Weddings & Events: Live Illustration
There is something magical about watching a piece of art come to life, and live wedding illustration offers your guests more than just a wedding favour; it becomes a lasting part of the entertainment and celebration of the day. This is a service which I can offer throughout the South-East, not only for weddings but for any special event.
How does it work?
On The Day
I will arrive approximately 45 minutes before the agreed start time to set up my beautifully presented illustration station. Throughout your day, hand-painted portraits are created using a traditional dip pen with ink and watercolour in a loose, illustrative style. Guests who would like to receive an illustration simply need to visit the station so I can take a quick reference photograph. They can then return to enjoying the celebrations while their portrait is created.
Completed portraits will be displayed at the station for guests to admire before collecting them.
VIP Guest List
When discussing your requirements for the day, you are welcome to provide a VIP list. This is ideal for close family, overseas guests, elderly relatives or anyone leaving early, allowing priority portraits to be completed wherever possible.
The Artwork
Each portrait is created on premium A5 300gsm watercolour paper using traditional dip pen and professional watercolours. This is a larger size than the typical A6 size portraits offered by most wedding illustrators. The style is loose, sketchy and expressive, capturing general character rather than a perfect likeness. I am happy to make tweaks and adjustments to my signature style wherever possible, and this can be discussed and agreed in advance.
Group Illustrations
Illustrations featuring more than two guests take additional time and will usually be completed towards the end of the illustration time slot or after the wedding in the studio. This ensures as many portraits as possible can be completed live during your celebration.
A Gift For The Newlyweds
Every booking includes a complimentary A4 mounted portrait of the bride and groom in the same illustration style, painted in the studio from a wedding photograph supplied by the couple.
Costs & Packages
Each guest painted is considered one portrait (whether they are painted as a couple, single person or a group together). So, if you have 50 guests coming and you would like each guest to be painted, I would recommend choosing the 50 guest package. However, there is a chance that not every guest at your wedding will come up to the illustration station for a portrait, so you may prefer to choose a smaller package and then pay for any additional guests separately. Additional portraits are £10 each (per guest).
40 Guests
£550 for 5 hours
£675 for 8 hours
50 Guests
£650 for 5 hours
£775 for 8 hours
60 Guests
£750 for 5 hours
£875 for 8 hours
70 Guests
£850 for 5 hours
£975 for 8 hours
What's Included:
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Pre-wedding planning meeting at my studio including demo illustration if required
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Live illustration during the wedding for your chosen package duration
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Original A5 guest portraits presented in clear presentation sleeves, hand painted with ink and watercolour - no AI, no tracing, no digital artwork
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Priority illustration of VIP guests if required
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Portraits not completed during the wedding will be completed after the wedding in the studio and posted to you within 7 days.
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Complimentary A4 mounted bride and groom portrait after the wedding
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Larger group or family portraits completed in the studio where required
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Travel to venues located within a one hour’s drive of ME2 1BZ is included in the package prices. An additional charge of 50p per mile will be charged for venues beyond a one hour drive.
How to book
If you are interested in booking my services for your wedding day, please contact me to check availability and discuss your requirements. I am very happy to welcome you to my studio to discuss your booking in person and even provide you with a demo sketch.
Booking & Payment Terms
To secure your wedding date, a 25% booking fee is required at the time of booking. Your date will be reserved once the booking agreement has been completed and the booking fee has been received. The remaining 75% balance is due 8 weeks before your wedding date.
For bookings made within 8 weeks of the wedding date, full payment will be required at the time of booking.
Cancellation Policy
Your booking fee secures your wedding date and is non-refundable in the event of cancellation, as this date is reserved exclusively for your wedding and cannot usually be rebooked at short notice.
In the unlikely event that I am unable to attend your wedding due to unforeseen circumstances, a full refund of all payments made will be provided. Every effort will be made to assist in finding a suitable replacement artist where possible.
FAQs
Do guests need to sit for their portrait?
No. Guests simply visit the illustration station for a quick reference photograph before returning to enjoy the celebrations. There is no formal sitting required.
How do guests receive an illustration?
Guests included within your chosen package simply need to come over to the illustration station at some point during the day so I can take their photograph. Completed portraits can then be collected later in the celebration. Those not completed during the wedding will be posted to couples afterwards.
Can families and groups be illustrated together?
Absolutely. Groups are very welcome. To ensure as many portraits as possible are completed during the wedding, illustrations featuring more than two guests will usually be finished in the studio after the event.
What if there are guests I definitely want included?
Before the wedding, you can provide a VIP guest list. This is ideal for close family members, elderly relatives, overseas visitors or guests who may need to leave early, allowing me to prioritise them wherever possible.
Can guests watch the paintings being created?
Yes! Watching the artwork develop is part of the experience and often becomes a wonderful talking point throughout the day.
What style are the illustrations?
Each portrait is created using traditional dip pen and watercolour in a loose, sketchy and expressive illustrative style that celebrates character and colour.
Will you paint all guests during the actual wedding?
The aim is always to complete as many guest illustrations as possible during the wedding day, and every effort will be made to ensure guests receive their artwork before they leave. However, this cannot be guaranteed- especially for larger weddings. On average I can paint around 8 to 10 guests an hour, but the time time needed for each illustration can vary depending on factors such as clothing detail, how quickly guests visit the illustration station, and natural interruptions while guests stop to watch, ask questions or chat during the painting process. Any unfinished illustrations will be completed in my studio after the wedding and posted to couples within 7 days.
What if more guests request an illustration than the package booked?
Additional guest portraits can be added after the wedding and completed in my studio for £10 per guest, ensuring no one misses out. I recommend booking a package based on the guests you would most like to include, with the flexibility to add extras afterwards if needed.