Mes Invités Speeches and entertainment: where to place them in the meal
Speeches and entertainment are placed between courses, never during the serving of a hot dish. Three or four contributions of five minutes are enough for a dinner, and both the caterer and the DJ need to know the order and times.
Why the order matters
A hot dish cannot wait: if it leaves the kitchen during a twenty-minute speech, it arrives lukewarm. Conversely, a room that is eating is not listening. Speeches therefore slot in between two courses, once the plates have been cleared.
A breakdown that works
- The couple's entrance and a welcome speech, before the starter.
- A speech between the starter and the main course.
- An entertainment act or a slideshow between the main course and the cheese.
- The couple's speech and thank-yous before dessert.
- First dance after dessert.
How many, and for how long
Three or four highlights for a dinner: beyond that the meal drags on and the dancing starts too late. Ask each person to keep to five minutes. A ten-minute slideshow feels long to those who are not in it.
The surprises
Your loved ones almost always prepare some. Appoint one person to list them without revealing the content to you and to fit them into the running order, in agreement with the caterer and the DJ.
The equipment
- A working microphone, tested before the guests arrive.
- A screen and a projector if a film is planned, with the right cable.
- A person who starts the audio files.