Do I Need A Professional MC At My Wedding?

Let’s talk about the MC, or master of ceremonies at a wedding.

The MC is not just the person making announcenemts and introducing speeches. They are the host of the event, looking after all guests, co-ordinating with the venue and other vendors. A proper MC is the go-to for any questions and guidance. They are the fixer, the problem solver, the safe pair of hands, the captain of the ship, conductor of the orchestra, if you will.

It’s commonplace to see one of the wedding guests take on this role, but there are also 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 also (rarely) 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. 

Obviously, money is a factor as well. Choosing to have a guest as the MC can help the budget a little, but I am a firm believer that this should not be considered as a bonus, and not the deciding factor. 

Professional MC

Image credit: Nathan Cassar 

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. 

While there are some dedicated wedding MCs, its also quite common for the celebrant or DJ to perform the MC duties. Celebrants have the added advantage of being a familiar face from earlier in the day, but not all of them will stay until the end of the night for the final announcements and farewell like a dedicated MC or DJ/MC would.

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, or an external on-the-day coordinator if you’ve hired one,  to help walk them through everything.  Remember that there’s still a job to do, so your guest MC shouldn’t be disappearing through the night or getting too loose. 

While a guest MC can be great potentially, its also a bit of a gamble as you’re dumping a lot of repsonsibility on somebody who likely does not have the higher level skills that only come with experience.

Its a big repsonsibility that can cause pressure, and not everyone is up to the task when push comes to shove. I would say of all the bookings I do where the couple have initially enlisted a guest MC, roughly 1/3 have gone to book me for MC duties further down the track, becasue their cousin/uncle/friend has backed out after agreeing originally.

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 on the night. 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, coordinator 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! 

Whether you choose a guest or a pro also comes down to what your wedding will be like. If it’s quite formal, or there are a lot of segments to fit in, with several vendors involved, then a professional is recommended. If you’re planning on a relaxed evening, with no timed fireworks or dry ice, and not many formalities planned, then a guest MC will probably manage OK.

Overall, using a professional MC is always going to be the safer option. It’s just one less thing to worry about on the day, you can relax and know the event will follow the charted course on time. Using a guest can work well, but it’s a bit more of a gamble.