Wedding Reception MC and Announcement Checklist

An energetic, professional host for your reception

Soulution's wedding reception packages include MC service. A singer from the band serves as your MC, keeping the evening on track and working with your planner. The style is energetic but professional: a warm welcome, clear announcements and excitement when it is time to celebrate.

You do not need to include every traditional reception moment. A big entrance, a simple introduction or fewer formal announcements can all fit the evening you want. Let the band know what feels comfortable, including any names, titles or traditions you would rather leave out.

Use the planning page you already have

After booking, you receive a planning page where your reception timeline and details come together. Plan to work through it around a month before the wedding. Two weeks before the date, you and the band have a call to review the full details, including announcements, music and the flow of the evening.

That timeline is the place for names, entrance order, pronunciation and your preferred introduction. You do not need a separate announcement document or a fully written script. Use the wedding music timeline for help picturing the broader flow, then add the details that matter to you.

Choose your entrance music and introduction

Start with how you want to be introduced. First names may feel just right, or you may have a particular introduction in mind. Add that wording to your timeline, along with pronunciations and the order of anyone else being introduced. A small pronunciation note helps the MC say an important name with confidence.

You can choose your entrance music. For a live entrance, the band typically plays an instrumental version of Stevie Wonder's “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” Playing it live lets the band adjust the energy up and down as the entrance unfolds. If you have another song in mind, discuss the live or recorded arrangement with the band so everyone knows what to expect.

Give special dances a comfortable ending

A first dance or family dance does not have to last the full song. The band recommends roughly 90 seconds to two minutes, enough time to enjoy the moment without feeling that you need to keep dancing through every verse. That is a recommendation, not a limit.

Shortened dances, fades and an invitation for guests to join you can be arranged. Tell the band how you would like the moment to end, as well as which song you want. If you are still choosing music, the must-play and do-not-play guide can help you organize your preferences.

Let toasts lead naturally into dancing

Toast microphones are included. The usual recommendation is to place toasts toward the end of dinner, so those remarks can finish before dancing gets underway. This gives the speeches a place in the evening without asking everyone to leave the dance floor just as the party gets going.

Add your planned speakers and their order to the timeline. If someone asks to give an unexpected toast or speech during the reception, the band will check with you before handing over a microphone. You get to decide whether that extra moment belongs in your celebration.

Talk through guest performances and videos in advance

A guest singing, playing an instrument or sharing a video can be a lovely part of the reception if it is something you want. The band welcomes those ideas and asks that you discuss the details in advance. Explain what the guest hopes to do and where it would fit in the evening.

Tell the band which song or video you have in mind and what instruments or equipment the guest plans to bring. You can then work through the audio and setup together before the wedding.

Plan a private last dance

If you want a private last dance, the band recommends recorded playback. That allows the musicians to step away from the stage and gives you a quieter final moment together. A live song is also an option if that is what you prefer.

Add the choice to your timeline and discuss it with your planner and the band. Think about the feeling you want for that final song, whether it is a gentle pause or one more joyful dance.

Stay in touch as the evening unfolds

Your planner is the best contact for coordinating changes with the band. You are also always welcome to come over directly with a question or a change throughout the night. The planning page gives everyone a starting point, and the band can work with you as plans evolve.

Copy this optional announcement worksheet into your planning page

Use any of these prompts that help. Short answers in the existing timeline are enough; there is no need to complete every line for every moment.

• Introduction: Names, pronunciation and the words we would like used.
• Entrance: Who is entering, in what order, and our music choice.
• Special dances: Songs, preferred length and how each dance ends.
• Toasts: Planned speakers and their order.
• Extra moments: A guest performance, video or private last dance to discuss.