The Best Time for a Wedding Magician to Perform

Wedding Magician Performance Times

If you're wondering when is the best time for a wedding magician to perform, you're not alone.

I'm Andy Field, a professional close-up magician with a quarter of a century of experience performing at weddings, parties and corporate events, including more than 1,000 weddings.

I've also twice been a S.A.M.S. Champion of Close-Up Magic, worked as a magic consultant and hand double on the BBC drama Hustle, and my magic videos have attracted more than 20 million views on YouTube.

Over the years, I've learned that the secret to successful wedding magic isn't simply having a good magician — it's putting the magic in the right place at the right time. At least this is what a lot of my Google reviews state.

And fortunately, that doesn't usually mean rearranging your entire wedding day around a man with a deck of cards.

So, when is the best time for a wedding magician?

For many weddings, the drinks reception is one of the most effective times for close-up magic.

The ceremony has finished. Everyone is celebrating. Drinks are being served. Guests are naturally standing around and chatting.

And quite often, the bride and groom are somewhere else having photographs taken.

That creates a very natural opportunity for a magician.

Rather than asking all your guests to sit down and watch a separate show, a close-up magician can move between small groups, perform for a few people at a time and then move on.

But that doesn't mean the drinks reception is automatically the right choice for every wedding.

Your venue, guest numbers, photography schedule, meal arrangements and evening plans can all make a difference.

The best timing is usually the point in the day where your guests have time to relax and mingle, but don't already have something important happening in front of them.

That's the key.

Good wedding magic fits into the day. It doesn't compete with it.

I've performed at weddings where the drinks reception was perfect.

I've performed at others where the period before the wedding breakfast worked better.

I've also performed during suitable gaps around the meal and in the evening when additional guests arrived.

The important thing is understanding how the day actually flows.

Why timing matters with wedding magic

A wedding day isn't simply one long celebration.

It's a sequence of different moments.

There's the ceremony.

Then photographs.

Drinks.

Canapés.

The wedding breakfast.

Speeches.

Room changes.

Evening guests arriving.

The first dance.

The evening reception.

And somewhere in amongst all of that, everyone is trying to work out where Uncle Trevor has disappeared to.

That's where timing becomes important.

A magician shouldn't be competing with the registrar, photographer, caterers, speeches or first dance.

If your photographer needs everyone together for a group photograph, that's more important than a card trick.

If the best man is about to deliver his speech, that's probably not the moment to wander over and ask him to pick a card.

And if everyone has just sat down to eat, I'm not going to start trying to perform around a plate of roast beef.

The magic should work around the wedding schedule.

That is one of the reasons close-up magic is particularly flexible.

If you want to understand exactly what close-up magic involves, I've explained it in more detail in my guide to Close-Up Magic Explained.

Close-up magic doesn't require a stage.

It doesn't require everyone to stop talking.

It doesn't require rows of chairs.

And it doesn't require the entire wedding to stop while the magician performs.

Instead, the magic happens naturally among your guests.

That makes the timing much easier.

1. The drinks reception

One of the most popular times for a wedding magician

For many weddings, the drinks reception is an excellent opportunity for close-up magic.

The ceremony has finished and everyone is in celebration mode.

Guests are usually standing rather than sitting down.

They're having drinks.

They're chatting.

They're meeting relatives and friends.

And the newly married couple may be away having photographs taken.

That combination creates an ideal environment for walk-around close-up magic.

I can move from group to group without interrupting anyone.

Perhaps I join a group of friends.

A few minutes later I'm entertaining some relatives.

Then I move across to another group.

There's no formal announcement.

Nobody needs to be told to sit down.

The entertainment simply happens.

This is particularly useful if your guests don't all know one another.

A wedding can bring together several completely different groups of people.

You've got the bride's family.

The groom's family.

Friends from school.

Work colleagues.

Neighbours.

University friends.

And probably at least one person nobody can quite remember inviting.

Magic gives people something to talk about.

Someone sees a card appear somewhere impossible.

Another guest gets involved in a trick.

People laugh.

They start talking to each other.

And suddenly the magician isn't just providing entertainment.

He's helping break the ice. My Gloucester wedding blog has more information on drinks reception magic while my Bristol magician page explains more about the close-up magic I provide for weddings and other events in the city.”

Why photographs make this timing particularly useful

The drinks reception often coincides with the wedding photographs.

That can create an interesting situation.

The bride and groom quite rightly disappear with the photographer.

Family members are called away for group photographs.

The best man gets dragged into another photograph.

Bridesmaids are rounded up.

Parents are moved around.

And meanwhile, other guests are waiting.

This is where a professional close-up magician can be extremely useful.

I can entertain the people who aren't required for photographs.

When somebody is called away, I simply move on.

If a group is having an important conversation, I don't interrupt.

If the photographer needs everyone together, I step aside.

The entertainment adapts to what's happening.

That's important because the wedding photographer has a job to do.

So does the venue.

So does the catering team.

And, most importantly, so do the bride and groom.

The magician is there to add to the day — not take control of it.

For couples planning a wedding in the area, you can see more about my approach to wedding magic on my Magician Bristol, Magician in Bath and Magician in Cheltenham.

2. While the wedding photographs are being taken

You don't necessarily need to think of the drinks reception and photographs as two completely separate periods.

Very often, they overlap.

And that can be particularly useful.

Wedding photographs are important.

Very important.

After all, you're only going to have one wedding day.

Well, hopefully.

The photographer needs time to capture the important photographs properly.

But that doesn't mean every guest needs to be involved in every photograph.

There will usually be periods when some guests are waiting.

That's where magic can work beautifully.

Instead of guests standing around wondering when the next photograph is happening, they're involved in something.

A signed card disappears.

A borrowed ring vanishes.

A coin travels somewhere it shouldn't.

Someone tries to work out how it happened.

Someone else immediately announces that they know how the trick was done.

They usually don't.

And that's fine.

The important thing is that the magician knows when to stop.

If someone says, "I need to go for a photograph," I let them go.

That's obvious.

But it is surprisingly important.

The best wedding entertainment isn't the entertainment that demands attention.

It's the entertainment that understands the occasion.

3. Before the wedding breakfast

Another excellent opportunity can be the period immediately before the wedding breakfast.

Perhaps your photographs have finished.

Guests have returned to the main reception area.

The room is being prepared.

The caterers are getting everything ready.

People are having another drink.

And there is a short gap before everyone is called through for the meal.

This can be a very relaxed time for close-up magic.

The guests are already in a social mood, and there is no need for a formal performance.

I can simply continue moving around the groups.

It also means the magic can act as a bridge between different parts of the day.

The ceremony feels like it happened ages ago.

The photographs are finished.

Now everyone is settling into the wedding breakfast.

A little close-up magic can keep that momentum going.

There are much more details on this part of a wedding on my article Worcester wedding magician.

4. During the wedding breakfast

This one needs a little more planning.

Close-up magic can work during a wedding breakfast, but the magician needs to understand the meal service.

You don't want someone trying to perform while guests are attempting to eat their main course.

That isn't entertainment.

That's just awkward.

Instead, magic can sometimes work during natural gaps between courses, depending on the venue and catering arrangements.

This is where table-top magic can be particularly useful.

The magician can visit a table, perform for the group and then move on.

There's no need to interrupt speeches.

There's no need to perform while food is being served.

And there's certainly no need to compete with the best man's speech.

If you're considering magic around the wedding breakfast, talk to your magician and your venue beforehand.

The caterer may have a very specific schedule.

Some venues move extremely quickly between courses.

Others have much longer pauses.

Some couples want speeches between courses.

Others have them all together.

The timing needs to reflect the actual wedding rather than a theoretical wedding timetable.

For example, my Bath Wedding Magician explains how close-up magic can be used at different points throughout the day, including suitable gaps around the wedding breakfast.

5. Between courses

If your wedding breakfast has natural pauses, between-course magic can be another option.

This works particularly well when the venue is comfortable with it.

The magician can visit individual tables during a gap.

The advantage is that guests are already seated together.

That creates a different atmosphere from drinks reception magic.

During the drinks reception, the magician is moving around.

At the wedding breakfast, the groups are already established.

That means I can create more intimate little moments at each table.

Perhaps someone at the table becomes involved in a card routine.

Someone else lends a ring.

Another person is trying desperately to keep an eye on my hands.

They still won't.

The important thing is to avoid treating every wedding breakfast as though it has the same timetable.

It doesn't.

Your venue may have a completely different schedule from the wedding down the road.

That's why I prefer to discuss the running order rather than simply say, "I'll perform between courses."

The more information I have, the easier it is to make the magic fit naturally.

There is more information on my Bristol wedding magician information page.

6. After the wedding breakfast

There's another part of the day that is sometimes overlooked.

The period after the meal and before the evening reception gets properly underway.

This can be a surprisingly useful window.

The wedding breakfast has finished.

Guests may be getting up and moving around.

The room might be changing.

The evening entertainment might be setting up.

Some guests may be leaving.

Other guests may be arriving.

And there can be a short period where nobody is quite sure what they're supposed to be doing.

That's exactly the kind of gap that close-up magic can fill.

It doesn't need to be a formal performance.

I can mingle with guests while everything else gets organised.

This is especially useful if the wedding venue has a separate area for the evening reception.

Rather than having everyone simply wait for the room to be ready, the entertainment can continue.

My Oxford wedding magician guide explains this in more detail.

7. When the evening guests arrive

If you have a large number of evening guests arriving later, an evening magic booking can work particularly well.

Your daytime guests have already had a full day.

But the evening guests haven't.

They've missed the ceremony.

They've missed the photographs.

They've missed the wedding breakfast.

They are arriving at the point where the party is starting.

A magician can help bring those people into the atmosphere of the wedding.

This is particularly useful where there are two distinct groups of guests.

The daytime guests already know what's been happening.

The evening guests are joining later.

Close-up magic gives everyone something immediate to share.

And because I'm working in small groups, I can move naturally between the different groups rather than creating another formal event.

For a wedding in Oxford, for example, you can see how I approach different parts of the day on my Magician in Oxford & Oxfordshire.

For weddings in Gloucester, there's also my Magician in Gloucester.

8. Before the first dance

There can also be a short window immediately before the first dance.

This needs careful coordination.

The first dance is an important moment.

The magician shouldn't be competing with it.

But if there is a period beforehand when guests are gathering, having drinks and getting ready for the evening entertainment, close-up magic can help build the atmosphere.

Once the first dance is about to happen, however, the magic should get out of the way.

The couple's first dance belongs to them.

The magician doesn't need to be the star of the show.

That's not what close-up magic at a wedding is about.

My job is to create memorable moments for the guests, then let the rest of the wedding take over.

There is more detailed information on my Swindon wedding magician section.

9. What about magic during the speeches?

This is usually one of the easiest questions to answer.

Not during the speeches.

At least, not if you're looking for sensible wedding entertainment.

The speeches are a major part of the wedding day.

Everyone should be listening.

The magician should stop performing and let the speeches have the attention they deserve.

This is another reason that flexibility matters.

If I'm booked for several hours, it doesn't mean I'm performing continuously for several hours.

There will naturally be pauses.

That's completely normal.

A professional magician doesn't need to fill every second.

Sometimes the best thing an entertainer can do is recognise that another part of the event is more important.

My wedding magician Bath explains this in more detail.

10. How long should a wedding magician perform?

This depends on the wedding.

There isn't a magic number of hours that works for every couple.

Pun absolutely intended.

The right duration depends on:

• The number of guests
• The layout of the venue
• How long the drinks reception lasts
• Whether photographs are taking place
• Whether the magic is walk-around or table-based
• Whether evening guests are arriving
• Whether you want magic at more than one point in the day

For a smaller wedding, a focused booking can provide plenty of coverage.

For a larger wedding, more time may be useful because the magician needs to reach more groups.

The physical layout of the venue matters too.

A wedding with 100 guests all gathered in one room is very different from 100 guests spread across a garden, terrace, bar and reception room.

That's why I don't believe in treating wedding entertainment like a mathematical equation.

You don't simply take the number of guests and divide it by the number of hours.

The actual flow of the wedding matters.

11. Should you book one long period or two shorter periods?

This is another interesting option.

Some couples want magic during the drinks reception.

Others may want it later in the day as well.

There can be a good reason for splitting the entertainment.

For example:

First period: drinks reception while photographs are taking place.

Second period: evening reception while additional guests arrive.

That gives the magic two different purposes.

The first period helps entertain guests during photographs and encourages people to mingle.

The second period welcomes evening guests and helps build the atmosphere before the party gets going.

Alternatively, some couples prefer to concentrate everything around the drinks reception and leave the evening entirely to the band or DJ.

Neither approach is automatically right or wrong.

It depends on what you want your wedding entertainment to achieve.

My Cheltenham wedding magician explains in more detail how you can split a magicians performance over your wedding day.

12. The venue can make a difference

One of the things couples sometimes overlook is the physical layout of the wedding venue.

A magician can work in a huge variety of spaces, but the venue still affects how the entertainment should be planned.

A country house might have:

• A terrace
• Gardens
• A bar
• A reception room
• Multiple lounges

A hotel wedding might have everything on one floor.

A barn venue might have a large reception space with guests moving between inside and outside.

A city wedding could involve several separate areas.

This is why I always prefer to know where guests are going to be.

If everyone is spread over several rooms, the timing and duration may need to take that into account.

If everyone is gathered together, coverage is naturally easier.

The good news is that close-up magic is inherently mobile.

I don't need to set up a stage.

I don't need a complicated sound system.

And I don't need to turn your wedding venue into a theatre.

I simply work with the space you've already chosen.

13. What if the wedding schedule runs late?

This happens.

Weddings don't always run exactly according to the timetable.

The ceremony takes longer.

The photographer needs another five minutes.

Someone can't find their shoes.

The speeches run over.

The food is slightly delayed.

The weather decides it has other plans.

That's weddings.

A good wedding magician understands this.

The entertainment should have enough flexibility to cope with small changes.

If photographs take longer than expected, I don't stand there staring at my watch.

I adapt.

If the wedding breakfast starts late, we adjust.

If the room isn't ready yet, there are other ways to entertain guests.

That's another reason why close-up magic works so well at weddings.

It is flexible.

There's no stage show with a giant curtain waiting for the exact second written on the timetable.

The magic can move with the wedding.

14. The magician, photographer and venue should work together

This is one of the most important points in the whole article.

Your magician shouldn't be working in isolation.

The photographer needs to know what is happening.

The venue needs to know.

The catering team needs to know.

And the magician should understand the basic running order.

That doesn't mean everyone needs a 14-page production schedule.

A simple conversation can be enough.

For example:

1:30pm: Ceremony finishes
2:00pm: Drinks reception begins
2:00–3:00pm: Photographs
3:15pm: Guests called for wedding breakfast
3:30pm: Meal begins
5:30pm: Speeches
7:30pm: Evening guests arrive
8:00pm: First dance

Now the magician has a clear picture.

I know when guests are likely to be available.

I know when I need to step aside.

And I know when the important moments are happening.

That makes the entertainment feel professional rather than bolted onto the side of the wedding.

15. What type of magic works best at different times?

Different parts of the wedding can suit slightly different approaches.

During the drinks reception, I generally favour walk-around close-up magic.

That means moving between groups and performing short, powerful pieces.

During suitable parts of the wedding breakfast, table magic can work well.

During the evening reception, close-up magic can again be useful as guests mingle.

The common thread is interaction.

My style is based around powerful close-up magic, strong showmanship and comedy.

It's not simply about knowing clever tricks.

It's about understanding people.

Knowing when to approach.

Knowing when to leave.

Knowing how to involve someone without putting them under pressure.

And knowing when a joke will help — and when it won't.

That's one of the reasons I've always regarded showmanship as such an important part of magic.

I've written more about this in How to Be a Great Showman in Magic.

Because a technically difficult trick isn't necessarily a great piece of entertainment.

The audience doesn't know how difficult the sleight of hand was.

They know how the experience made them feel.

16. Why close-up magic is particularly good for weddings

A wedding is a social event.

People want to talk.

They want to move around.

They want to meet other people.

They want drinks.

They want photographs.

They want food.

They want to dance.

So entertainment that requires everyone to stop doing all those things isn't always the easiest fit.

Close-up magic is different.

It can happen while people are standing around.

It can happen in small groups.

It can move with the guests.

And it can stop immediately when something else important happens.

That's one reason I've performed close-up magic at so many different types of weddings over the years.

The basic principle remains the same:

The magic should fit the wedding.

Not the other way around.

17. What about a wedding with children?

My performances are aimed at adult audiences, and that's an important distinction.

A wedding may have children present, of course.

But the style of close-up magic I perform is designed around adult guests and the sort of sophisticated, interactive entertainment you'd expect at a wedding reception.

That includes sleight of hand, cards, coins, borrowed objects, comedy and psychological magic.

If you're interested in the psychology behind magic and why people experience apparently impossible things in such a powerful way, you can read my article on Psychology in Magic.

18. Wedding magic in Bristol, Bath, Oxford, Gloucester and beyond

I perform at weddings across a wide area, so the basic principles of timing apply whether you're getting married in a city hotel, country house, barn or another wedding venue.

For couples looking for a Magician Bristol, the drinks reception can be particularly useful because guests are often moving between indoor and outdoor areas while photographs are taking place.

For a Magician in Bath, the same principle applies: the magic can be built around the flow of the venue and the timing of photographs.

Couples planning a Magician in Cheltenham can also use close-up magic to fill natural gaps without creating another formal event.

For weddings in Gloucester, my Magician in Gloucester explains more about the style of close-up entertainment I provide.

I also perform at weddings around Oxford and Oxfordshire, where the drinks reception, photographs and wedding breakfast can each provide useful opportunities for magic. You can find more information on my Magician in Oxford & Oxfordshire.

And for couples getting married in Worcester, my Magician in Worcester has more information about my wedding and event magic.

The exact venue may change.

The guest list may change.

The timetable may change.

But the basic idea remains the same.

Find the gaps where guests are naturally available, then put the entertainment there.

19. So, what is the best time for YOUR wedding magician?

If you're looking for a simple answer, start by looking at your drinks reception.

Ask yourself:

Will the couple be having photographs?

If yes, that's a particularly useful opportunity.

Will guests be standing around with drinks?

Even better.

Will different groups of family and friends be mixing?

Close-up magic can help bring them together.

But don't stop there.

Look at the entire wedding timetable.

Perhaps your photographs are extremely quick.

Perhaps your drinks reception is very short.

Perhaps your venue has a long room turnaround period.

Perhaps a large number of evening guests are arriving later.

Perhaps the wedding breakfast has long gaps between courses.

Those details can change the answer.

The best time is the time that solves the biggest natural gap in your wedding.

20. A simple wedding magician timing guide

Here's the easy version.

Drinks reception

Excellent opportunity for: Walk-around close-up magic.

Particularly useful while photographs are taking place and guests are mingling.

During photographs

Excellent opportunity for: Close-up magic for guests who aren't required for photographs.

The magician can move around as different groups are called away.

Before the wedding breakfast

Excellent opportunity for: More walk-around magic while guests wait to be seated.

Between courses

Potentially useful for: Table magic.

This needs to fit around the venue's catering schedule.

During speeches

Usually: Let the speeches happen.

The magician should step aside and allow the speakers to have everyone's attention.

After the wedding breakfast

Useful for: Filling a natural gap while the room changes or guests move around.

Evening guest arrival

Excellent opportunity for: Welcoming additional guests and creating an immediate atmosphere.

Before the first dance

Potentially useful for: Short periods of close-up magic while guests gather.

The first dance itself should take priority.

21. Don't worry about getting the timing perfect

One of the biggest mistakes couples can make is becoming obsessed with making every minute of their wedding timetable perfect.

It won't be.

Something will happen.

Someone will be late.

A photograph will take longer.

A speech will run over.

Someone will lose a buttonhole.

And that's okay.

Your wedding isn't a military operation.

The important thing is having suppliers who understand that.

A professional wedding magician should be able to adapt.

If the schedule changes slightly, the entertainment should change with it.

That's part of the job.

After more than a quarter of a century performing professionally, I've learned that weddings are wonderfully unpredictable.

And that's often what makes them memorable.

22. The magic should become part of the memories

Ultimately, the question isn't really:

"What time should the magician arrive?"

The better question is:

"When will the magic add something to our wedding?"

Maybe that's while you're having your photographs taken.

Maybe it's while everyone is enjoying drinks.

Maybe it's between courses.

Maybe it's when evening guests arrive.

Maybe it's a combination.

The important thing is that the magic creates moments that belong naturally to the day.

A guest watches their signed card appear somewhere impossible.

Someone lends me a ring and then discovers that it has vanished.

A group of people who have never met before suddenly find themselves laughing together.

Those are the kinds of moments I explore in my guide to how magicians create impossible moments at weddings — not just the trick itself, but how the magic, interaction and atmosphere come together to create something guests remember.

That's also part of the value a magician can bring to a wedding — creating shared experiences that help guests connect and enjoy the day.

Someone spends the rest of the evening trying to work out how I did something.

Those are the moments I enjoy creating.

Not because they are technically clever.

But because they're shared.

And years after the wedding, people may not remember exactly what they ate for the starter.

They may not remember which song was playing at 7:42pm.

But they might remember sitting with their friends, watching something impossible happen right in front of them.

That's what good wedding entertainment should do.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time for a wedding magician?

For many weddings, the drinks reception is an excellent time because guests are mingling and the couple may be having photographs. However, the best timing depends on your individual wedding schedule, venue and guest arrangements.

Should I book a magician during the drinks reception?

It is a particularly popular option because the magician can entertain guests while photographs are taking place. Guests can continue drinking, chatting and moving around while the magic happens naturally among small groups.

Can a magician perform while wedding photographs are taking place?

Yes. This is one of the useful things about close-up magic. The magician can entertain guests who aren't required for photographs and move aside whenever the photographer needs a particular group.

Can a magician perform during the wedding breakfast?

Yes, depending on the wedding schedule and venue. Magic can sometimes work particularly well during natural gaps between courses, but it should never interfere with food service or speeches.

Should a magician perform during the speeches?

Generally, no. Speeches are an important part of the wedding and should have the guests' attention. A professional magician should work around them rather than compete with them.

Can I have a magician in the evening?

Absolutely. Evening magic can be particularly useful when additional guests arrive or during periods when guests are mingling before the dancing gets properly underway.

How long should I book a wedding magician for?

There is no universal answer. Guest numbers, venue layout, photographs, the drinks reception and the rest of your wedding timetable all affect the amount of coverage that makes sense.

Can the magician perform at more than one time during the wedding?

Yes. Some couples choose to have magic during the drinks reception and then again later in the day. The important thing is that each period has a purpose and fits naturally into the wedding schedule.

Does a wedding magician need a stage?

No. Close-up magic is designed to happen among your guests. There is normally no need for a stage, microphone or special performance area.

What if my wedding timetable changes?

That's normal. Weddings don't always run exactly according to schedule. Close-up magic is flexible, so a professional magician can usually adapt to reasonable changes in the running order.

Final thoughts

There isn't one magical time on the clock that works for every wedding.

But there are certain moments when close-up magic can be particularly effective.

The drinks reception.

The photograph period.

Before the wedding breakfast.

Suitable gaps between courses.

The room turnaround.

The arrival of evening guests.

And the quieter periods before the evening entertainment gets fully underway.

The trick is choosing the moment when your guests are naturally available.

That's when close-up magic can do what it does best: bring people together, create conversation, add some laughter and give your guests something genuinely memorable to experience.

I've spent a quarter of a century learning that the best wedding entertainment isn't necessarily the loudest.

It doesn't need a stage.

It doesn't need a spotlight.

And it certainly doesn't need to take over your wedding.

Sometimes, all you need is a small group of people, a deck of cards, a borrowed ring and a moment that nobody can quite explain.

That's when the magic happens.

Andy Field — Professional Close-Up Magician

Weddings • Parties • Corporate Events • Private Events

Over 1,000 weddings • 25+ years' experience • 2x S.A.M.S. Champion of Close-Up Magic

Andy Field Magician Service Areas

I regularly provide professional close-up magic for weddings, parties, corporate events and special occasions across the South West and surrounding areas. You can find more information about my magician services in the following locations:

• Bristol Magician
• Gloucester Magician
• Cheltenham Magician
• Swindon Magician
• Somerset Magician
• Magician Oxford
• Magician Bath
• Magician Cotswolds

Explore More About Close Up and Magic

• Close-Up Magic Explained
• Sleight of Hand Explained

Book Wedding Magician Andy Field

I'm fortunate that I don't have to rely on magic to pay the bills. This means I don't need to charge inflated Saturday-night fees. I can concentrate on what I really enjoy — performing powerful, entertaining magic — while keeping my prices competitive.