Veronica asks
After reading this article and listening to the podcast “A tribute to the greatest episode in the world”, you mentioned speaker placement. Being a newbie to the industry, where would you suggest is the best place for the speaker so I majority can hear?
When it comes to positioning the PA system at a wedding ceremony, it’s all about ensuring that the audio is clear for all guests, ensuring a clear path of radio communciation betweeh wireless microphone and receiver/speaker, while not intruding on the visual aspects of the ceremony.
Here’s a breakdown of what to consider:
1. Visibility: The PA system should be placed such that it does not obstruct the view of any of the guests or become a distraction in the background of photographs.
2. Acoustics: The system should be positioned to project sound effectively to all the guests. This means, at the front of the ceremony where you and the bridl party are, pointed toward the guests.
3. Access: The PA system should not block any aisles or pathways and should be set up where it won’t cause any trip hazards for the wedding party or guests.
4. Radio: You want the PA system and wireless receiver to be as close to you as possible without being too close that it’s in  the way or in photographs, and you also want a clear path for radio communicaton. Try and not put an entire bridal party between your transmitter (microhphone) and receiver (speaker) because human bodies are full of water which distracts radio transmissions.
The three things to keep in mind when positioning your PA speaker system is:
- audio feedback
- making the audio sound real
- radio frequency
On audio feedback, you simply don’t want the microphone to be so close to the speaker, so you want the speaker far enough away from you that it’s not feeding back, but …
While you want to keep the speaker far from the microphone, you also have to be keeping in mind that you want the audio to sound real, so if you’re talking but the audio of you talking is coming from where you aren’t, like the back of the ceremony, that confuses ears and eyes, so you want the PA speaker as close to you as possible (whilst maintaining distance so it doesn’t feedback), all while keeping in mind that …
You want to leave a clear path for the radio transmitter (your microphone) to clearly communicate to the receiver (the speaker system most likely) and human bodies are great deflectors of radio transmissions.
Always do a thorough check in with the venue and the couple to understand any specific requirements or restrictions they might have regarding the placement of the PA system. Communication is key to ensure the setup complements the ceremony and provides the best experience for the couple and their guests.
Remember, each venue is unique and your setup may differ each time. It may be useful to gather some feedback after the ceremony to learn what worked well and what could be improved for future events. It’s all about finding the balance between functionality and aesthetics.
Thanks Josh…that makes things a little clearer.
Love a good game of Pictionary 😉
Hi Josh,
Call me technically challenged but I’m unable to watch the video in this post with sound. I’m using a Mac and have tried opening in Safari and Chrome with no luck. Any chance you can let me know the URL so I can access it directly from Vimeo?
Many thanks,
Nicky
It seems the uploaded file lost it’s audio … and I’ve just now re-uploaded it and can confirm that the video now has audio. Sorry!
Thanks for jumping onto correcting this so quickly, Josh. Loving the content from you and Sarah – cheers!
The video for positioning cut out before you could explain where to place PA. I always thought the PA was near the bridesmaids or groomsmen. I’m feeling nervous as my first wedding with a PA is in Sept.
Hi Josh,
The video cuts out at the end before you are finished explaining optimal positioning. Increasingly couples/photographers are wanting a ‘V’ shape with the couple being at the point so everyone is visible in a single frame. In this case I try to have my PA on a diagonal from me slightly in front of the bridal party ( to reduce the bodies in between me and the system) but sometimes find I am then getting too close to the front row of guests. Ideally you would have the seats further back but at some venues the space just doesn’t permit. Any suggestions in this case? I always think if the PA is high enough during the ceremony it should be fine but when the first row stand for the entrance in some cases the music could blast their ears off.
Also wondering if the Celebrant Institute has any connections/package deals for your recommended PA system? I have made a few enquiries but the sales guys always recommend other mics and I get confused etc.
Thank you in advance!