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Wedding
Entertainment |
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Hire a Wedding
Magician? Tips and Advice
By Noel Qualter
Are you thinking
about hiring a magician for your big day? Have you ever
considered it? These days’ magicians are becoming more and
popular at weddings as they can help to break the ice on the big
day.
For a lot
of people the last time they wanted a magician at their party
was when they were 8 years old but magicians don’t just work for
children. Adults “know” it isn’t “real magic” but if the
performer does his job right he can bring about the childlike
state of wonder in an adult. A good magician can bring you right
back to experience the fuzzy feeling you had as a kid when your
grandfather pulled a coin out of your ear. Close-up magic is
most often seen at weddings for a number of reasons. Close-up
magic at weddings can be broken into 2 related areas.
Strolling
Magic
Table
Magic
Strolling
Magic is when the magician mingles amongst the guests performing
miracles with borrowed objects and simple objects he has on him.
He works without a table and uses people hands when he needs to.
This is an excellent choice if all the guests will be standing
with drinks and eating finger food.
Another
type of close-up magic that is closely related to strolling
magic is table magic. Table magic is performed between the
courses at dinners, wedding breakfasts, balls and banquets. You
are more likely to see a short (between 3 – 8 minutes) mini
cabaret act that has a structured feel to it. The magician may
use the table but it will be as unobtrusive as possible because
at weddings there is a premium on table real estate.
There are
different times when a magician can perform during the big day.
Photographs
The post
ceremony photographs can take a couple of hours before the meal
starts. Not everybody will be involved with the majority of the
snaps and this is a great time for magic to keep the guests
entertained before the meal
During the
Meal
Magic is
also a perfect addition to the wedding breakfast working between
courses. People feel compelled to open up after they have
witnessed the impossible. It helps to bring people together who
may have only met for the first time when they sit down at the
table a few moments before.
Evening
Reception
Magic is
great at the start of the evening reception for an hour or two
before the sherry sets in. Just as the evening guests arrive is
the perfect time as the music isn't in full swing and people may
be standing around awkwardly and looking to be brought into a
group.
When
choosing a professional magician for a wedding it is important
to choose wisely as in any industry there are “cowboys”.
Questions
you may like to ask any prospective performer you are engaging
are...
How long
have you been a professional? Some magicians may seem great on
paper but as all know paper doesn’t refuse ink. Experience is
the key in this industry so make sure they have cut their teeth.
Can I see
you perform? To see them live may be very if they work mainly at
weddings, it’s very unlikely you would be able to see him work
at another wedding although this is sometimes possible. There is
a strong chance you could see him work at another type of event
if he works shows for the public at hotels, bars and
restaurants.
Have you
got a brochure/video I can see?
Most
professional performers will have promotional kits including
photographs, video and brochure. A good promo kit doesn’t mean
they are a good magician, it may just mean they know somebody
who works at a printing press. A cheap and tatty looking promo
kit doesn’t definitely mean the performer is bad, but it does
show a lack of professionalism and that is a warning sign. In
this day and age some performers have no hard copy for
promotional use as it dates so quickly so there website acts as
the brochure. If the website looks like it was made from cut
outs of magazines then they are not interested in making a good
first impression. Would you trust somebody who didn’t make a
good first impression at your event?
Does the
price include VAT and any other charges?
When in
negotiations don’t forget to clarify if there as any other
expense other than fee quoted.
What magic
tricks do you do?
You should
be able to gain a good idea of the style of the magician from
any online or hardcopy brochure but if you want to know what
kind of effects he/she performs – go ahead and ask!
Are you a
member of any magic societies or performer bodies?
Many
magicians will be members of different magic clubs around the
world. In the
UK the most
prestigious is the The Magic Circle and in the US they maybe a
member of the IBM or the Magic Castle. In the UK you will find
many magicians are members of Equity the performers union which
is another sign of their professionalism.
Have you
got any referees I could phone?
This may
seem like a reasonable question but a lot of magician’s work
mainly in the corporate area and are not permitted to pass out
the contact details of their bookers. You should be able to see
testimonials and letters from clients on the websites/brochures.
Of course the best way is personal recommendation; ask friends
if they have ever hired a magician.
Have you
got public liability insurance?
This is
crucial. The magician will be in close contact to your guests
and maybe borrowing objects from them for effects. You don’t
want to end up with a magician who isn’t covered!
I hope
this all helps to give you a better idea of the services a
magician can bring to a wedding and what to look out for when
hiring.
For more
information, please visit Noel Qualter UK Table Magician at
London
Magician or via email at noel@noelqualter.com.
© Copyright 2005 by Noel Qualter
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