The ceremonial profession is considered a male profession. How did you get into this career as a woman? What else can a female master of ceremonies offer?
If you look abroad, it is equally common to find a female event moderator as a male one. In our country, I think the classic role of the groom makes it a masculine profession. First of all, it was also an innovation that the person officiating the wedding should not be a folk person, let alone a woman. This is still a rarity today. I don’t like to generalise, but a woman’s empathy and practicality can often help. It’s not spectacular, but it can be a “lifesaver” if I can sew on a button, a fin, or tie a bouquet for one of the little bridesmaids by cutting it from the decorations.
What is different and what is the role of the master of ceremonies at a bilingual wedding?
It is not common in France to have a master of ceremonies, and at all my weddings, without exception, guests rave about how well organised and tidy my work makes the whole programme. In addition to the need to run programmes in two languages in a fluent and non-spread-out way, cultural differences must always be taken into account. There are a number of points that need to be taken into account at the pre-planning stage, such as the reception or the menu for the dinner. But if I’m just looking at the master of ceremonies, it’s incomparably more enjoyable for guests if we structure the evening’s programme to incorporate the traditions of both nations and explain them in their own right for those unfamiliar with them. This way, a typical meal, a birthday toast or a bride’s dance can be an experience of a lifetime for guests and newlyweds alike. All this can be supported by a range of additional services that are not an extra burden on the budget, but can make a big difference to a successful bilingual wedding.
The question arises: what are the additional services that you can offer in addition to your work as Master of Ceremonies?
A bilingual (or multilingual) babysitter can be very helpful if you have a large number of families with young children. Fortunately, I can work with professional partners.
Last but not least, the ceremonies should be put together artistically, following the traditions of both nations (families). I can also ensure the realization of piano, organ, singing, poetry productions with my partners on an artistic level.
And one of the most crucial points is the conduct of the ceremony. Many people do not think it is important to have a bilingual ceremony, but it is not just that non-speakers of a language are uncomfortable with a ceremony – however short – that they do not understand, but also that both parties “deserve” to say what is perhaps the most important vow of their lives in their mother tongue. How sublime and moving such a – well-constructed – bilingual ceremony can be, only those who have had the opportunity to participate know. And if a couple is looking for absolute uniqueness, I can also be of service by not only interpreting the registrar, but also presenting the ceremony in two languages as a separate officiant.
“For us, this wedding was more than perfect! We really enjoyed the ceremony and the games and hearing from the guests who this woman was, because the whole scenario was fantastic. We were very touched by the text of the ceremony, we were surprised how accurate the 3 questionnaires gave you a picture of us. Philippe’s best man said that he had the feeling that he knew us well and that he couldn’t have known better… And the hotel said that it was the best wedding they had ever had. Thank you very much and I will send you the pictures as soon as we receive them.“- Z&P
When I heard you interpreting a civil ceremony at a wedding a few years ago, several people remarked that “you talked the registrar out of it”. Where do you get your rhetorical and advocacy skills?
Kisgyerekkoromtól színpadon voltam, balettoztam, énekeltem, szavalóversenyeket nyertem országos szinten is. I wanted to be an actress for a long time, but then I got sidetracked. I developed my love of theatre and literature during my liberal arts studies. I also chose French theatre as the topic for my doctoral thesis. But before that, I was a member of the world-famous Cantemus choir for about ten years, led by Dénes Szabó, a Kossuth Prize-winning conductor and Artist of the Nation. From Tokyo to Paris, from Busan to London, we travelled halfway around the world, and by the age of 16 I was already in action in the increasingly common French-speaking world, conducting and interpreting major music concerts in French in France, Belgium and Switzerland. I learned a lot during this period. Beyond the stage presence, teamwork, humility, work ethic. In the decade and a half since then, I have gained experience in many areas, but it is from the choir that I have brought most of what I need most in my work as a moderator.
Based on this, I have to ask: What do you think a good master of ceremonies is like?
I believe that the protagonists of a good wedding are the bride and the groom, and thus a good master of ceremonies does not try to be the center of the events, but constantly adjusts the threads in the background and always takes the stage where and when the dramaturgy of the event requires it. Many people experience the mastery of ceremonies as a performance for their own purposes. This may also stem from the classic best man role. For me, this task is teamwork, which is successful if, working in full harmony with the other members of the team (photographers, ceremony leaders, restaurant, band/DJ, etc.), we can subordinate everything to the common goal that the Big Day is truly an experience of a lifetime be for the young couple and those close to them. I strive to get to know the couple as much as possible before the wedding, to create an accurate scenario that includes not only the main points of the program, but also their individuality, feelings, tastes, and attitudes regarding the wedding, each other, and their guests. The master of ceremonies is good if he is like an old friend, if he can completely adapt to the style of the company, so that the guests can feel that he is one of them. They trust him with anything. I have already sewn a torn dress, a barge, a groom’s suit button, but I have also repaired a bride’s make-up, when she was desperate because of a badly done make-up. The best thing is when one of the guests asks how long I’ve been friends with the young couple, because it doesn’t even occur to them that our acquaintance is limited to this day and its preparation. Fortunately, this often happens.
According to them, you have to understand a little about everything. Who usually chooses you? Which couples give you a vote of confidence?
At least I have to try to have a view of everything. It is not possible for a slideshow not to be shown because there is no cable compatible with the laptop brought by the family.
For the other part of the question, I can say that it is chosen by couples who want a clean, no-frills, elegant style wedding. Within this, of course, there is a lot of room for maneuver: modern-conservative, innovator-traditionist. I don’t say rhymes, just like groomsmen and the piquant humor that occurs with male colleagues is not part of my repertoire. However, it is very flexible. It also happened that the Hungarian family insisted on the presence of the traditional best man, next to whom I appeared as an interpreter and a “modern counterpoint”.
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