of the holiday.
Don't dress provocatively or too flamboyantly. The host's job is to be funny and entertain guests, not to draw their attention to himself.
During the feast, the toastmaster is strictly forbidden to get drunk, so at every holiday strictly follow the smallest dose of alcohol.
Make sure you speak correctly. For example, often at holidays you can hear from the host: “let’s raise a toast.” You should say “raise your glass” or “make a toast.” Watch out for such little things, because educated people will notice this, and you will lose potential clients.
Play your role sincerely and with soul. The indifference and falsehood of the toastmaster are immediately visible, which means that only a person who loves his job can become a high-class professional.

What qualities do you need to have?

To become a sought-after toastmaster, learn to influence people, speak touchingly and heartfeltly. Such skills come with age and a novice presenter should pay as much attention to his training as possible. Practice good diction - there is no limit to perfection in this matter. Sign up for leading courses or educate yourself: now it’s easy to get the information you need from open and accessible sources.

Ability to win people over

A professional host of the celebration knows how to lift the mood and add liveliness to any feast. The manager of the holiday knows how to show the value of each of those present, prevent a quarrel or quickly settle a scandal painlessly for others. Depending on the situation, the toastmaster must immediately win people over and learn to bring sentimentality, poetry, jokes, and philosophy into the feast. The host of the holiday must feel when to pause, turn on the music, and at what time to give the opportunity to take photos and videos.

Learn to fantasize and improvise

It is very important for a toastmaster to be able to make brilliant and imaginative improvisations that are planned in advance. The host at the festival is not a jester, but a conductor of an orchestra that has not yet played; he bears full responsibility for the mood of the people sitting and the general atmosphere of the celebration. To make a successful remark, the toastmaster must not only be able to fantasize, but also collect information about the invited guests:

what they do;
what they are interested in;
what habits does the person have?
what problems.

Know many interesting competitions

To know which competitions will be of interest to a particular audience, the toastmaster studies information about holidays and weddings. The more you know about their history and innovations, the higher your chance of achieving success in your chosen profession. Customers are already tired of standard scenarios and jokes; they give preference to those professionals who know new, fresh, extraordinary competitions, and are willing to pay the toastmaster a lot of money for holding them.

Where to start as a toastmaster

A novice toastmaster can be advised to develop several of his own scenarios. Funny and interesting ideas can be found on the Internet, books, and even in life, if you are observant. Don’t copy other people’s work, improve yours:

read the text, play, standing in front of the mirror;
hone your gestures and movements;
Pay close attention to the intonation and timbre of your voice.

If you are a beginner toastmaster and do not yet know how to sing or play musical instruments, find yourself accompanied in the form of an ensemble or one musician. If you are going to work alone, then choose music that will harmoniously complement your performances. All these skills will allow you to be more confident in public, and over time, become a successful presenter. Don’t forget about advertising, because in addition to word of mouth, there are also advertisements in newspapers and the Internet.

Video: how to be a good wedding host

We have already talked about how a toastmaster should behave at weddings in order to be successful. Now I would like to note what the presenter should not do. Firstly, familiarity should not be allowed, regardless of the age of the guests. Even small children at weddings need to be addressed as you. Secondly, the toastmaster no longer shouts “Bitter!” Modern newlyweds are no longer loyal to such calls, and do not want to kiss in public on command. Well, and thirdly, the host should not strain the guests with toasts, because not everyone knows how to speak in public and does not feel comfortable near the microphone.

Becoming a sought-after toastmaster is not easy, but it is possible. The main thing is that a person has a goal and desire. Well, if there is talent, then it is much easier to achieve heights in the profession. But if God did not reward him with talents, it means that he wanted a person to study, and with diligence you can overcome any obstacle. Wedding toastmaster A. Byuksel will talk in a video about how to become a famous leader in the modern market and reach heights:

A toastmaster is a person whose main task is to give people joy and fun. He organizes and conducts ceremonial banquets and events.

Many people think that a toastmaster should be a person who has a calling for this activity. But some people are still convinced that the toastmaster must have the appropriate qualifications and education. But in fact, toastmaster is a lifestyle or state of mind of a person. You can’t just learn how to organize holidays for people, you need to live it.

The profession of toastmaster is very ancient. Residents of the Caucasus began to use it. Even in very distant years, the toastmaster led the holiday when the guests sat at the table. At that time, only the most respected and authoritative participant in the holiday could be a toastmaster. He was not trained in this important matter, but he performed his duties at the highest level and put his whole soul into the festive event.

And although now the public’s view of the role of the toastmaster and his professionalism has completely changed, his role is no less important than before. The modern toastmaster has no age limit. They can be either a man or a woman. The main thing is to always look good and neat, express your thoughts competently and accurately, so that guests understand what is required of them. In addition, the toastmaster must be able to get out of any situation, smooth out rough edges, suppress conflicts and funny cases.

In modern conditions, toastmaster is the profession of a person who has a calling for it. It is very important to have abilities in this matter, because without them the work will not bring pleasure to either the toastmaster or the guests of the celebration. Most professionals who offer their services as toastmasters are musicians, actors, artists or singers.

But a true toastmaster is at the same time an actor, psychologist and screenwriter. It follows from this that this profession needs to be learned. Moreover, training alone is not enough. Experience plays a huge role here. After all, it is he who contributes to the development of tactfulness, sociability, organization and a sense of humor.

Physical endurance plays an equally important role. After all, to implement his ideas, the toastmaster needs to spend a lot of effort.

The toastmaster is the main character at the holiday, who makes sure that everyone present takes an active part in the mass fun. He can create a theatrical performance and ensure that all those invited play their parts. The toastmaster will help you choose music that suits the occasion of the banquet.

Many representatives of this profession will be able to perform songs themselves or delight those present with original tricks. The toastmaster will be able to control as much as possible all the events of the holiday and make sure that all guests are satisfied.