Look, we’ve all been there - a wedding where the MC was drier than your Savannah Light and the jokes were more cringey than your dad’s one liners
How does one pick a good MC? We’re here to give you some tips and qualities to look for when choosing your wedding MC (Master of Ceremonies).
Obviously you need someone funny, somebody who can crack a joke and capture the audience, but that does not mean that every funny person in your life is suited for the job of being your MC. Basically, your best pal or 'druncle' that cracks jokes around the braai is not necessarily the first choice for your wedding.
There are three main characteristics you need in your wedding day MC:
1 - Someone with organisational skills
It’s a common misconception that your MC is just going to stand there and call the next people up to give a speech or tell a joke or two, but your Master of Ceremonies is actually very important for the flow and schedule of your wedding day.
Their job doesn’t start at the reception, it starts the morning of your wedding. They have to coordinate with the DJ and the photographers, ensure that family members are where they are supposed to be and that people’s questions are being answered. They have to be able to plan ahead, follow a plan and adapt accordingly.
2 - Witty, not funny
Okay, so yes, you have to be funny. Because even if your MC doesn’t score 10/10 with organisational skills, at least we should be able to get a laugh out of it.
But funny is a very broad description…funny is not someone who gets loud after they have had a couple of brandy’s or someone who can recite jokes that they googled 10 minutes before the ceremony.
You need someone who can think on their feet, be witty about jokes and actually land a punchline! Someone who can latch onto a person’s speech with a funny one-liner and control the crowd but not steal the show.
The MC needs to be able to read the crowd and make appropriate jokes accordingly. If the guests are lively, then they need to know what lekker joke is going to make them laugh. But if your grandmother is still in the crowd, maybe they should know to not make too many spicy jokes.
3 - Stage fright not welcome
This is kind of obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people choose their shy friends to MC their wedding. Your MC should not be trembling in their pants and sweating before they are speaking to a crowd of people. They need to be confident in speaking in front of and to everyone. They need to take on a sort of leader role because they are going to be calling people for photos and talking to people at any moment.
That’s it. That is the recipe for your MC trifecta!
Of course not everyone you consider being your MC is going to score perfectly on each attribute or even have each of those, but these are just things to keep in mind.
Thank you for reading, I hope this makes the process of picking your perfect MC easier! Give us a follow on Instagram for loads of wedding content and tips.
