The best parties feel as though they have a life of their own. The connection of friends, the celebration of life, the energy of guest’s passion can become an evening that is never forgotten. Planning and scheduling is important. But alchemy can occur on the night that should be encouraged. When wedding couples ask me for advice before their big day, I always counsel against worrying about mistakes. It is always the unexpected hiccup in the day that they will remember in twenty years time.
TBHM is the first business that I have ever started. My entrepreneurial spirit didn’t bubble up inside me for many years. When I finally put my toe in the water, I felt so green, and grabbed at every piece of advice that came my way. I remember very clearly I was told, that I should strictly keep to the timings that had been agreed. The rationale given was the old variety stage maxim. “Always leave them wanting more”.
This never chimed with my experience. Stopping just because the clock said so felt deeply mercenary. Being a successful magician means you will leave guests with more questions than answers. It is the key to the delicious mystery of magic. Wonder does not rely on the timing of my exit. I have entertained at plenty of events where there is one more group to enchant, a late guest who “simply must see you”, or the birthday girl aching for one more miracle. To tap my watch at this vital moment and shuffle away seemed beyond rude.
Until this point, if we have had a conversation about your requirements, discussions have always centred around how long I would attend. However, on the night itself I have often found myself apologising for running over the time allotted. Luckily, I have never had a client upset by my passion for performing.
Therefore, I am changing my philosophy. From now on, I will quote primarily on guest numbers rather than performance time.
Clients will no longer have to make a decision between, for instance, 60 or 90 minutes. The focus will shift to become “how many guests will experience the magic?” On the night I arrive, you will not have to worry about my priorities. I will be in attendance until no longer needed.
Planning conversations will still take into account the realities of an evening. For instance, If you are entertaining 15 people, I would guard against setting aside more than an hour for my performance. Conversely, if you are expecting 500 people, I will mention the problems of giving a personal experience to everyone in the room if you only have 90 minutes to spare. However, there is no need to worry about my arrival. Even with this new system in place, start times will be sacrosanct and I am thankful that I have never been late to an engagement.
Additionally, itineraries will be respected. If an event has a timetable that needs to be adhered to, I will make sure that I am doing as much as possible in the time available. A prime example might be a wedding drink’s reception. The ceremony has finished, the wedding breakfast starts in two hours time, so my window to entrance your guests is self explanatory. However, should timetables shift, as they often do on a wedding day, clients will have peace of mind that if I am performing for an extra half an hour as a problem is solved, that they will not have to worry that I might be itching to leave.
I feel far easier with this reframing of attending events. Celebrations breathe, unfold naturally and are at their most alive when spontaneity is allowed free rein. Clients should never feel that they are an imposition. I am always striving to astound, amaze and to be a consummate professional. I hope that this change in priorities will allow clients to feel more reassured and understand that they are trusting their important event to someone who will not be watching a clock throughout.
Photo credit: @milliened_photographer