so they can
have too
a day
to remember
(for the good reasons)
EVENTS
Marc-Alexandre Brûlé | Quebec | Wedding Magician in Montreal
Face it: weddings can be boring for the guests. When not done properly, of course. When caught in making the perfect day for themselves, bride and groom sometimes forget about the pacing of the day for their typical guest. Of course, you thought of every possible entertainment options that could brighten your wedding reception, dinner and party, but you probably didn't think of hiring specifically a magician for this occasion. However, in Europe, especially in France and in the UK, more and more bride and groom hire an illusionist, a magician, to offer as a gift to their guests a memorable experience of magic for this Big Day.
​
Close-up magic is certainly in vogue more than ever and event professionals know very well its amazing efficiency to jump start an evening. It is now widely appreciated, whether it's on television, Youtube, Netflix or on stage; indeed, l'Observatoire de la culture et des communications de l'Institut de la statistique du Québec has noted in 2017 only a 42% raise in tickets sales for live magic shows!
​
During a wedding day, magic may serve several purposes that are broader than just pure entertainment, but just before presenting to you the few main ones, let me show you some statistics from a survey from the well respected Bride and Groom Magazine.
​
Lorsque sondés dans la semaine qui a suivi leur réception, 72%* des nouveaux mariés affirment qu'ils auraient aimé passer plus de temps à choisir le divertissement pour leur réception et près de 100%* de ceux-ci auraient aimé allouer une plus grande partie de leur budget pour le divertissement.
Effectivement, lors du même sondage, les mariés affirmaient que lors des préparatifs de leur mariage, leurs plus hautes priorités étaient le lieu de la réception, le traiteur et leur apparence alors que le divertissement était classé PRESQUE DERNIER dans cette liste! Et pourtant, 78%* des mariés affirmaient, lorsque sondés dans la semaine suivant leur réception, qu'ils auraient souhaité faire du divertissement leur plus haute priorité lors des préparatifs. La preuve étant que lorsque le même magazine demandait AUX INVITÉS quelle était la chose dont ils se souvenaient le plus d'un mariage, 81%* d'entre eux ont répondu le divertissement.
​
(*Chiffres tirés Bride & Groom Magazine 2016. Les sources de l'article incluent Simmons, USA Today, National Bridal Service, The Knot, Brides Magazine. Traduction libre.)
Quoique américaines, ces statistiques parlent d'elles même et en disent beaucoup sur les mariés de notre génération qui souhaitent être 100% impliqués dans le processus plutôt que de tout laisser entre les mains de la tradition. Ils veulent offrir, autant pour eux que pour leurs invités, une expérience signifiante qui va résonner au delà de cette journée. Ils souhaitent un mariage de plus petite taille, mais de qualité, où chaque détails est à leur image et réflète leurs valeurs. Mais, comme le disent les chiffres, ils oublient tout de même l'importance de l'animation, du spectacle qui peut contribuer pour beaucoup à modeler le paysage de cette journée. Et les chiffres sont clairs : même s'ils faut faire des choix de bon goût pour une robe, le vin, le DJ et les couverts, les invités se remémoreront principalement les souvenirs et les expériences qu'on leur aura fait vivre au cours de cette journée et les divertissements en sont une portion majeure.
​
« Le divertissement représentera moins de 5% du budget de votre mariage, mais DEUX FOIS PLUS d'invités se souviendront du divertissement que de tout le reste. »
- Modern Bride Magazine
There's many reasons to consider the services of a professional magician for the entertainment at a wedding day. Let's look at few of them:
​
​
To avoid the inevitable SILENCES at the tables
​
At a banquet, especially a wedding banquet, each table is a microclimate on which it is very difficult to intervene. Even with all the best intentions in the world, the Perfect Seating Plan with everybody knowing each other is out of reach. Many will meet for the first time and it's often the old time folks and family that won't know from where to start to get in the mood and will quickly get into mundane talks. Prosecco might not be enough but you definitely want this perfect day where everybody have fun and laughs, but even more important, where all those guests from different horizons can really get the change to meet and appreciate each others.
​
Having a magician working the event can be an excellent solution to this problem. As a professional, he will manoeuvre from one table to the other to make sure that there's no dead time by presenting for each of them a television's worthy close up magic show. Atmosphere will loosen up as the tables will burst into gasps and applauds.
Et même à ces tables qui attendent leur tour,
de nombreuses conversations et débats naîtront au milieu des groupes qui observeront de loin le magicien.
L’anticipation crée l'excitation et la magie devient le brise-glace,
le sujet de conversation autour duquel pourront éclorent tous les autres.
Lorsque le magicien quittera la table, les débats s’activeront, l’excitation sera à son comble; un groupe unique d'individus auront de vécu ensemble une expérience unique qui les unira pour toute la soirée.
​
​
​
To create NATURAL photo opportunities
​
Un mariage, c'est une journée à collectionner les souvenirs,
accompagnés de superbes photos qui nous suivront toute notre vie.
On veut le meilleur photographe que possible, un vrai professionnel
et nous sommes prêts à payer le fort prix.
Mais les photographes sont toujours dépendants des lieux et des circonstances
et ne peuvent capter des moments qui n’existent pas.
Nous sommes tous un peu timides devant la caméra:
on fige ou on s’accroche un sourire artificiel pour faire passer le moment.
Les gens sont à leur meilleur pour être photographiés lorsqu’ils ont l'air détendus et naturels et c'est la raison pour laquelle les photographes professionnels
apprécient beaucoup la présence d'un magicien.
C'est un lubrifiant social par excellence:
ils n'ont qu'à le suivre d'un groupe à l'autre avec leur lentille
et capter ces moments spontanés lors des prestations.
Une manière facile d'immortaliser des centaines d'expressions
autant improbables que mémorables de vos invités,
lorsqu'ils sont souriants, heureux et qui s’amusent réellement.
Ou de les immortaliser en live feed
pendant ces numéros impossibles dignes de la télévision
pour agrémenter en direct vos médias sociaux et la page internet de votre mariage.
Bien sûr que vous aurez des photographies décentes même sans magicien.
Mais d’avoir un artiste illusionniste présent lors de votre banquet de mariage
aidera certainement à démultiplier tous ces petits moments uniques qui sauront voyager au-delà de cette journée.
​
To keep the energy high during DEAD TIME
This day will probably be one of the most busy one of your life, especially if you are your own wedding planner. Your Votre horaire sera calculé à la minute près, mais pour vos invités, comme dans toute bonne réception, c'est immanquable, il y aura des temps morts, des longueurs qui devront être adressées. Immédiatement après la cérémonie, durant la séance photo officielle, par exemple. Avant le repas, alors que tous attendent le début du service. Ou bien sûr au cocktail, debout généralement affamés, certaines personnes sont timides et cherchent à quel groupe se greffer. Parce que le Prosecco n'est pas toujours suffisant pour partir le bal, il est important d'être vigilant et de garder les convives animés, jusqu'à la deuxième bouteille ou que le DJ prenne d'assaut le plancher.
​
Votre magicien de service pour cette journée est avant tout un professionnel qui sait repérer les gens qui s'ennuient, qui se cherchent. Il n'est pas seulement le divertissement, mais il crée des rencontres, c'est votre animateur dédié, It's like having a Magic Best Man that will take care
votre arme secrète pour garder le sourire accroché au visage de tout le monde. Pour le prix d'un Photobooth qui reste immobile dans son coin, vous avez un artiste dévoué qui, toute la soirée, ratisse chaque mètre de votre événement pour garder l'énergie à son plus haut. Ses poches sont pleines de surprises et il peut intervenir quand il faut pour créer un impact certain sur l'ensemble de la célébration.
​
​
​
Because this is not the day to be GENERIC
Nowadays, people have seen everything and it is really difficult to be really original with an event and to impress modern audience. Especially in a wedding environment where, to be respectful to the ritual aspect of it, we must respect a lot of protocols, traditions or requirements from everybody bringing help and money to the table. It is very important to make this day memorable, but for the good reasons. To have a magician working the floor is certainly a very economical and original way to bring entertainment to a wedding. Even if across the Atlantic it is now the norm to invite a magician to ((animate)) a wedding, here in Quebec,((specially)) in Montreal, it still a not well know approach and highly avant-garde.
​
Specialized wedding booking agencies will offer you everything for your entertainment needs, sometime big expensive packages with a lot of bling bling and technical restrictions. But only a few crafts like magic can (boost, brag) to offer that much entertainment with so little MOYENS...??? TTTTTTT. Dancers, signers, acrobats and bands can be really cool if you can afford them but they are not really on the interactive side as the guests are often seated, looking at the show. But when a magician comes to your table to engage you directly it's to transport you, to really extract you from the actual moment of reality, and strangely ((to better get you in touch with it.)). The art of magic has this dual quality of being intimate and spectacular ((at the same time)) which contributes to it being easy to blend into any ceremony venue, wether it is in the middle of the woods or at a high end downtown hotel.
​
​
​
Customize, customize, CUSTOMIZE
​
It's the key. As this is what you will do with every aspects of this day, the hired performer should also be up the same alley. As specialists of customization, not only we will adapt our presentations and outfits to perfectly match your wedding event theme or flavor but we can also create a unique magic act around the wedding favor you plan on offering your guests, a great way to give away this important souvenir and more importantly to make it even more memorable. Or we can stage from scratch a XXXXX magic stunt that you could perform YOURSELF during the ceremony, at the opening dance or on stage for the dessert: why not have the bride to appear or levitate or have me produce two doves in your hands after reading the vows! We create illusions for the most influential theatre and circus directors around the globe (Robert Lepage, Franco Dragone, Daniel Finzi Pasca, Cirque Éloize, Just For Laughs): let us know about your most crazy ideas, building miracles is our speciality https://www.illusions.design/fr
​
​
​
​
To offer the gift of WOW to every guests
No way your guest won't be pleasantly surprised to be welcomed by a professional illusionist at your wedding cocktail. And for the vast majority of them, it will be their first time experiencing a live and a professional close up magic act and to see that close, in real life, what they have seen on television. It is a very strong way to jump start any kind of event, but especially a wedding cocktail, because everybody that day is excited and open to this kind of fun ((surprise)). They are all coming to offer the best of themselves, to contribute to the success of the day by HAVING FUN! A close up magic performer will leave them with a "HIGH" that will ((stay with them))) for the rest of ((the night)).
​
Wonder is precious and unique to a group and close-up magic is known to travel very light but its impact is always strong, often ((traveling)) the memory of those experiencing it for a very long long time. Your people will personally (get engaged)) to take part into a very interactive moment with the magic artist that acts as the MC for this specific group of people. Imagine their faces when objects will teleport or appear in their own hands, when a real rose will be produced in a ball of fire right in front of their eyes or when they will read by themselves the mind of their friend. It's very discreet and ((spectacular-play big)) at the same time, an impossible show happening few inches from their nose and even, directly in their own hands.
​
Important to mention that magician Marc-Alexandre only offer very original, hard hitting and surprising TV caliber magic effects, not the usual generic material from the other Montreal wedding magicians. And since magic nowadays is also very popular with kids and teenagers, he of course travel with a secret pocket full of good visual magic for them when needed in a family wedding. A great way to keep them busy (remember as a kid how wedding were... super fun!)
​
And why not literally offer the gift of magic? Instead of leaving the event with a souvenir gift that will eventually, not now but eventually, its inevitable, take the royal road of the garbage like every object in this world, why not convert your wedding party favor budget into mini magic shows that will take life in their hands and last for a very long time in their minds. Maybe a ((new argument - good way)) to convince your significant other (or your stubborn father-in-law to be) to sneak back entertainment in a budget where it's too often forget or sadly cut back to afford superfluous food or more cheesy decoration.
​
And I find that it represent well the reality anyway: magic, when well executed, stay engraved forever in the eye of the beholder. Marc-Alexandre can introduce himself as the MAGIC GIFT to the different groups and he can also perform with custom printed playing cards of the event that we he leave as souvenir to the guests. It's a carbon neutral 2 in 1: less objects, more memories. And yes, our services are now 100% carbon neutral which means that if we can't get to your wedding event by train or bus, every kilometer of fuel burned on our 17 years old production vehicule will be compensate thru an official Canadian carbon program.
​
Find YOUR own professional
​
Of course, all this can only exist in the hands of a real professional magician. For the Big Day, you certainly want to bring to your guest high end entertainment by an artist from your generation, recognized internationally by its peers that will offer a distinguished performance, customized to your image and above all, at a decent price. Like in every market, they're is very good and very bad products and it's crucial to take all the the time needed to shop (((. ))). It is really important to ask for different quotes from magicians of the Greater Montreal region but also from Quebec, Sherbrooke or Ottawa: search wide to make sure you find all the options of performers that could fit your personalities and the vibe you want for this evening. Also, read the reviews on the web from past clients and look closely at performance pictures and videos knowing that the most expensive magicians might not be the best fit for your personality or your event needs. Then, trust your guts when you think that you found the artist that will represent you the best.
​
Event professionals already know the pertinence and economical aspect of walk around magicians in any type of evening, but there will be only few artist you will want your guests to be pictured with. We make the promise to fill all faces, the ((young and the youngest)), with wonder and awe and to create this wave of WOW that those important days really need. And because he knows well its craft and its place during ... and evening and, once in the fire of an event, Marc-Alexandre becomes 100% part of it, its performances are 100% guaranteed. Simple: if your guest are not flabbergasted by his illusions, you don't pay.
​
Please, give us a quick call or drop up a message so we can ear you talk about the dream pacing of this day, ((we'll try our best to make good propositions based on our experience with weddings and see how we can help make it memorable with our magic)).