One of the questions we get asked so many times by couples is can we recommend any alternative wedding entertainment for their guests on the day? Having been in attendance at 100's of weddings over the years one thing we can say is that having a magician at your wedding is great fun, and it will amaze and delight your guests as the evening progresses.
While planning your wedding having a magician might not be top of your list, but when you do delve into thinking about it you'll find that a quality magician can be versatile and offer a variety of options for you that would be just the trick for your wedding. In this wedding blog we chat with Mark Cullen, who along with his son Alex, has been performing magic tricks and entertaining guests all over the land as Ireland's only father and son close up magic entertainers.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you first got into magic?
Like most magicians at my age I fell in love with magic as a child watching Paul Daniels on television. I got my first magic set at the age of 10 at Christmas, it was a Paul Daniels magic set which I still own to this day. I remembered it so well as I was that excited I disappeared to my room after Christmas dinner and came down that evening to put on my first show for the family. My first ever proper show was when I was asked to perform for a friend's children's party and it was such a success I got hooked on performing. Over the years I developed my skill-set and repertoire of tricks to what it is today.
Tell us more about how you developed and perfected your act?
Over the years I developed a huge passion for close-up magic. The passion is not to fool spectators, it’s to entertain them. I joined the Society of Irish Magicians where the top professionals in the country were members. It was like a whole new world of magic opened up for me and I learned so much from other magicians. As the years went on I became a council member fo the society and then became the President of the Society of Irish Magicians for three years. The Society has members as young as 8 to 88 who all have the same passion for magic.
I’ve been a professional magician over 10 years and it’s a job I love every day. They say if you love the job your doing then it’s not a job but a passion. I always find not everyone likes magic but everyone likes to laugh so if you can make people laugh during your performance then you are halfway there. Performing magic is a gift that should be shared the reactions of people I have performed for in the past is priceless.
Your son Alex is also a magician, when did he first start performing?
Alex got into magic at the age of 12. He wasn’t into magic to begin with but Rubik’s cube solving and has mastered the cube to a high-level competing at events such as the World Cube Association competitions.
Once Alex watched a magician perform magic tricks with a Rubik’s cube on television and it was then that he decided that he could learn Rubik’s cube magic. Currently, he is the only magician in Ireland that performs Cube magic with pure sleight of hand. Alex was invited to perform at two magic conventions recently where he fooled magicians from around the World. Alex also has a big passion for extreme Yo-Yo tricks and his act has to be seen to be believed.
Tell us a little about your act, and what would be your most popular trick?
Our act is very versatile and differs from each booking depending on requirements. We have a one-hour family magic show for both kids and adults alike. We perform all over the country for private and corporate events. We also do walk around close up magic I would concentrate on card tricks and mind-reading while Alex would do cube magic. It’s hard to think about what would be most popular as every crowd differs. I get great reactions when I change paper to money right in front of there eyes. I also love performing any mind-reading effects which can tell the spectators there deepest secrets like the first person they ever kissed or the name of the first pet they owned.
How long have you been performing magic tricks at weddings?
I have been doing close up magic at weddings over the last 5 years and Alex the last 2 years. It’s great as the newlyweds get 2 totally different styles in magic when we gig together as we are Ireland’s only Father and Son close up magicians.
When is the best time during a wedding day to have a magician perform?
The best time to hire a magician for a wedding is the pre-reception drinks as the bride and groom are with the photographer. It’s a great ice breaker for the wedding party to have a magician going around performing and entertaining the guests during this time.
Another popular time to have a magician at the wedding is after dinner before the band starts playing as everyone is sitting down so going from table to table performing is great as the room fills with laughter and applause as the magician goes through the room. This is also a great photo opportunity for the photographer to catch the reactions of the guests. After dinner magic is also great as the bride and groom can also get a performance. You can also book a magician if several children are attending the wedding to do a family show in a separate room during the speeches.
What kind of feedback do you get from the guests at a wedding?
A lot of people have seen magic on TV but to see it close up is different. The reactions we get are ones of amazement and we usually have had other guests at the wedding wanting to book us for there own upcoming weddings or events.
How can we get in touch with you to enquire about booking you for our wedding?
You can contact me through my website which is markcullenmagician.com or through our Facebook Page.
Reviews
"Mark & Alex performed close up magic at our party last weekend. It was a fantastic ice breaker and they had all our guests amazed. They are polished, professional, and just really really good! I would highly recommend them for any occasion, large or small."
- Review by Joanne & Jez
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