by Wedding Essentials, January 2021
WE puts the spotlight on our well-loved wedding hosts. In the event industry–especially weddings, couples should know how to plan their big day, and a very tedious role is someone who can hold your wedding program together. Couples should hire someone who knows what they are doing, gets every detail right, and is known for doing the job very well –treating each client with special care. They may not be superheroes, but they’re endowed with boundless patience, quick wits and work with a good team to flawlessly execute a flawless program. WE got to ask some of the country’s most sought-after event emcees about their hosting journey and how they see hosting in the “new normal”.
WE: How long have you been hosting?
Max: I will be on my 24th year in the events industry by February 09, 2021.
WE: How is hosting different now in the new normal?
Max: For me nothing much has changed, aside from observing the safety protocols like wearing my face shield and face mask; keeping myself 1 to 2 meters away from the crowd; and making sure that my program doesn’t require any close physical contact.
I never believed that the program for the new normal should be less fun than how we used to do it. It doesn’t matter if I am faced with a crowd of 1,000 or 100 or even 10, everything should still be classy, meaningful and fun.
WE: What was your best and most challenging event? Tell us what happened.
Max: The best for me is every time I am able to get a group of uptight crowd to participate in the program and to interact with me.
The most challenging is when a client insists on a concept or a time table that I know will not work from the get-go. Although it is my job to explain to them the pros and cons, there are times when they will still insist on what they want. When that happens, I just go with what they desire and work my magic on the day to make things work.
WE: What should one look for in a host?
Max: When searching for a host, you need someone who is accommodating, flexible, and most importantly, knowledgeable. It is not enough to have a person who just speaks well. Of course, as in any field, experience is always a plus!