5 Reasons You Need a Killer Emcee At Your Wedding Reception.

I love attending weddings almost as much as I love performing at them. I love the details in the decor, the carefully coordinated bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits, the beautiful and always unique wedding cake. It’s a celebration of a lifetime, and couples spend hard-earned cash to ensure it’s simply the best evening ever! But when the big day comes, there will be changes for which you couldn’t possibly plan. So, unless you’re planning to stand on a milk crate and yell for your guests to line up for an impromptu sparkler exit, you’re going to want a killer emcee and a versatile wedding band to tie the whole event together. Here are five reasons why:

1. A Master of Ceremonies is a Master Coordinator

A couple weeks ago, I attended a party at which nobody seemed to have a clue what was going on. The guest of honor was never introduced, it took about a half hour for word to get around that it was time to sit down for dinner, and the few special moments that were planned were botched because the people needed weren’t in the room when their music started. The DJ played great music, we all danced, but Judi’s special moment seemed to get lost in the mix. A solid emcee will have done his homework before anyone ever enters the room. He or she will have the tentative timetable, the names of everybody being introduced, all the special music lined up and ready to go, and most importantly, the microphone! Your emcee will be the one instructing guests what to do, making sure everybody’s paying attention when they need to be.

2. Not Everything Will Go As Planned

Most couples don’t anticipate this, of course, because they’ve never planned a wedding before. Sharing a written schedule with your vendors will only serve as a guide for how you’d like the evening to go. Every room is different, every crowd is different, and there are any number of things that can and will go awry on the day of the event. If you have an emcee to anticipate and navigate through these changes, you probably won’t even notice. But if nobody has this role, or if your emcee can’t adapt and lead effectively, you better believe that your guests will notice something’s up (or should I say, DOWN!)

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3. You’re Going To Have Last Minute Requests

A special toast that wasn’t included in your original notes. A dance with Grandma that was previously scratched. A group photo that your maid of honor just reminded you to take. Are you going to walk around and tell each of your guests to line up? Your event coordinator can help, but what you really need is a microphone, and a great communicator to convey the message. If you have a talented emcee with a band that can play special requests on the fly, all you need to do is let your emcee know what you’d like. Some of the most special moments of your big day will be the ones that nobody planned, but were still executed flawlessly.

4. Your Guests Will Remember How Elegant Your Reception Was (Or Wasn’t)

People have different thoughts here, of course. If you have a small party of 30 guests or less, there’s something to be said for an intimate gathering in which nobody’s in charge, where it all feels like a family reunion of sorts. But if you’ve got multiple groups of guests who don’t know each other, that’s not going to work. You’ll want to create an ambience in which everybody can be involved without feeling awkward. The solution: an emcee that can turn your room into an upscale affair with an elegant touch. You’ll want somebody that can seamlessly lead from blessing to dinner, toast to first dance, cake cutting to garter toss, all without any dead space. The best reception is one in which your guests don’t have time to wonder what’s coming next. A great emcee will always be one step ahead, effortlessly leading your guests through the evening’s events.

5. All Eyes On You…

I tell my band at every event: whatever you do, don’t embarrass the bride! Imagine this: you’ve been summoned to the dance floor for your first dance, you’re standing in the center of the room with every eye on you, but your music is nowhere to be found. You’re indeed a blushing bride, but not for the right reason! OK, stop imagining. This is NOT happening at your wedding! A great emcee has one person on his mind: Y-O-U. Your professional wants to make sure you feel special every step of the way, and understands how scary it is to stand in the middle of a dance floor while all your loved ones look on. Before you book your wedding entertainment, read the reviews from couples who have worked with that band or DJ before. Did the bride gush about how the emcee made her feel like the most special person in the room? If not…keep looking!

 

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Ben Mallare

An Annapolis, Maryland native, Ben Mallare has provided live musical entertainment for hundreds of couples, families and companies since 2012. Ben Mallare Events & Entertainment is a full-service private events entertainment agency with over 35 musicians performing 75 weddings and events each year. The company is a natural result of Ben’s aptitude for musical performance combined with his deep love of personal service. Ben currently lives in Glendale, California and anxiously looks forward to the new brides and grooms he’ll get to meet in the coming year!

Looking for unique, live musical entertainment that will fit both your vision and your budget? Get a quick quote from Ben at www.benmallare.com.

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They were perfect, literally perfect. Through all our questions, requests, demands, inquiries, concerns, rescheduling, on and on and on, they were nothing but gracious, professional, prompt and courteous. Then they showed up and rocked the hell out of absolutely everyone. My wife and I, and every single one of our guests, give them the highest praise possible. And the cherry on top, they let me get on stage and jam with them. We had Ben and his band, which we clearly highly recommend dishing out the extra money for and locking in. Perfect.
Groom testimonial Nick G. (Los Angeles, CA)
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The number one priority my bride and I wanted for our wedding was for a night full of dancing--not people begrudgingly on their feet, but truly having the best time on the dance floor. Ben Mallare absolutely delivered that for us. Since getting back from our honeymoon, the first thing people say to us is "that band you had was the best wedding band we've ever seen". If you are reading this review, don't waste another minute--book Ben Mallare--you'll be so glad you did. PS--they even learned a house/electronic song for us by request--they can truly do it all
Groom headshot Mark S. (San Francisco, CA)
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The entire wedding, we were (and still are) so proud to share the Ben Mallare name and are thrilled we could share our day with them. We could go on and on about how much fun the dance floor was, how engaging the band was with guests, how great the music was, etc., but you should take all of that as an absolute given. Ben Mallare’s band brings together truly talented, hard working and fun musicians. We knew music was going to be a very important part of our wedding weekend and we wanted the absolute best of the best, and we have only the highest recommendation for everything Ben Mallare.
Groom headshot Arnie F. (Banff, AB)
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