The short answer
A wedding MC is the voice of your reception. They welcome guests, run housekeeping, introduce the entrances, call each speech and formality, and keep the night moving to the run sheet. Most Australian couples ask a confident friend or relative, and the best MCs are briefed early, stay sober until the formalities are done and work closely with the coordinator and DJ.
At a glance
- The MC speaks; the coordinator and DJ make sure everything is ready before the MC speaks.
- Allow 5 to 10 minutes of housekeeping at the start so the MC can cover the rules and warm up the room.
- Keep each speech to 3 to 5 minutes. Four speeches at that length take about 20 minutes, not an hour.
- Give your MC the run sheet, name pronunciations, speech order and the supplier list at least two weeks out.
- The most common MC problems are drinking too early, too many in-jokes and no microphone check.
- Every announcement needs a cue: who the MC tells, and who has to be ready first.
What does a wedding MC do?
The MC hosts the reception from start to finish. They make the announcements, introduce people, hand over to speakers and keep the formalities to time.
Think of the MC as the link between your guests and the plan. Guests don't see the run sheet. They hear the MC. When the MC says dinner is served, people sit down. When the MC introduces the father of the bride, the room goes quiet. A good MC makes the night feel easy because everyone knows what's happening next.
- Welcome and housekeeping: toilets, the bar, the photo booth, when dinner is coming, any house rules
- Introductions: the bridal party and couple's entrance
- Speeches: introducing each speaker and thanking them afterwards
- Formalities: cake cutting, first dance, bouquet or garter toss if you're having one
- Moving people: calling guests to their seats, to the dance floor and out for the farewell
- Filling gaps: a short line or two if something is running a few minutes late
What the MC doesn't do is fix the problems behind the scenes. Finding the missing cake knife, checking the speaker's microphone has batteries and telling the kitchen to hold mains is the coordinator's job, or the venue's if they're running the night.
Who should MC a wedding: a friend, a relative or a professional?
Most couples ask a friend or relative who is comfortable speaking to a crowd and knows both families. A professional MC suits very large weddings, multilingual crowds or couples with no obvious person to ask.
| Friend or family MC | Professional MC | |
|---|---|---|
| Knows the couple | Yes, and can make it personal | Learns about you in a briefing |
| Experience with crowds | Varies a lot | Usually high |
| Cost | Usually free (a thank-you gift is nice) | A paid booking |
| Risk on the day | Nerves, drinking, running long | Can feel less personal |
| Works best with | A clear run sheet and a coordinator cueing them | Large or formal receptions |
Plenty of couples have an uncle or a close friend as MC, and it works well when they're well briefed.
When you're choosing a friend or relative, look for someone who is calm, clear and happy to stay sober until after the first dance. Being funny helps, but being organised matters more. Avoid asking someone who is also giving a long speech, is in the bridal party and needed for photos, or will spend the night looking after small children.
What are the MC's duties before the wedding?
Before the day, the MC learns the running order, practises every name, writes short introductions and confirms the music and speech cues with the coordinator and DJ.
2 to 4 weeks before
- Read the run sheet and ask questions about anything unclear
- Get the correct pronunciation of every name they'll say, especially the bridal party and speakers
- Confirm the speech order and remind each speaker of the time limit
- Write a short introduction for each speaker (two or three sentences is plenty)
- Learn the house rules: confetti, sparklers, candles, the bar, last drinks and the finish time
The week of the wedding
- Check in with the coordinator about any changes to the run sheet
- Confirm the music cues with the DJ or band, or with whoever is running the playlist
- Print the MC script in a large font, in a folder, plus a copy on their phone
- Plan what to wear and when to arrive at the reception
What does a wedding MC say? A sample script and running order
A wedding MC script follows the reception running order: housekeeping, entrances, dinner, speeches, cake, first dance and farewell. Each line is short, and each one has someone ready behind it.
| Time | MC says or does | Who's cued |
|---|---|---|
| 5:30pm | "Good evening everyone, and welcome. If you could make your way to your seats, we'll get started in a few minutes." | Coordinator and venue staff move guests in; DJ lowers the music |
| 5:35pm | Housekeeping: introduces themselves, points out the toilets and the bar, explains the night's plan and any house rules, then warms up the room. | DJ on standby for the entrance song |
| 5:45pm | "Please put your hands together for the bridal party." Introduces each pair by name. | Coordinator lines up the bridal party at the door; DJ plays the entrance song |
| 5:50pm | "And now, for the first time as a married couple..." | Coordinator gives the couple the signal to walk in; photographer in position |
| 6:00pm | "Dinner will be served shortly. Enjoy your entrée." | Coordinator tells the kitchen the room is seated; DJ plays dinner music |
| 6:40pm | Introduces the first speaker, then thanks them and introduces the next. | Coordinator has the microphone ready and the next speaker standing by; kitchen holds mains |
| 7:05pm | "Thank you to our speakers. Mains are on their way." | Coordinator releases mains with the kitchen |
| 8:00pm | "Grab your phones: the couple are about to cut the cake." | Coordinator has the cake and knife in place; photographer and DJ ready |
| 8:10pm | "Please welcome the couple to the dance floor for their first dance." | DJ cues the first dance song; coordinator clears the floor |
| 8:15pm | "The dance floor is now open." | DJ starts the party set |
| 9:00pm | Bouquet or garter toss, if you're having one. | Coordinator gathers guests; DJ plays the song |
| 10:45pm | "Last drinks at the bar." Then: "Please make your way outside to farewell the couple." | Venue calls last drinks; coordinator sets up the farewell; DJ plays the exit song |
Times are illustrative. Your MC script should match your run sheet line for line. See a sample wedding day timeline for the full day.
Why housekeeping matters
Experienced MCs build time at the start for housekeeping. It's the MC's chance to explain the house rules, tell guests what's coming and get the room on side before the entrances. Five to ten minutes is enough. It also gives late guests time to find their seats before the couple walks in.
Wedding MC ideas that work
- A quick show of hands: who's here for the couple, who travelled furthest, who's been married the longest
- One short story about the couple that everyone in the room will understand
- Introducing each speaker with how they know the couple, not just their name
- A clear heads-up before each formality so guests can grab a drink and get their phones out
What order do wedding speeches go in, and how long should they be?
A common Australian order is a parent or family member first, then the best man and maid of honour, then the couple last. Each speech should run 3 to 5 minutes.
There's no fixed rule, so choose an order that suits your families. What matters more is the length. Long speeches are the main reason receptions run late. Mains go cold, the kitchen gets backed up and the first dance slides later into the night.
| Length per speech | Speeches only | With introductions and handovers |
|---|---|---|
| 3 minutes | 12 minutes | About 20 minutes |
| 5 minutes | 20 minutes | About 30 minutes |
| 10 minutes | 40 minutes | About 50 minutes |
Handover time is an estimate: walking to the microphone, applause and the MC's introduction add a minute or two each time.
Account for the transitions, too. Getting from the last speech to the cake cutting, or from the cake to the first dance, takes a few minutes each time. Build those minutes into the run sheet so the MC isn't rushing. For where speeches fit in the whole day, see the sample wedding day timeline.
"When couples tell me they want help keeping the MC on time, what they usually need is someone making sure the speaker, the microphone and the music are ready before the MC stands up. That's most of my job during the reception."
Sara WardFounder & Lead Wedding Day Coordinator, Hello LoveHow does the MC work with the coordinator, DJ and venue?
The coordinator gets each moment ready, the MC announces it, and the DJ or band plays the cue. The venue team runs food and drinks to the same timings.
| Role | Main job during formalities |
|---|---|
| MC | Announces each moment and introduces speakers |
| Coordinator | Checks people, props and suppliers are ready, then signals the MC |
| DJ or band | Plays entrance, cake, first dance and farewell songs on cue |
| Venue or caterer | Times courses and the bar around the formalities |
| Photographer | Is in position before each moment starts |
In practice, I stand where the MC can see me. When the bridal party is lined up and the DJ has the song loaded, I give the MC a nod. If the kitchen needs ten more minutes, I tell the MC before they call the next speech, so they can fill or wait. Without a coordinator, the MC ends up doing both jobs, and that's when they miss their own meal.
What are the most common wedding MC mistakes?
Drinking too much before the formalities, too many in-jokes, skipping the microphone check and letting speeches run long.
- Drinking early. Agree that the MC stays sober until after the first dance. They can celebrate properly after that.
- In-jokes. A story only the uni friends understand loses the rest of the room. Keep it to stories everyone can follow.
- No microphone check. Test the microphone, the volume and the cable length at the reception before guests arrive.
- Mispronounced names. Practise every name aloud, especially for speakers and the bridal party.
- Improvising the order. Stick to the script and check with the coordinator before changing anything.
- Not eating. Make sure the MC is served with everyone else, not after the speeches.
Frequently asked questions
How we researched this
Written by Sara Ward from her work coordinating receptions alongside friend, family and professional MCs at weddings across Sydney and regional NSW, and from questions couples ask in Hello Love enquiries. The script and timings are examples; every MC script is built from the couple's own run sheet.
About the author
Founder & Lead Wedding Day Coordinator, Hello Love
Sara Ward is the founder and lead coordinator at Hello Love, a Sydney-based wedding day coordination service. She has spent years running weddings across the Sydney CBD, Inner West, Northern Beaches, Southern Highlands and South Coast - from intimate harbourside ceremonies to 200+ guest receptions.
Related reading
- Sample Wedding Day Timeline: A Schedule for Every Ceremony Time
- Wedding Run Sheet Template: What to Include, Who Gets It and When
- Wedding Day Coordinator Checklist: Everything From 8 Weeks Out to Pack-Down
- Venue Coordinator vs Wedding Day Coordinator: Do You Need Both?
- Wedding day coordination packages & pricing
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