Are you after some tips for your wedding master of ceremonies? I truly believe that the value of a great professional wedding MC is often very misunderstood. Having said that though, many couples now are having to make some tough decisions trying to allocate budget in the right areas, and this is usually one of the first places that it disappears. If you decide to ask a family member or friend to be the master of ceremonies at your wedding, here are a few tips for your wedding master of ceremonies to make sure the evening is a memorable one.
Ask your wedding Master of Ceremonies to arrive to the wedding reception a little early
Ask your master of ceremonies to arrive to the reception venue 15 or 20 minutes earlier than the guests so that they can familiarise themselves with the space. Scout around for the obvious things, find out where the smoking areas are, where the bathrooms are, where the seating chart is located, as well as gift table. Make sure the MC knows where all the VIPs are sitting including the wedding party and close family members.
It’s always a great idea for the MC to arrive to the event a little early. Image courtesy of Tealily Photography.
Have your MC introduce themselves to the wedding planner and venue floor manager
It’s important for the wedding Master of Ceremonies to know the wedding planner if you have one, as well as the venue floor manager. The venue floor manager usually likes to run through all the key timings of the day’s events and make sure that they match what the MC has. It is absolutely critical that the wedding Master of Ceremonies keeps an open line of communication with the wedding planner and floor manager, and that he lets the venue manager know before getting up to the microphone to make any speeches. In fact usually the wedding planner or floor manager will let the MC know when it’s time to announce the next formality. This will mean that the kitchen is prepared for what’s coming up and makes any variations to service if things are running late or early. It is also always very important to make sure that all key people – wedding party, family, photographers and videographers have a few minutes notice to prepare for any speeches.
Guests are greeted at the MCA with this gorgeous vignette. Image courtesy Lara Hotz Photography.
Give the MC a copy of the timings and runsheet
The wedding master of ceremonies should have a copy of the timings and these should match up with the timings that the wedding planner and venue has. It’s also great idea to note any special announcements that need to be made, and where they need to be made – as well as any housekeeping. The MC should always always stick to the script. Any impromptu speeches made by the MC (or anyone else) can be disastrous if they haven’t been factored in to the timings that the kitchen is working off. It’s not so delicious when food comes out cold.
Cutting the wedding cake, another formality the MC will need announce on event day. Image courtesy Robert Meredith.
Be prepared to troubleshoot
The MC is usually the first point of contact for event staff with any problems or questions that arise on the day. If you don’t have a wedding planner, it really helps if the couple empower and trusts the MC to make any decisions on the night so that they can be left alone just to enjoy. Typical issues that arise involve changes to the schedule, any last minute jobs with set up, any questions relating to pack up and any guests that need corralling.
Make sure the MC knows where your VIP guests are seated. The floor staff will want to pay special attention to these areas. Image courtesy Tealily Photography.
Familiarise yourself with the technical stuff
The technical expertise of the MC usually won’t extend to more than knowing where the on/off switch on the microphone is and venue staff are usually eager to help on the way. It’s a good idea to do a sound check prior to guests arriving and get comfortable with holding the microphone in the best position to project good sound. This is usually the common failing of many MCs who tend to hold the mic around their shoulders rather than right up to their mouth.
The MC is the facilitator not the comedian
Still need more tips for the wedding master of ceremonies? It’s stressful enough to be the MC at a wedding, let alone thinking that you have the added pressure of being funny and entertaining. This is simply not true. The MC’s job is to facilitate the smooth flow of formalities in conjunction with food and beverages. A sober MC also helps. Keep this in mind when you are trying to choose your MC.
A professional MC at your wedding certainly takes a lot of the pressure off you both in terms of management and preparation. A wedding planner will make your job a lot easier and help the MC with the smooth flow of the event, as will a great floor manager at your venue. But it’s still possible to have a great event without one if you are prepared to get your hands a little dirty in terms of organisation and planning. Email one of our wedding planners today if you want to find out more information on hiring us for wedding planning, wedding styling or wedding coordination.
You might also find some of our other articles helpful:
- How To Write Your Wedding Day Runsheet
- Unremarkable Events. Why Boring Speeches Matter.
- 3 Great Wedding Suppliers Worth the Money
- How Do I Know If I Need A Wedding Day Coordinator
- What Does A Wedding Day Coordinator Do
