The idea of having an MC at your formal might not occur to every planning committee. Like air, we often take it for granted, but an MC can significantly contribute to your formal’s success, even though it’s not a frequently discussed topic.

So, what does an MC actually do? “MC” stands for “Master of Ceremony.” Contrary to how the music industry used the term for rappers some years ago, an MC isn’t a lyricist but more like a “Captain.” An MC is responsible for welcoming guests and keeping them informed about the formal. This includes coordinating speeches and formalities, highlighting the venue’s features, and outlining the event schedule. While the most visible part of their job is speaking into the microphone, this only accounts for about 10% of their duties.

What’s often unseen is the other 90% of an MC’s work: managing the behind-the-scenes team that ensures your formal runs smoothly. The MC acts as the director for the security team, DJ, photographer, banquet staff, and other contractors. They communicate with kitchen staff, venue management, and other key people involved in the event. This coordination ensures that everyone performs their job effectively, stays in sync, and follows the schedule.

An MC has many responsibilities and commitments. They need to arrive at the venue early and stay until the end. The MC is the troubleshooter, the person to call for any assistance needed. A good MC has thorough knowledge of the formal and each team member they oversee. They are familiar with banquet operations, first aid, security, public speaking, and the technical aspects of the formal, the venue, and the schedule.

Simply put, the MC is the glue that holds your formal together. The cost of an MC can vary. A basic MC who mainly makes announcements might cost $300 to $400 per night, while a top-tier MC who manages the entire event could cost up to $2000 per night. (For your information, an expert MC is included in all of our formal packages.)

Should you include an MC? Consider this: We’ve successfully run formals since 1990, managing thousands of events with a 100% success rate. We’ve never held a formal without a skilled MC. We’ve also met many people who attended formals that didn’t go as planned, and interestingly, none of those events had a professional MC.

In our opinion, an MC isn’t just important; they are essential.