Get to Know the Microphone Before the Day

Nine times out of ten, when guests say they couldn't hear a speech, the speech wasn't the problem — the microphone was. The good news is that almost every issue is preventable with five minutes of practice. Ask your wedding DJ for a proper run-through with the mic you'll actually use, usually a handheld radio microphone and sometimes on a stand. Learn three things: where the switch is, how it feels in your hand, and how close it needs to be.

Practise in a normal voice at the volume you'll really use. Whispering "one, two" tells you nothing. Say your opening line at full voice, in the room where you'll deliver it, if you possibly can.

Hold It Close, and Keep It There

The most common mistake is holding the microphone too far away. At arm's length you sound distant and thin, so the DJ pushes the volume up to compensate — which brings feedback closer. Aim for roughly 2–5cm from your mouth, which in practice means your hand sits just below your chin rather than down at your chest.

Angle it slightly rather than pointing it straight down your throat. A gentle 30 degrees to the side, aimed at the corner of your mouth, softens harsh "p" and "b" sounds and reduces breath noise.

Then keep the distance constant. Nothing sounds more hesitant than words fading in and out as your hand drifts, so if you're a natural gesticulator, gesture with the other one.

• Close enough that you could touch your chin to it
• Slightly off to one side, not directly in front of your teeth
• The same distance at the last line as at the first

The One Mistake That Causes Feedback

Cupping the grille — wrapping your hand around the metal ball at the top — is the quickest way to make a room squeal. It changes how the microphone picks up sound, making it far more sensitive to the speakers around it, and muffles you at the same time. Hold the body of the mic, below the grille, and keep your fingers clear of the top.

Know where the speakers are and stand well away from them. Never point the mic at one, even by accident while gesturing. If a hum or squeal starts, step back, keep talking and let your DJ drop the level. Don't tap the mic or blow into it to test it — both sound dreadful and can damage the capsule.

Speak Slower Than Feels Natural

A microphone changes how you hear yourself, and nerves push most people to speed up. Aim for around 10–15 per cent slower than your normal pace. It will feel sluggish to you and sound perfectly normal to everyone else.

Pause more than you think you need to: after a joke, so the laugh has room, and before a toast, so people can lift their glasses. When you pause, look up at the room instead of down at your notes. Reading with your chin on your chest aims your voice at the floor.

Take the first sentence at half speed. It settles the nerves and sets a pace you can hold all the way to the end.

Test the Levels Before the Room Fills Up

Do your soundcheck early, while the room is empty and the DJ is still setting up. A full room absorbs sound differently, but you'll still catch obvious problems. Say your opening line at full volume from the exact spot where you'll stand, ask the DJ to set the level so you're comfortable, then leave it alone.

• Check the switch is on and the battery indicator is healthy
• Walk to the back of the room and listen for yourself
• Ask for a spare microphone or fresh batteries as cheap insurance

Hard surfaces make feedback more likely — glass walls, tiled floors, low ceilings. If your venue has them, ask for a modest volume and a sensible distance between the speakers and the spot where you'll be standing.

Handovers, Nerves and Awkward Moments

Most weddings have three or four speakers, so agree in advance who goes when and whether you're sharing one microphone or using two. Passing a single mic between four people creates gaps, and someone always ends up holding it far too low. When you finish, switch it off or hand it back rather than setting it down live on a table, where it will pick up clinking glasses and chatter.

If the microphone cuts out mid-speech, don't panic or apologise. Hold it up, check the switch, and wait a beat — your DJ is already on it. Five seconds of silence feels like an eternity to you and is barely noticed by the room.

Finally, don't fight the microphone for drama. You don't need to shout; that's precisely what it's for. Speak as though you're telling a story to a friend at the far end of a long table, and let the equipment do the rest.