Entrance of the Bridal Party & Guests

Seating Your guests

The first contact that the MC will have with the guests is when they need to be ushered to their seating positions at the Reception.

Most Wedding Reception venues will have a board with a guest list attached.

The MC may choose to use an “in house microphone”, a “radio microphone, or the band or DJ’s microphone. Which ever is the choice, it is important that the EQ and volume levels of the equipment are correct, otherwise there is the chance of feedback and distortion.

Welcoming your guests

Once the guests are seated it is important for the MC to introduce themselves, as well as the venue, date, and the occasion.

For example: “Good evening ladies and gentleman, and welcome to ………, on this the ….. day of ……., to celebrate the marriage of …………… and ……………”

Magnet also recommend to get the guests to introduce themselves to the people directly to their left, right, behind, and ahead, since they will be associating for at least the next 4 –5 hours.

This is also a great way to settle the guests into the Reception.

The bridal party entrance

The guests have been seated and welcomed, and it’s the duty of the MC to make sure that everything takes place according to schedule. It is also a good idea to have a prepared running sheet to follow, and make copies available to those who need them, for example: photographer, videographer, Band, DJ etc.

As the bridal party amass outside the room, the MC should liaise with them, ensuring that they understand the procedure, and that they are ready to enter.

Traditionally, the Bridal Party entrance has the women to the left, and the men to the right. The men should have a clenched fist on the women’s hip, with the women gently resting their right hand on the men’s arm as they stand & walk.

The order in which the couples enter the room should be:

• Parents / Grandparents of the Bride & Groom
• Page boy / Flower girl
• 3rd Bridesmaid / Groomsman
• 2nd Bridesmaid / Groomsman
• 1st Matron (Maid) of Honour / Best Man
• Bride & Groom Last

The MC will announce each couple by rank and name (girls first) as they enter the room, and they should pause for 3 seconds at the door for photos before proceeding to the Bridal Table.

Upon reaching the Bridal Table, the men should stand behind their prospective partners, and at this stage no Bridal Party members are to be seated. During this whole process, the guests should be encouraged to applaud as much as possible.

The audience should remain seated until just prior to the Bride & Groom’s entry, at which point the guests should be upstanding. The Bride & Groom enter the Reception, and are ushered to the Bridal table.

With the audience and Bridal Party still standing, the Bride is the first to be seated, as her new husband holds here chair as she does so. The Groom is seated next, followed by the female members of the Bridal Party, who are assisted by their male partners holding their chairs.

The men in the Bridal Party are next to be seated, followed finally by the guests. The MC will briefly announce the formalities set for the evening, and will introduce Entrees and a family member or guest to say “Grace” (if required).

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