Magician-Entertainer.co.uk

The important things are sorted, the ring, the reception venue, the flowers, and now you are thinking about music for your wedding reception. Music is one of the most important elements of the entertainment for your wedding reception and key to creating the right party atmosphere.

Many factors will influence your choice of music. What are your tastes? How many guests are you inviting? What size band will suit your venue? What is your budget? Most wedding audiences include guests with a wide range of ages. How can you be sure that everyone will like the band or DJ?

There are a variety of styles of music from string quartets and harpists to big bands and specialist party bands. It is worth considering something you do not normally listen to as it may be a better fit with the venue for your wedding and the guests you have invited.

When to start looking for a wedding band or DJ

You should really start looking around 12 months before your wedding, especially if your reception will be held on a Saturday. Popular bands and DJs will often booked up more than a year in advance, so the earlier you start, the more you will have to choose from.

What to look for in a wedding band or DJ

When contacting a band or a DJ, ask for their play list. Good wedding music has a lot of variety so it will appeal to a wide range of tastes. A wedding band or DJ should be able to incorporate songs that you want to hear or exclude songs you definitely don’t want!

Make sure the band or DJ has plenty of experience performing at weddings. Seasoned professionals should be able to provide you with a list of venues or previous clients that recommend their services.

Many bands and DJs provide samples of their music and videos of performances on their websites or MySpace pages, and this is a great way to see them and hear what they sound like. But, it is always worth checking if you can see them performing live at any public events.

Above all, while negotiating with the band or DJ ensure you feel comfortable and can communicate easily with them. They should be willing to learn your wedding song and to give you the benefit of their experience in helping to organise your wedding celebration.

A DJ is a great option if your budget is small or if you are looking for more of a nightclub feel for your celebration. A range of DJ are available from a single DJ to more elaborate packages light shows, dancers and MCs.

Find party bands, wedding DJs and ceilidh bands and more in our entertainment directory!

Important questions to ask before booking music for your wedding

• Will the same musicians or DJ that I have seen or heard definitely be the one performing at my wedding?
• Does the band or DJ have Public Liability Insurance?
• Will the band or DJ need feeding?!
• How long will each set be and how long will each break be?
• Will taped music be provided during the breaks?

These tips and questions should help you choose the best wedding music for your big day, whether that is a band, string quartet, harpist, or DJ.

www.guidesforbrides.co.uk

In addition to the usual supplier directory, this site includes a wedding planner where you can create your own web page to display information about your wedding.

Another useful feature is the wedding fair diary where you can search by region for wedding fairs across the UK.

www.confetti.co.uk

Confetti is one of the biggest UK wedding websites and includes information on just about every aspect of organising a wedding. Like most wedding websites it has a massive supplier directory covering every UK region which includes wedding venues, photographers, jewellers and bridal wear.

The most useful parts of the website are it’s extensive wedding advice section and the section for men, which is quite an unusual feature as most wedding sites concentrate on the bride.

The only problem with Confetti is it’s size - it can be difficult to know where you are in the site and find the information you want. To get past this use the search box which is at the top of every page and is very effective.

www.hitched.co.uk

Hitched.co.uk is another wedding website with an extensive range of information. This includes useful sections on choosing a wedding photographer and a wedding videographer.

A great feature of this site is the speeches section which has a lot of useful information on writing best man, bride, father of the bride and maid of honour speeches.

Check out our wedding resources page for more useful wedding websites.

Why is a Wedding Entertainer Important?

A wedding or civil partnership is one of the most special days in two people’s lives and a day of celebration shared with family and friends.

The wedding entertainment you choose helps to create and maintain the air of celebration, turning the day into a really memorable event. Entertainment at a wedding or civil partnership has many practical uses as well, such as adding structure to the day and breaking the ice between guests.

A Magician as a Wedding Entertainer

Magic is the ideal form of entertainment for a wedding because it is versatile, flexible and suitable for a mixed family audience. Most people, young and old, enjoy magic and an experienced wedding entertainer will be able to perform for all ages.

Despite being more popular than ever, a lot of people have only ever seen magic on television. Seeing magic performed ‘live’ is quite a novelty for most people and will make your wedding day even more special.

Close-Up Magic for Weddings

Close-up magic and illusion is the most versatile and flexible form of magical entertainment. A close-up magician doesn’t require any special equipment or facilities such as power or a public address system and will usually carry all his or her props in their pockets. Also, it only takes a few minutes for a professional magician to get ready before they start entertaining.

Compared to many of the things that need organising for a wedding, the close-up magician is easy - tell him the date and time, and leave him to it!

A close-up wedding magician will mingle with guests, either seated at tables or standing in small groups, and spend a few minutes with each group entertaining them with amazing magic. It is a great way to break the ice amongst people who have never met before because they come together while enjoying the entertainment.

It also provides a great talking point, even for those not directly involved in the magic at a particular time. While the magician is entertaining one group, everyone else is wondering about the sounds of astonishment and laughter coming from across the room. And those who have already seen the magician are discussing what they have just witnessed and trying to work out ‘just how did he do that?!’

Close-up magic can fit into any part of the big day. There can be times at weddings and civil partnership celebrations when not much is happening, especially for the guests. Close-up magic can fill these lulls and turn them into a highlight. For example:

• When guests are arriving at the reception or waiting in the reception line.
• While the wedding party are being photographed.
• While guests are waiting for the meal to start.
• Between the courses of the meal (especially if there are a lot of guests to cater for).
• While guests are waiting for the buffet.
• Between the daytime and evening functions.

A professional wedding entertainer will not be too intrusive and will enhance your special day without detracting from it or taking it over.

The UK Entertainer Directory is a new site for finding entertainers and performers in the UK. There is a big demand for entertainment at weddings, parties and corporate events, and this directory allows people go straight to the performer rather than through agents.

Listings in the directory provide a link to the entertainers or performers site, a short description of the entertainment service they offer and contact information. Listings are organised into a variety of categories, including one for magicians (with sub categories for close-up, cabaret and stage magicians, and illusionists), massive ones for general musicians and classical musicians (big because of the number of different styles of music and bands), and other categories for more unusual entertainers and acts like circus performers, comedy waiters, drag acts, after dinner speakers and living statues.

From the point of view of people looking to book an entertainer, the site is pretty easy to use. All the categories are listed on the front page, so users can click on them to browse whatever type of performer they are after. There is also a search function for finding specific listings and an option to find entertainers in a particular region.

The site is a useful resource both for people who know what type of entertainment they want for their event and for bookers looking for ideas and more unusual entertainers.

The most important thing is to make sure you book a professional. An amateur or part-time magician maybe able to perform amazing magic but there is a lot more to it than that. Will they turn up on time? Will they be smartly presented? Will they work hard to make sure they see every guest? Will they have the experience to cope with any last minute changes?

Remember that if you are hosting or organising an event, the magician you choose will reflect on you. In the same way, a professional magician who’s livelihood depends on performing regularly will look after all the small details because it reflects on them and their prospects of getting more work.

How do you know someone is a professional? After all, anyone can say they are but what can you do to check that it’s true?

How to Spot a Professional Magician

Check that the magician has a good website and/ or printed promotional materials. These days, magicians often rely on a website to provide information to prospective clients because it is so easy to keep a website up to date. Many also have videos or DVDs and printed materials including photographs. Of course, this doesn’t make them a great magician but it does indicate their professionalism. It can also give you an idea of what a performer is like if you haven’t met them.

Check that the magician is a member of magic societies such as the Magic Circle and the International Brotherhood of Magicians. These societies require magicians to be serious and accomplished performers before they are allowed membership. Another good sign is if they are a member of an organisation like Equity, the UK performers union or similar professional body.

Check the magician’s list of clients and engagements, and testimonial/ recommendation letters. A professional magician should be able to provide details of past clients and engagements - if they can’t something is wrong. The types of events they have been involved with will indicate if they are the right magician for your event. The letters and quotes can be helpful, although it is unlikely that any bad quotes will find their way into someone’s promotional materials! However, the number and quality of the quotes should give you an idea of how well received a performer is. Don’t be afraid to ask for copies of the original letters or emails.

Check that the magician has public liability insurance. This is very important! The magician may be closely interacting with your guests, perhaps borrowing objects from them and a professional will be covered for any accidents that may happen.