The Wedding Breakfast
The Wedding Breakfast is not just your first meal as a Married Couple but it is also your opportunity to show your guests exactly what you have put into your day, from your choice of food, room decor, table design and centrepieces right through to your speeches. It sets the atmosphere for your magical day and should encompass not only your own tastes and desires but also make the very best of the venue you have chosen for this important part of your Wedding Day.
Surprisingly though, many couples spend a lot of time, attention and money on ensuring the tables look fabulous, the room looks good but then completely ignore some of the core parts of what can make this day so spectacular. To paraphrase Mark Ferrell “A Wedding Breakfast without great entertainment risks being just an expensive meal”
Well chosen, appropriate music at the correct volume really helps the atmosphere along. Some venues will ask you for a CD or put on one of their own – often a dreary downbeat selection of music guaranteed to have your guests feeling tired before the end of the meal. Wedding Days can be very long days and it usually helps to choose music which is upbeat, caters for the tastes of everyone in the room and is played at the correct volume level and managed accordingly. A lot of music has natural crescendoes which are too loud, soft passages which are too quiet, and bits in the middle which are perfect. It should all be perfect really! Volume is another issue – some songs are quiet, some are louder. Unless you have someone sat there twiddling with the volume constantly it just doesnt work! And of course different songs for different parts of the meal, breaks between courses – all of these need careful consideration and cannot be completely planned in advance unless you plan to force your guests to eat to a set timetable, which of course you can’t!
Choosing a Wedding DJ who can install discreet, subtle equipment and be set up ready for your guests arriving, playing the right music at the right time and ensuring that the music is managed so that announcements, speeches etc can be made comfortably can make a huge difference to your day. At many venues I am set up quite close to the Top Table and yet my system is completely unintrusive and in keeping with your decor.
Another constant surprise is the number of couples who settle for their venue’s ‘free toastmaster’ who is generally the Duty Manager who gets announcements in as quickly as he/she can so they can get back on with their other jobs such as ensuring your meal is being served correctly, the bar is running smoothly, wine is being poured etc. Some venues of course do have great Toastmasters (Beamish Hall for example) and some duty managers are also very good, but they do tend to be in the minority.
Many couples are happy to settle for this and want nothing more than a brusque intro to the room, but for those who want a personalised and unique experience it pays to have your own Master of Ceremonies, someone who works for you, has met you and understands your style and sense of humour and who can ‘present’ your wedding with the flavour and substance you require! I have presented many weddings over the years including the more unusual ones such as multi-cultural weddings with specific traditions or unusual settings, gay weddings and those clients who want a unique and personalised experience.
Another alternative some couples choose is to have a friend or family member act as their Master of Ceremonies. This can be nice although it often means some of the formalities pass by and often guests may not be in the right place at the right time. However, having your DJ on hand to help with some friendly promoting, the use of a microphone and shepherding guests to the right place can be a great benefit.
In addition to this I have some amazing ideas which I am happy to share with my clients. These ideas can help make your day completely unique and like no other wedding your guests have seen before. By using music and announcements along with information you have provided me with I can create Spotlight Moments which not only involve all of your guests in your special day but provide memories which will last for a very long time to come. Some of these are based around things you will be doing anyway such as your Entrance to the room, Cutting Your Cake and so on. With style, imagination and a little effort these moments can be made amazing!
Colin Cook is an experienced and professional Master of Ceremonies with a clear and well spoken manner. As I also spend time getting to know my clients I can tailor the style of your announcements to create the perfect atmosphere for your wedding. I can also use this time to break the ice with your guests to ensure that they are involved all of the formalities and this has a fantastic knock-on effect into the evening reception where barriers have already been broken down making me approachable and able to talk comfortably with your guests.
For more information please see my Master of Ceremonies page