Meet Pamela Kiely: The woman behind Ireland’s latest wedding service – TOAST

Inspiration strikes

The idea for TOAST came to Pamela when she was attending her friend’s wedding last year. The two were sending TikToks back and forth of different wedding trends to try (her favourite at the moment is the Voulez-Vous by Abba transition), and her friend pointed out that it was too bad that Pamela couldn’t use her professional skills to capture content as she was in the wedding.

Surely, Pamela thought, there had to be a business that could do that. But after a deep dive online, she could only find similar services in the US, Australia and (just one) in Northern Ireland. That’s when the 28-year-old saw an opportunity to be one of the first ones in this space. But, first things first, she had to test the waters.

“I wanted to get started inconspicuously, so I popped up an Instagram story back in January, asking if anybody had a wedding because I had an idea to try out. That’s when Audrey Cashman from Upstyle Junkie, a well-known hairstylist, reached out and connected me with my first client who was tying the knot in March.” Pamela also credits the fabulous graphic designer Mel from MadHouse, for coming up with the name and creating her classic black-and-white logo. 

Since launching just two months ago, Pamela has had an influx of clients. “I had people looking to book me straight away – most recently in Killarney this past week, a Dublin social media manager that’s getting married in July, a local Cork blogger for June and many more.”

For every bride

Now, when I first heard of this service, I immediately thought of influencers. Of course, bloggers, IG celebrities and public figures would want to take advantage of this and be able to share their wedding day, in a very real way, with their followers.

However, Pamela has pointed out that her clientele isn’t limited to such. In fact, only one of her customers has been an influencer so far. “TOAST was created for every bride, not just influencers. It’s for brides who want to wake up the next morning and be able to share more natural content of their day, and having me there allows the family to just sit back, relax and not worry about taking pictures or videos.”

I’ve been a bridesmaid many times, and the last thing a bride wants on that morning is the pressure to plan a cool transition reel or to capture photos on her phone (which is often shuttering with incoming well wishes). So, TOAST is great in the sense that it relieves this burden from not just the bride, but her bridal party and immediate family who want to capture organic photos and videos as well.

How is it different from a photographer or videographer?

One point that Pamela is adamant about is that her service is not a replacement for wedding photographers or videographers.

“This is a sticky subject for me because obviously, I don’t want to take over from videographers. They have such an amazing place in weddings; I want to have one at my own wedding. But I have had some brides say to me that they just want little snippets of the day and want everything to be instantaneous, to see things the next day. They’re quite happy for me to capture things on my iPhone in that natural style.”

One bride explained to Pamela that she was extremely camera shy and would be overwhelmed by all the professional cameras on her throughout the day. Instead, she was happy for Pamela to trail her with just her iPhone and capture a few moments here and there.

“It really depends on what the couple wants and how they feel on the day; there’s such a mix. On the other hand, I’ve one client who has booked two photographers, two videographers and myself. 

“I’m never going to sell it by saying I’m perfect for everything – I’m not. Realistically, I’m filming on an iPhone at the end of the day, so I’m there more for behind-the-scenes and fun content. TOAST is just an addition and you have to manage your expectations.”

So, how does the whole process work? 

“First, I have a discovery call with the bride to talk through the process because it’s a very new situation to Ireland,” Pamela explains. “So, I have a chat with them and explain what’s included in the different packages that I offer.”

TOAST currently offer four packages, covering from six to 10 hours on the day and including a Zoom consultation, hundreds of photos and up to eight TikToks/Reels. They also offer a bespoke package that can include elements specific to your style and desires.

“We do a 30, 60 or 90-minute call to go through what you really want to capture on your day, which is usually scheduled between one to two weeks before the wedding. Brides usually tell me what they have in mind – like a fun, dancing video or a lip sync one – and what aesthetic they want. Then, I’ll gather all ideas from across Instagram and TikTok and show them concepts that are trending at that time. Finally, they’ll choose what ones they want, and we can create them on the day.”

Launching just in time for summer wedding season, TOAST is a unique and fun way to capture content throughout your big day. Along with the fast turnaround time (they promise to send imagery over within 48 hours), they also capture intimate, candid moments that might otherwise be lost in the fold.

“Doing fun video trends are also a great way to get brides out of their heads,” Pamela added. “It’s a nice distraction if they’re a bit nervous on the morning.”

To learn more about TOAST and the packages they have to offer, visit their website – and be sure to watch this space. Though she’s currently helping to run three different businesses (PK Marketing, Social Business Academy and TOAST), something tells me that this is just the beginning for Pamela Kiely.