Wedding Emcee Script Philippines: Full Reception Host Script
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Quick answer
A wedding emcee script follows the reception program: welcome, prayer hand-off, parents and sponsors, entourage, the couple's entrance, dances, cake, grace, dinner, speeches, optional segments, parents' message, thank-you and closing. Below is every segment with lines to read aloud, in our sample order.
Kasal.com's reception script guide lists twelve steps in the usual order, and none of them gives the host a sentence to say. This page is the other half: lines in brackets that a nervous uncle or a hired host can read off a phone, one section for every segment of the reception program timeline, in the same order. It is a reception script, not a ceremony script, and it is in English. If you host in a mix of English and Filipino, put the lines in your own words. The best man, maid of honor, parents and couple each have their own speech guide, so this script only calls them to the microphone.
Prepare these before you print
Our timeline lists a host or emcee, and says a coordinator or a hired host can give the welcome. A friend or relative can do it too, if they are comfortable on a microphone and get the run sheet weeks ahead.
| What to prepare | Why the host needs it |
|---|---|
| Phonetic spelling of every name you will say | Mispronounced names are avoidable; say each one aloud beforehand |
| The entourage list, in the order your coordinator confirmed | Groups arrive together; the host reads each as a block |
| Names, order and time limit of every speaker | So nobody is surprised by a microphone |
| Who leads the prayer and grace, and their exact title | The host hands over and never improvises this |
| The one person to look at for cues | Usually the coordinator; agree a hand signal for "wrap up" |
| A cut list | Which segments go first when you run late |
Our free entourage list maker builds the full Filipino line-up, including principal sponsors, secondary sponsors and bearers, and copies it in one click, ready to paste into sections 4 and 5.
The order this script follows
The start times are our sample from the timeline (a 6:00 PM start), not a rule. Kasal.com's order differs: it puts the father of the bride's speech before dinner, the cake after dinner, and the best man's toast, first dance and tosses after that. If your couple chooses another order, keep the lines and move the sections.
| Time | Section | Time | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 | 1. Seating | 7:20 | 12. Dinner |
| 6:15 | 2. Welcome | 8:05 | 13. Video or slideshow |
| 6:20 | 3. Opening prayer | 8:15 | 14. Speeches |
| 6:25 | 4. Parents and sponsors | 8:30 | 15. Money dance (optional) |
| 6:35 | 5. Entourage | 8:40 | 16. Games and tosses (optional) |
| 6:45 | 6. Couple's entrance | 8:55 | 17. Parents' message |
| 6:50 | 7. Parent dances | 9:05 | 18. Same-day edit (optional) |
| 7:00 | 8. First dance | 9:10 | 19. Couple's thank-you |
| 7:05 | 9. Cake and toast | 9:15 | 20. Closing |
| 7:15 | 10. Father's welcome (optional) | ||
| 7:15 | 11. Grace |
Section 10 is not in the timeline sample, so it borrows about five minutes from the buffer.
The script
Brackets are yours to fill. Everything else reads as written. Words in capitals are stage directions, not spoken.
1. Seating (about 15 minutes)
TEST THE MICROPHONE FIRST.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. May I have your attention, please. We will begin our program in a few minutes. Please find your seats and make yourselves comfortable. Thank you.
2. Welcome and housekeeping (about 5 minutes)
Good evening, everyone, and welcome. I'm [YOUR NAME], and I'll be your host tonight. On behalf of [GROOM] and [BRIDE], thank you for being here. Some of you traveled a long way to be in this room.
A few reminders before we begin: [THE RESTROOMS ARE / PARKING IS / PHOTOS ARE WELCOME BUT PLEASE KEEP THE AISLE CLEAR]. Please silence your phones, and please stay seated until we invite you to stand.
3. Opening prayer (about 5 minutes)
Do not write this segment. Name the person, give them the floor and step back.
Let us begin our celebration with a prayer. May I ask [FULL NAME AND TITLE] to lead us. Everyone, please stand.
Afterwards:
Thank you, [NAME]. You may all be seated.
4. Parents and principal sponsors (about 10 minutes)
Before anything else, we would like to thank the people who made tonight possible. Please welcome the parents of the bride, [NAMES], and the parents of the groom, [NAMES]. [EITHER ORDER IS FINE; CONFIRM WITH THE COUPLE.]
Our principal sponsors [OPTIONAL, IF THERE WAS A CEREMONY EARLIER TODAY: who stood with [GROOM] and [BRIDE] today]: [READ IN PAIRS: MR. AND MRS. ..., DR. AND MRS. ...]. Thank you for guiding this couple.
If your principal sponsors number in the dozens, decide beforehand whether every pair is named on the microphone. Our principal sponsors guide covers a long list.
5. Entourage entrance (about 10 minutes)
Parents and principal sponsors are in section 4. There is no national rule for the entourage order. Kasal.com introduces the parents, the matron of honor, the best man, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, then the couple, and never names the sponsors, bearers or flower girls. Our entourage duties guide makes the same point about the church processional, so ask your planner. The table lists what each group is called, in the display order of your invitation page and our list maker, which is not an entrance order.
| Announce as | Note for the host |
|---|---|
| The Best Man and the Maid of Honor | Two names, one breath |
| Our Candle, Veil and Cord Sponsors | Confirm which pair covers which |
| The Groomsmen and Bridesmaids | Small groups if the list is long |
| Our Ring Bearer, Coin Bearer and Bible Bearer | Children; keep it short and warm |
| Our Flower Girls | One line |
And now, our entourage. Please give each group a warm welcome.
Our best man, [NAME], and our maid of honor, [NAME].
Our candle, veil and cord sponsors: [NAMES].
Our groomsmen and bridesmaids: [READ IN PAIRS, NAMES PHONETICALLY].
Our bearers: [NAMES], our ring bearer, coin bearer and Bible bearer.
And our flower girls: [NAMES]. Thank you, everyone.
6. Couple's grand entrance (about 5 minutes)
Ladies and gentlemen, please stand and give a big welcome to the newlyweds. For the first time as husband and wife: [GROOM] and [BRIDE]!
7. Parent dances (about 10 minutes)
[GROOM] and [BRIDE] would like to dance with the people who raised them. Please welcome [GROOM] with his [MOTHER / FATHER], and [BRIDE] with her [FATHER / MOTHER], to [SONG TITLE] by [ARTIST].
8. First dance (about 5 minutes)
And now, [GROOM] and [BRIDE] will share their first dance as a married couple, to [SONG TITLE] by [ARTIST].
9. Cake cutting and toast (about 10 minutes)
[GROOM] and [BRIDE] will now cut their wedding cake. Photographers, please come forward. Everyone else, kindly stay seated so the whole room can see.
[AFTER THE CUT.] Please raise your glasses. To [GROOM] and [BRIDE]. Congratulations.
10. Father of the bride's welcome (optional, about 5 minutes)
Our sample program has no separate slot for this, so it takes about five minutes from the buffer. Nuptials.ph and Kasal.com both put a parent's welcome before dinner; see the father of the bride speech guide for the speech itself.
Before we eat, [BRIDE]'s father, [NAME], would like to say a few words of welcome. Sir, the floor is yours.
Afterwards:
Thank you, sir.
11. Grace (about 5 minutes)
Another hand-off. Name the person and step back.
Before we eat, may I ask [FULL NAME] to lead us in grace. Everyone, please stand.
12. Dinner (about 45 minutes)
Dinner is now served. [Tables will be called one by one, beginning with the couple's table / Please help yourselves at the buffet, table by table]. Please enjoy the meal. Our program continues in about [45] minutes.
Optional, during dessert:
While dessert goes around, [GROOM] and [BRIDE] will visit each table. Please stay seated. They will come to you.
13. Couple's video or slideshow (about 10 minutes)
Before we continue, please look up at the screen for a short presentation from [GROOM] and [BRIDE].
Cue the video and say nothing over it.
14. Speeches (about 15 minutes)
Now we will hear from a few people who know this couple best. Each has kindly promised to keep it to two or three minutes. First, [NAME], [GROOM]'s [RELATION]. Please welcome him.
Between speakers, one sentence is enough:
Thank you, [NAME]. Next, [NAME], [BRIDE]'s [RELATION].
Thank you, [NAME]. Our last speaker in this segment, [NAME].
15. Money dance (optional, about 10 minutes)
Give it its own slot. Do not announce amounts.
And now, the money dance. [GROOM] and [BRIDE], please take the floor. Anyone who would like to dance with the couple, please line up on the left side of the room, and thank you for celebrating with them.
16. Games, bouquet and garter toss (optional, about 15 minutes)
Our first game is [GAME NAME]. Here is how it works: [ONE-SENTENCE RULE]. Everyone is welcome to join, and nobody has to.
Time for a little fun. All the single ladies, please come to the front. [BRIDE] is about to toss her bouquet.
And now the single gentlemen. [GROOM] has a garter to toss. Gentlemen, front and center, please.
Skip either half if the couple has said so, and never call people up by name. It is an invitation, not a summons. For games to fill this slot and alternatives to the toss, see wedding reception games.
17. Parents' message (about 10 minutes)
The parents of [GROOM] and [BRIDE] would like to say a few words. May we ask [NAME] to come forward. Please give them your attention.
18. Same-day edit video (optional, about 5 minutes)
What you are about to see was filmed today. Please enjoy the same-day edit of [GROOM] and [BRIDE]'s wedding.
19. Couple's thank-you (about 5 minutes)
[GROOM] and [BRIDE] would like to say a few words of thanks. Please give them your full attention.
20. Closing, group photo and open dancing (about 15 minutes)
Thank you all for celebrating with [GROOM] and [BRIDE] tonight. Before we open the dance floor, everyone is invited to come forward for a group photo. [NOTE THE AFTER-PARTY DETAILS / PLEASE TAKE A FAVOR FROM THE TABLE ON YOUR WAY OUT.] Please travel safely. Good night, everyone.
Lines for when it goes wrong
| What happened | Say this |
|---|---|
| Microphone cuts out | "Bear with us for a moment. Please enjoy the music." |
| A speaker runs far over time | Stand, applaud warmly, step up: "Thank you, [NAME], that was wonderful." |
| Food is late | "Dinner is on its way. Meanwhile, [GROOM] and [BRIDE] will be going around the tables, so get your photos ready." |
| The video will not play | "Our AV team is sorting out a small hiccup. Please enjoy the music." |
| A key person has not arrived | Move to the next segment without explaining. Never announce that someone is missing. |
| You mispronounce a name | "My apologies, [CORRECT PRONUNCIATION]." Correct it once, then move on. |
| The couple cannot speak for emotion | "Take your time." Then wait. Do not fill the silence with jokes. |
| A guest takes the microphone uninvited | Smile, applaud and take it back: "Thank you, [NAME]. Back to our program." |
| The program is 30 minutes behind | Cut the games, the tosses and the money dance, not the couple's thank-you. |
What never goes in the script
- The prayer. Name the person leading it and hand over the microphone. A host who improvises a religious text cannot recover mid-program.
- Gift amounts. Do not announce who gave what, and do not point to the gift table.
- Rankings. No "our most important sponsors" and no "the couple's favorite aunt".
- The full invitation. Guests have already read it.
Print the script at a size you can read in low light, put the phonetic names in capitals, and keep a pen on the stand for the changes the coordinator hands you ten minutes before you start. Hosting well is mostly having the next line ready.
Frequently asked questions
What does an emcee say at a wedding reception?
The emcee welcomes the guests, hands the prayer to someone else, introduces the parents and the entourage, announces the couple, and calls each speaker and each segment in turn. Kasal.com lists these steps and this page gives lines for each one.
What is the order of a wedding reception program?
Our sample runs welcome, prayer, parents and sponsors, entourage, the couple's entrance, dances, cake and toast, grace, dinner, speeches, optional segments, the parents' message, the couple's thank-you and closing. Kasal.com's order differs, so choose one and tell every supplier.
How do you introduce the entourage at a wedding reception?
Read each group as a block and pause for applause. There is no national rule for the order, and published scripts disagree, so treat any order you find online as a draft until your coordinator confirms it. Practise the phonetic spelling of every name.
Should the emcee lead the wedding prayer?
No. Name the person who will lead it, give them the microphone and step back. Kasal.com has the emcee call on the leader of the prayer, and the same hand-off works for grace before the meal.
Who can be the emcee at a wedding?
Our timeline lists a host or emcee, and says a coordinator or a hired host can give the welcome. A friend or relative can do it if they are comfortable on a microphone and have the run sheet weeks ahead.
What should the emcee do if the program runs late?
Cut the optional segments first: the games, the bouquet and garter toss and the money dance. Keep the couple's thank-you. Agree the cut list with the coordinator before the evening starts.
What should an emcee not say?
Do not improvise a prayer, announce gift amounts, rank guests or sponsors, or read the whole invitation aloud. If you mispronounce a name, correct it once and move on.