How Much Does A Wedding Magician Cost?
October 21, 2016
Searching for the right magician is not the kind of thing you do every day, so it can be a confusing process. I'm here to give you an idea of what to expect, how much you should be prepared to pay here in the UK, and a few warnings for you to watch out for!
The Price - How much are we looking at to hire a wedding magician?
In general, you should expect to pay on average somewhere between £300 and £600 for a quality act which will last two hours.
There are some factors which will affect the price you pay. These include; the type of entertainment and style of magic, how much experience the magician has, the location of the wedding, the guest numbers, and the time and date which you want to book. Performances on weekends during peak wedding season usually cost more than those on weekdays or at other times of year.
Be cautious if you are quoted a price below £300 for two hours of magic. It could be that they're cheap because they're trying to gain experience, but ultimately, you don't want them to mess up on your Big Day. That's why it's better to go for a professional magician who already has a proven track record. The bottom line is: if it seems too good a price to be true, it probably is.
On the other hand, don't fork out more than £800 for two hours. If someone quotes you this high a price, then either they've appeared on TV, or - more likely - they're trying to rip you off.
It is common to pay a deposit of around 20 percent of the quoted price to secure your booking. The balance is usually paid on the day of the performance or before.
Type of wedding entertainment:
Now that you know how much it's going to cost, how do you decide what kind of magic to have, and how to fit it into your day?
Do you want a traditional magician (like Dynamo, Ben Hanlin and David Blaine), or a mind reader (such as Derren Brown)? Some illusionists specialize in just one type of magic, but others perform a variety of acts. I have perfected the art of sleight of hand magic, although I do have experience with mind reading, too.
Who do you want to entertain? Most wedding entertainment is aimed at the adult guests, but I can cater for younger audiences, as well.
How would you like the magic to be performed for your guests? Mix and mingle magic is the most popular choice for this season's brides. During the reception, when formal photos are being taken, a close up magician acts as an ice-breaker by performing to small groups. I appear to be another normal guest, until I do something spectacular! Another option worth considering is table hopping, where I perform between courses of the wedding breakfast, to one table of guests at a time. Alternatively, while the guests are letting their hair down during an evening reception, I can perform some close-up evening reception mix and mingle magic.
Now you know what to look for when choosing a wedding magician, but here are a few words of caution. Look out for people who offer dubiously low prices, those who don't have photos or videos of themselves performing on their website, and magicians who don't display testimonials from previous customers.
These are all warning signs that the illusionist you're looking at does not have enough skill or experience of performing at weddings. There would be nothing worse than hiring an amateur who performs poor quality, outdated tricks that anyone could do. You want someone quality, who can give you peace of mind that your guests will be made to feel comfortable, relaxed, and above all - entertained!
I’m a superb Bristol based magician with over 10 years experience guaranteed to WOW and astound all your guests.