Do I Need A Professional MC At My Wedding?

The MC, or master of ceremonies is like the event host. They are the person that makes the announcements, and introduces other speakers. They keep things to time, and coordinate with the relevant people at the event.

These days, it’s commonplace to see one of the wedding guests take on this role, but there are still quite a few professional wedding MCs.

So which one is right for you?

Choosing who to MC your wedding is often a decision that is one of the most important you will make, yet it is seldom recognised with the care it deserves. 

The MC does not operate any specialized equipment like the DJ or photographer, and because of this, people mistakenly assume that it is a less skilled role that anyone can do. It is common to opt to use a guest as the MC instead of hiring a professional.  I am going to discuss the pros and cons of both. 

Personally, I have seen weddings where a professional MC has really brought the night to life and made it a super special wedding, I have seen weddings with a pro MC that were pretty average and unremarkable. 

I have seen guest MCs that are naturally confident and great speakers, and due to their long family or friendship bond with the couple, they were able to connect with the guests on a level that no outsider ever could. I have also seen guest MCs completely bomb, get too drunk to perform their duties, or just not have the public speaking ability to do a good job of it. 

Professional MC

Let’s go with pro MC first. They have the experience and know how. Often they will know the venue staff and be able to work well with them in all the duties required of an MC. Your MC does much more than simply make announcements once in a while. 

They run the show, coordinating with the other vendors, the venue keeping the schedule to time, and fixing any problems. Arguably, these are a lot of soft skills that can’t be taught, and only come with the experience of a seasoned pro MC. 

A good professional will also work with you leading up to the date, to advise and refine the order of events to maximize the fun and ease of the reception.

Ideally they will get to know you both, and build up a bond in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding. 

A guest as the MC

There are also advantages to having one of your wedding guest as the MC.  A guest who is part of the family or friends group will be able to relate with all the inside jokes of the couple, and being emotionally invested themselves will be able to carry a genuine warmth and empathy in their well-wishing and toasting.

Their lack of expertise in running the show can be picked up by the DJ, or venue’s function coordinator to help walk them through it. Remember that there’s still a job to do, so your guest MC shouldn’t be disappearing through the night or getting too loose. 

In-house MC

Some venues come with their own MC who works directly for the venue. These will be very well spoken and good at their job, just be mindful that some of their decisions can tend to put the venue’s interests before yours.

For example, I once heard an MC that belonged to a certain venue group who would quite rudley shoosh the guests when making an announcement, in order to not delay the schedule, and another who would constantly plug the venue name to remind us where we all were. 

So which is the best?

Whether it’s a guest or a pro, make sure you communicate clearly what vibe you want from them. If it’s a low key relaxed affair, then a high-energy MC pumping everyone up won’t really sit well, and conversely if you have a big production, high glam wedding then you will need your MC to match that with big energy. 

Most important of all, the MC should be checking in with the other vendors and stakeholders before making any announcement. A pro will know this instinctively, but a guest may need some reminding. You don’t want the photographer to miss your first dance because the MC decided to jump on the microphone and announce without checking. 

if you choose a guest as your MC, make sure your DJ or someone from the venue is taking the reins to keep the segments running on time and ensure the night flows smoothly.

Make sure they know that there’s a job to do, and that they are comfortable with public speaking, even in front of people they know. Having a couple drinks to calm the nerves can easily go into a couple too many later in the night. There’s still a job to do! 

Overall, whether you choose a guest or a pro mainly comes down to what your wedding will be like. If it’s quite formal, or there are a lot of segments to fit in, then a professional is the safe bet. If you have a family member or friend with a silver tongue that you know in your heart will do an amazing job, then listen to you heart!