Yesterday I was at The Midlands Wedding Show.  This is a great show organised by Just Exhibitions  www.midlandweddingshow.com  There were over 250 brides and couples through the doors and it was great to be able to  chat to so many of them.  

To generalise most of the conversations fall into the categories of either,  “No we haven’t thought about our entertainment yet..” or  “How does having a magician work at a wedding..”   with a few  “Yes we have already booked someone” or  “We love the idea, we are just looking for the right magician”.  However one conversation stood out for me yesterday along the lines “ We really like to have a magician because we know it works so well.  However, a relative recently had a magician and they were awful, the tricks were ok but it just was a little  bit flat and not very good.  So we want to make sure that we have the right person.”

We had a really nice chat about not just what I do but also about entertainment for events and weddings generally.   It was great to be able to chat about what for me is the most important part of supplying not just entertainment but a complete service, also what make the difference between get what you pay for and not getting what you don’t pay for.

I hear so often about the soaring costs of weddings, and often this is because people know how important it is to get the basics right or when you are able to see the benefits of a higher priced item such as table decoration or flowers etc.  But with entertainment it’s easy to think that a band is any band singing the same songs or a magician is just a guy doing tricks.   

I believe the quality in the product goes far beyond the tricks.  Although saying this a good percentage of the tricks that I  perform variations of have been used on  the “… Got Talent” shows across the world to secure places in the series finals.   So thats a fairy good start!   Ultimately  It’s the bottom line basics that make that extra difference and you should make sure you look out for when booking.   

A good booking system including plenty of wedding information to make sure not faux pas are made on the day plus good communication leading up to your day. 

Arriving in plenty of time to be ready to start  on time.  In my experience things can also start early as often as running over!!  

A smart appearance,  some magicians may try and stand out from a regular wedding guest but I believe smart, tie and suit is always the best option, particularly at a wedding.  After a short while if people are laughing and enjoying what it happening you soon get noticed as the entertainer.  

Of course Public Liability and membership of trade bodies go without saying…but i just did! 

Most importantly performing magic should always be entertaining and not about just bemusing an audience or talking through whats happening.  It should be engaging, fun to watch and be part of what is happening. 
That not only about the personality and charisma of the performer but also experience, likability and sense of humour.  

So if you are looking for entertainment make sure you are not just thinking about the trick or songs being played being a professional with experience goes far beyond that and it what will ultimately make you wedding Amazing!