Magician in Kent for weddings and receptions
Close-up magic for the drinks, the wedding breakfast and the evening party, by a magician whose double act took a wedding routine onto Britain's Got Talent.
Couples booking a magician in Kent usually want one thing: guests mixing, laughing and not glancing at their watches while the photos are taken. Jamie Docherty does that with close-up magic performed right among your guests, so there's no stage to arrange and nobody watching from the back of a room.
Jamie is "Jay" of the double act Jay & Joss, whose 2024 Britain's Got Talent audition was a wedding-themed routine. He holds the Associate of The Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star, awarded in 2021, and is a full Member of The Magic Circle. Weddings come first here, but as a magician in Kent he's booked across the county for work dos and family parties as well.
Planning a wedding magician in Kent around your day
Start by looking at the gaps in your running order. Nearly every wedding has a stretch after the ceremony when the couple vanish for photos, and it's often longer than planned. That's the drinks reception, and it's where a wedding magician in Kent is most useful. Jamie wanders between groups, performs for a few minutes, and moves on before anyone feels cornered.
The wedding breakfast is next. Between courses there's always a lull while the kitchen catches up. Jamie goes round the tables, giving each one its own short set, and the gap feels like part of the fun instead of a wait. He stops for the speeches and picks up again afterwards if you'd like.
Then the evening. Guests arriving after the meal don't know what they've missed and often only know a few people. Roaming magic as they come through the door gets them chatting with the day guests before the dancing starts. And it gives the couple a few minutes to catch their breath.
Most couples book two of these slots. If you've only budgeted for one, pick the part of the day with the longest wait. People searching for a magician for a wedding in Canterbury ask this a lot, and the answer is nearly always the drinks reception.
It helps that Jamie has been nationally Highly Commended for entertainment within the wedding industry and has worked hundreds of weddings. He knows when a moment needs magic and when it needs leaving alone. See the wedding entertainment page for more.
On this page
Christmas parties and awards nights in Kent
Kent firms hold their fair share of Christmas parties, staff socials and awards evenings. A magician in Kent working close up gives people from different departments something to share. It's hard to stay in your little group when the finance director has just had his card turn up inside a sealed envelope.
At a drinks and canapés evening, Jamie mingles. At a sit-down dinner, he works the tables between courses and keeps clear of the speeches and trophies. For a product launch or a trade stand, close-up magic draws people in and gives your team an easy way to start a conversation.
He's played everything from conferences to gala dinners. Sophie Leanne Carter booked him for a charity ball of 130 people and wrote on Facebook: "His tricks were the talk on everyone's table."
Quieter teams get just as much out of it. A magician in Kent at a Christmas lunch for a dozen people can spend proper time with each person, and the trick someone saw over the turkey is still being argued about in the office in January. Big or small, Jamie adjusts the pace to suit the room.
December fills up quickly, so it's worth asking as soon as the date's agreed. A golf club function room or a hotel suite, it makes no difference to the magic. More is on the corporate entertainment page.
Questions couples ask a magician in Kent
- Works with your photographer Jamie performs for small groups and moves on, so nobody is held up when they're called for a picture.
- Blends in He always dresses smartly, so he fits in with your guests rather than standing out like a hired act.
- Never drinks on the job Jamie doesn't drink alcohol at any event and doesn't smoke.
- Written confirmation Every detail is confirmed formally, and you'll get an invoice receipt for each payment.
- Insurance venues ask for Through Equity he has ten million pounds of public liability cover.
Family parties, big birthdays and christenings
Family parties are a mix of ages, and that's where close-up magic shines. Jamie can have a seven-year-old holding the cards while her nan tries to spot the move. Everyone gets a turn and nobody has to sit through a long show.
For a 40th, 50th or 60th, a burst of mingling early on helps the different groups of friends find each other. For an anniversary meal or a christening lunch, table magic between courses keeps things relaxed.
Milestone birthday meals often drop flat after the main course, when everyone sits back and the music hasn't started yet. A magician in Kent going from table to table fills that lull nicely. And the person you're celebrating gets a break from hosting while their friends try to work out what they've just seen.
Booking a magician in Kent for a house party is easy too. He needs no space beyond the room your guests are already in, whether that's a kitchen, a garden or a marquee. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and New Year's Eve parties are on his list as well.
Throwing a surprise? Jamie can already be performing as people arrive, so whoever you're celebrating walks into a room that's laughing. The private party entertainment page has more on family bookings.
From Canterbury to Maidstone and beyond
As a regular entertainer in Kent, Jamie can often be seen performing at Winters Barns, Canterbury Cathedral Lodge Hotel and Elite Venue. Around Maidstone there are plenty more choices for a wedding or a party, such as The Oak Grove, Tudor Park Country Club or Bridgewood Manor Hotel.
Venue coordinators sometimes ask whether he'll need a table, a room or a power socket. He won't. Jamie works on his feet with everything in his pockets, so the floor plan stays exactly as you've agreed it with the venue. A hotel in town or a field out in the countryside, it's all the same to him.
Jamie covers the whole county, so a magician in Kent can be booked for anywhere from the coast to the borders. If you're celebrating over the county line, see his pages for London, Essex and Sussex.
Before you book
When's the best moment for magic at a Kent wedding?
The drinks reception, nine times out of ten. It's the longest wait of the day for guests. Many couples add the wedding breakfast or the evening party as a second slot.
Can a magician in Kent work at a barn wedding?
Yes. Close-up magic needs no stage, no power and no lighting, so a barn, a marquee or a hotel ballroom all work just the same. Jamie just needs a quick chat with the coordinator about timings when he arrives.
Will our older relatives enjoy it?
They usually love it. Gemma Elson wrote on Facebook that her wedding guests ranged from "two years of age to eighty nine years of age and everybody was fascinated !"
Do you take bookings for company Christmas parties in Kent?
Yes. Jamie mingles over drinks, goes round the tables during the meal and fits round any speeches or awards. It's a good way to get colleagues from different sites talking. Book early, as December dates go first.
Is a magician in Kent suitable for a christening?
Very much so. Jamie involves children and adults together and keeps everything friendly. It gives family members who rarely meet something to laugh about.
How do we find out if Jamie is free?
Send your date, venue and guest numbers through the quote form. The earlier you ask, the better your chances, particularly on summer weekends.
Ask about your Kent wedding
Venue booked and date set? Pop the details into the quote form and Jamie will let you know if he's free to be your magician in Kent.