The Wedding MC ...
more than just a few jokes

A great deal of planning and preparation is required for a wedding to run smoothly. Attention must be paid to every detail and there are so many details. Arranging the church, the service, the reception facility, flowers, photographer, wedding cake, caterer, formal wear, special readings, music.... the list can seem endless!

There is a wealth of material available to guide the bride and groom through the maze of details and possible options available. There are books and magazines solely devoted to catering to this need.

Despite all of this there is one aspect of the wedding festivities that is rarely referenced, yet it has the potential to make or break the bride and groom’s special day. It is a part of most weddings. It is the Master of Ceremonies or the Wedding MC.

If you are the Bride and Groom ....

The bride and groom spend a great deal of time preparing for their special day. By the time the day arrives a completely planned package has been put together. A large portion of that package will be placed in the hands of the Wedding MC. They should have every confidence that the individual entrusted with the task will do a good job. The bride and groom should give as much thought to selecting their MC as they would their photographer.

The bride and groom should be clear what the role of the Wedding MC entails. Typically, the MC is responsible for the wedding reception, which is held after the marriage ceremony. For a large reception the MC’s duties could be many and varied. During this time the MC is the spokesperson for the bride and groom. They should be confident that he or she will represent them in a positive manner. The MC should be chosen early to allow time for proper preparation. The bride and groom should meet with the MC often during the days leading up to the wedding. An agenda of the activities during the reception should be agreed on and documented. They should make it clear to the MC what they expect, identify specific considerations such as recognizing special guests and they should place limitations on jokes and pranks. This will ensure that nothing gets out of hand.

The bride and groom should carry a note pad with them at all times to jot down little details as they arise. There are so many things that have to be dealt with that it is very easy for some things to get lost in the process. These notes will ensure that nothing is missed and will be helpful when they meet with the MC.

If you are the Wedding MC ....

The wedding MC does not just give a speech, nor does he or she simply tell a few jokes. At a typical wedding the MC will be required to perform a variety of tasks; introduce head table and special guests, provide humor, introduce individuals presenting toasts, read telegrams and greetings from family and friends that could not attend and look after the general flow of events during the reception.

Humor is an expected part of the Wedding MC role. However this does not have to be intimidating. The MC is not expected to be a standup comic. The humor can consist of 4 - 5 jokes, stories or a combination of both that can be spread through the presentation Humorous stories about the bride and groom work well, because most of the guests can relate to them. Jokes should be personalized and altered to fit the occasion. In all cases the material used should be in good taste.

Even at the best planned weddings things can go wrong leaving awkward gaps in the agenda. It is the responsibility of the MC to fill these gaps in order to keep a smooth transition of events. These can be filled with jokes, stories, anecdotes, or trivia. In either case they should be kept brief and limited to 3 - 4 minutes each.

One of the responsibilities of the Wedding MC is to introduce other individuals who will speak at the wedding reception, either to give a toast or to simply ‘say a few words’. The MC should meet with each of the speakers before the reception to ensure that the material in their speech is in good taste and to advise them of the order in which they will speak. The speakers should also be advised of how much time they have to present their toast or remarks. There can be several people speaking at a wedding reception besides the many speaking duties of the MC. Toasts and special remarks should be limited to 4 - 5 minutes each.

Research and preparation of material should begin as soon as possible. Meetings should be arranged with the bride and groom to ensure that the reception flows according to their wishes. The bride, groom, friends and family are all good sources of material for the MC’s presentation. Like the bride and groom, the MC should have a note pad handy at all times. As a rule of thumb the MC should plan to have twice as much material than will be required. The extra material can be used to fill gaps in the program.

The real art to being a good Wedding MC is to ensure that the bride and groom are kept the center of attention. The MC is not the show The MC is the vehicle and the grease to make it run smoothly. The talent, the order of events, the people, and the inventory have all been packaged by the bride and groom. It is the job of the MC to present that package in the most gracious manner possible.

Joel Sweeney is owner of Professionally Speaking and author of The Wedding MC Handbook and Little Helpings of Food for Thought.