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I was just wondering what other people's views and experiences are with wedding fayres. I did my first one yesterday and found it to be quite an experience. I didn't get any firm bookings but did have a fair bit of genuine interest and gave out alot of cards and interest.

I'd expected to be performing magic for people pretty much the whole time but people just didn't really seem interested in seeing a trick. Those who obviously weren't interested, understandably didn't really want to see anything but what suprised me was that the people who were actually looking for a magician and I had about 4 of these weren't really interested either. They just wanted and idea of fees and the sort of thing that I performed. The whole day, I don't think that I performed more than about 5 tricks.

I'm wondering if perhaps I wasn't forward enough with showing my effects and perhaps I should have been more active in trying to perform for people.

What have other people found? Is it just that people at these fayres are simply looking for ideas and don't really want to see the magic or should I have been more pushy?

This was all new teritory for me and I didn't really know how best to approach it.

I never show hardly any effects at Fayres and will pretty much always get loads of bookings and follow up emails....

so dont be to dismayed

A lot of people that come to wedding fayres don't have a venue (or even a date) confirmed, and so can't commit there and then to a booking.

And, understandably, they appreciate the opportunity to think before they book. I personally never go for a hard sell to get bookings on the day. It could be that I'm just a bad salesman, but I actually feel that it's counterproductive. If they went home with the impression that I'm easy-going, fun and entertaining, they're more likely to pick up the phone a few days or weeks later.

And as for my repertoire, I have a small handful of favourite effects that I'll do at wedding fayres. They're short, snappy and self-explanatory. And they're fun. I don't want to delay people longer than they feel comfortable, but I want to pack a wallop in as little time as possible. I could get away with only using one effect ad nauseum the whole day, but I like to vary things for my own sanity more than anything else.

I did one in January and really enjoyed it. I had quite the opposite experience. I performed for 5 hours and got several bookings as a result, and the venue now recommend me to other potential clients.

It may just be the event, so keep trying!

I do most of the wedding fairs in my area, and Im also in a wedding guild and we do our own private wedding fairs also....The thing you find is, you dont want to be stood there all day like a performing monkey, so try to do as little as possible...Ive taken bookings and a deposit before, the womans walked off and then turned back and said

"You might be c**p, youd best show me something"

You will get some fairs that get you a lot of bookings whilst your there, and some that are all follow up enquiries....I once took 3k in two hours which was probably my best yet....but sometimes you come home with diddly squat...I gurantee youll have an enquiry before the end of the month, if you handed out leaflets.///

As a guide what sort of price are you paying for a pitch at a wedding fayre?

I'm doing one this coming Sunday and it's cost me £130 for the pitch, lunch and an ad in the local paper.

I had a great time at the last one and the bookings more than made up for the cost. I even took two bookings from other exhibitors which was a surprise.

I did one at the weekend for £75 but have done some in the past for £150. It depends on the venue, this was the first at this venue so was cheaper as they didn't know what to expect. I got 2 definites on the day & 3 other emails today from people who were there which is good.

I perform the routines I'm most comfortable with & which I have literally performed thousands of times, the last thing you want is for something to go wrong. It takes a while for people to come over as the brides tend to walk past, the grooms seem more open to it (probably because they've been dragged round dress stalls all day).

The last thing you want is to be taken for granted by the parents of annoying kids who think because you're a magician you are also a qualified babysitter. If this happens you'll have to think quickly if you don't want to be hounded by the little s**ts all day.

I find that once you have a couple at your stand, show them something that will get them clapping or better yet, screaming. You'll attract attention & soon enough you'll have a bit of a crowd round you. I'd be interested to hear what people have on their stalls, I had a couple of ribbon spread decks, a cups & ball ('cos it looks magicy) flyers, business cards & a laptop with photos on loop & a cd copy of the website (incase of no internet access).

I also bet you'll have enquiries before April from your wedding fayre.

Russ

As a guide what sort of price are you paying for a pitch at a wedding fayre?

£60-£1000 depending

I hope it is a bloody good wedding fair for £1000!

Totally Mental wrote:I hope it is a bloody good wedding fair for £1000!

Probably a breakfast bap included.

Most of the wedding fairs around the West London area are around £145 for the day and they estimate an attendance of 200-250 brides to be.

The one that I did on Sunday was £150, around here they all seem to be between £100 and £150.

If you're performing at wedding fayres a coin matrix done with wedding rings always catches the eye!

I always find wedding fayres apretty laid back place to perform, I usually decide whilsy at the venue whether or not I'll set up a table to just sit at. At the nd of the fayre I go on a dash and just wait at the door and give them my card as they walk out. I get my fair share of bookings from there.