Does a close-up wedding magician need a stage or a table?

No. Everything needed fits in a pocket and the magic happens in the guests' hands rather than on a table, so there is no stage, microphone, lighting or floor space required and the venue does not need to rearrange anything.

What happens if the weather turns on the wedding day?

Nothing changes. With no equipment and no set position, moving a drinks reception indoors at short notice makes no difference to a close-up magician.

Will a magician get in the way of the wedding photographer?

It usually helps. Photographers look for genuine unposed reactions, and a magician working a group of guests produces exactly that. Many wedding photographs of magic are taken by photographers following the reactions around the room.

Does the magician perform for every guest?

That is the aim. Richard works at a brisk pace so that no single element of the day takes over, keeping each group tight and reading the room as he goes. Share the guest count and running order for an honest view of how many people can be reached in the time.

Is close-up magic suitable for children and older relatives?

Yes. There is no innuendo in the material and nobody is made the butt of a joke or brought out in front of the room. Richard Kettle holds a current DBS certificate.

How far does Richard Kettle travel for weddings?

Across Surrey and Hampshire as standard, with Berkshire, West Sussex and London regularly. There is no travel charge for journeys under 45 minutes or 30 miles from Farnham; beyond that a supplement applies and is quoted before booking.

Wedding & Close-Up Magician Surrey | Richard Kettle, Ketsymagic

How it fits your day

Three natural moments for magic

Weddings have their own rhythm. Richard fits into it, not the other way around.

I

The Drinks Reception

While you're off having photographs taken, close-up magic keeps your guests entertained and mingling. It's the perfect ice-breaker for families and friend groups meeting for the first time.
II

The Wedding Breakfast

Richard moves table to table between courses, bringing intimate close-up magic and mind-reading directly to small groups without ever interrupting speeches or the meal itself.
III

The Evening Party

As the dance floor opens and new guests arrive, the energy lifts, and Richard's strolling magic keeps things lively and gives late arrivals an easy way into the party.

See it in action

Two and a half minutes of real reactions.

Filmed at real weddings across Surrey and Hampshire. Nothing staged, no actors, no stooges.

The practical bit

Nothing for you to organise.

Close-up magic asks nothing of your venue or your running order. There's no stage, no microphone, no lighting, no floor space and nothing to plug in. The magic happens in your guests' hands, wherever they happen to be standing or sitting, which means it works in a marquee, a barn, a walled garden or a hotel drawing room without a single chair being moved.

It doesn't compete with your photographer either. Quite the opposite: the moments a magician creates, the open mouths and the laughing, are exactly the candid shots photographers spend all day hunting for. Several of the pictures on this page were taken by wedding photographers who followed the reactions around the room.

There's no innuendo in any of it and nobody gets dragged out in front of the room, so it lands as well with your grandmother as with the table of university friends. I carry public liability insurance and hold a current DBS certificate, and I'll send either straight to your venue if they ask, which many do.

A bride watching a Rubik's cube appear in her own hand during close-up wedding magic

Common questions

Booking a wedding magician in Surrey

Q

Do you need a stage, a table or any special setup?

None of it. Everything I need fits in my pockets, and the magic happens in your guests' hands rather than on a table. That means I can work a lawn during drinks, move between tables during the wedding breakfast, and follow the party into the evening, all without your venue rearranging anything.
Q

What happens if the weather turns?

Nothing changes. Because there's no equipment and no set position, moving the drinks reception indoors at short notice makes no difference at all. It's one of the few things on a wedding day that rain genuinely can't spoil.
Q

Will it get in the way of our photographer?

It tends to help them. Photographers spend the day looking for genuine reactions rather than posed ones, and a magician working a group of guests produces exactly that. Several of the photographs on this page were taken by wedding photographers who spotted what was happening and followed it.
Q

Do you get round every guest?

That's the aim, and it's why I work at the pace I do. A wedding day has a lot of things competing for your guests' attention, and no single one of them should swallow it. So I keep each group tight and read the room as I go: if a table is deep in conversation or the speeches are about to start, I move on and come back. The quality doesn't drop, but nobody feels held hostage. Tell me your guest count and running order and I'll tell you honestly how many people I can reach in the time.
Q

Is it suitable for children and older relatives?

Yes, and deliberately so. There's no innuendo in the material and nobody is made the butt of a joke or hauled up in front of the room. Children love it, and it gives them something to be genuinely excited about during the long gaps in a wedding day. I hold a current DBS certificate.
Q

How far do you travel for weddings?

Across Surrey and Hampshire as standard, with Berkshire, West Sussex and London regular too. There's no travel charge for journeys under 45 minutes or 30 miles from Farnham. Further afield a supplement applies, quoted before you book. Full details are on the pricing page.