Your South Wales Wedding - Page number 46 - September/October 2021 (Issue 81)

JUST LIKE MAGIC My wife-to-be and I are thinking of hiring a magician for our big day. What should we ask before booking? Chat with the magician and ask about their experience and available options. A large percentage will perform close up magic, so you may need to shop around for different options. Ask if they have worked at your venue and, if so, what works well there. Price is often the biggest question. Some start as low as £100, and others range up to £1,000. It may be hard to understand why there is such a difference, but the answer is that a magician can do more than just tricks, with added value, experience and availability, the price is generally higher. A full-time entertainer generally charges more as it’s their sole income and have the expenses of running a business. Ultimately, only pay what you’re comfortable with and remember extras will cost more. Bryan Gunton | Event magician www.bryangunton.co.uk SNAP HAPPY How long before the wedding should we book our photographer and is it worth organising a pre-wedding shoot with them? Before the pandemic, most couples would book their photographer around a year before the wedding, but this has all changed over the past year. I’m currently getting bookings for 2023 and 2024 as I think couples are finding it hard to get a date for 2022 due to the knock-on effect of weddings being postponed over the last 16 months. Nearly all of my availability for the popular dates in spring, summer and autumn particularly during school holidays in 2022 were booked up months ago. To get your first or second choice photographer, you will need to book early! It’s a good idea to book a pre-wedding or engagement photo shoot with your chosen photographer if either or both of you are not very confident in front of the camera. This will give you an idea of what to expect on your wedding day, so hopefully, you will feel a bit more relaxed when it comes to your portraits. Paul Davies | Photographer www.paul-daviesphotography.co.uk www.ma rcsmithphotography.com www.pau l-daviesphotography.co.uk MOMENTS THAT MATTER What are your top tips for choosing the perfect celebrant? A celebrant offers additional choices for those of you who may want to move away from a traditional church or registrar ceremony. It allows you to create a bespoke wedding that captures your style and approach. Before booking a celebrant consider the below: ♥ Be sure to have an initial discussion before making your final decision. It’s important that you connect and are comfortable that the supplier represents you both. ♥ If possible, choose a local celebrant as this will make it easier for you both to keep in touch. ♥ Although not essential, look for a professionally qualified supplier and don’t be afraid to ask about their experience. ♥ Check out what’s included in the contract and the cost of the ceremony. There may be extra costs such as travel or additional elements such as handfasting, unity candle or a sand ceremony. ♥ Most companies commit to only one wedding a day to ensure that you have no added time pressures. Check that is the case and if not, be clear about time restrictions. ♥ Social media, websites, magazines and Google searches are a good place to start your search, but also talk to other suppliers as word of mouth recommendations are also great. ♥ Book as early as possible as, like many other suppliers, the good ones are in high demand. ♥ Just remember, to be legally married, you will still need to do the legal bits in the registry office. Most couples do this a day or two before their celebrant ceremony at a cost of around £50. Carol Gunter | Celebrant www.yourspecialcelebration.co.uk 46