'I don't want realism, I want magic!' Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

I'll be honest - I've always hated magic.... and then I met the fabulous Mark Waddington. This guy is, well, Magic!

He is very much a cheeky chappy but this adds to his charm and you can't help but find yourself completely lost in his weird but wonderful magic world! So what makes him such good wedding entertainment? Well, you will have to see him yourself to judge that, but in the interim we asked Mark himself to spill the beans on why having a good magician is worth it's fluffy rabbits in gold!

Keep your guests entertained

The most obvious reason for hiring any kind entertainment is for them to entertain people! At a wedding, there are undoubtedly a few periods of time which are quite long and drawn out for your guests. One of the times where you really need to provide entertainment for your guests (and is often forgotten about to be honest!) is during the photograph period. As the happy couple, yourself ands your partner will be really busy getting them perfect shots for the wedding album which will leave you little time to go round and chat to your guests, so that will just leave your guests at the bar waiting around to either see you or wait for their call for photographs. By hiring a magician for this time slot, it will keep your guests entertained whilst they wait to take a more active role in the day! Typically the photograph period would last 90 minute to 2 hours, and is usually tied in with the drinks reception.

Another time during the wedding day where entertainment for your guests is crucial is at that point between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception. Some guests may want to go back to their hotel room for a bit, but yet again, more often than not your guests will just be left in the bar waiting for the next part of the wedding proceedings. Put a magician in at that point where it’s a bit more relaxed and a bit more informal and it will go down an absolute treat. It also shows to your guests that you have really thought about them. This period of time also can last about 90 minutes, so if you are considering hiring a magician for this period of time, why not book him for about 2 hours (depending on how many guests you have of course!) so then they can entertain guests that have been invited to the evening reception too!

Bring your guests together

At a wedding, two different families are being brought together in the bond of matrimony, and the chances are that the majority of them will have never met one and other before the wedding! By hiring a mix and mingle magician, the two families will have something to talk about amongst themselves (y’know, like how good the magician was, and scratching their heads in unison over the perplexity of the situation that happened literally inches away from them, that sort of thing) and as a result the bridge will have been crossed and conversation amongst them will be so much easier for the rest of the day. This also reinforces why it is good to have a magician during the photographs, as this is the first chance during the wedding that guests have an opportunity to mix with each other, making it a perfect time to throw something in to get the conversation going!

Make it easier your guests

Weddings last all day, and by keeping things fresh and different for them, it will keep them interested, keep their energy up and give them something to remember the day by! A magician gives your guests a common talking point for the day (“ooooh, did you see the magician? He was dead good, and my wasn’t he attractive…” – you get the idea) and that extra something to remember your big day by. Of course they will remember your wedding day for what it is, but they will have something extra to remember, and years down the line when reminiscing about the whole occasion the subject of the magician will crop up again.

Stand out from the crowd

Having a wedding magician is still a relatively new concept. There is on average 300,000 weddings a year in the UK alone, and I perform at probably about 70 weddings in a year, it is still a very different thing to do and you will be safe in the knowledge that you were probably the first one in your group of friends that has hired a magician for the wedding! (But obviously, all your friends will want to book the magician when they see just how much fun they can be, so make sure you tell your friends who you booked, then you can be safe in the knowledge that you were the trend setter!) Brides want something a bit different for their wedding day, so why not have a magician for that purpose!

Wise words from Mark there, and we are in complete agreement with him. We've worked with him on a number of occasions and he makes such a difference to an event, and even now, I'm still wondering how on earth he did the trick with the sponge rabbits. If you want to know what I am talking about, then book him. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed! www.yorkshireweddingmagician.com

If you would like to see Mark in action at one of our Wedding Shows, pop along to The Wedding Affair at the York Marriott, Tadcaster Road, opposite York Racecourse on Sunday 22nd January 2012, 12.00pm to 4.00pm.  Free admission too!  Visit this 50+ Exhibitor luxury wedding fair and take away a gift bag as well as seeing Mark at his best!   To register your free place go to Free Wedding Fair Registration 2012