Your West Midlands Wedding- Page number 59 - June/July 2021 (Issue 74)

MAGICAL MOMENTS Q – We’re thinking of booking a magician for our big day. What questions should we ask before booking? Magic is a great icebreaker and will ensure your guests feel included on their special day, even if they have come on their own and know nobody. When is the best time to use a magician’s services? That depends on the style of your wedding and the ambience you wish to create. A magician can mingle amongst the guests while the couples are having their photos taken and perform close up magic at the tables during the wedding breakfast and before the speeches. What should we expect to pay? It’s always important to have a rough budget. Put together as much detail as possible about the number of guests, the venue, age ranges attending etc. Your supplier can then come up with a bespoke option that will work for you. Sometimes less is more! Lots of magicians offer packages that can be costly and cover the whole afternoon and into the evening proceedings. However, I always aim to be as flexible as possible and meet the clients’ needs and can perform for shorter periods if required. Do we have to pay travel costs? Always ask this question as you may think you’re getting a certain rate, but there may be costs to pay on top if your magician has to travel. We would like music and magic at different stages of the proceedings. Can you do a combined package? It’s worth asking as some magicians and musicians can collaborate to cover the day. When the musician needs a break, the magician can take over, and vice versa. This all depends on your budget and the order of proceedings. Why should we hire a magician? Magic is always a winner – whether your wedding is an intimate affair or a large scale extravaganza! Just remember to brief your magician, so that you can leave them to it on the day – you may even have VIP guests to who you would like to have extra special attention. Anything is possible! Angus Baskerville | Magician www.angusbaskerville.com THE LOOK OF LOVE Q – My wife-to-be wants to book a pre-wedding shoot. Is it worth the money, and what should we expect? We love a pre-wedding shoot! It’s a great opportunity for you to work with your photographer before the big day, especially if you’re feeling a little apprehensive about having your picture taken. You can choose the perfect location; it could be where you first met, a favourite place or a relaxed walk around your local park. It’s a great chance to chat about your wedding plans as they snap away. Throughout the shoot and your wedding day, we love to capture natural shots that show who you are as a couple. A pre-wedding shoot is a lovely way to prepare, as we get the chance to see how you are in front of the camera, and we can even guide you on how to pose if need be. The photographs taken can be made into a signing board or guest book for your wedding guests to leave well wishes. Eve and Jason Reeves | Photographers | www.shepherdphotography.co.uk THE ONE FOR ME Q – We’re a bit camera shy and are feeling anxious about having our picture taken on our wedding day. Do you have any tips to help us look relaxed in the pictures? Firstly, everyone is a bit nervous in front of the camera, it’s totally normal to feel a bit anxious. The biggest thing you can do to help with this is to choose a photographer who puts you at ease and makes you feel comfortable. Have a chat before the wedding to go over any worries, and they will be able to help you. It might be worth having a pre-wedding shoot too, this is a short photo session before the wedding, which will help you get used to having your photo taken. The main thing is to relax and trust your photographer. They will put you in the best light, guide you through any poses and help you look relaxed. Nicola Gough | Photographer | www.weddingphotographyinshropshire.co.uk www.wed dingphotographyinshropshire.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 59