Q: Hi APW Crew,
My wedding ceremony is taking place in a small rural community hall with no built-in sound system. I was planning on playing music for the ceremony via iPod through a small stereo that we are bringing to the hall. Then I realized: do I need a microphone so that the guests can actually hear the words of the ceremony? There will be approximately a hundred people in the room and I don’t want them to be struggling to hear! Have any APW readers encountered this situation? What did you do about it? Can you recommend a brand or type of microphone that doesn’t break the bank but still works with a normal portable stereo system?
Thanks!
A: We at APW think you generally need a mic when there’s over, say, 25 people, particularly if you’re outdoors or in a situation with a lot of background noise. This goes double if any of the elders are hard of hearing. You’ll be shocked at how fast a ceremony can turn into, “That seemed really nice… from what I could hear.” Which means, of course, you have to decide on types of microphones (Stick mic? Body mic? Old school mic with a cord?) and figure out how to get your hands on one (renting is awesome).
So, Hive-mind, did you use a microphone for your wedding, and have ideas on renting or buying one that’s pretty easy to figure out? (Maybe you needed one when you chose to DIY YOUR MUSIC?) BONUS: Any stories about which ones to avoid?
If you want the APW community’s two cents, send it to QUESTIONS AT APRACTICALWEDDING DOT COM, and we’ll do our best to crowdsource you some answers!
