ASK THE EXPERT
Ask The Expert: Wedding Entertainment
Josh King and Etienne Pradier from The French Magician tell us how they help to bring a little magic to couples’ special days
How did you both get started in magic and what inspired you to pursue it as your careers?
Both of us were captivated by magic from a young age. Etienne began over 30 years ago in France, developing his skills in sleight of hand and becoming a Gold Star member of The Magic Circle. Josh discovered magic as a child and quickly turned his passion into a career, performing for high-profile clients across Europe. Our shared love for close-up magic brought us together, and now we combine our expertise to create unforgettable experiences at weddings, corporate events and private parties.
How do you tailor your performance to suit a couple’ s wedding day and their specific theme or style?
We tailor our performance to each couple’ s wedding by understanding their personal style and the overall theme of the day. Whether it’ s an elegant, blacktie affair or a more relaxed celebration, we ensure our magic blends seamlessly with the atmosphere. By connecting with the couple beforehand, we personalise our performances to reflect their love story and vision.
What are some of your favourite tricks or routines that tend to wow guests at weddings?
Two of our favourite wedding tricks that always wow guests are the Bottle Through Table and Pickpocketing routines. The Bottle Through Table amazes guests as a sealed bottle seemingly passes through a solid table, while Pickpocketing adds playful fun by stealing items like watches or wallets, only to return them in surprising ways.
What do couples need to consider when booking a magician for their wedding?
Couples should consider the performer’ s style and personality, ensuring it matches the event’ s atmosphere. It’ s important to choose someone who specialises in close-up magic for personal interaction during the reception. Couples should also think about timing, the magician’ s wedding experience, and how their performance fits with the couple’ s vision. Finally, discussing logistics and any special requests ensures everything runs smoothly on the big day.
What do you think is the future of magic at weddings? Anything exciting in your upcoming plans?
The future of magic at weddings will focus on more interactive, personalised experiences, where guests become part of the magic. We may also see the integration of technology, like augmented reality, alongside traditional sleight of hand. For us, we’ re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of close-up magic, creating even more unique, tailored performances that make each wedding we perform at unforgettable.
www. frenchmagician. co. uk
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