PA System Rental for Weddings & Ceremonies | NYC

A wedding is usually two sound problems in two places on the same afternoon. Planning them as one is where it goes wrong.

The ceremony and the reception are different jobs

At a ceremony, almost nothing is loud. Vows are spoken quietly, often outdoors, often with the couple facing each other rather than the guests, and the thing everybody wants is to hear the words. That is a quiet, careful, speech-focused setup.

At the reception, an hour or two later, the same guests want music at conversational level during dinner and rather more than that afterwards, plus a microphone that works for toasts. Different requirement, and frequently a different room or a different part of the garden.

So when you inquire, describe both, and tell us whether they are in the same place. If they are not, the move between them is its own piece of planning — who carries what, how long there is, and whether anything can be set up in advance.

The moments that have to work

• The vows. Quiet, close, and unrepeatable. If anyone is filming, this is also the audio they will keep.
• Readings and officiant. Often a different voice level and a different position from the couple.
• Processional and recessional music. Needs to start and stop on a cue, which means somebody has to be responsible for it.
• Toasts. Several people, varying confidence, holding a glass. One reliable handheld microphone earns its rental here.
• Dancing. The only part of the day that actually wants volume.

Outdoor ceremonies

A garden, a rooftop, or a park has nothing to reflect sound back, so spoken vows vanish into it. Wind makes that worse, and so does traffic, which in Manhattan is not optional. Tell us it is outdoors, roughly how many guests, and how far back the last row is, and we will spec for the open air instead of hoping.

Give one person the job

Weddings have a lot of moving parts and nobody in the wedding party is free on the day. Nominate someone who is not walking down the aisle to plug things in, start the music, and hand over the microphone for toasts — and tell us in the inquiry how experienced they are. If the answer is "not at all", we will send something simpler on purpose.

How the rental works

Questions we get asked

Where do I pick the system up, and can you deliver it?

Pickup and delivery are both curbside. You can collect the system curbside at Brothers Guitar Shop, 316 East 84th Street, New York, NY 10028, or we can bring it curbside to your address in the New York City area. Tell us where you are in your inquiry and we will confirm delivery before you book.

What does a rental cost?

We quote per event rather than publishing a rate card, because each system is put together for the specific room, headcount, and program. Send us those details through the contact form and we will come back with a price.

Which speakers and mixer will I get?

Our systems are unique rather than fixed packages, so we confirm the exact gear when we quote your event. Inquire for details and we will tell you what we would send for your situation.

Will you set it up and run sound at my event?

No. Pickup and delivery are curbside, and operating the system during the event is not part of the rental. Mention it in your inquiry if you need an operator and we will tell you plainly whether we can help.

Do I need one system or two for a wedding?

It depends on whether the ceremony and reception are in the same place and how much time there is between them. Describe both in your inquiry and we will tell you whether one system can do both.

Will guests be able to hear the vows outdoors?

Only if the system is chosen for open air, because there is nothing outside to reflect quiet speech back to the guests. Tell us it is an outdoor ceremony, the guest count, and how far back the last row sits.

Can we plug in our own playlist for the reception?

Yes. Say whether it is coming from a phone or a laptop and whether you would rather connect by cable or wirelessly, and we will make sure what we send matches.

Where to find us