Owen Strickland Magician

In the Spotlight

Weddings are one of the most magical occasions in existence. This is a fact Owen Stricklands fully aware of. A glorious day in which two people acknowledge the unique brand of magic a significant other has brought to their life, love. 

Although here at Kabooth, we believe that this is the best kind of magic, we appreciate that some people love all forms of magic! So, where would you turn to in order to add an extra sprinkle of magic dust to your wedding day?

Devant, Dynamo, erm, Disney…? All three names are forever associated with the magic and showmanship of the entertainment industry. Their talents may differ ever so slightly, but, much like the talented magician Owen Strickland, they have provided joy and entertainment that has left generations of audiences enchanted in stunned amazement for decades.

Effortlessly juggling the role of magician and perfect party guest, Owen Strickland is a magician for all occasions. Whether he’s performing at a wedding, a business function, or even your Nan’s 60th, Owen tailors each booking to the individual, making each experience unique and unpredictable.

After having the pleasure of mingling with so many guests over the years, Owen has become a natural in social scenarios, capable of expertly working the room, and making sure your guests feel welcome from the get-go.

Owen Strickland has an impressive history of entertaining celebrities and performing under pressure. Imagine being able to say you’ve booked the same magician as Katie Price and Samuel Ameobi!

Providing nearly one hundred award-winning performances a year, Owen Strickland Magician has recently been acknowledged for his brilliance, receiving the 2021 Wedding Industry Award’s ‘National Winner Award’! Congratulations, Owen!

Further submerging himself deeper within the magic of the moment, Owen Strickland now offers a wedding emcee service, an announcement that we’re sure that all of your guests will be toasting towards very soon!

Kabooth owner Kris has regularly worked alongside Owen on multiple weddings and has witnessed the magic in action, being left in awe many times himself!

So, take it from us, if you’re looking to add an extra sparkle of entertainment to your big day, look no further than Owen Strickland. A quality entertainer that will have you smiling quicker than you can say Abra Cadabra!

Up close and personal

So how did Owen Strickland start in the wedding industry?

I got into magic quite late in life, unlike most other magicians. I was asked to do a colleague’s wedding about 10 years ago,  and it started from there. From 3 weddings in my first year, I now do between 70-80! 

What was the biggest learning curve for you upon entering the wedding magician business?

The business side of it. Performing is easy and fun. Albeit choosing what tricks work and might not work at weddings was a learning curve. The business side is not so much fun!! Keeping on top of accounts, emails, advertising, and social media, is literally never ending. Wedding fayres every week in the few months after Xmas and autumn are also very hard work.

What separates Owen from his competitors?

In short, me!! I think I have very unique people skills, which are just as, if not more, important as technical magic skills. I ran bars and clubs for years, and then was a police officer for 22 years. Between those roles, there’s little in life I haven’t seen. It’s given me such an advantage in dealing with people. So when you look at my publicity photos at weddings, you see everyone laughing and having the times of their lives.

I love getting in amongst the guests and having a laugh with them. One of my nicest ever reviews said words to the effect of “Owen came to our wedding as the magician, but left as our friend”. I thought that was lovely, and summed up what I hope to bring to a couple’s special day.

I also would have to mention I have just won The Wedding Industry Awards Best Uk Wedding Magician for 2021. I’ve previously won the Midlands Regional Award a few times, but now I have won The National Award, which is a huge honour!! These are the absolute best Awards in The Industry and are very tightly judged!!

How can couples go about booking your services? How far in advance should they book?

I’m currently taking many bookings for 2023 and even one for 2024. Because I get very busy, I suggest people book me early. I’m fortunate that I do around 70-80 weddings a year, but it means that I do get booked up quickly. I stress this so much to couples at wedding fayres, and then when they contact me a few weeks later, I’m often already booked for their date.

To book, they just need to get in contact and we can talk about the day. It’s a very quick and easy process. It’s £100 to secure the date, and I have some great software that automates invoices and contracts. It takes no time at all to get booked in 

What advice would you give to those planning a wedding and looking to hire a Wedding Magician?

Do your research. There are a lot of good-looking websites out there, but the magician is not that good. Try and meet them in person. Have a look at their website and social media. If there’s no evidence of them doing 50+ weddings a year, ask yourself why? If they say they are “award-winning”, ask them what the award is. It’s an easy thing to add to a website. If the price seems cheap, ask yourself why that is. Will they take the deposit and fill their diary up, to then pass the gig on when they get a better-paid offer? You really do get what you pay for with magicians.

Are they a Member of The Magic Circle? Are they insured? Are their reviews good? With reviews, I mean verified reviews and not made-up ones on their website!! I’ve worked hard to get to the stage where I’m the highest-rated magician in the region, with 130 Google reviews and over 400 verified reviews via the widget on my website. I have a blog article about this very subject,  if people would like me to send it to them 

Is there anything that you’d like to mention about your services or the wedding hire process that many people forget to mention?

Yes- it’s not just about magic tricks! Yes, I perform magic and amaze your guests, But I mostly solve problems for you. For example, how do you get the two sides to start talking to each other if they are shy?  How do you stop guests from getting bored whilst the photos are happening?

Similar to the lull period between the breakfast and evening reception. What will they do if it’s raining and they are stuck in a  marquee on an awful British weather day? How will you get photos showing your wedding was totally fun and where the guests looked like they had the time of their lives? By booking me!

I can send an email to anyone that I send out at fayres. It’s packed full of information and has my brand new brochure for 2021-22. It also has my price list, explains the different packages I can do, and has links to a load of showreels showing me performing at weddings. 

What has been your favourite moment at a wedding you’ve provided the magic for?

It’s difficult to pinpoint one wedding in particular. But I love doing the special tricks I do for the Happy Couple, as they have an emotional element that has a lot of meaning. They are generally my favourite photos of the weddings I’ve done, and get mentioned the most when I get my lovely feedback

Lastly, just for fun, what gets you on the dancefloor at a wedding? Is there a particular song? A particular drink? Or is it a lot of arm twisting? 

Whilst my sleight of hand may be okay, my dancing skills aren’t!! I can’t remember the last time I danced, I have two very uncoordinated left feet!! I’m also a Trance music fan and love Above and Beyond, who you tend not to hear at weddings!! You’re more likely to see me over at the bar having the crack with fellow guests than on the dancefloor!!

Looking to know more about Owen Strickland?

If you want to know more about Owen Strickland. You can also find him on Facebook as well as Instagram and Tik Tok.  For an extra layer of trust, you can view all the amazing reviews on Google.

Looking for more ideas have you thought about recording the special moments through a Videographer? Give you the chance to look back and see those moments over and over? Trust us so many couples say the day flies by and they forget so much. It’s the perfect way to relive those once-in-a-lifetime memories. Such as the first dance…