Congratulations! If you’ve landed here, it’s likely that:

A) you’re getting married and figuring out who you’ll choose as your MC.
b) you’ve been asked to be an MC for a wedding – you must be a legend.

The nickname we like to give any wedding MC is ‘The Director of Good Times’. Because really, it’s a more fitting title. They’re the charming, charismatic person who brings an upbeat energy to the celebration while simultaneously being the responsible adult that keeps everything on track. So it’s important that you choose wisely, or alternatively engage a pro to do the job.

Let’s discuss.

Featured image: With Heart.

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What does a wedding MC do?

The role of a wedding MC is to make your wedding flow, to help keep your wedding on time and keep all your guests informed as to what’s happening. Throughout the event they’ll most likely cover any formal introductions, announce important moments throughout the event and run through house-keeping rules. Those that take their job seriously will probably even throw in a few short tales about the couple, too.

They’ll have a run-sheet (provided by you) of your wedding so that they can play time-keeper. Importantly, they’ll be a point of liaison with your caterer or your wedding coordinator, as well as the band if you have one to make sure everyone is on the same page about where things are at. Because, let’s be honest: rarely do weddings run exactly to schedule, so it’s important there’s human-to-human communication on the day so that dinner isn’t announced when in reality, it’s still half an hour off being plated. No one wants to be thrown under a bus.

Hang on, that sounds like a lot of work. Isn’t being asked to be a wedding MC an honour?

Being asked to be a wedding MC is flattering. The person that gets asked is generally regarded as an outgoing, warm, engaging person that’s guaranteed to make people feel comfortable and add to the overall upbeat vibe of the day. But it is a responsibility that comes with a significant degree of prep-work. Your MC will likely spend time preparing a script and a bit of a speech for the day. They’ll work with you to figure out what announcements need to be made and then spend time gathering all the relevant info (like some fun facts about your wedding party, for example) in order to execute their announcements with a bit of passion, wit and panache.

Who should I choose for my MC?

Couples usually choose a close friend or relative, or hire a professional MC (a lot of wedding celebrants and musicians offer this service).

If you’re choosing to recruit someone you know keep in mind that for an extrovert, it’s a really fun gig. They get the satisfaction of being involved, as well as the recognition that they’re close to the couple and a special person in their lives. For an introvert, it’s equivalent to hell on earth. You want someone on the tools that’s a dab hand at public speaking. Most importantly, you want someone who is reliable – your MC is a timekeeper after all.

If you’re choosing to hire a professional MC, you’ll be in good hands as these are folks that do this for a living and get to test what works at weddings weekend in-and-out.

Do I really need an MC?

Bottom line, you don’t need an MC. Your wedding will still happen without one. And if you’ve got a wedding planner or coordinator on hand to keep things moving and to schedule then it’s even less essential. But all this said, it helps bring a level of formality or just a bit of ‘specialness’ to the day. Guests really feel like they’re being hosted.

What we would say if you’re not super jazzed about the formalities of having an MC is that it can be a low-key exercise for that person. It doesn’t have to be formal at all (and, in fact is better when it’s not). You could simply ask them to make a quick intro for any speakers and to discreetly ensure the event is rolling to plan.

Does my MC need to be a stand-up comedian?

HELL no. And we’d reassure the person you choose to be MC of this. They’ll appreciate not having the pressure.

Unless you know a stand-up comedian (in which case, enjoy the laughs) we think it’s best to choose someone that’s known for being honest and good-humoured. Let their sincerity shine through – they’ll probably throw in a few funny quips and this is absolute perfection.

Need more info? Let’s do a deep dive.