Wedding MC advice

[jasondon]

I have been asked to be an MC at a close friend's wedding next weekend whom I have known for many years. There will be about 150 people, and I probably know about half of them (lots of out of towners).

My goal is to keep the evening on track, have a couple laughs as we go, and help make it a memorable evening in whatever way possible. There is a script in place to keep the evening on time, and I feel as prepared as I need to be. For those of you that have been an MC, what word of advice do you have to offer?

 

[djh]

You are a guest as well as acting as MC, so don't forget to enjoy yourself.

Be as unobtrusive as you can....... it is going to be the bridal couple's big event and there is no point in trying to steal it from them.

 

[dieselfuel79]

Be yourself and have fun.

 

[jasondon]

Thanks guys, definitely dont want to steal the show just want to keep the evening on schedule. Cheers, Jason

 

[Shaving_CHENG]

You are a guest as well as acting as MC, so don't forget to enjoy yourself.

Be as unobtrusive as you can....... it is going to be the bridal couple's big event and there is no point in trying to steal it from them.

This is very good advice.

Is there a wedding planner? If there is, just make sure you're coordinated. If it's just a script, it's as easy as a checklist.

Enjoy.

 

[Doc4]

My goal is to keep the evening on track, have a couple laughs as we go, and help make it a memorable evening in whatever way possible.

Make sure to keep the humour to a minimum. And none after you start drinking. (You're not drinking until the MC duties are done, right??)

A wedding MC is like a referee or umpire at a sports game: he did a good job if nobody noticed him, and got to pay attention to the athletes (AKA the married couple.)

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

It is all about the couple.

Just went to a wedding recently and at the reception they put a twist on the attendees clinking their glasses to get the new couple to kiss. The new couple had put the names of several married couples into a hat. Each time someone began tapping their glass to get them to kiss a name was drawn out of the hat. The couple whose name was drawn had to kiss in an overly dramatic and creative manner. Then the newly wed couple had to mimic them. It was fun and involved more folks. I would say that six names in the hat seemed right.

 

[JayEddie]

It is all about the couple.

Just went to a wedding recently and at the reception they put a twist on the attendees clinking their glasses to get the new couple to kiss. The new couple had put the names of several married couples into a hat. Each time someone began tapping their glass to get them to kiss a name was drawn out of the hat. The couple whose name was drawn had to kiss in an overly dramatic and creative manner. Then the newly wed couple had to mimic them. It was fun and involved more folks. I would say that six names in the hat seemed right.

What a wonderfully creative idea.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Just relax and enjoy yourself. Be truthful and don't try to be funny, the laughs will come from how you tell the story. Don't try to be the professional comedian.

 

[treewhale]

Anything that requires more creativity or thoughtfulness on the part of guests than glass clinking. Tell a story about the couple, original poetry, sing a song, just keep the clinking off the table.

 

[maxman]

My only advice is keep it clean. Don't go low brow.

 

[jasondon]

Thanks for all the replies. There is a script which I have gone through, seems fairly well organized and I will do what I can to keep on schedule. I am going to stay away from jokes, as I agree just tell a story or two and not try to be a comedian. With that said, I came across a funny joke while on the topic. "When I was asked to be the MC it felt like being offered to make love to the queen, honored but you wish someone else would do it". I wont use that, but I chuckled when I read it as that is pretty much how I felt, haha.

 

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

Thanks for all the replies. There is a script which I have gone through, seems fairly well organized and I will do what I can to keep on schedule. I am going to stay away from jokes, as I agree just tell a story or two and not try to be a comedian. With that said, I came across a funny joke while on the topic. "When I was asked to be the MC it felt like being offered to make love to the queen, honored but you wish someone else would do it". I wont use that, but I chuckled when I read it as that is pretty much how I felt, haha.

Hey, just clean it up: "When I was asked to be the MC it felt like being asked to kiss the Queen of England - honored but you wish someone else would do it."

 

[Edcculus]

Watch a lot of The Office and do EXACTLY what Michael Scott does...nothing can go wrong!

 

[Doc4]

Watch a lot of The Office and do EXACTLY what Michael Scott does...nothing can go wrong!

That's not what she said ...