talkmagic.co.uk

I came across the article about wedding magicians during a google search and thought that some of you may be interested.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34195.asp

All very good advice. Ages ago when I was involved in a Mobile Disco, we were given the Wedding Planner idea and so were caters so you could end up all producing one where a single one would do fine. Collaboration between Magician, DJ, caterers and perhaps mobile bars if appropriate would share the costs and keep the entertainment and hospitality 'team' together. I like the tip about doing the rose stuff at shows and exhibitions and saving the card stuff for the event itself - sneaky!

I have to agree that I liked that aswell but found the opening statistics quite interesting and potentially usefull

If you could work that into the promotional material it would at least start the thinking process off in the right direction.

I may be out of turn here but I always get the impression that 'The Bride' (in reality a most fearsome entity and She Who Must Be Obeyed At All Times) is the one who makes all these decisions and the Groom (aka He Who Deserves All Our Sympathy) doesn't get much chance to interfere. I also get the impression that if Brides want a certain something on their Big Day then no power on Earth will stop them getting it. If you can nurture the idea of 'must have' live entertainment such as a Magish as well as the DJ or band then you're probably well on your way to a booking - especially as The Bride knows that it's a great idea to have something which The Guests (aka The Present Bringers) will not always see at other events and will certainly talk about for ages afterwards.

That's so true Mandrake. Most, in fact all of my bookings from people who I work with are female, who go home, twist the arm and then come back with the confirmation.

Most referrals also come via the brides female friends too.

I think that the blokes just want a quiet life and they're not too bothered in anything other than the stag night, the booze at the reception and then the nuptuals

Oh, and of course HOW MUCH it's gonna cost them

The M.O.B. (mother of the bride) is the one in control usually.

A good angle is to sell yourself as the M.C. or Master of Ceremonies.
Quite often the D.J. does not do this job as he should and the work can fall to you. A good M.C. can get up to $3000.00 here in the states, that is if he also
mixes the dance music. What if you enhance this job with confetti cannons, dove productions and release, quality taSTEful showmanship.

The reason why a good M.C. can get this much is because there is a bunch of
rituals, like cake cutting, toasts, introduction of the wedding party, and a new thing in the states here, called the "Love Story". Wherein the MC retells the story of the couples love.

I believe you can call yourself a entertainer in place of a magician
"presenting MC Talkmagic, spotlighting the magic of Love".
And avoid tacky effects like pulling a rabbit out of the brides dress.

WHAt would be good suggestions for a routine themed
"The Magic of Love"?

I don't think that you'd get way with MC'ing a wedding reception like that in the UK.

It's traditional for the Best Man to do the MC bit with the speech followed by the Father of the Bride - either one or both will propose a toast.

Most people when booking a magician for a wedding reception don't have the foggiest idea about what they want and rely on the magician to actually tell them what's best to which the response is usually "OK"!

Do you think a wedding magician ever says "now for a spot of mentalism - I predict this marriage will end in divorce and the wife will leave the groom penniless and homeless and run off with another man!"

Very true! they rarely know what they want

The best man is merely the guy on the mic. The M.C. literally runs the show.
Even to the point of coaching the toast givers.

I should stop now before I reveal too much, but let me say.

if you are a good showman,. then weddings and stale corporate parties need you on the mic (aND more importantly- behind the scenes) keeping things moving.

Just a few years ago, DJ's werent even running things. Now they can make as
much as a high end wedding planner and make the wedding more fun while running smoothly.

After you have done a few corporate parties and weddings yopu can get the hang of how it runs, what makes the time lag and where the null spots aRE.
You can put this to good use, even if you are not the "MC" type. Offer to take the mic, pick things (the enrgy) up and inject some show biz values.

As a disclaimer I must tell you that I keep my DJ/MCing seperate from my strolling magic.

I don't disagree with you Cortez but I've never been to a wedding myself, eith er as a guest or as a working magician where they have had an MC.

I would say that the vast majority have the DJ and magician turn up for the evening reception well after the speeches have been done after the meal.

If you've made a line in this work then good on ya and I wish you continued success.

As for corporates, that's an entirely different market in my opinion. I've been to functions as a guest where they have had an MC but these mainly tend to be formal dinners etc. rather than a social type (sales or marketing) corporate function.

Hi there,

I would say that 80% of my gigs are wedding especially in the summer months. I have found that people always ask me what time would be best to use a magican. I always require after the ceremony and before the meal usually 2 hours.

This is a natural lull in procedings when traditionally people hammer the bar and the photographer takes pictures.

People need to be entertained whilst this goes on.

Also you can get home at a fairly decent time as well