Oct 30, 2014
I am an artist but also a professional entertainer and I take a lot of joy from interacting with guests and subjects while drawing and showing off my skills. Indeed I pride myself on being witty and charming, thus adding an extra dimension to the performance and creating a buzz. I offer an entertainment SERVICE, not just a PRODUCT as you might find at a Them Park or Pier, which is why you pay a premium for me, so please let me entertain you to the best of my ability, which can be done by following these points:
- Introduce me as the UK’s celebrity caricaturist, GQ illustrator and professional entertainer and help build up a buzz. Perhaps mention my many TV appearances?
- Do not whisk the drawings away, put them in your room, collect them in a pile for later use or otherwise hide them. Please allow the guests to show them off, create a buzz and raise some laughter!
- Do not ask me to work in the same room as the Disco, as it will kill all chances of banter or laughter and make me appear like an automaton.
- Do not allow a queue of children to form, as these will undoubtedly kill the buzz and render my performance mute, as they shout, cry and show no reaction to what they are shown.
- Please chat and interact with me, as I am not a drawing machine and love nothing better than a good banter!
It breaks my heart when I leave a venue after an evening of battling against a Disco, not having chatted with any guests, with no drawings floating around, while wondering if I wowed them. This may be good enough for some amateures, many of whom even CHARGE guests at weddings, but its not good enough for me. So please let me show off my stuff and I’ll make your day one to remember!
Sep 15, 2014
First wedding you’ve had to organise? Not sure about how to choose the best suppliers for your day? On a tight budget and shopping round? Well there are a few handy hints which I would advise you to read before you hit the Wedding Shows this season:
- Budget – never simply book the cheapest, as you’ll risk disappointment on the biggest day of your life and your guests WILL notice the difference.
- Location – booking local suppliers can promote your local community, but local is not always the best and its worth looking further afield, if only to compare all services available. You may find a fantastic florist two counties away who is flexible with travel costs.
- Recommendation – venues will often recommend suppliers for you, which can be very useful, as their reputations become intertwined and so both are less likely to let you down. Other wedding professionals will often make suggestions, which should be heeded, as they too work within the industry and know their onions.
- Venues – you may have found a sublime location for your reception, but check the management and staff training before booking, as you may suffer slow table service or chaotic dining room scenes if staff are not capable of coping on the day.
- Make friends – a handy way to choose your supplier is by simply meeting them, although some may not operate this way, you can still have a good chat with them and get to know them. It is essentail that you get along with your suppliers, they will share your biggest day after all.
Simply ask yourself; would I want this Caricaturist/Photographer/Toast Master/Musician at my wedding as a guest and friend? Will they fit in and gel with my day and my friends? If the answer is NO, then find a supplier who would. There’s nothing worse than spending the day with a bossy or miserable Photographer, Toast Master or Maitre D, no matter what the cost. Professional, well trained, friendly staff and suppliers can make your day that bit easier, choose well and you should have nothing more to do on your biggest day other than enjoy it!
Have fun shopping round and enjoy the Wedding Show season which is upon us. See you at a show maybe 😉
Aug 3, 2014
I am not a children’s entertainer
Most weddings will involve children to some degree which can add that extra dimension to your proceedings and everyone loves a cute Flower Girl or Page Boy. Alternatively you may decide that children are not for your wedding.
If you are inviting children along, maybe hire a children’s entertainer or sitter so your children are properly supervised throughout the day. That way the parents are free to enjoy themselves without the worry of misbehaving infants. Please note that a Caricaturist is NOT a children’s entertainer.
Of course we all adore the cute wedding outfits on the younger ones and they make for adorable photos, but they don’t necessarily make for great caricatures. In fact children and babies in particular make the worst models for a caricaturist, so maybe think twice before making your child queue up to be drawn.
- Do they actually WANT to be drawn or are you forcing them?
- Do they have any idea what a CARICATURE is?
- Will they like being stared at by a strange man with a pen or will they cry?
- Will they stand still and pose for 4-5 minutes or fall asleep… or cry?
- Do you want your adorable baby or child to be ridiculed?
- Will they misbehave and distract the artist while waiting?
Most children have no concept of what a caricature is and do not care to be drawn, let alone stared at by a strange man with a pad and pen, which often ends in tears! From a caricaturist’s viewpoint, children do not have any features to exaggerate and so the task is an impossible one from the start. Coupled with their lack of reaction, the whole experience can be a real crowd buzz-kill.
However if you do insist on having your child drawn, could you please not treat the artist like a Creche and simply leave your child queuing alone, make sure you accompany them and help them pose, for best possible results. Children above all act as a distraction for any Entertainer or Artist and can spoil the overall performance if left unattended, so please keep an eye on the little darlings 😉
Aug 2, 2014
“Why do I need a Toast Master?” you might say, after all they’re rather old fashioned and you want your wedding to be less stuffy. Well, how many weddings have you arranged and orchestrated in your life? Most Toats Masters will have orchestrated hundreds, maybe thousands. Thats a good enough reason surely?
As a wedding professional with 23 years experience, I would always advise couples to choose a Toast Master to help with the biggest day of your life. Quite simply because they are trained to look after you and your guests while adding a little pomp and ceremony to the day. That said, there is no reason your wedding should be stuffy as you can dictate the level of formality which your Toast Master delivers.
A good Toast Master will know exactly how your day should run, dictated by both tradition and your personal itinerary. They should usher your guests throughout the day, while running proceedings seemlessly and helping alay any stresses within the wedding party. A good Toast Master will have both Gravitas and Congeniality when needed, perfect for shepherding 100 strangers around strange surroundings.
The Toast Master should be your friend and guide, so a pre-wedding meeting is essential for bonding, as you will spend at least 8 hours together on your wedding day. Once bonded, you will realise how indispensable they are and wonder how you would manage without them!
As with all wedding suppliers and entertainers, choose wisely and your day will go swimmingly!
Toast Master Steve Baker
Aug 2, 2014
On your wedding day despite the best efforts of all involved, you can expect to run a little late, usually up to 30 minutes. Most involved will expect this but work to keep you on schedule, as all professionals should when dealing with a nervous Bride.
You may be contending with Registrars, Florists, Caterers, Photographers, Toast Masters, DJs, Entertainers, Wedding Planners, Hotel Managers, family and not forgetting guests, all bidding for your time and attention, which can be daunting and confusing. I would suggest the most important people not to keep waiting would be the Registrars, Caterers and of course your Spouse! Other than that, they can all wait for you.
Don’t forget, this is YOUR day and they all exist only for you, so don’t be bullied or badgered into hurrying along or skipping parts of the biggest day of your life. None of them would be there if it weren’t for you, YOU’RE the boss and so enjoy throng of people helping and buzzing around you, but relax and make time to enjoy your day also.
Entertainers such as Caricaturists will always work around you and fit to your schedule as much as possible, if that means juggling with Photographers or Toast Masters, then so be it, but never miss out on your caricature due to an impatient MC or Photographer. Enjoy your day, every part of your day, at your leisure.
END TIMES:
The caricaturist’s evening performance should end around the time of FIRST DANCE, as this is when most guests begin dancing and the lights go out, making it impossible and unnecessary for the artist to continue drawing.
Caricaturists work on an hourly basis and are hired for a period of time, often having a second booking to follow your wedding. Therefore please be courteous when your artist has finished their performance and has to leave.
Aug 1, 2014
Planning a wedding reception and decided the best venue is a marquee? Hiring a caricaturist too? When booking/hiring a marquee you should always consider the following factors for a successful wedding reception.
- Summer – Does your marquee have air-con? A large white closed sided tent can be stifling in the hot sun, for guests and performers alike.
- Winter – Does your marquee have lighting? Long winter nights often plunge a marquee into darkness early on and lighting can be essential for diners and performers alike. Perhaps consider independently lit areas such as the bar and dancefloor.
- Floors – Does your marquee have a false floor, is it steady or wobbly? Wet weather can undermine false floors and create walking/working hazards for guests and artists alike.
- Weather – Is your marquee robust enough for the British weather? Strong winds, heavy rain and brilliant sunshine are all magnified once inside a marquee and can interrupt proceedings such as speeches.
Caricaturists need good lighting and a steady footing to draw their walkabout caricatures and often there is no power supply for extra lighting in a marquee, so consider the above points before booking your marquee or your caricaturist for your wedding.
Good luck with your wedding and remember to only hire the best caricaturist for your guests!
