Magician and the moody momma

I wouldn't say it's tacky, but I dunno if I'd be into it, especially at a "formal" wedding. I feel like cocktail hour is meant for your guests to mingle and relax before the party starts. That being said, I wouldn't side eye it at all, just not my taste.

I'd decline

To me, a magician screams children’s birthday party. I’d think this was really odd at a wedding. People will converse during cocktail hour with drinks and food.

I'd pass. Food, drinks and conversation should be enough to keep your guests entertained at cocktail hour. A magician seems more suited for a kids birthday party.

The term 'up-close' automatically made me a little uncomfortable. I find it weird for a wedding. You're not 5 nor are you intentionally going to a magic show. Definitely not fitting a formal feel. Most importantly, you don't seem into the idea and that alone should be your answer.

I would skip for sure. I agree it screams children's party. If I was there I'd feel super awkward and like I was supposed to tip him. It would remind me of going to Chili's when they have the people go from table to table making balloon art.

Nah skip it not for a wedding.

I would be a little off put by a magician at a wedding, mostly because I don't like random strangers randomly walking up to me. If you do decide to do this put something on your website so people know what to expect.

I automatically dislike anything that interrupts conversations/mingling during the cocktail hour, so I would veto that. I greatly dislike being engrossed in conversation with someone just to have the conversation disrupted/abruptly ended (for example, when the person I'm talking to is pulled away into a photo booth by a group, etc.) I feel like the magician would definitely be disruptive, but you know your crowd.

I think it only makes sense if it's something important to you and your FH. Like if it carried special meaning to you. Since it doesn't, I'd skip it.

I've never needed activities during cocktail hour and the alcohol tends to be enough to get conversations going. People can also use that time to sign the guest book, use the photo booth or whatever else you might have planned.

I coordinated a wedding that did this. Honestly I think the guests were a little confused why some guy was walking into the middle of their conversations to show them a card trick. At first people thought he was maybe a drunk guest, and it took a bit for it to catch on that he was hired to be doing it. I would skip it unless you're going to be having several performers doing different things during your cocktail hour so your guests know that there are different entertainers walking around.

I think it would be fun. In all the weddings I've been to (as a guest and photographer), cocktail hour is BORING for guests. They're hungry, and they're awkwardly waiting around for the party to start. I'm struggling to figure out what to do with guests at my own wedding for that time.

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If guests are bored and hungry during cocktail hour, then that is not a well hosted cocktail hour. Cocktail hour is legit one of my favorite parts of weddings.

I think I would be open to it if he was good and if he isn't it could be an icebreaker for everyone laughing about it. I say go for it.

I wouldn't be interested in something like this at a wedding.

I would entertain the idea and agree to meet some options to see how you really feel about it up close and personal. Take a few friends who have opinions you can respect, that way if it is all bad, they might be able to help convince your Mom to pass. Who knows, maybe she will dislike the idea once she sees it up close.

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All of this.

I would hate a magician.

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Yes- Amen!

I personally love cocktail hour, it's the perfect opportunity to socialize while enjoying a drink before we have to find our seats. I wouldn't think a magician is tacky, but I'd avoid him as much as possible and feel like he was interrupting our conversations if he walked up on whomever I'm talking to. I'd never complain about something like that but I'd constantly be looking for a way to slip away and find someone else to talk to until he goes away.

I'm a wedding singer, and I've never seen a magician at any of the weddings I've worked, or attended as a guest. Tacky is not the right word but I think that's suuuuuper cheesy and entirely inappropriate for an adult wedding. The only thing your guests need to get the conversation going is alcohol. Seriously. Our wedding was formal, and we had an open bar, a killer band and everyone drank and danced a lot and had tons of fun. You don't need contrived activities for that to happen.