The ceremony is over. The couple is taking photos. Two branches of the family are discovering that “How do you know the bride?” has a limited shelf life.
A wedding cocktail hour magician in Charlotte can give adult guests something to gather around while the reception gets underway. At my performance station, people can watch close-up magic, join a con game, and compare their very confident, very incorrect theories. That is usually a more promising opening conversation than asking about the seating chart.
I’m Timothy Starnes, necromancer and comedy conjurer. My best-known show is a comedy séance, but I’m also a trained comedy and bar magician. You can book traditional comedy magic for your wedding without inviting the full haunted parlor.
Start with the adults who will be watching
My entertainment is for audiences 18 and up. If children will attend the wedding, tell me when you inquire so we can establish whether a separate adult entertainment area or time is practical. I don’t provide children’s entertainment or supervision.
The next question is tone. A wedding brings different personalities into one room, so tell me about your guests, the atmosphere you want, and any subjects you’d rather leave alone. We can agree on a performance that suits the occasion.
Guests can enjoy the mystery without being pressured into becoming the center of attention. The couple already has enough people telling them where to stand.
Make the station easy to find
My magic happens at a dedicated station where guests come over when they’re interested. That gives the performance a clear home within the reception and lets people choose when to join it.
Ask your planner or venue coordinator to help choose the location. Near the gathering space can work; directly in the bar line, beside a service door, or in the route used to move everyone into dinner creates avoidable congestion.
I ask for a table and three chairs, or a coffee table with ample seating in front and to the sides. Guests need to see the working surface and hear me. I don’t use a sound system, so placement matters if a band, DJ, or busy bar is nearby.
For a larger wedding, we’ll discuss how smaller groups can use the station during the booking. This is close-up entertainment; we shouldn’t assume the entire guest list can see a card or a die at the same moment.
Give the performance a clear window
The wedding schedule should tell us when guests are available to enjoy the magic. A cocktail reception can provide that window, particularly while photographs are underway. A separate adult gathering later in the celebration may also work, depending on the venue and sound levels.
We’ll coordinate the finish with the move to dinner, formal introductions, and speeches. Guests should be able to follow the action without wondering whether they’ve missed the couple’s entrance.
I usually work a party for one to two hours, with the duration adjusted to the event. Share your actual schedule before selecting a length. Setup and access need their own arrangements; we’ll confirm those with you rather than assume the performance can begin the moment I reach the parking lot.
Decide whether you want any spirits involved
Comedy close-up magic, cards, props, con games, and dice magic can stand on their own. A séance is optional.
If you want the full theatrical séance, plan a separate two-hour experience with an intimate seated group, generally 10–15 or as many as the table comfortably accommodates. That is a different arrangement from a cocktail-hour station. The comparison of close-up magic, con games, and séances can help you decide.
Tell me about your wedding reception
My rate is $500 per hour. Parties outside the Charlotte, NC area have a two-hour minimum; we’ll confirm any travel costs and the full booking total in advance.
Text Tim at 704-698-7286 with your wedding date, venue, adult guest count, proposed performance window, and planner’s coordination requirements. You can also read about close-up magic for private events.
Give your guests a mystery they can argue about on the way home. The seating plan has suffered enough.