Weddings · Guide
What sound equipment a wedding really needs
A wedding isn't one event: it's four events in a row, each with different needs. This article explains what equipment each one calls for and where weddings are really won or lost.
The approach
Four scenes, four set-ups
If someone offers you “a sound system for the wedding” without asking what the wedding is like, they're not quoting you: they're selling you a package. A wedding has a ceremony, a cocktail reception, a banquet and a party, and each part takes place in a different spot, with a different audience and opposite acoustic needs.
This article explains what each part needs and why. If you're looking for the full service with set-up and a technician, see wedding sound in Seville.
The ceremony is the hard part
It's counter-intuitive: the quietest moment is the most complicated. Words spoken softly have to be understood, often outdoors, in the wind, with guests spread across several rows and the officiant moving around. If the ceremony goes well, the wedding is already well on track, because it's the moment everyone remembers literally word for word.
Moment by moment
What equipment each part calls for
| Moment | System | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | Light reinforcement + wireless microphones | Two small speakers close to the guests, a headset or lavalier microphone for the officiant, a handheld microphone for readings and an input for music. All battery-powered or with a guaranteed power supply. |
| Cocktail reception | Low-level distributed sound | Several small points spread around instead of two big speakers. The goal is for people to talk without shouting anywhere in the area. |
| Banquet | Spot reinforcement + microphone | Low background music and a microphone available for toasts and surprises. This microphone is the one most often forgotten and the one most used. |
| Dancing | PA with subwoofers + DJ booth | This is where a system with bass, a DJ booth and lighting come in. It's the only part that resembles a party. |
Microphones
Where ceremonies are won and lost
The choice of microphone determines the result more than the choice of speaker. A headset wireless system keeps a constant distance from the mouth, which is exactly what you need when the speaker moves around or gets emotional. A lavalier is more discreet but picks up more clothing rustle and wind noise. A handheld is the most reliable of all and sounds the best, but it takes up one hand and not everyone handles it well.
The sensible approach for a ceremony is to combine them: a headset for the officiant, a handheld for readings and vows, and always a spare channel ready. Spare microphones aren't charged as luxury extras: they're part of doing things properly.
Outdoors, the enemy is the wind
Wind hitting a microphone capsule produces a low rumble that swallows the voice and can't be fixed at the mixing desk. You deal with it using proper windshields, bringing the microphone closer and, where the venue allows, arranging the layout so the wind doesn't blow head-on. None of the three solutions is turning up the volume.
And the other enemy: feedback
In cloisters, courtyards and low-ceilinged halls, every open microphone can feed back. Prevention comes down to the set-up: speakers in front of the microphone, not behind it, and only the channels in use left open. We go into detail in how to avoid feedback.
The dancing
The only part of the wedding sized by guest numbers
For the party, the classic criteria do apply: number of guests, indoors or outdoors, and the type of music. A free bar for a hundred guests in an enclosed hall is covered by a pair of active speakers and a subwoofer. Outdoors and with more people, the system grows. How to estimate it is explained in how many watts do I need?.
What you shouldn't do is size the party for its moment of peak euphoria and forget that there are older guests at the tables. The practical solution is to separate zones: the dance floor at party level and a quieter area where people can chat. That's achieved through speaker placement, not with the master volume.
If there's a DJ, the DJ booth and the PA are set up together and tested together. How to choose the DJ is covered in this article. And if you want the space to change its look as night falls, decorative wedding lighting does more for the party atmosphere than one more speaker.
Organisation details
Things sorted out during the site visit
Power at the ceremony area
Many gardens and courtyards have no socket nearby. It can be solved with battery-powered portable equipment or by running a power line, but it has to be known in advance.
Distance between areas
If the ceremony, cocktail reception and party are in distant parts of the estate, more equipment or a move between parts is needed. That changes the quote and the number of technicians.
Set-up schedule
At many haciendas you can only set up once the caterers have finished their own set-up. Asking about it saves you arriving and waiting three hours.
Volume limit and closing time
Quite a few venues have a sound limiter or a cut-off time for outdoor music. Best to be clear about it so you don't get a nasty surprise at two in the morning.
Rain plan
If the ceremony has an indoor alternative, the set-up must be planned for both locations. Improvising that while guests are arriving never goes well.
The surprise microphone
Almost always someone wants to say a few words at the banquet. Having a microphone ready and a technician nearby turns that moment into a highlight instead of five awkward minutes.
Keep reading
Related links
Frequently asked questions
Questions about wedding sound
Do you need different equipment for the ceremony and the party?
In practice, yes, because they take place in different spots and need opposite things: the ceremony needs clear speech close to the guests, while the party needs bass and power. Sometimes equipment is reused, but the set-up is different.
Can a ceremony be amplified without a power socket nearby?
Yes, with battery-powered portable equipment. It covers a normal-sized ceremony perfectly and avoids running hundreds of metres of cable across a garden.
Do I need a technician for the whole wedding?
It's advisable if there's a ceremony with microphones, toasts and a party, because channels have to be opened and closed and levels adjusted for each part. If there's only background music and a free bar, the system can be left set up with instructions.
What if the venue already has a sound system?
The venue's equipment often covers the PA in the reception hall but not the outdoor ceremony or the party. It's worth checking exactly what it covers before taking anything for granted.
When should you book sound for a wedding?
As soon as you have a date and a venue. In Seville, the spring and autumn peaks fill up early: the real lead times are in this guide.
Getting married in Seville? Tell us about your day
Ceremony, number of guests and venue. With that, we'll prepare a complete sound proposal.
