Should I have an Emcee (Master of Ceremonies) at my wedding?
This is a good question that, unfortunately, does not have a single correct answer.
Put yourself in the shoes of a wedding guest for a moment. Pretend you were invited to a wedding at a hotel, you just finished cocktail hour, the doors are opened and…? If nobody tells you what to do, you’re left standing there with no direction and questions like “Should I find my table/seat? Should I stand at the edge of the dance floor? What should I do?”
Well, it seems like the question is answered… but wait!
Looking at it from the opposite perspective, you also don’t want someone screaming into the microphone telling everyone what to do all the time. After all, this is not a Sweet 16 or Bar Mitzvah. So,we are left with the question again – should I have an Emcee at my wedding?
Most of the time, one of the band members or the DJ will be the person “running the show.” This is where the couple should intervene to tell the Emcee how to do his job.
See the below testimonial from someone who has seen it all:
“Some couples come to us and ask to simply announce the main events – entrances for the bridal party, newlywed couple, first dance, speeches, and cutting of the cake. Some other couples want the Emcee to encourage everyone to be on the dance floor having a great time. A lot of times that’s not even necessary because guests are already on the dance floor having a good time.”
-Ed (singer/Emcee) from The Music Machine USA Band Hollywood Florida
When hiring a band, it is always a good idea to find out how they deal with the “Emcee” situation. One thing is to talk into the microphone announcing the basics, another thing is to emcee a party.
