Book a Magical Wedding Entertainer

Book a Magical Wedding Entertainer


A wedding or civil partnership is one of the most special days in two people's lives and a day of celebration shared with family and friends.

The wedding entertainment you choose helps to create and maintain the air of celebration, turning the day into a really memorable event. Entertainment at a wedding or civil partnership has many practical uses as well, such as adding structure to the day and breaking the ice between guests.

A Magician as a Wedding Entertainer

Magic is the ideal form of entertainment for a wedding because it is versatile, flexible and suitable for a mixed family audience. Most


people, young and old, enjoy magic and an experienced wedding entertainer will be able to perform for all ages.

Despite being more popular than ever, a lot of people have only ever seen magic on television. Seeing magic performed 'live' is quite a novelty for most people and will make your wedding day even more special.

Close-Up Magic for Weddings

Close-up magic and illusion is the most versatile and flexible form of magical entertainment. A close-up magician doesn't require any special equipment or facilities such as power or a public address system and will usually carry all his or her props in their pockets. Also, it only takes a few minutes for a professional magician to get ready before they start entertaining.

Compared to many of the things that need organising for a wedding, the close-up magician is easy - tell him the date and time, and leave him to it!

A close-up wedding magician will mingle with guests, either seated at tables or standing in small groups, and spend a few minutes with each group entertaining them with amazing magic. It is a great way to break the ice amongst people who have never met before because they come together while enjoying the entertainment.

It also provides a great talking point, even for those not directly involved in the magic at a particular time. While the magician is entertaining one group, everyone else is wondering about the sounds of astonishment and laughter coming from across the room. And those who have already seen the magician are discussing what they have just witnessed and trying to work out 'just how did he do that?!'

Close-up magic can fit into any part of the big day. There can be times at weddings and civil partnership celebrations when not much is happening, especially for the guests. Close-up magic can fill these lulls and turn them into a highlight. For example:

* When guests are arriving at the reception or waiting in the reception line.

* While the wedding party are being photographed.

* While guests are waiting for the meal to start.

* Between the courses of the meal (especially if there are a lot of guests to cater for).

* While guests are waiting for the buffet.

* Between the daytime and evening functions.

A professional close-up magician will not be too intrusive and will enhance your special day without detracting from it or taking it over.

Cabaret Magic for Weddings

If you want some really special and unusual entertainment, a cabaret magic show is a great option. A cabaret magic show usually fits in best after the wedding breakfast and is a really effective way to start off the evening party.

A cabaret show is a structured magic act lasting anything from 5 minutes to an hour and can incorporate everything from visual magic (objects appearing, disappearing and changing) to mental and psychological magic (mind control and mind reading) depending on the wedding entertainer you choose.

Most modern performers incorporate a lot of humour and audience participation into their magic, which is what really makes a cabaret show entertaining and makes magic stand out from other forms of entertainment. An experienced wedding entertainer will quite often want to get the newly-wed couple involved during the show but will check that this is OK beforehand. A professional magician will be sensitive to your wishes and will not want to embarrass you.

Unlike close-up magic, a cabaret magician usually requires some extra facilities and time to prepare their act. For larger audiences, a cabaret show requires a stage and public address system, which should be provided by most venues. Some magicians can perform a special act for a smaller number of guests, perhaps up to 20, which doesn't need a stage or sound equipment. This type of act can be performed in one room with the audience sat around the magician.

Finding the Right Wedding Entertainer

There are many challenges when organising a one-off occasion like a wedding, especially if you are not used to organising large events. Booking an experienced professional magician will make it much easier. Here are a few pointers:

* Make sure the magician has plenty of experience as a wedding entertainer by checking their previous clients and engagements. Most should be able to provide testimonial or recommendation letters.

* It is very important that that the magician has public liability insurance because they will be closely interacting with your guests.

* Check that the fee you negotiate is fully inclusive and that there are no hidden extras such as VAT or travelling expenses.

* Make sure you obtain a contract or confirmation letter. A contract protects you and makes sure both you and the wedding entertainer are clear about the event.

Most importantly, make sure you are comfortable with the magician by talking to him or her beforehand. An experienced professional will be able to offer wide-ranging advice as they are likely to have been to many more weddings than you!

The style and personality of the entertainer you choose should fit in with your aspirations for your wedding - after all, you are planning for one of the most special and magical days of your life.


by Dan Gifford

Planning Your Wedding Together

Planning Your Wedding Together

Approaching your wedding as a twosome can give you the best results in less time. It is also a fairly good predictor of how the marriage will be. It answers many questions that will be important to the marriage, questions such as:

Who makes the decisions? Are they joint decisions or does one of you always have to have his or her way? Is one of you always right? (This implies that the other is always wrong). Does one of you usually have to agree just to get beyond the impasse and get on with it? Is one of you "The Boss" and the other the "Bossed?" Does that work for you?

Are your management styles compatible? Does one of you micro-manage and one of you use a broad brush approach and does that work for you? Sometimes this is highly effective because the broad brusher generates the creative ideas and the micro-manager can work out the details. It takes both. On the other hand a broad brusher can drive the micro-manager crazy and vice versa.

Are you willing to yield to the expertise of the other? Can you divide up the workload evenly and not second guess each other, but trust that it will be done correctly and on time? What do you do when you have a huge disagreement? Do you have a plan to work things out, to negotiate until you find a common ground of agreement? Does one of you hold a grudge if the decision doesn't always go your way?

How do you handle money? Is one of you "tight-fisted" with money and the other an impulse spender? Can you agree on an amount you can spend independently without consulting the other? What happens if one of you doesn't abide by the agreed upon amount? How do you resolve the issue?

Do you have similar likes and dislikes? Do you find that you almost always pick the same thing, even though you aren't together at the time? Do you, for example, generally like the same colors, music, style? If not, do you know and appreciate what the other one likes? Is it o.k. to like different things? If not, does one of you always have to capitulate or do you find ways to work out who gives in now and who gives in later?

If, as you get closer to the wedding date, you find that you are at each others throats and are playing the "blame game" or the "poor me, the martyr" scenario, it's time to stop and take a good hard look at your relationship. Marriage is made up of multitudinous compromises by each of you. It requires give and take, yes and no, me and you in equal proportions. If the problem is a matter of exhaustion or the "jitters" that's one thing. But if you simply cannot work together, take some time to think it over, even if it means postponing the wedding. Some pre-nuptial counseling may be of help before you proceed.


by Irene Conlan

Be Courteous for a Happy Marriage - and to Save a Troubled One

Be Courteous for a Happy Marriage - and to Save a Troubled One

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, respect is such a big word. It is a big factor in any relationship. It is the foundation of love and trust. Any married couple encountering difficulties in their relationships can simply go back to this fundamental.

To maintain harmony, each of the spouses must manifest respect to the other. Simply be courteous, both in words and in actions.

Most people associate courtesy with etiquette. That is why most people think it is very burdensome. Some people even claim that they want to be laidback in a serious relationship, that there is no need for pretenses or formalities.

However, courtesy


is not all about table manners or social formalities. It is simply an active choice of doing the proper things at the proper time, like displaying gratitude when there is something to be thankful for or expressing sweet words of love.

Say the Magic Word

Do not let politeness be forgotten in the relationship. To be courteous to each other is not difficult. One only has to remember the magic words taught back in the kindergarten days. Here are some phrases that would definitely count.

1. "Please." Requesting for something to be done will sound better if coupled with this simple word.

2. "Thank You." These two words express gratitude for someone who went out of the way to do something special.

3. "You're welcome."

Even in married life, each of the spouses still deserves such sweet and comforting phrases. Their lasting effects are not to be underestimated. These words never go out of style.

Be Courteous in Your Actions

Courtesy can also be extended on many other occasions.

It would be a good thought to return phone calls. Leaving a note behind to simply inform the itinerary or destination for the day will also assure the husband or the wife. Remembering and celebrating anniversaries and birthdays are definitely plus points.

Do not fall out of these habits. Common courtesy is deserved by others. Coupled with the thought of doing such things will definitely make the spouse worthy of respect.

The simplest and most ordinary things done everyday are actually the best things to take note of when trying to improve the marriage. If one aims for more intimacy and openness in the marriage, such simple and intimate ways of communication must be encouraged.


by Joe and Emily Season

Not Just a Destination Wedding

Not Just a Destination Wedding

Many islands in the region have plenty to offer lovebirds who hope to create their dream nuptials or post-party escape. Incredible scenery and balmy breezes make the perfect backdrop for a tropical ceremony, allowing travelers to make their special day into something truly memorable. Of course, there are also a few ways to make a one-of-a-kind wedding by incorporating some distinctly Caribbean aspects.

One fun option that many travelers may not have considered is to add a bit of the local culture to their own ceremony. Though Caribbean wedding traditions are largely Christian, the islands have a history of blending cultural influences, much the same way they have created the fabulous foods and sizzling beats for which the region is known.

African and European traditions fused with traces of native rituals in the tropics. These rituals can be combined into your wedding to give it a hint of culture, whether it's set on the seaside or in a beautifully decorated ballroom.

- Dress like a local: The new wedding attire the bride and groom show tends to be handmade. Outfits here are designed to help them look their best, and store-bought dresses are uncommon.

- Consider a long walk down the aisle: Many Caribbean islands include the tradition of the happy couple walking through the town from their respective homes to the church, whose bells are ringing out news of the occasion. The purpose of this is to show off their new wedding attire.

- Pare down the party: In many island traditions, there is no inclusion of a best man or groom's men. Instead the groom waits while the bride's father, and sometimes mother as well, escort her to the altar. A maid or matron of honor position does exist, though she is called "the chief."

- Try tropical toasts: Rum is the liquor of choice throughout the region, and this sugar-based alcohol is often included in punches for the toast. A cake heavily laced with rum and rum-soaked fruits is also common at weddings in the Caribbean.

- Feast on local cuisine: Every island in the Caribbean has its own specialties, whether it's the jerk marinades of Jamaica or the Latin flare of Puerto Rico, you'll find something unique in each location. Of course, seafood is easy to find and hard to resist on nearly every island.

Other traditions may be unique to individual islands. On Bermuda, for example, the wedding cake is topped not by miniature figures but by a tree! Newlyweds plant this tree when they return home, its healthy growth considered an indication of a successful marriage.

Another interesting tradition involves gifts of money granted to the bride and groom at the reception. Different islands include this differently: In Cuba, a particular dance has the bride changing partners around the room, during which time they each present her with money to help with honeymoon expenses; in Puerto Rico, a doll dressed like the bride is given money by the wedding guests.

Though some of these items might not work for your wedding, taking on a few Caribbean traditions may be the perfect way to add a little flair to your ceremony. In fact, these traditions can help you plan an unusual wedding, no matter whether you hold it in the heart of the Caribbean or in your own backyard.


by Jennifer Smith

Ideas for Creating Your Wedding Scrapbook , Here are some tips to help you get going:

Ideas for Creating Your Wedding Scrapbook Here are some tips to help you get going:

-- Figure out the details ahead of time.

Making some decisions as to the theme and color scheme of the album will save you time and money.

First, you'll need to decide whether this album will cover your entire wedding celebration - from engagement through honeymoon - or will you focus on just the wedding day itself? If you decide on the latter, you might want to choose a 6x6 or 8x8 album project for the bridal shower, bachelorette party, honeymoon, etc.

Next, you'll want to choose a color scheme. The most popular choice is to work with your wedding colors.


Consider setting off these wedding colors (or other colors you choose) by pairing them with a classic black or white cardstock background. I love the look of black-on-white in wedding albums. I also love mulberry flowers, ribbons, vellum and fabric. Deep reds and pinks accents are gorgeous, too, for simple embellishments.

Remember that elegance and simplicity tend to go hand in hand. The wedding scrapbooks that stand the test of time are timeless and classic.

You'll also want to look at some simple wedding scrapbook layout samples or sketches of completed albums so you can see what kind of supplies you'll need. At the very least, you'll want to know how many pages the finished album will be before you go to the scrapbook store. The more detailed your plan, the less money you're likely to spend.

-- Go through your photos and memorabilia

For me, scrapbooking is about telling the stories of our lives, so I love to work with the photographs that really tell a story. You'll want to choose only the best and most interesting photographs for your wedding scrapbook album. (The posed portrait-type photos can be framed and sent to family members.) Store the remainder of the photos in a companion photo album. Remember, simple is elegant. It's also a good idea to work with duplicates of your priceless wedding photos. You may find that you want to work with these photos again in the future, and you're certain to feel more of a creative license if you know that the originals and intact and safe.

Memorabilia. I tend to go easy on memorabilia...maybe keeping the majority of it in a memento box along with my companion photo album and scrapbook, because I don't like to detract from the story of the album.

Memorabilia you might want to include (either directly on the page or in a special pocket):

- Wedding and shower invitations - Fabric from your dress or bridesmaid dress - Receipts - Honeymoon plane tickets - Place cards - Bridal registry - Shower gift lists - Napkins

Make a simple checklist of the kinds of things you'd like to include, but trust your inner artist to take the reins and let the story unfold.

-- Don't forget the journaling

The most powerful journaling comes not from the 5 w's (who, what, where, when, and why) - but from the 5 senses. Specific details are more memorable and intriguing than generalities and the best way to vividly remember your wedding day is to focus on each of your senses. What do you remember seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling, tasting? How did you feel as you were standing at the altar? How did your wedding cake taste? What was the weather like? What stands out as the visual symbol of your day?

Ask the wedding party to contribute their thoughts via journaling, too. Ask for specific memories..."the most memorable part of my day was..." Coach guests and members of your bridal party to use their five senses, too.

Another trick that creates more powerful journaling is to start with a blank page and write "I remember" at the top. Now, simply reflect on the day of your wedding and let your hand move across the page. If you get stuck, write "I remember" again and keep writing. Your goal is simply to keep the pen moving across the page, without crossing anything out or stopping to think too much. Aim to complete two to three pages, and you'll be amazed by the flood of memories this technique release - even if your wedding wasn't in the recent past. These methods can create very emotion-filled journaling, so consider keeping private journaling tucked away in journaling pockets.

-- Assembling the Scrapbook

Start the album with a dedication page. Tell why you created the album and a few details on why your wedding was such an important day in your life. It's a good idea, in wedding scrapbooks particularly, to avoid overly trendy design techniques. I've talked to more than one scrapbooker who now regrets cutting her priceless wedding photos into silhouettes or cutesy shapes. A wedding scrapbook is timeless, so - again - simple is most likely better. A simple design also tends to better draw attention to the photos and journaling - your personal love story.

Your wedding scrapbook will be one of the most albums in your home. Enjoy the process of creating it!


by Susie Cortright

The Art Of Gift Giving

The Art Of Gift Giving

Gift ideas depend on the occasion, your intentions and nature of your relationship with the recipient, and also on the recipient's age, lifestyle, interests and cultural background. Whether you are planning a corporate gift or a wedding gift, you should always give some thought to appropriate and meaningful gift ideas, depending on whom you want to give the gift to and for what occasion. Your lifestyle, financial condition and your very own interests and personality can dictate these gift ideas. It will be easier to shop for the gift once you have brainstormed and hit upon some good gift ideas.Funny Funny gift ideas are always a hit and are bound to bring a smile to the face. Funny gift ideas are especially popular amongst children and young friends who always enjoy a good laugh. A quick online search can come up with several funny gift ideas for children such as funny books (jungle books, comics etc.), funny movies (Ice Age, Finding Nemo, Shrek etc), funny games, funny clothing (such as comical one-liners on shirts for babies, children and teenagers) etc.

In today's business world, gifts have become fashionable and commonplace. Corporate gifts are a great way to maintain existing client relationships and to welcome new business clients. Corporate gifts are also a great incentive for increasing sales and motivating employees. By giving corporate gifts you can generate publicity for your company plus tremendous good will among clients or employees and their respective families. Corporate gifts are the company's way of telling its employees that their service and performance are appreciated, and employees in turn feel appreciated by the company and feel that the company cares for their needs.

Some common corporate gifts may include clothing, reward trophies, branded gadgets company holidays etc. for employees. Many corporate gifts come as branded gifts with company logos on them.

Wedding gifts help to convey your best wishes to the newlyweds. In some countries it has become quite popular for couples to set up a wedding registry for wedding gifts at their favorite store where they create a list of household items that they need or prefer, such as china or silverware, crystal, pots and pans etc.


by Sue Jan

Men's Leather Pants and Ladies Leather Skirts

Men's Leather Pants and Ladies Leather Skirts

Men's leather pants fastened on the hips with the help of elastic or by the buttons and in most of the cases belt is used for holding the pant on the hips. These are commonly made of cotton or terry cots material or mixer of both. They are the readymade garments or can be stitched from the cloth. In Scotland, it is also called as trews and in England they are called as trousers.

Characteristics of pants Some of men's leather pants are available with detachable legs and a zip is used to detach it from the waist portion. These leather pants are provided with number of front and back pockets. The other important accessories of the pants are pleats, waistband, fly, leg shape and belt loops.

The plates (wide strips) are provided for comfort and proper fitting. These plates are vertical folds provided near the waist .The waistband are provided for holding the leather pant on to the waist and can be of elastic or attached with buttons. The fly in case of men, is used for urinating and this provision is made with the help of zip or buttons. There are various shapes used for stitching men's leather pants and serve purpose of comfort and fashion. Belt loops are used for fastening the waist in case of loose pants.

Ladies Leather Skirts Ladies skirt is a conical shaped garment used for covering the lower portion of the body up to knee heights. These ladies leather skirts, like men's leather pants, are not divided in two halves. Skirts are mostly of the same color that of the shirt so as to have appearance of single piece attire or garment. It is made from single piece material mostly of cotton, denim and poplin. The various accessories of ladies leather skirts include darts, panels, gores and plates (wide strips). There are two types of ladies leather skirts; one of them is up to knee height and other can be up to the ground level. In some part of the world, the leather skirt has bigger diameter and requires around three meters of cloth. The upper class ladies mostly wear these leather skirts as fashion and symbol of richness.

Ladies leather skirts are suitable for all occasions and are an important part of the ladies wear. Now day's leather skirts are worn during wedding ceremonies as formal wear, which has its various advantages. The main advantages are loose fitting, easy to wear, provides comfort during movements and a unique beautiful look.

In some of the countries, it is a must for the ladies to wear leather skirt rather than the pants or other type of garment. The only disadvantages of the ladies leather skirts are that they have to be cautious while climbing the ladders and they cannot sit by crossing their legs.


by David G. Petten