Kaspar Breidak is an experienced wedding leader. Experience not only in managing events, but also in photographing more than 50 weddings. He is an improviser by nature and calling, so we can still see him in the performances of the creative association Pressure , hear him on the waves of radio SWH and see him on television. With his example, he shows what a wedding leader is often - a universal soldier who has to deal with the most unimaginable situations and guests' personalities.

Kaspars shared with the portal Līgavām.lv his experience, what couples should take into account when choosing their REAL wedding officiant and how a good wedding officiant will differ from a bad one.

"It is important that you, as a couple, let the host of the evening get to know you, because only then will the event acquire the necessary personality. One of the biggest challenges is to become good friends in a short time.

In my case, improvisation as a way of life is very useful - I don't plan for tomorrow and I don't live for yesterday, and it's the same with weddings - every time I remind myself that I have to work with the same dedication as if I were doing it for the first time," begins Kaspars.

Pre-wedding meeting – must have

Kaspars is convinced that the couple should meet the potential wedding leader in person to understand whether there is harmony between the two. There is no one-size-fits-all wedding officiant. That is why Kaspar's own experience shows that the final word on conducting the wedding should be given only after the meeting, when it is clear whether both are on the same page . "I have seen cases where a couple heard from acquaintances about a supposedly great wedding leader, coordinated all the details electronically, and then at the wedding the couple realizes that they have made a mistake and are almost hiding from the leader. That is why you should meet with the leader before the wedding - remember that the way he will communicate with you, is how he will also talk to your wedding guests.

If the conversation is difficult, there is a stiff and awkward feeling, then it is most likely not the leader of your wedding and this scenario can be repeated at the wedding as well, while if he can make you smile even between the two of you at the table, then he will probably succeed in front of a larger number of people as well.

In no case should you bother - if you feel that this person will not be your person, do not hire him just because someone recommended him. It will be torture both for the couple and for the driver," Kaspars shares his observations.

WHICH manager do you want?

Wedding leaders are just as different as people in general, therefore, when looking for a leader, you should answer the question, what do you expect from him? For example, Kaspars is essentially an improviser, so he tells the couples early on that games and traditional activities are unlikely to be expected from him - the scenario of the evening will, of course, be discussed, but he, as the leader, will keep the opportunity to not reveal everything and surprise not only the wedding guests, but also the newlyweds themselves. "The couple must understand what kind of wedding celebration they want. Will it be a fun wedding where the couple will trust the leader and allow him not to tell the whole plan of the evening in order to surprise the bride and groom as well, or will it be a more emotional wedding with several touching and romantic moments - ideas can be as different as love stories are different.

The scenario of the wedding celebration is created together with the couple, guided by what they like or, on the contrary, what they would never want in their wedding," says Kaspar.

One of the biggest challenges for a wedding director is, so to speak, to capture the true feeling of the couple. "There are couples who come to a meeting having seen everything Pinterest , and they want absolutely everything. Then it is important to understand what it is that they really want and what they need, because it is pointless to do something just for the sake of ticking. In recent years, at least, driving over 7 bridges has been eliminated more and more often, because if it is done just because it is necessary, without a deeper meaning, then it loses its meaning it makes no sense and is no longer interesting for either the couple or the guests, who most often have to ride over all the bridges together," says Kaspars.

KAS kāzu vadītājam jādara?

The first thing that Kaspars emphasizes is that the wedding manager is NOT an organizer, so he will not be the right person to ask questions about the projector, heat lamps or candles that need to be brought from the warehouse.

"The manager should be allowed to work with the wedding guests as much as possible, entertain and occupy them, rather than deal with various organizational issues,"

confident Kaspars Breidak, who is the leader of approximately 15 weddings per season. At what point the wedding leader will join the special event is also negotiated individually with each couple. Variants can be different, but in Kaspar's experience there are two scenarios most often - either the leader joins from the very beginning of the ceremony, or an hour before the arrival of the guests at the place of celebration to welcome the guests. Also, the driving time may vary, but most often it will not be longer than 2 am. "Often, after the party, every guest is a better leader than the leader himself, because he is in a different dimension. All the good energy that we have built up together for several hours before the party successfully explodes after midnight, and that must be allowed to happen," says Kaspars with a smile. However, the leader should not leave immediately after the party - after judging the cake, the guests may feel a bit sluggish and will need the help of the leader to get back on the party wave.

WHERE to look for him?

You can search for a wedding leader through friends and acquaintances, as well as through wedding planning agencies, which often offer their TOP wedding leaders to couples. Kaspars is convinced that experience comes from doing, therefore, when meeting with the chosen wedding leader,

don't be afraid to ask how many weddings he has conducted before, what his experience has been and his reaction in various non-standard situations.

On the other hand, the wedding manager's fee will be affected by his experience, the format and duration of the specific wedding, and the complexity - for example, if the wedding has to be conducted in several languages. Likewise, the workload of the particular wedding leader. If you talk to the manager a year in advance, then the price will probably be cheaper than a couple of months before the wedding, when his workload is already well planned.

On average, the salary of a wedding leader in Latvia can vary from 700 to 1500 euros, but it is possible to find both cheaper and more expensive offers.

"Most often, wedding managers do not have an hourly rate, so you should not think that if you hire a manager for only two hours, you will save a lot. The amount of work invested does not change. Even if the manager you choose is too expensive for your budget wedding, he will definitely be able to recommend you other managers who will meet the price category you have chosen. You need to trust that in the end you will definitely find your right wedding manager," says Kaspars.

Challenges for both

Just like the couples themselves, the wedding leaders have to face various challenges on the wedding day. "What I cannot work and live without is trust.

Therefore, I also invite couples to trust their event manager. Once you have made the decision that he is the one, then trust completely and let him work.

They often say about me at weddings that there is no feeling that I am an outsider, that is, I become my own and I like to be my own !” so Kaspar. However, he emphasizes that the biggest challenge for any wedding leader could be getting into a conflict between the couple themselves or their relatives.

"The most important thing in any wedding is the love between the couple itself - because in fact it will also represent the atmosphere that will rule all around.

There have been various cases in my experience - including a physical handshake between the two families or a situation where one of the newlyweds almost takes off the ring and throws it in the face of the other. The biggest challenge is to work at such moments," admits Kaspars, noting that a good wedding leader will always be one who will not offend the other person. "Couples should definitely inform their leader about the underwater rocks of their families – that is, if there is someone among the guests that is better not to be touched or topics that are better not to be talked about, then this should be explained. "Families are different and it can happen that the manager, trying to be nice, makes a joke, but actually offends one of the guests," advises Kaspars.