Outdoor Wedding Magician

What a magician actually does at an outdoor wedding

An outdoor wedding is a drinks reception with no furniture. The ceremony is in a garden, a walled garden or a clearing in the woods, and afterwards the guests stand on grass with a glass, in loose circles, with nowhere to sit and nothing to lean on, for an hour or more while the photographs are taken. It is lovely, and it is slightly shapeless. A magician gives that hour a shape. He moves from group to group, and every group gets ten minutes they will talk about.

Close-up magic is the outdoor entertainment that works because it needs nothing: no stage, no power, no PA, no marquee. The magician carries it in his pockets and performs at arm's length, so a breeze and birdsong are no problem, where a singer or a band would be fighting them.

Where the magic goes on the day

After the ceremony (60–90 minutes). The main slot. Guests are standing, the couple are away for the photographs, and the garden is full of people with nothing to do but talk. The move indoors. Most outdoor weddings go inside for the meal. Table magic between courses. The evening. Back outside for lanterns and fire pits, or inside for the band. Close-up magic finishes before the band starts.

Things worth planning for

• Wind. The one thing that affects card magic. The magician picks his spot: a hedge, a wall, the lee of the house.
• Sun. On a bright day guests gravitate to the shade, and so does the magician. Cards in direct sun are hard to read.
• Rain. Agree the wet-weather plan with the venue: the barn, the orangery, the house. The magician follows the guests.
• Ground. He needs no table; he uses the guests' hands. On very uneven ground he works the terrace or the path.
• Sound. Birdsong, a fountain, a string quartet nearby: all fine.
• Children in a garden. A magician keeps them, and their parents, occupied while the photographs are being taken.

Gardens and outdoor spaces on this site

Each venue page lists the magicians who cover that county.

• Kew Gardens (London)
  The Nash Conservatory and the gardens themselves.
• Syon Park (London)
  The Great Conservatory and the grounds.
• Thornton Manor (Cheshire)
  Orangery and gardens; drinks outside when the weather allows.
• Elmore Court (Gloucestershire)
  Gardens for the ceremony and the drinks.
• Iscoyd Park (Shropshire)
  Grounds for the drinks reception.

What it costs

Prices include travel anywhere in the UK. The full price guide explains what moves a quote up or down.

Questions couples ask about outdoor weddings

What happens if it rains?

The guests go inside, to wherever the venue's wet-weather plan says, and the magician goes with them. Nothing about the set changes.

Does the magician need a table or power?

No. He uses the guests' hands and carries everything he needs. Nothing has to be set up on the lawn.

Will the magic work in wind or bright sun?

Yes, with a sensible spot. He works in the lee of a wall or a hedge in wind, and in the shade in sun, which is where the guests are anyway.

Can he perform during the ceremony?

No, and you would not want him to. He performs afterwards, during the photographs, which is the gap that needs filling. If there is a long wait before the ceremony, that can be covered too. Ask.

How much does an outdoor wedding magician cost?

From £495 for the drinks reception, £595 for the drinks reception and table magic, and £895 for award-winning and television magicians. Travel anywhere in the UK is included.

See also: marquee weddings, barn weddings, country house weddings. Or read what a wedding magician actually does.