Wedding Magician Essex
Get your guests talking, laughing and interacting with each other.
Quality Magic
Professional Standard
Reception Drinks
Wedding Breakfast
Evening
Room Turnover
Twilight Magic
Reception Drinks and Breakfast Combo
Popular Packages
How the magic fits into your day
Champagne Drinks Reception
The reason for hiring a Close up magician for a drinks reception is because it is often the first time different families and friendship groups are brought together. While you are having your photographs taken, guests are left to on their own to mingle, which can feel polite rather than relaxed.
Therefore, close up magic during the drinks reception gives your guests a natural way to start talking. I walk around between small groups, performing short interactive moments that create shared reactions and genuine laughter. It keeps the atmosphere lively without interrupting the flow of the day.
Instead of guests checking their phones or waiting to be told where to stand next, they will have entertainment bought to them. It helps the room settle quickly and allows you to enjoy the wedding photography shoot knowing your guests are being entertained.
Wedding Breakfast
The wedding breakfast is one of the longest parts of the day, with natural pauses between courses and moments where guests are waiting for the newlyweds to make their entrance. These gaps can feel slow, especially for guests who are seated with people they have only just met.
Close up table magic during the wedding breakfast keeps energy in the room without interrupting service, speeches or conversation. Performed between courses, while guests are waiting to be served, or before you arrive to dinner, it gives each table something shared to enjoy.
The magic happens right in the hands of your guests, creating laughter and genuine reactions that spark natural conversation across the table. It helps different families and friendship groups connect, making the whole reception feel more relaxed and sociable.
Evening Celebration
As day guests begin to leave and evening guests arrive, the atmosphere naturally shifts. Groups merge, conversations restart and the focus moves towards music and dancing.
Close up magic during the evening reception keeps energy high while guests gather around the bar, catch up with friends and wait for the first dance. Short, interactive performances create moments of surprise and laughter without pulling attention away from the dance floor or DJ.
It works particularly well before the first dance, during room turnarounds or while guests are mingling between songs. Rather than standing around with a drink, guests become part of something shared and memorable.
Testimonials
What people say
Your day will have natural gaps in the schedule and lulls in the order of events
Close up magic keeps guests entertained without interrupting the flow of the day. It keeps guests engaged, relaxed and it makes memories of your day. Richard performs regularly across Essex, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Brentwood, Braintree, Basildon and Southend.
Couples that recommend Richard
Some kind words sent to Richard Symes Magic following a booking:
‘… you added such a great atmosphere to our special day …’
‘… thank you so much, our guests loved you …’
‘James (the Groomsmen) has conceded magic is real and that he can’t find a logical explanation
… Logan has since spent some of his birthday money on a magic set …’
Venues that recommend Richard
Richard is hugely honoured to be recognised as a trusted supplier at many venues, including:
Recommended Supplier at Layer Marney, Colchester
Recommended Supplier at Vaulty Manor, Maldon
Recommended Supplier at The Reid Rooms, Chelmsford
The best magic that brings laughter, conversation and unexplainable mysteries!
A Close Up Magician provides – Magic, Mind Reading and Sleight of Hand that breaks the ice and lifts the atmosphere!
Weddings always have natural pauses, for example when guests are waiting for you to have your photos taken, between courses during dinner, or before the evening party gets started.
A professional magician will fill those moments with interactive entertainment that naturally gets guests talking and mingling creating a better atmosphere and keeping the energy high.
Your guests will likely be a mixture of family and friends that have never met before. A magician walking around and performing tricks brings people together. It gives everyone a shared experience to talk about and laugh over, which makes the whole day feel more cohesive.
Keeps guests engaged and photographers happy
Any photographer will love it when there is a magician at the wedding because guests forget the camera is there and react naturally. When people react to magic they are laughing, joking, interacting and enjoying themselves. Which means better, more candid photos that can be given as gifts.
Entertainment for all ages
Close up magic isn’t just for kids and adults, while I’m not a kids entertainer, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to keep them occupied. It can be a toddler watching a hanky disappear or grandparents baffled with mind reading trick.
Everyone will get involved in the fun.
What makes a great wedding magician?
Firstly, there are many great wedding magicians in all areas of magic, secondly, this is what I do.
Professionalism and Reliability
I turn up an hour early to make sure I am on time. I communicate clearly throughout the planning process. I work with the venue and talk to them on the day to understand how the schedule is running, nothing is left to chance.
Adaptable and Flexible
Through my experience, I understand that there can be unpredictable and unforeseen delays. Knowing this, I can adapt accordingly and ensure the day feels like it is running smoothly. A good magician knows how to move seamlessly between groups, read the room, engage sceptics as well as magic lovers.
Be able to entertain all ages
On your special day you’ll have a full range of ages, with families being there you’ll have toddlers, teenagers, parents and grandparents. Rest assured, I have enough to keep everyone involved.
When to book your wedding magician
Close up magicians are becoming increasingly popular, if you want the best and your first choice, book early. Especially for Saturdays and peak wedding months, between April and September.
Bookinng 12 to 18 months in advance is standard. If I am not available, I have 1 magician I would comfortably recommend. The sweet spot is 18 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much does a professional wedding magician cost? Ideally you need to get a tailored quote.
Typical entertainment costs:
- 2 Hours Close Up magic from approx £500
- Reception Drinks + Wedding Breakfast from approx £645
Pricing varies on experience, time and what is included.
I offer optional extras such as personalised playing cards, personalised tricks, guest book ideas with playing cards and a top table performance. Most quality magicians in the UK start from around £500 for 2 hours.
Less time, more time, recommended supplier discounts and travel costs are all considered in quotes.
For couples on a budget, some magicians can offer shorter performance times and this works for those couples that have their ceremonies later on in the day with shorter schedule gaps.
Typically drinks reception is 1 to 2 hours. Table magic is 2 to 3 hours. Evening reception entertainment also, 2 to 3 hours.
Make your wedding truly memorable
If you want real entertainment that makes people laugh, talk and interact with each for the right reasons, I will be the right choice.
Whether you’re planning a relaxed drinks reception, an elegant dinner sitting or an evening celebration, magic adds human interaction, amazement and shared experience that no playlist, prop, or flower arrangement can match.
It’s a classic line in entertainment, they remember how they felt, not the colour of the napkins.
Personalised playing cards
Add a touch of yourselves to your day with your very own personalised playing cards, a perfect keepsake.
Elevate your celebration by having your wedding date and your names beautifully printed on each card all designed to match your chosen colour theme.
Trusted Suppliers
With many industry suppliers to choose from, here are some of my personal recommendations