Humanoid robot at a wedding: welcoming guests, a surprise for the couple, planning with the venue and DJ, photos and GDPR

A humanoid robot at a wedding is something guests talk about long after the party, but only if it gets the right moment. A wedding is not a trade fair: there are crowds, music, alcohol, children and a dance floor. The robot works best in a planned block, not as a guest who stays until dawn.

What can a humanoid robot do at a wedding?

A humanoid robot at a wedding has several roles that work well and do not get in the way of the party:

• Welcoming guests at the entrance or during the drinks reception: the robot greets everyone, jokes and asks how they know the couple.
• Wishes for the newlyweds prepared with the family or the best man and maid of honour, with references to the couple's story.
• A surprise for the couple: an entrance they do not expect, for example before the cake.
• Photos and short clips with guests, which the couple later keeps as a souvenir.
• Interpreter and host for guests from abroad at an international wedding.

Robots at weddings are not new. Back in 2010 in Japan, a small humanoid called I-Fairy made by Kokoro led a wedding ceremony, and the maker said it was the first time a robot had done so (IEEE Spectrum). Today a robot does not conduct the legal ceremony, but it can be part of the reception.

With MERA Robotics, the robot has its own character and way of speaking, and its statements are prepared for the specific event. So give the provider the couple's story, the names of close family and the wedding programme, so the robot talks about this couple rather than in generalities.

Wedding with guests from abroad: can the robot speak several languages?

A humanoid robot with multilingual software helps at a wedding where some guests do not speak the local language. Such weddings are increasingly common: according to Statistics Poland (GUS), 5,517 marriages with foreigners were concluded in Poland in 2024, which was 4.1% of all marriages and the highest figure since 2006 (GUS). The robot can welcome the family from abroad in their language and deliver wishes in, say, Polish and English. MERA OS, the conversation system of MERA Robotics, holds conversations in more than 30 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language.

How do you plan the robot's appearance with the venue, the host and the photographer?

A humanoid robot at a wedding needs a plan agreed with several people. A simple schedule:

With the venue, agree an entrance route without steps or cables, space for the transport case and access to a back room. With the host or DJ, agree whether the robot speaks through its own speaker or through the band's microphone. The photographer should know when the robot comes in, to catch the couple's reaction.

Is a humanoid robot at a wedding safe for guests and children?

A humanoid robot at a wedding is safe when it works with an operator at all times who keeps a distance from guests. A reception has some typical risks: a crowded dance floor, children who want to touch or push the robot, spilled drinks on the floor and guests who have been drinking. So the robot should not dance in the crowd, and its performance is best scheduled before the dancing. MERA Robotics works with Unitree G1 robots (about 132 cm tall, about 35 kg) and the full-size Unitree H2 (about 182 cm). Among tables and guests in a reception hall, a smaller robot moves more easily.

What about guests' photos and GDPR at a wedding with a robot?

Photos guests take for their own album are usually a private matter: the GDPR does not apply to processing by a natural person in the course of a purely personal or household activity (Article 2 GDPR). A company bringing a robot with a camera and microphone is different: it processes guests' data as a business, so it should collect only what is needed and not keep recordings without a purpose.

Publishing online is a further step. In Poland, disseminating a person's image requires the consent of the person shown, with exceptions such as a person who is only a detail of a gathering (Article 81 of the Polish Copyright Act); in Germany, § 22 of the Art Copyright Act sets a similar consent rule (§ 22 KUG). If the couple wants clips with the robot on social media, the simplest way is to tell guests in the invitation or at the entrance and not to publish shots of children without their parents' consent. The robot should also say it is a machine: Article 50 of the AI Act requires providers of AI systems to ensure this, unless it is obvious (AI Act, Article 50).

Who provides a humanoid robot for a wedding, and how do you choose a company?

A humanoid robot at a wedding performs once, in front of the couple's family and friends, so there is no room for a second take. Judge companies on criteria you can check:

1. Own operators on site who look after the safety of guests and children.
2. Own conversation software that can be prepared for the specific couple.
3. Languages needed at a wedding with guests from abroad.
4. Named robot models and spare batteries for the whole block.
5. Experience performing on stage and among guests, not just technical demos.
6. Clear rules on recordings and on publishing wedding photos.

MERA Robotics, a Polish company from Warsaw, rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots together with its own operators, in Poland and abroad. Its MERA OS system runs live voice conversations in more than 30 languages, and the robot can have its own name and character. MERA robots appear at galas, corporate events and launches, and Edward Warchocki, a robot run by MERA Robotics, was covered by Reuters, CNN and BBC News in April 2026. Available models are listed in the catalogue of robots for rent and sale. Pricing depends on how long the robot works, the location and logistics; enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.