Photographing toasts at your wedding banquet

A wedding banquet may include one toast, several or none, and which ones are chosen is up to the hosts. This page is for hosts who have decided on a plan and want our photographer to follow it. Every toast is optional, and we follow the sequence you give us.

It belongs with our Chinese wedding occasions overview. General reception planning is covered in our wedding reception photography pages.

How do you describe your toast plan?

Write a short list in the order you expect it. For each toast, say who proposes it, who stands, where it takes place and roughly how long it lasts. A table helps.

If the plan is flexible, say so. A short list with "to be confirmed by the emcee" is better than a full list that no one follows.

Which people matter for each toast?

For every toast, the photographs that matter most are usually of the proposer, the people being toasted and the people who stand. Give us names and roles, and ask someone to gather the participants just before the toast. Our guide on providing accurate names and roles explains what helps.

If your family has elders or guests who need to be seated, tell us. We place our team so those people are not blocked.

How do the emcee and our photographer work together?

An emcee or floor manager usually announces each part. Ask them to give our team a short cue before each toast, or to tell us the order. Our guide on photography cues from the emcee and floor manager describes how to set that up.

If the emcee is a friend, brief them ahead of time. A cue at the right time makes the difference between a photograph of the toast and a photograph of people already sitting down.

Where does our photographer stand?

A stage toast needs one position. A table-to-table toast needs several, and our team must move without blocking the party. Ask the venue about the layout, the space between tables and the stage lights. Our concurrent activity and crew planner helps if the toasts overlap with other activities, such as entertainment.

An example

For example, imagine a couple who plan two toasts. One is by a family friend on the stage, with the couple standing. The second is at the main family tables, with the couple and their parents. They choose not to have more.

The brief lists both, names the friend and the parents, and asks the emcee to give a cue before each. A cousin gathers the family at the main tables. Our photographer plans one position at the stage and one near the family tables, with time to move between them.

What if a toast is sensitive?

A toast may involve a family member who is unwell, absent or on difficult terms with someone else. Tell us only what our team needs to know: who should be in the photograph, who should not, and whether the moment should be recorded at all. We follow your direction.

If some images should not be shared beyond the family, record that in the brief, and see our guide on photographs restricted from publication.

A common mistake: leaving the order to chance

If the toast order is only in someone's head, our photographer learns it when the glasses are raised. Write the order in the brief and share the same list with the emcee, so everyone hears the same plan.

If a toast is likely to be added on the day, tell us who can approve it. We then know whom to look to when the plan changes.

What to send us

Send the toast list, participants, order, location and the person who confirms changes. We confirm the coverage and crew in writing.