Wedding Magician Booking Tips

Photos - The photos on the magician or entertainers web site should be of the performer getting a positive response from the people being entertained.

Ensure there is a wide selection of photos on their web site. They should be snaps taken at different functions and venues. It’s easy to see if the photos were taken at the same event by looking at the table decorations and background in the shot.

If the photos on a magician’s web site show mostly himself smiling at the camera while holding a fan of cards and looking cheesy then be very wary. The photos need to be of the magician performing and getting an amazing reaction from alive audience.

Video - Ideally there should be some video clips of the magician performing. These would typicaly have been filmed at previous bookings. The clips (as with the photos) should show positive responses from the guests being entertained. If the spectators are having a great time in the video clips then it’s a fair indicator how the guests will be responding at your wedding.

Are they REALLY full-time professional's? - Unfortunately anyone can purchase a few tacky plastic tricks from a joke shop, then have a web site built and then call themselves a "magician". The term full-time professional gets banded about quite freely, just because someone say’s they are a full-time pro does not necessarily mean they actually are.

There’s nothing wrong with someone doing a bit of magic on the side (indeed there are a number of very good semi-professional magicians out there), but these are the exception not the rule. If being a magician is not their job and primary focus then they have nothing to loose if they let you down after you commit to booking them. A professional will be totally dependable as it's what keeps a roof over his family’s head.

In the majority of situations if an entertainer is not a full time professional, it could possibly mean that they:
1. Do not have a good enough act.
2. Is deficient in experience and expertise.
3. Is simply not professional and dependable enough to support a full time career in that field.

In general those who make a living as an entertainer have to be good enough to continue getting repeat business and positive referrals. Before you hand over your hard earned money ask if the entertainer really is a full-time professional.

Money Back Guarantee - If an entertainer does not guarantee their work the question should simply be WHY NOT? You need to be certain the entertainer can deliver 100% for your wedding. It's a very special day that has no doubt had a lot of planning and money put in to it, you really do want it to be remembered for all the right reasons.

Experience - Feel free to ask how the act can best work for your wedding. There are plenty of ways to entertain during a wedding function. An experienced magician entertainer will have performed thousands of times under many different circumstances and will be able to advise how best to perform their ability for your celebration.

Recommendation of quality - Try to ensure the testimonials are genuine. A quality entertainer should be able to prove with a hard copy the appraisals and pieces of kudos he has gained.

How much will it COST? - One of the most frequently asked questions is HOW MUCH DOES HIRING A MAGICIAN COST? The truth is every job has to be taken on its own merit and requirements.

There are a number of factors which have to be taken into consideration before a fair and accurate quote can be given, such as the date, the performance times, the location etc. Asking the question "how much does a magician cost to hire" is a bit like asking ‘how much does a pair of trousers cost’. A pair of jeans bought at an open air market will not be the same quality or price as a pair of designer jeans, even though they are both called 'jeans' there is a big difference. As with all products at the end of the day you get what you pay for.

Your Budget - If your budget is very tight then hiring or booking a magician may not be the best option. If another magician has quoted you an enticingly low price then you can almost be sure that they are either an amateur or a kid's entertainer who lacking experience in the field of entertaining a grown up audience. The fee they have quoted is a reflection of the lack of quality in their work and the lack of experience and confidence at entertaining at a high level.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: What is the difference between a good magician and a bad one? - A GOOD wedding magician entertainer will give you an extremely thrilling and entertaining experience. It will be something you will remember for a long, long time after the event.

A BAD magician could well make you hate magic altogether and not want to ever see another magic effect again. Due to their lack of experience, expertise and bad social skills they could well treat your guests like idiots, with insulting and inappropriate material.

The UGLY truth is that there are some unscrupulous magicians who claiming to be full time professionals and are delivering a sub-standard service. These individuals are damaging the industry and giving a bad name to magic on the whole.

Try before you buy - It is possible to meet the magician and see him perform before committing to hire or booking. Any magician that is confident in his work would be more than pleased to meet up with you to give you a demonstration of his performance. This can be arranged at little or no expense at all if the magician is working near your area.

Insurance Assurance - Make sure the entertainer has Public Liability Insurance. It's very doubtful anything will go wrong during an act, but it's nice to know that all the bases are covered.

Well travelled - A professional magician entertainer with a polished, top-class act will travel all over the country and indeed all over the world.