Taking centre stage

ZHEN RU is a woman with various talents. From a primary school teacher in her quiet hometown, she has since established herself as an illustrious emcee whose speciality lies in hosting Chinese wedding banquets.
In addition, she works as a personal assistant in a manufacturing company and spends her free time volunteering as a Rela (The People's Volunteer Corps) officer.
An eloquent, petite woman who is generous with her smiles, her presence on stage is sought after by many. So much so that veteran Hong Kong Cantopop singer, Paula Tsui Siu-fung, once complimented her hosting skills.
"I think she was impressed because I can converse in a few languages and dialects. Due to the multiracial demographics in Malaysia, I speak English, Malay, Mandarin and several local dialects whenever I emcee," said Zhen Ru, who has hosted Indian and Caucasian weddings too.
That memorable encounter was one of the many incidents she came across during her 18-year career.
According to this Johor-born woman, she was first roped into this industry by a friend.
"My friend opened a restaurant in my hometown, Segamat, and he needed someone to organise wedding dinners.
He knew that I liked performing on stage, so he asked for my help and that was how it all started."
She added that wedding banquets were quite simple back then and customs that are quintessential to Chinese wedding dinners – such as the cake cutting and champagne pouring practices – only gained momentum in the last decade or so. Regardless of these changes, what withstood the test of time is the importance of dinner receptions and the role that an emcee plays in it.
"How many wedding dinners can you truly remember? Most of the time, people forget about the banquet as soon as it is over because there is nothing memorable for them to relive.
"This is why it's crucial to have a capable emcee. Wedding couples are usually occupied with the joyous occasion and thus the task of entertaining the guests falls on the emcee's shoulders.
"We have to create a wonderful experience for the couple, their families and the invited guests," she disclosed.
As such, she believes the level of engagement is directly proportionate to the success of a reception.
"I emphasise on eye contact, interactions and smiles because these are the ways to attract and retain attention. For example, during the 'yam seng' (wedding toast) session, I will be amongst the guests so that I can encourage them to cheer the couple on. It is the tiniest things that make the biggest difference," added the 37-year-old.
And for many of us who assume that a wedding emcee's task is limited to her time on stage, I need to change their minds. Zhen Ru enlightened that a great deal more happens when she's off stage – pre-wedding discussion, draft presentation, as well as coordinating with various parties such as the hotel or restaurant representatives, photographer and videographer.
Considering the scope of the tasks involved, she advises wedding couples to hire a proper emcee as "involving your friends or family members will only put the burden on them from fully enjoying your moment. It is worth investing in a wedding emcee when you take into account their contributions."
However, she said wedding emceeing is only lucrative for those who are passionate about the career.
"If you are not really interested, then there's no point in asking if you can earn a lot."
On another note, in order to give back to the society, this host – who is dressed to the nines for her emceeing job – isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. As a Rela officer, she often works alongside the police during raids on illegal immigrants.
"I have been with Rela for a year now and I enjoy it. My chief was recruiting new members and he wanted people from different fields: we have lawyers, businessmen and more, but since they wanted someone with an entertainment background, I volunteered. I want to raise awareness on Rela because they are doing a noble job and deserve more recognition," she explained.