Note: This 6 minute video (narrated by Eric Zimmermann) shows in real time a “behind the scenes situation” that would have jeopardized the Grand Entrance, First Dance & Hora. This is a bit of an instructional video illustrating some of the responsibilities of a Master of Ceremonies that contribute to the success of a wedding :-)
Wedding Planning and Coordinating a Wedding
A Full Evening of Entertainment
This creative bride and her mother planned a Beautiful Wedding!
In addition to my conducting the festivities as DJ and Master of Ceremonies, for this wedding Sheila and I performed Flute and Piano music for the wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. Then during dinner the Elegant Music Jazz Trio performed selections from the “Great American Song Book”. This was a full evening of entertainment.
See: A Full Evening of Entertainment
“Planning a wedding” and “coordinating a wedding” are related but these are two different activities. A Master of Ceremonies is an “executive”. Throughout the celebration he executes announcements and in conducting the festivities guides the event along a planned course. This is certainly the case with a grand entrance. Getting the grand entrance right helps to establish the Master of Ceremonies with that audience.
See: Your Master of Ceremonies. What does he do?
Getting the Grand Entrance Right
In planning this wedding it was decided:
- For the grand entrance the bride and groom would enter the ballroom and come down the stairs and start their first dance.
- Then on cue, the bridal party would join the bride and groom on the dance floor and complete their first dance.
- Then, at the end of the first dance (having the wedding couple and their bridal party all together on the dance floor) we would go right into the Hora.
Sure, it looks good on paper but will it happen exactly that way?
I noticed something important was missing…
- The bridal party couples were not assembled and in the ready position to join the groom and bride on the dance floor.
If I were to have made the scheduled announcement for (the bridal party to please join the wedding couple on the dance floor) chances would be good that there would have been little compliance from the bridal party “a failed announcement”.
It is dangerous for a Master of Ceremonies to make an announcement and it not happen. In an ideal world, the MC makes an announcement and it happens and guests see it happen. The MC is then credible with that audience.
The fastest way to lose control of an audience is to make an announcement and it not happen. This is especially important at the beginning of a wedding reception during the grand entrance.
A failed announcement would make the MC and the wedding couple (who are exposed all alone on the dance floor) look bad.
Here is What Happened
The first dance song is playing and just about up to the instrumental section when the announcement (for the bridal party to join the bride and groom on the dance floor) was to be made…
I quickly went around to the tables and found each member of the bridal party and asked them to line up with their partner. (You can see this happening on the video.)
Thank goodness they were all in the room and no one was in the bathroom.
Once I had them lined up and in the ready position, I could make the announcement…
They indeed did join the wedding couple on the dance floor. It was easy to then invite all guests to join them… which they did.
The first dance was completed and a spirited hora followed with nearly everyone in participation. A successful grand entrance, first dance and hora!
Whew! That was a close one :-)
Please see: The Working Relationship Between the Wedding Coordinator and Master of Ceremonies.
Also see: Time of The Season – Holiday Entertaining by Elegant Music
Sincerely, Eric Zimmermann
Elegant Music 323-270-3650
