You’ve spent months planning your wedding day. The venue is booked, the flowers are ordered, the dress is perfect. But there’s one moment that almost every couple underestimates until it’s too late — the speeches.
A poorly amplified speech is one of the most common complaints guests make after weddings. The father of the bride gets emotional, delivers a line that should bring the house down, and half the room misses it entirely because the microphone is cutting out or the sound isn’t reaching the back of the room. That moment is gone. You can’t get it back.
Good speech sound isn’t glamorous. Nobody talks about it afterwards when it goes right. But when it goes wrong, everyone notices.
What makes speech sound go wrong
In 30 years of weddings across the North East I’ve seen every variation of this. The most common culprits are:
Cheap or poorly positioned speakers — a sound system that’s right for a dancefloor isn’t necessarily right for speech clarity. Music is forgiving. The spoken word isn’t. You need even coverage across the whole room, not just the front half.
Feedback and distortion — the classic microphone squeal. Usually caused by mic positioning relative to speakers, or using the wrong type of microphone for the room. Deeply embarrassing for the person holding it and kills the atmosphere instantly.
Volume set wrong for the room — a room full of people absorbs sound very differently to an empty room at soundcheck. An experienced DJ adjusts for this before the speeches start, not during them.
No backup plan — a wired microphone that fails mid-speech with no wireless alternative available is a nightmare scenario that’s entirely preventable.
How I handle speeches
I use professional wireless microphones that give speakers the freedom to move naturally without being tethered to a stand. The handheld option suits most speakers — fathers of the bride, best men, the couple themselves. For venues where a lectern works better I can provide a stand-mounted mic instead.
Before the speeches begin I’ll do a quick check with whoever is speaking first — just 30 seconds to confirm levels are right for the room as it is with guests seated. It’s a small thing that makes a significant difference.
I coordinate directly with your venue team and toastmaster (if you have one) on timing, so the transition from meal to speeches to first dance flows without anyone having to chase anything or make awkward announcements.
The venues I know
Having played at Wynyard Hall, Lumley Castle, Matfen Hall, Lartington Hall, Crathorne Hall and many more across the North East, I know how different rooms behave acoustically. High ceilings, stone walls, long narrow layouts — each one needs a slightly different approach. That venue knowledge is worth as much as the equipment itself.
Part of every package
Speech microphones are included as standard across all my packages — there’s no extra charge. Whether you’re booking the Evening Disco or the Full Day Package, you won’t be handed a cheap wired mic and left to figure it out.
If you’re booking a full day package I’ll also handle background music during the drinks reception and wedding breakfast, so the audio experience across your whole day is consistent and professionally managed.
Thinking about booking?
📞 07717 380610 ✉ yourevent@alastairreay.co.uk Or view packages and prices