Choosing the RIGHT Microphone

Ever been to a wedding and could not hear the officiant or Bride & Groom? The correct microphone and mic placement will allow all of your guests to hear the ceremony and vows crystal clear.

There are several key elements to ceremony sound but I feel one of the most important elements is the microphone. So which one is best? I use two types of microphones at wedding ceremonies, handhelds and lavaliers, all wireless. There are several great name brands, I happen to use Shure mics, but I won’t pick favorites. My point of this post is to point out that not all mics are the same. Mics have a particular “pattern”, which is the area around the head of the mic that will pickup sound. For the officiant, the pattern is very tight so I will capture only the officiant’s voice and not much else. For the groom, I use a mic with a wider pattern so I can capture both the bride and groom’s voice during the vows. When they are not speaking the mic is muted. The bride will not wear a mic, and you won’t see a bulky transmitter pack and wire’s on her dress! All others speaking during the ceremony will use a wireless handheld mic on a stand. I have had great success using this type of setup.

Another important item is mic placement when speaking. If you’re using the handheld mic as a pointing device, or holding it down by your waist, there’s a good chance the guests won’t hear what you are saying. Likewise, if the lav mics are not in close proximity to the speaker’s mouth, the won’t be very effective. There’s a point when the mics will “feedback” letting you know the levels are too high. So a good rule of thumb is to get the mic as close to you mouth as possible when speaking.

I hope this helps and makes your wedding ceremony a pleasant experience for you and your guests. All the Best

Jeff