Wedding Magic at the Talbot Hotel Cork in Ballincollig

A Wedding Day That Turned Out Absolutely Beautiful

The morning had been wet and foggy and I'd say everyone was watching the sky, because that's the one part of a wedding day nobody can plan for. The clouds lifted though and the day opened up, so by mid afternoon most of the guests were outside with their drinks enjoying the change in the weather.

If you've ever stayed at the Talbot you'll know the room at the back where they hold their drinks receptions. It's the same room you sit in for breakfast and it has one of the loveliest views you'll find at any wedding venue in Cork. When the sun came out, the guests took their drinks out the front as well, onto the patio that looks back at the original part of the hotel.

I loved watching everyone spread out across the two spaces in their own little groups. Some of them were sitting out on the patio and others were up at the bar, with people moving around all afternoon to chat with whoever was beside them. That's what turns a drinks reception into a party.

Close-Up Magic Through the Whole Reception

I spent the entire drinks reception walking around the crowd so nobody had to go looking for the entertainment. The magic came to people wherever they happened to be standing. Close-up magic and mind reading suit that setup so well because everyone's already gathered in small circles, which means I can join a conversation, do a few minutes with that group and then move on to the next one without pulling anyone away from the people they're talking to.

The mind reading brought out a brilliant bit of mischief in everyone. A few people told me they bet I couldn't read their minds. Then they were screaming and running away across the patio when it turned out that I could. It was that sort of great, playful enjoyment all day long, which is exactly what I want at a wedding because it means everyone's relaxed enough to play along properly. Once one group starts carrying on like that, the next group is watching and waiting for their turn.

By the end of the afternoon I had a heap of cards covered in handwriting from the guests. Some of them signed their names and some left a message across the face of the card. You can see the pile of them in the photo below.

Magic for Shannon and Brandon

Shannon had booked me and the two of us had been talking for a while beforehand to get all the details sorted, so it was lovely to finally be there and see it all come together. She was having an absolute blast of a time, with her bridesmaids and the whole bridal party making sure she was enjoying herself. Brandon was in brilliant form as well and he really enjoyed the magic I got to share with just the two of them before they went off to do their photos. That's a rare quiet pocket in the middle of a wedding day and it's a real privilege to be trusted with it.

A Day Full of Personal Touches

There were personal touches threaded all through the drinks reception area, the kind of small details that tell you a couple has put real thought into how the day would feel for the people they invited. It was really cool to see and the whole afternoon had a warm and easy feeling to it, where guests were happy to chat away to whoever was beside them. Afternoons like that one are the reason I love working weddings so much.

Thank you to Shannon and Brandon for having me out and to everyone at the Talbot who looked after the day. I hope they had an absolute blast for the rest of the night, because the few hours I got to spend with them were gorgeous. Then it was my time to head home.