It can be difficult to know where to start when choosing a wedding magician; there are so many options and so many possibilities that it can seem overwhelming. This guide aims to help you through the process and take away some of the stress.
So, here are 7 things to think about when choosing a wedding magician:
What kind of magician do you want?
There are many different kinds of magic, and many more types of magician, each with their own unique style. When choosing a wedding magician, you want to be sure that they are going to be the right match for your special day.
- First of all, think about who the audience will be.
- Is it the adults, or the children, or is the entertainment for everyone? A brightly costumed children’s magician isn’t the right fit for an adults only reception. Likewise, a technically amazing card magician probably isn’t going to be entertaining to a group of children.
- Where in the day do you want the entertainment, and does it serve a particular purpose?
- Are you looking for something to keep your guests amused whilst you have your photographs taken?
- Do you need an icebreaker to help your families feel more at ease with each other?
- Maybe you just want to put on a show for your guests after dinner.
If you’re still not sure, then don’t worry! Start by searching for magicians in your local area and see which of them appeals to you. Choosing a wedding magician can take time, and it’s important to get it right.
How to find a wedding magician
Hopefully you will now have some ideas of who you’re looking for. But where do you start your search to find them?
- Try searching online for phrases that include your local area.
- Searches such as “magician in Llandudno”, “wedding magician in north Wales” and “magician near me” are all good places to start.
- Ask for recommendations from friends, relatives, and colleagues.
- Visit wedding websites, and try speaking to other brides online.
- If you’re on social media put up a post asking for recommendations in a local group. You’ll be surprised by how many suggestions people will offer to you. Also, many magicians are members of these groups, and may respond to you directly.
- If you know somebody who got married recently, ask them if they came across any magicians while they were planning.
- Go to wedding fayres, they’re great places for inspiration, and you never know what you’ll find. Often they will give you ideas for things you had never even considered.
- If you remember seeing a magician at a different type of event, contact them and ask if they do weddings.
- If you don’t remember their name, ask the organisers of the event if they can put you in touch.
- Ask your venue if they have a list of suppliers, or whether they can make a recommendation.
- Similarly, wedding suppliers often know each other. Ask your photographer, your band or DJ, see if they can make any suggestions.
How to go about choosing the wedding magician that is right for you
Do some research into each one, look at their website, social media and any reviews. See if they have any videos online, or whether they’ll be at a wedding fayre near you soon.
Things to consider when choosing a wedding magician
- Does the magician’s image fit in with your vision of your wedding?
- If you’re getting married in a country house then a performer who wears a classic, formal suit will fit in. If your reception is in a trendy city centre venue, then you’ll probably want a performer with a more modern look.
- What is their performance style?
- Are they clean cut and family friendly? Or are they edgier, and more down to earth? Which is more appropriate for guests at your wedding?
- Is the type of magic what you’re looking for?
- No matter how amazing a performer is at close up magic, they may not be the right person if you want a stage show.
- Many magicians perform different types of magic. If you need a particular style for your wedding, just ask them if this is something they can do.
- See some magicians in action.
- Wedding fayres are often a great place to see different performers.
- If there’s a particular magician that you’re interested in, ask if there is somewhere you can see them perform live, or if they have any videos online.
Things to look out for when doing your research
- Look at the magician’s website, does it run well and look up to date? Does it have spelling mistakes?
- Attention to detail is important. Look for someone who has spent time and effort making sure their website is accurate and well run. Chances are they will also be the kind of person who will carry this attitude over into their performances and their business practices.
- Check out their social media pages. Do they post regularly? Are there positive comments? Are there photographs taken by other people, or only selfies?
- Be aware that it is possible to create a seemingly-impressive social media presence, while having very little actual content. Ideally you want a magician who prioritises substance over style.
- The type of interactions from the page’s followers is more important than how many likes the page has.
- Do they have any awards?
- If so, are they recent ones? If they’re from a while ago, it may be worth checking whether the magician has updated their act since then.
- Are they relevant to the kind of magic you’re thinking of booking them for? An award for being an amazing illusionist and working with big props is great. But it doesn’t tell you whether they are good at close up magic. However, if they’re good enough to win competitions for one type of magic, then they may well also be good in other areas.
- Who are the awards from? National awards can sometimes carry more weight than regional or local ones.
- Look for reviews.
- Facebook and Trustpilot are good places to start. Some magicians may have reviews on their website.
- Even negative reviews are helpful, as they can show you the type of customer service you can expect.
- How active is the magician? If there are a lot of events, reviews, and photographs then this could show that the performer is popular and in demand.
- How experienced is the magician?
- Whilst more experienced performers can be more expensive, you are paying for their expertise. You can be reassured that you are in safe hands, and that they know what they are doing.
- There are always plenty of eager new performers who are likely to charge less – we all have to start somewhere! Consider whether you’d be comfortable with your special day being the first wedding that performer works on.
- Do they have public liability insurance? This is something that should hopefully never be needed, but if something were to go wrong it’s an essential piece of cover.
- Are they a member of a magic society? Be aware that these clubs aren’t professional industry bodies and membership of one is not necessarily a guarantee of quality. Similarly, not being a member of a particular club may not mean anything more than the performer decided not to join.
Contacting a wedding magician
- They will need to know some basic information. This will generally be the date of the wedding, the venue, what kind of performance you want, and how long you want to book them for.
- If you have a particular theme, let the magician know. They might have the perfect outfit for the occasion, or know of a trick that could be just right.
- If you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for, ask them for their suggestions. An experienced magician will have firsthand experience of what will work best in your particular situation. It’s a good idea to listen to their suggestions, as they will likely work well, but don’t be afraid to ask for that particular thing that you have in mind, even if it’s somewhat out of the ordinary.
- Some guides will advise you not to tell the potential vendor that your event is a wedding, on the assumption that some will increase their prices for no reason. We do not recommend this approach. A wedding is an event like no other, both in how it runs and also in the significance to those attending. You want to be sure that your vendor will get it right, and they can’t do that if they don’t have all the information.
- Start early! Entertainment is often at the bottom of the list for many brides and grooms. Things like the venue, the dress, and the cake will understandably take priority. Good magicians can often be booked months, if not years, in advance – so the earlier you start, the more likely it is that your perfect magician will still be available.
- Don’t be discouraged if you find your ideal magician, only to discover that they’re unavailable on your chosen date. Ask them if they could recommend a colleague. If you like this magician’s style, chances are they will know somebody else who could be just what you need.
What is the right price for a wedding magician?
You will often see online guides suggesting that prices should be above a certain amount. They tend to say that if you are quoted less then you are not dealing with a professional and you will be let down. This is not necessarily the case:
- Some areas such as London and other cities will naturally have higher fees. Other places e.g. smaller towns will have lower fees, as they are less affluent areas.
- A higher fee is no guarantee of higher quality, although more well known magicians may sometimes charge more. e.g. if you wanted to hire Dynamo, Derren Brown, or Ben Hart, you can expect to pay a much higher fee.
- Prices vary depending on what is being offered. A duo will be more expensive than a solo act; if a performer has to travel further to reach the venue or you request a longer time, then prices may increase; if you book a package it may be cheaper than two separate bookings.
The important thing is that the price is one that you are happy with. As long as you feel that the price is a fair one, then that’s all that matters.
Sealing the deal
- If you’ve found the right magician, and they’re available on your date, then you’re almost there!
- Don’t hesitate to make the booking. If you leave it too long before confirming you want to go ahead, then there’s a chance that the magician may have had another booking come in and confirm ahead of you.
- Many magicians may ask for a deposit to confirm the booking and guarantee your date.
- You should receive written confirmation from the magician of the booking; detailing where and when you have booked them for, details of the performance(s), any special requirements, and the cost. It should also set out payment terms, how and when to pay, and whether or not any money is refundable in the event of a cancellation.
Closer to the date of your wedding
Your magican should get in touch with you in the run up to your big day to check that all the details are still correct. Now is the time to let them know if there have been any changes e.g. events are now running later than you originally thought.
This contact should reassure you that everything is in place. This will then leave you free to focus on all those other last minute things.
On your wedding day
Relax! You’ve done all your research and chosen the right magician for you. Now it’s their job to help everyone enjoy your big day.
After your wedding
- If your magician did a good job, let them know! Small businesses thrive on word of mouth, and your feedback could make a world of difference to them.
- Remember how daunting the whole process felt to you at the beginning, and how helpful it was to look at reviews, and recommendations. So consider passing that forward to others.
- Drop them an email, leave a comment on their social media, or write a review.
- If you are uploading your wedding photos, consider tagging them on social media. You could even email them a copy so that they can use it on their website.
We hope this guide was useful, and has helped you to find the perfect magician for your wedding. Please feel free to share it with others who might also find it of use.
If you’re in the North Wales/North West area, please consider hiring Gatling Magic for your wedding entertainment. Check out the rest of our website (our wedding magic page is here). Take a look at our social media, read our reviews, and get in touch to see how we can help to put the finishing touch to your special day. You never know, your ideal magician could be closer than you think!
