How far in advance should we book?
I recommend contacting me as soon as you start making plans, and booking as soon as you’ve set a date and booked your venue. I take on a limited number of weddings each year to make sure I give each one the time, care and attention that it deserves.
How Does the Booking process work?
The first thing to do is send me a message via my contact form, then I can confirm if I am available for your chosen date. Once I have your date, location and requirements clear, I can give you a quote. The prices on my site are guidelines and may be adjusted according to travel requirements, timing etc.
At the same time as the quote, I’ll send you an artist’s agreement (also known as a contract) and an invoice for the deposit. If you have any questions at all, let me know - we can set up a Zoom chat if that would be helpful.
You sign the contract (digitally) and send me a £200 deposit by Stripe or Paypal, which secures the booking.
We can set up another time to chat nearer the wedding date to check in with you, and get more details about who and what you want my artwork to focus on, on the big day.
You pay me the remaining balance 28 days before the wedding.
How far will you travel for a wedding, and how much does it cost?
My standard fee covers travel to destinations in West Scotland within 4 hours of my studio in central Kintyre. I’ll usually bring my campervan so accommodation costs can be kept to a minimum. Weddings further afield may also be possible, but an additional travel fee will apply - please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
How do you work on the day?
I’ll have already consulted with you beforehand regarding what you want me to capture in my live wedding illustrations. I turn up in plenty of time before things begin, to get set up and start capturing details of the venue. As the ceremony and other parts of the wedding proceed, I draw and paint quickly in the moment, to portray whatever is happening in the most interesting and attractive way possible. I’ll may fill in more details and colour when things get quiet, but I find that even unfinished drawings have a magical ability to bring a moment to life in the memory, so don’t be surprised if one or two drawings have less detail than others! By the end of the day I’ll have a wonderful book filled with cherished moments. I’ll make sure to share it with you once it’s done, and then I’ll take it back to my studio for digitizing before sending it back to you by registered mail.
What is your art style?
My style is natural, relaxed and spontaneous. I look for lots of natural light and vibrant colours. I’m pretty good at noticing things and I absolutely love spotting unexpected opportunities for a great picture. I especially love capturing the unique features and expressions of people interacting and being themselves. I like to get a good mix of scenes and details of your venue, alongside the key moments of your wedding, couples portraits and sketches of your guests enjoying themselves. Brought together these paint a vibrant picture of your day that you can cherish forever. Check out my gallery section for a closer look at my work, and feel free to browse my website more broadly for a sense of the other artistic work I do.
Will we, or our guests, have to pose for very long?
Of course not! My style is all about capturing the moment, so mostly I’ll be drawing people, including the happy couple, as they go about the business of getting married. I’m happy to draw portraits of the couple and any guests who would like, but nobody needs to seriously and silently pose as though they’re having a formal portrait done! I’ll have people sit or stand comfortably and just hang out for about 10 minutes - chatting, moving and relaxing are all totally fine, and usually mean I’ll get a much more natural, lovely impression of the whole personality.
What materials do you use?
Your wedding book is beautifully hand bound with a lovely cream linen cover and with 300gsm Arches Aquarelle watercolour paper, one of the most popular and finest watercolour papers in the world. This means it’s thick and won’t warp, and it’s acid free so it won’t degrade or discolour through the years. The book is A5* Quarto size, a traditional French paper size which means that the finished book is slightly smaller than A5: 19.5cm x 14.5cm. The book has 30 pages, so you can expect 30 drawings and paintings completed over the course of the day.
My paints are top quality artists watercolours from Winsor and Newton, who make rich, strong pigments that last longer than cheap watercolours, which often fade after a few months.
Will you be able to draw everyone?
Unless it’s a fairly small wedding, I probably won’t be able to draw literally everyone, as each painting takes between about 5-30 minutes. Even if there was time, not everybody wants to pose – some might not want a portrait at all! I’ll work with you to ensure I know about any important people, events or details you want me to capture, but I also like to be flexible and spontaneous, so I can’t guarantee which specific people or moments I’ll be able to capture. Often, I find it is those moments that could never have been planned for that become the most cherished pictures.
What equipment do you need?
My setup is very minimal: I’ll be sketching directly in your wedding book on my lap. I’ll bring a folding stool so I can can set up anywhere there’s a good view and I’m out of your guests’ way.
Can you create a compilation print from the illustrations?
Of course! I’ll always take your book home to scan and send you digital copies of your illustrations. I’m also happy to design a stunning compilation print for you to frame, using my favourites, and any you specially request. Giclée printed on A1 size Hahnemühle German Etching paper, this is a truly archival, museum-quality print, capturing the charm and handmade quality of the original. This is an additional £295 and will take an additional 1-5 working days to arrive.
Are you insured?
Of course! I have full public liability insurance.
We’re planning a small and/or short wedding, can you still do it?
A small number of guests, or no guests, is no problem! I’m happy to draw people in many different moments, and to take the time to explore the event and find special things to capture. However. it really does take 8-10 hours to complete 30 drawings, so very short weddings are trickier. I may be able to make something work using photographs taken before or during the wedding - please contact me to discuss.
Can we meet before the wedding?
For sure! I love to catch up via Skype or Facetime for a coffee and chat. I like to get to know you and for us to all feel comfortable. I’m easy going and can easily turn up and do a job but I want to learn as much as I can about you to give me the best chance of creating an authentic and beautiful document of your day.
How long after the wedding do we receive our book?
My turnaround for digitizing your images and returning your book by registered mail is 2 weeks.
I know someone who’s getting married. Can I buy this as a gift?
Absolutely! A magical book of illustrations makes an amazing wedding present! I would be delighted to work with relatives or friends who would like to gift a wedding illustration package to the happy couple - just let me know!
Do we need to pay for lunch/dinner for you on the day?
I won't require meals to be provided, I will always make my own arrangements.