mc a wedding | Wedding Speeches Secrets

It’s not unusual for there to be an MC at a wedding reception.

The Master of Ceremonies can also be the Best Man although a separate MC is quite common.

Usually, a reception won’t have an MC if it’s a short one or there are not very many events planned.

For example, if the reception is an intimate one with a small number of close friends and family or has only a few events because it’s a short reception, then it’s unlikely that an MC would be required.

Bride and Groom: How To Decide Whether To Choose A Novice MC or A Professional MC

If you’re the Bride and Groom, there’s no need to agonize over whether to choose a personal or professional Master of Ceremonies.

It really comes down to your budget and the person you choose as MC.

If you have a huge budget or the reception is elegant with many dignitaries, a professional MC might be the wisest choice.

In this case, a professional will normally have more experience in hosting small and large receptions.

And an MC who has extensive experience will be well versed in organizing the events and following the agenda to ensure everything runs smoothly and on time.

He or she will know how to warm up the audience, have a repertoire of wedding jokes, know how to introduce speakers, and will display a high level of confidence.

If the reception has many dignitaries, then the Wedding Speeches and Toasts will be a major event. And it’s critical that introductions be made properly and that the event doesn’t become boring.

Choosing A Novice Wedding MC

Many Brides and Grooms choose a novice MC to conduct their reception.

First, it’s a way of honoring someone close to the Bride and Groom.

In most cases, the MC knows the Bride and Groom or their families personally.

So it feels more intimate to have someone the newlyweds know conduct their reception.

As well, in many cases the wedding budget doesn’t allow for an expenditure of hundreds or thousands of dollars for hiring a professional.

As I said, the novice MC is usually a close friend or family member.

It might be the Best Man.

It might be the Father of the Groom.

The advantage of having a close friend or family member as MC is that they’ll want to do an outstanding job to make your wedding a memorable celebration.

What’s more, they may know many of the people who will be giving wedding speeches and toasts. That makes it far easier to prepare introductions for the speakers and help them prepare their tributes.

Qualities To Look For In A Novice Wedding MC

There are certain qualities that an MC should have. They are particularly important at a reception where there is an agenda and timeline to follow.

These attributes include:

1. Extroverted personality – You need someone who is outgoing. A mixer. Someone who isn’t afraid to meet new people and talk to them.

2. Well organized – You need someone who can multi-task and who doesn’t freak out when having to keep an eye on several things at once.

3. Gracious demeanor – You need someone who is courteous and kind and treats everyone equally and is sensitive to traditions.

4. Well spoken and articulate – You need someone who has command of the Queen’s English and is clear and can be understood.

5. Fun to be around – What a joy to be around someone who is fun, someone who makes you feel good and makes you laugh.

6. Confident – Your MC should be composed and self-assured, secure in the knowledge that what he or she does is the right thing to do.

7. Enthusiastic – Everyone loves enthusiasm and a person who is eager to enjoy things.

8. Reliable – You must be able to sit back and know that things will be done the right way and on time.

Choosing a novice MC means they probably won’t be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the Wedding MC.

He or she will need to prepare MC Scripts…prepare an agenda or run sheet…make MC Speeches…introduce the Bridal party…introduce the Bride and Groom as they make their Grand Entrance…make Wedding MC jokes…co-ordinate the entertainment…and create a fun time for the guests and the newlyweds.

It’s a huge responsibility.

And not one to be taken lightly – by the newlyweds or the MC.

When you consider that the average wedding cost is over $25,000 in the U.S. and up to one-half of that amount can be spent on the reception, it’s important that you choose an MC who will do a good job.

But it’s more than doing a good job.

It’s also about making it a fun time for everyone.

The reception is what many guests will remember about the wedding.

So you want to ensure that things go smoothly.

And you want to create a fun experience for them.

If you’re the Bride and Groom, you shouldn’t just hand the reins over to someone and trust that they’ll know what to do.

Instead, it’s much wiser if you can help your MC get up to speed with their duties.

A Comprehensive Guide For You And Your Wedding MC

And there’s only ONE guide, in my opinion, that’s comprehensive enough to do that – one that takes a novice Wedding MC practically by the hand and shows him or her how to prepare a FUN and Memorable reception.

Your MC will discover:

1. How to create an itemized agenda from start to finish

2. How to prepare a reception timeline that lists all the events

3. How to prepare the Welcome Speech – one of the most important MC Speeches – at the start of the reception

4. How to prepare FUN introductions of guest speakers and toasters

5. What to include in entertainment and FUN activities – whether it’s an indoor or outdoor reception (plus ideas for fun activities for the kids!)

6. What to check for at the reception venue so there are no last minute surprises before the party gets underway

7. How to prepare for introducing the Wedding Party, the Bride and Groom’s Grand Entrance, the dancing (including the First Dance), the cake cutting, the bouquet toss, the garter toss, and the final farewell

And that’s just the beginning. There is so much MORE…

The Bride’s Guide To A FUN Reception is filled with checklists, preparation sheets, forms, and tips – all designed to make the reception run smoothly while everyone is having the time of their life.

You can save hundreds – even thousands – of dollars by selecting your own Wedding MC.

And you can rest easy that your reception will be in good hands knowing your MC is following a Comprehensive Guide – your guide – that turns your reception into a FUN time as you celebrate one of the most important days of your life.

Find Out More: Click The Following Link For The Bride’s Guide To A FUN Reception

Every MC at a wedding wants to know what to say in the MC Speeches.

When one thinks about an MC Speech the “traditional” speech and toast come to mind.

This is frequently not the case though. In most speeches, the speaker – who could be a father of the bride or mother of the bride or best man, for example, gives a tribute to the bride and groom. (The exception, of course, could be when the best man is also the MC.)

In most cases the Master of Ceremonies plays a different role at the reception because he or she assumes the role of facilitator and co-ordinator.

And because of that role, MC speeches are entirely different.

Usually, they are not one short speech and toast.

Instead, they consist of announcements, introductions of guests, and transitions of events.

The First MC Speech At The Reception

The Master of Ceremonies opens the reception with a Welcome speech.

If you’re the Master of Ceremonies, this is the time when you introduce yourself, outline the events that will take place during the agenda, make any announcements – including where facilities, guest book, and gift table are located – and get the guests prepped for a celebration of the marriage they have just witnessed.

Your Welcome to the guests is the ice breaker – for them to warm up to you and get to know you. After all, you’ll be addressing them throughout the reception.

Your Welcome should be upbeat and humorous if it suits your personality.

The Welcome speech isn’t the only time the MC will address the guests.

The wedding speeches and toasts event is where the Master of Ceremonies will introduce the speakers to the guests.

These introductions are determined by the Order of Wedding Speeches and Toasts.

Each speaker is introduced with a short preamble before he or she begins his or her own tribute.

Creative and fun MC’s don’t just say “The next speaker is…”

Instead, they have done their homework.

They have a concise biography of each speaker so they can make the introduction fun, interesting, and entertaining.

MC Speeches carry over to announcements. The Master of Ceremonies is the “guide” throughout the reception and announces important events including grace, meal time, entertainment, wedding games, the bouquet toss, the garter toss, cake cutting, special events during or after the reception, and the final farewell.

Wedding Speeches Table of Contents
MC A Wedding | Order of Wedding Speeches and Toasts

Exceptions To Traditional Speeches

Two exceptions where the Master of Ceremonies would give the traditional wedding speech and toast are the absence of a speaker or by special request from the bride and groom.

Sometimes a speaker is unable to attend the reception in which case the newlyweds will ask the MC to stand in and make either a speech or a toast.

Occasionally, both the bride and groom don’t wish to make a formal speech. In this case, they will ask the MC to thank the guests on their behalf.

Standalone Toasts

As well, there may be occasions when you will be asked to make a stand alone toast instead of the traditional tribute.

The toast to absent friends and family is one you may be asked to give.

Usually this is to honor those who are deceased but were close to either the bride or groom or both of them.

Other toasts could include one to acknowledge someone who has made a major contribution to the planning of the wedding – such as the Mother of the Bride – or a toast to the Queen.

In most cases, your toast begins with a brief preamble that leads straight into the toast.

As you can see, your preparation for MC Speeches is entirely different from preparing a traditional tribute to the newlyweds.

Your focus is on introducing speakers and events. This will require preparing background information on speakers and dignitaries as well as knowing the sequence of events from the agenda.

Your MC Speeches should enhance the reception and make it fun.

In effect, your speeches are transitions – from one speaker to the next or from one event to the next.

When you do the transitions well the reception events flow smoothly.

Conversely, poor transitions interrupt the flow of events and activities and slow down the rhythm and tempo of the reception.

The success or failure of a reception often hinges on the Master of Ceremonies.

And when the bride and groom – or their families – have spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours preparing for this special event, it’s essential that the Master of Ceremonies be chosen with care.

Qualities of a Wedding MC

Most receptions that have an MC have someone who is known to the bride and groom rather than a professional Master of Ceremonies.

In some cases this is a budget consideration. In other cases, the bride and groom don’t feel it’s necessary – which generally is true if your MC has the right guidance.

However, it should be remembered that the success or failure of the newlywed’s special day rests primarily with how well the MC organizes the reception and its events.

That’s why it’s important to pick the right person for the job.

Here are several qualities that a Master of Ceremonies should have:

1. Outgoing personality
2. Good organizer
3. Confident
4. Cool under pressure – someone who doesn’t get flustered easily

Factors To Consider When Choosing An MC For A Wedding

1. The size and complexity of the reception

A short, afternoon reception with few events is unlikely to need a separate Master of Ceremonies. In this case, the best man might also play the dual role of MC.

A longer reception with entertainment, games, and traditional events, on the other hand, requires a Master of Ceremonies to ensure things run smoothly. The MC in this case may or may not be the best man.

2. The Length of the Reception

Shorter receptions – or those that are more intimate with fewer guests – won’t require a Master of Ceremonies.

Large receptions with hundreds of guests and that span a number of hours will require an MC.

3. The size of the Bridal Party and the number of Speakers

A wedding with a large bridal party and several speakers will usually require an MC – someone to make introductions and help transition speakers and events.

The Master of Ceremonies will not only help with introducing speakers but can also help in ensuring events move along steadily and take place on time.

4. Whether you want a Master of Ceremonies to introduce your speakers

If you have dignitaries or a large number of speakers – usually more than three – then it’s generally a good idea to have an MC to do the introductions.

Are You A Novice Wedding MC And Don’t Know How To MC A Wedding?

Being asked to MC a wedding reception is a HUGE honor.

But with that honor comes a lot of responsibility.

And if you’ve never been an MC at a wedding before, then you probably don’t know what is involved in preparing for the event.

For example:

1. How to create an agenda and timeline.

2. What to say in your MC Scripts.

3. What types of activities and entertainment to have at the reception.

4. What types of contingencies to plan for in case things go wrong.

5. How to make fun introductions at the Wedding Speeches and Toasts event.

And that’s just the beginning. There’s a lot more you need to know about your duties and responsibilities.

Fortunately, there’s a complete Guide to being a Wedding MC…

Find Out More: Click The Following Link For How To Be A FUN Wedding MC

MC A Wedding: Bride and Groom’s Guide