So, you've been asked to emcee a wedding
by 2 people |
Ranked #2,464 in How-To, #24,732 overall | Donates to Critter Connection
What's making you most nervous?
You've been given a great compliment. There's no other reason a friend would ask you to emcee their wedding. They must have great faith in you to ask you to do it instead of a professional. That doesn't mean you can't be nervous. It doesn't mean you shouldn't go looking for help if you need it.
If you are nervous, then I'm going to give you a quick rundown of what you need to do, and suggest some additional resources that will give you the edge you need to stand up in front of the crowd and have them eating out of the palm of your hand.
The extra effort you put in now will save you a lot nerves on the day. I don't have to tell you that sometimes it's not just the bride and groom with butterfies in their stomach.
What is making you most nervous?
Take this quick poll so you can decide on which area to concentrate. Just remember, you don't need to know it all, but what you do need is to have enough information that you aren't floundering.
A quick and dirty overview of what your duties as an emcee are
What am I supposed to be doing anyway?
Before the Wedding:
1. A month before the wedding you need to get together with the bride and groom and ask them a few questions about the reception. Here are some suggestions of things you need to know.
- How they got together,
- Any amusing stories they wish to tell,
- What their interests are,
- Who will be doing speeches?
- Will they be having telegrams and messages?
- Do they have any special requests for the reception you may need to know.
- Are there any subjects you should steer clear of (such as sore topics sure to cause clashes)
- The names of everyone in the wedding party.
2. Now that you have all the information you can write up the order of ceremony for the reception, and any speeches you need to write. Keep the speeches short. You don't want to bore your audience. Remember it's not your day it's theirs.
3. A week before the reception check again with the bride and groom for updates, and add any revisions they may have.
4. Put the whole thing onto cue cards, and write up a checklist of the event sequence.
5. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!
At the Wedding:
1. Introduce yourself to the wedding guests. Let them know who you are and why you're here.
2. Make an announcement of how the reception will proceed, and make a note of the smoking policy, any smoking areas, as well as the location of the amenities, etc.
3. Announce the wedding party when they arrive. There's a pretty standard order to this, but take into account any variations the wedding party has requested. Usually it goes something like this:
- The parents of the bride.
- The parents of the groom.
- The groomsmen and bridesmaids
- and without further ado, the new 'Mr and Mrs -'
4. Announce any toasts (this will most probably be after the meal)
5. Announce the speeches next.
6. Announce the first dance with the bride and groom.
7. Later, announce the cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss.
8. Announce the bride and groom leaving.
9. Signal the end of the reception, and farewell all the guests.
*Phew* you've finished. See? Not hard at all.
If you need more detail, and I bet you do, I recommend You Can Be A Wedding MC by Peter Miller. He is a professional emcee and he's written this book with the beginner in mind. It has checklists and sample speeches, and he's anticipated through years of experience all the things that can go wrong. It's well worth buying for your peace of mind.
The Wedding Speeches Tips
It's not just about going from A to B
I decided to do a special section just on the speeches simply because there's most probably nothing else that makes people feel as though they are in the spotlight more. There's nothing more nerve wracking than feeling you are going to stumble over your speeches. You don't have to, and the key is to be prepared.Be Prepared
If you haven't already talked to the bride and groom do so! Have a look at the quick guide above and put it into action. This way you will know what speeches you need to write up.
Speech Tips
1. It's worth saying again: Be prepared!
2. Make sure your speeches are short; there's no need to ramble on. If your speech is over five minutes it's too long.
3. Be as natural as you can. Don't complicate matters unnecessarily.
4. There's nothing wrong with getting a pre-prepared speech and editing it. In fact it'll save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
5. Put down the speech or speeches onto cards and memorise them as best you can. You'll have something to refer back to this way.
6. Rehearse as much as possible. If you can get an audience, even better.
I know this list seems impossibly simple, but there's not that much to giving a speech. It's because we are nervous and feel exposed that we complicate the matter. If you feel you can't write the speech on your own then don't. Pick up a copy of Wedding Toasts Made Easy and then modify the speeches to suit you. You don't have to be wholly original, just personal in your approach..
Conclusion
Throw away the nerves and enjoy the experience.
Comments on "So, you've been asked to emcee a wedding"
Like this lens? Want to share your feedback, or just give a thumbs up? Be the first to submit a blurb!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byAuthor notes and copyright information
All photos from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Royalty free stock photography for websites, PowerPoint, newletters, forums, blogs, schools and homework - FreeDigitalPhotos.net
