How Much Does a Magician Cost to Hire?

There’s no single price, because no two events are the same. As a guide, a good close-up magician starts from around £500. What you pay beyond that comes down to a few things: how long they perform, how many guests there are, where the event is and what’s included. Here’s how each one moves the price, and how to get an accurate quote quickly.

How long the magician performs

Close-up magic is performed in short sets as the magician moves from group to group, so the first question is how long you need them for. Most bookings run from one to three hours. A drinks reception or a couple of hours at a birthday party sits at the shorter end. Covering a longer evening, or two separate parts of the day, takes more time and costs more.

How many guests there are

The size of the crowd decides how long it takes for everyone to see the magic properly. A small gathering can be covered comfortably in an hour. A large party needs longer, because every group should see the magic up close rather than catch the end of someone else’s trick.

For very large events, one magician isn’t always enough. Chris’s agency, The Close-Up Collective, can supply a team of magicians so no one is left out.

Where the event is

Travel is part of the price. A magician driving across the country costs more to get to your venue than one travelling a few miles. Close-Up Chris performs across the UK, and the distance to your venue is factored into your quote.

The type of event

At a wedding, the main question is whether you want magic at one reception or both. The drinks reception and the evening reception are the two parts of the day when guests are on their feet and mingling, and booking both costs more than booking one.

For birthday parties, anniversaries and corporate events, the price follows the same factors: how long, how many guests and where.

What’s included

Close-Up Chris’s act combines sleight of hand, mind reading and pickpocketing. For weddings, packages can also add a premium set and a Reaction Cam, which films your guests’ reactions to the magic so you get a montage afterwards. Extras like these are worth asking about when you compare quotes.

Why the cheapest magician can cost you more

It’s tempting to book on price alone, but the cheapest quote rarely buys the best night. Before you book, check a magician’s reviews, how long they’ve been performing and whether they hold public liability insurance. Close-Up Chris has been performing since 1998, holds £5 million public liability insurance and is rated 5.0 from over 200 reviews.

If a quote has surprised you, why magicians are so expensive explains what sits behind the fee.

How to get an accurate quote

The quickest way to a real price is to send the details: the date, the venue, roughly how many guests and what kind of event it is. Check your date with Close-Up Chris and you’ll get a clear quote back.