Is a microphone necessary for my ceremony?

I have been to weddings with and without microphones and the difference is astounding. It really takes away from the beauty of the ceremony when you're craning your neck and leaning in, hand to your ear, trying to get anything haha.

Our DJ who is providing our ceremony music gives a wireless mic to the officiant and puts a lapel mic on the groom. I don't get a mic, FH's mic is supposed to be enough but the officiant may hold her mic in front of me if necessary.

You definitely need one. You need that more than you need cocktail hour music.

For the most part everyone's ceremonies are that short, unless they are traditional. You still need one.

My vote is YES, it would be awesome if you had one. My cousin's wedding was the same-ish size as yours and also outside. It was windy, and I was in the SECOND row and I could BARELY hear the ceremony. Having a microphone isn't as corny as you think. People won't even really notice that it's there. They will notice more that they won't be able to hear anything!!!

YOU NEED ONE. I went to a wedding once with a crappy sound system and I couldn't hear any of the ceremony. As a guest there to celebrate that specific moment, I was pissed!

Yup, get a mic, it's worth it. I once attended a short outdoor wedding without a mic. Bride walks down the aisle, we all stand. We keep standing because we can't hear what is being said (wind) all of a sudden we notice they are exchanging rings so everyone sits. Then a few minutes later they're walking out so we all jump up again. We couldn't hear any of the cues and missed their vows entirely. I was in the 3rd or 4th row.

I used to plan events at my job, and the rule of thumb I used was if we had 40 or more in the audience, we needed a microphone. And that's for indoor events. Outdoors you'd need a mic for 20 unless the speaker yells or projects like a stage actor.

Yes you need one. Only time I'd say you don't is if there's no readings, speech, own vows, and less than 10 minute ceremony

I tell all my couple, it depends if you care that your guests cant hear your vows. If you dont then no. If you want ALL your guests to hear you then do it. I dont get the resetup part. But ultimately its up to you

@Willie- i think she means that the DJ doesnt have a second set of speakers for the ceremony and is moving the one set over to the reception

OP- what were you doing for music during the ceremony then? no music? a guitarist?

Yep - same as everyone else. I attended a wedding at a golf course in the middle of the country, there was no sound other than the occasional wind gust, and we couldn't hear anything. We could hear that they were talking, but couldn't make out the words. And her vows seemed to be very moving and sweet, so we hated not being able to hear them

Outside with that many people you will need one. Unless your officiant can project (yell) pretty loud, but even the vow part it will be very hard for your guest to hear you.

Just as an aside; many of my couples choose not to use a mic to say their personal vows to each other. They are just that, personal vows. I usually print them out on a pretty border paper (if they want) and put them by the cake so people can read them.

That's (for some couples) the most nervous part of the whole ceremony, and sometimes, not being mic'd makes them a little more comfortable.

Please do-- although it's easy to forget, the ceremony is what's bringing everyone together, and I feel jilted when I can't actually hear it.

As a guest I say yes. I went to a wedding last year that was in a very old church with no electricity. We sat in maybe the 7th or so row and I couldn't hear a thing. I hated it! It was a very long catholic wedding and I got bored less than half the way through.

Without a microphone is like being let into a movie but the movies isn't playing and your not allowed to talk or move, No Fun! Plus no popcorn or snacks, LOL!

There is seriously nothing that makes me quite as annoyed at a wedding as sitting through the whole ceremony and not hearing any of it.

I had one for an outdoor ceremony with 50 guests in the middle of the country. Everyone could hear us and our officiant. A friend who got married a month before me didn't have one and her officiant was really soft spoken. I don't think anyone beyond the front row could hear the ceremony so people started having side conversations. Her ceremony was only 15-20 minutes long. Get a microphone. I didn't think it was all that important before I went to my friend's wedding but after, I was glad my uncle had already arranged for me to have a mic and speakers.

Yes, I think you need a mic and I think it's totally worth the $160 to pay for the mic and the second set up to have music for cocktail hour. We had to pay the DJ extra for those things as well, and it was alot more than $160!