THE wedding favor your guests will love!
Live guest portrait sketching is an activity that has become increasingly popular in the events industry in recent years in France, especially for weddings. Couples love planning this surprise gift for their guests, and guests are always delighted to take home a portrait as a memento of this big day!
Here are some details and informations about this service if you are considering including it in your wedding… along with a few examples of the portraits!
1. When should you book portrait entertainment for your wedding guests?
Most of the time, couples contact me between six months and a year before their wedding. However, I have occasionally been booked just two days in advance—and was lucky enough to be available! If you are truly interested in this guest portrait service and have decided to include it in your big day, it is best to book as early as possible to ensure I am free. If you wait too long, you run the risk that I might already be booked for another wedding! 😉
2. What is the price of this guest portrait service?
It’s one of the first things people want to know: what budget should be set aside for live guests portraits?
My initial package (the most popular one), lasting 3 hours, costs €900. I can also stay for 4 hours for €1,100. Or, if you would prefer me to stay longer to create portraits for more guests, I offer a 5-hour package for €1,300.
This price includes a portrait of the bride and groom in the same size. If you wish an A4 portrait (21x29cm), it will add 180€.
3. How many guest portraits can we have during a session?
For my most popular 3-hour service, I draw between 10 and 12 couple portraits (representing 20 to 24 people). The longer I stay on-site, the more people I draw!
4. What are the material needs?
I need a table, a chair, and a glass of water for my brushes🖌️. If I’m working at night, I’ll need access to electricity to plug in my lights. I’ll bring my own paper, pencils, watercolors, easel… and sunscreen if I have to work in the sun!☀️ But a parasol would be even better! 😉
5. Where should I place my work table?
I can set up in a corner of the garden or the reception hall—away from the main crowd, yet visible enough to attract attention.
6. What is the ideal time for your guests to pose?
The welcome dinner on the day before the wedding is a great time to offer guest portraits. I can start a portrait session the night before and continue the activity on the wedding day itself.
On the big day, during the cocktail hour: This is THE perfect moment, as guests are relaxed and mingling freely.
During dinner: My guest portrait service often extends into the dinner portion of the event. I move my workstation close to the dining area (whether indoors or outdoors).
7. Do the guests pause while I draw?
Yes, but it’s a quick pose! I do a pencil sketch—taking anywhere from three minutes (for individuals) to five minutes (for couples). Then I snap a photo to capture the colors (skin tone, hair, clothing) so I can finish it in watercolor, while the guests go right back to enjoying the evening! The best part is that they can strike a pose while sipping champagne and chatting with their partner! 😁
8. Will the guests have faces in their portraits?
What I offer is a quick sketch, not a hyper-realistic portrait! However, I do draw at least some shading around the eyes, and sometimes I suggest a smile. People often remark that my portraits of guests bear a strong resemblance, despite the lack of facial detail.
Here are some examples:
9. In which region of France do you travel?
I live in Toulon, in southeastern France, so I do a lot of work in Provence and on the French Riviera. But I travel all over the country! Some summers, I find myself crisscrossing France for the couples I work with—from Alsace, the Paris region, Brittany, Bordeaux, and the Dordogne to the Lyon area and Savoy… There are really no limits! I’ve even worked on a wedding in Spain!
10. Are you available to draw portraits of my wedding guests?!
There is only one thing to do for that:
