The CD player was a portable boom box that was patched into the mixer.
While I made it work, cuing up accompaniment songs during the wedding was a pain. Bottom line, when you know what’s coming, you know how to prepare.
Before I forget, you might be handed a few iterations of the event schedule until a final version is secured the night of the rehearsal.
It happens. Each iteration is usually a slight modification of the previous.
The night of the rehearsal, you must be present. The rehearsal time not only is good for the people in the wedding but it’s a great time for you.
You are about to run sound for a one-of-a-kind wedding. A rehearsal gives you a chance to practice.
If you are handed any last minute audio such as a tape or CD, you should play it through completely so you know it works. You can also set your channel levels, do your eq’ing, and deal with the biggest problem I hear in weddings…“I do.”
The phrase “I do” might be the only phrase the bride and groom ever say but it’s the one that is said the most sincerely, the most heart-felt, and the darn quietest!
You have to decide how to mic the bride and groom. There are several options. First, wireless microphones can be a simple solution.
Just make sure you have them turned off when you hear the phrase “you may kiss the bride.” I’m just not a fan of amplified smooching. (of course the two wirelesss mics that close together would cause problems but where is the humor in that?)
Second, place a corded microphone between them. I don’t like this idea because they have to stand in the right place, it stands out on stage, and it can get in the way.
The last option is a handheld wireless microphone. The best man or the pastor can hand it to the couple or hold it in front of them as they speak. If individual wireless isn’t an option, use the last method.
The rehearsal time also gives you a chance to talk with the wedding coordinator if you have questions. Also, it gives you a chance to give a short instruction session on “how to hold a microphone” if required.
Before the Wedding
The day of the wedding, run through a sound check with your microphones and input devices such as a CD player.
Make sure the lapel microphones have been clipped on the people at the right location on their shirt; a fist below their lowered chin.
Also do a video-audio test with the videographer. When the wedding coordinator shows up, meet with them in case anything has been changed.
Show them your copy of the event schedule and have them verify it’s correct.
You don’t want to be running off an older version.