Choosing a magician starts with your guests and the way your event will unfold. A drinks reception, a seated dinner and a private celebration each leave different openings for a performance.
I’m Nabeel Bera, a professional magician and mentalist based in Dubai. This guide will help you decide where magic could fit, what to include in your enquiry and what to check before booking.
Start with the occasion
At a corporate reception, close-up magic can give guests a shared experience as they meet and talk. For a dinner, the performance needs to work around service and speeches. At a wedding, it might sit within the drinks reception or the time set aside for photographs.
Choose the page closest to your plans to see relevant performances and how I approach the occasion:
- Corporate magic for receptions, networking events, dinners and brand experiences.
- Wedding magic for couples and planners arranging a wedding in Dubai, the UAE or abroad.
- Private celebrations for birthdays, private dinners and gatherings with friends and family.
Decide how guests will experience the magic
Close-up magic happens among your guests, in small groups or around tables. People see the details nearby and become part of the performance. Explore close-up magic and mentalism to understand the format.
Mentalism brings thoughts, choices and predictions into the interaction. It can be part of a close-up performance, rather than a separate item on your programme. Tell me which parts of the footage appeal to you and the atmosphere you have in mind.
If you would like everyone to watch a performance together, mention it in your enquiry so the format can be planned around your room, audience and schedule.
Find a natural opening in the programme
A useful starting point is a period when guests are together and have room to engage: a reception, a break in proceedings or an agreed interval during dinner.
Note the timings for speeches, food service and other entertainment. A performance should feel connected to the event. Your organiser or venue team can help identify an opening that works for everyone.
Plan around the guest count and venue
Include your approximate number of guests and whether they will be standing, seated or moving between spaces. These details help establish coverage and performance length.
You do not need a finished floor plan to start a conversation. The venue or city, likely timings and any sound or access restrictions are useful starting points for the practical arrangements.
Watch a real performance
Watch the showreel and look at the interaction as well as the tricks. Notice how people gather, how close they are to the performance and how the atmosphere compares with your own plans.
I spent seven years as resident magician at Atlantis The Palm, from November 2018 to December 2025, performing at Nobu and Seafire.
I have also performed at Atlantis The Royal.
Understand what shapes the quote
The event date, location, performance format, guest count and time required all help shape a quotation. Travel and any proposed customisation also affect the arrangements.
For a brand event, explain what you would like guests to remember and any message or product you want to explore. Customised magic has its own planning considerations, which belong alongside the event brief.
Tell me about your event
Send your date or timeframe, venue or city, approximate guest count and the occasion. If the schedule is still taking shape, tell me what you know so far.
You can also email one@onewithmagic.com or call +971 58 253 3027.