How to Officiate a Wedding: How to Manage Unexpected Noise and Distractions

You’ve rehearsed and practiced your ceremony, but are you prepared for unexpected noises and distractions? Rehearse many times so you’re able to look up from the page and speak to the couple. Your discipline will pay off because unwanted distractions happen.

The three most common unwanted distractions are babies, airplanes and road noise. If you want to know how to officiate a wedding and how to manage unexpected noises and distractions, keep reading. Below, you’ll find ways to manage all three.

First and foremost, rehearse! Read every ceremony aloud 10-15 times beforehand and use different color pens to make marks on the pages, which will help to keep your spot.

Rehearsing can’t prepare you for everything, but it sure gives you a great head start.

How to manage unexpected noise from babies and kids: Before any ceremony, ask guests with kids to please have a plan, should their child become a distraction during the ceremony.

This isn’t always easy because it offends people sometimes so to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings you might consider something like, “I love kids. I have two little ones and understand that sometimes they’re noisy at exactly the wrong time. With that being said, if by chance your child loses it during their ceremony, please secret service him out instead of trying to quiet him down and accidentally creating an even bigger distraction. The bride and groom only get one shot at this and we all want it to be perfect for them!” 99% of the time the parent will gladly agree.

How to manage unexpected noise from airplanes or automobiles: This happens a lot. Many airports are in the center of the city so airplanes are constantly overhead. You might not want to mention the airplane noise to the couple before their ceremony, because you don’t want to potentially stress the couple out. Instead, wait until it actually happens.

If an airplane flies overhead during their ceremony, lower your microphone at the exact time the plane is almost overhead and ask, “Do you guys want me to wait for the plane to pass or power through the noise?” and let the bride and groom decide. Most couples will ask that you pause and wait for the plane to pass, and all couples will appreciate that you give them a choice.

Motorcycles and loud cars are often an issue too. Some venues located on main roads in nice areas, where motorcycles are popular and they are LOUD! Fortunately, they pass by fairly quickly, so you might not even want to ask the couple what they prefer. Simply pause and wait, as if it’s no big deal.

Your body language and energy is important. If it’s no big deal to you, it’ll be no big deal to your couple and the goal is to have them feeling great.

How to manage unexpected noise from cell phones: The easiest way is to ask people to silence their phones. Before the ceremony when everyone is lined up and about to walk in, instruct the bridal party to please verify their ringers are turned off.

The only way to prevent guest’s phones from ringing is to make an announcement at the very beginning of their ceremony, and that’s something that should be left up to the couple. Never ask guests to keep their phones away unless the couple asks you to.

You might then say something like, “Bride and Groom are having what’s known as an unplugged ceremony, meaning that they’d like you to please keep your phones away and sit back and fully relax. Be present and enjoy their ceremony. They’ve hired a really great photographer, who’s going to make photos available to everyone, so you won’t miss anything.”

I hope these tips were helpful.