Definition of value – “the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.”
In 20 years of performing in the wedding industry, there is one mistake I see people making over and over again.
What is it? Booking things on price rather than value.
In this month’s blog, I’d like to talk to you about VALUE, and why booking or buying something on the basis of cost is probably a bad idea.
Being a magician, I will use that as an example. However, the following information applies to EVERYTHING that you book and buy for your wedding. Remember. It will be one of the most important days of your whole life, don’t cut any corners!
Magician A has sent you a quote for your wedding to perform for 2 hours and he will charge £200. Magician B has sent you a quote for £450. Based on this information, would you be happy to make a decision on which magician to go for?
I hope not.
There should be many questions you want to ask yourself, and the magician, before making a final decision.
What will your guests be doing after the ceremony? Chances are, photographs are being taken during this time and your guests will be enjoying a drink. There is usually at least a couple of hours at this point before you will be sitting down for the wedding breakfast and there is a lot of waiting around. Your guests could be bored and in addition to this, it can cause some anxiety for the bride and groom. Now having your pictures taken is a time you will want to enjoy. After all, these will be the images you look back on when you think about your wedding in the many years to come.
I think you can see where I’m going with this.
A good quality, experienced magician will make sure your guests are put at ease, have a great time, break the ice between people who have not yet met (as well as providing an excellent talking point when they do sit down to eat!)
As well as this, when it comes to photographing your guests, nobody really enjoys having the camera pointed at them (except for a few posers in the family!) The performance of magic will provide the photographer with an excellent opportunity to capture some natural reactions of your friends and family, laughing, having fun and looking amazed.
(Would Magician A have even thought to contact the photographer before the wedding to talk about great moments to get these shots?) But this doesn’t just apply to the time after the ceremony. What about after the wedding breakfast?
Maybe some evening guests have arrived and you’re not ready for them. Or perhaps the room is being turned around ready for the evening reception and again, your guests have time waiting around.
Ask any of your guests in 5, 10, 20 years time (or even that evening) what the centre pieces on the tables looked like? Do they remember? Now ask what they remember about the magician. You will see what life long memories this can create. (That is not to de-value centre pieces, they do create a lovely atmosphere at a table!)
You also don’t want peoples memories to be about the guy that turned up late, sent along another magician in his place, was rude, inappropriate or just boring. All of these things can be avoided by going with an experienced professional. By the definition at the start of this blog, the cheaper performers will not necessarily be fulfilling all your needs. They might not cost as much, but in return, are you getting what you need (and deserve)?
Remember…“Price is what you pay – Value is what you receive.”
Now, some things to consider asking your potential wedding magician. Is the person you’re thinking of booking a member of a recognised organisation? Do they have any awards? Are they happy to meet with you to discuss what will work best for your day, or do they just do the same old thing regardless of the situation or booking?
Have they given you peace of mind by providing you with a contract, public liability certificate and taken a deposit. Is their communication good or do you just receive a single word text message? What experience have they got? All of these things can be indicators of professionalism.
I most definitely think that entertainment of all kinds is the one thing that people underestimate the value of at a wedding. It really can make or break the overall impact of the day. So, it’s worth keeping in mind that budget spent on your entertainment is an investment, NOT an expense.
After reading this, do you still want to make your first question –
“How Much To Do My Wedding?”
