Blaise and Jonny’s wedding was one of those days that just felt special from the very start.
The ceremony was at The Old Marylebone Town Hall – such an iconic venue to tie the knot in London! It was a black-tie wedding, so everyone looked incredible! After the ceremony, guests travelled together to The Libertine London on a traditional red London bus, which couldn’t have been more perfect. It added such a fun, nostalgic touch and looked amazing driving through the streets of London.
The illustrations were kept a total secret from the guests.
My sister Megan (my helper for the day) and I had a little plan. While I headed straight to The Libertine London to start setting up the illustration station, Megan arrived at the ceremony venue, blending in with the guests to capture their reference photos (they were none the wiser!). She sent the photos to me via WhatsApp so I could get a head start.
As soon as the ceremony finished and guests made their way over to The Libertine in a traditional red London bus, no less – they were greeted by the most wonderful surprise: their first few portraits were already waiting for them! The reactions were priceless. People couldn’t believe I’d somehow managed to draw them before they’d even arrived.
From there, the rest of the evening was so much fun. The Libertine was the dreamiest setting, tucked away underground, with arched brick ceilings, warm candlelight, and a relaxed, happy atmosphere that made the whole night feel effortlessly elegant. Megan and I kept illustrating right through until about 9pm, completing around 80 guest portraits in total.
The guests couldn’t have been lovelier too, everyone was so friendly, curious, and loved their portraits to take home from the day. People gathered around the table watching the drawings come to life, guessing who was next and really enjoyed the whole process.
One of the guests said,
“These illustrations remind me of Tracy Beaker: they’re so different to any other illustration style I’ve seen before!”
It was such a lovely compliment, especially because Nick Sharratt (Tracy Beaker illustrator) has always been one of my inspirations. I’ve always aimed to create a look that feels as if the guests have stepped straight out of a children’s storybook, keeping a fluid, playful, bright style. Hearing that really meant a lot!
By the end of the night, the table was covered in colourful portraits and happy faces, and Megan and I packed up feeling very content. It was one of those weddings that reminded me exactly why I love what I do!
Kind Words From the Bride & Groom
"Thank you so so much for being part of our day yesterday! All our guests were over the moon with the illustrations, it was so nice seeing everyones faces. Wow 80!! Thank you sooooo much again! Can't wait to see the digital booklet."
