Live watercolor portraits in ink and mixed media, painted on site at Epping Forest Yacht Club in Jacksonville.
Live watercolor portraits in ink and mixed media, painted on site at Epping Forest Yacht Club in Jacksonville.
Somewhere around nine o'clock, my table became the quietest spot in the room.
The band was loud. The dance floor was full. And right next to the bar, people kept drifting over with a drink in hand. They came for a refill. They stayed to watch a face appear on paper.
Nobody was in a line. Nobody was waiting. They were just watching.
That's my favorite part of any wedding. Not the first brushstroke. The moment a guest stops mid-sip and recognizes someone they love on the paper.
This is the story of Jillian and Bill's wedding at Epping Forest Yacht Club. The biggest event I've painted so far. And one of the longest days I've had with a brush in my hand.
The brief
Jillian and Bill wanted their guests to leave with something real. Not a favor that ends up in a kitchen drawer. A keepsake with their guest’s own face on it, painted that night, at their wedding.
The guest list was 225 people. That number sat in my head for a while.
So we planned it like an activation, not a headcount. The station runs continuously. Guests sign up, get photographed, and go back to the party. I paint. They come back and collect their portrait later. First come, first served, all night long.
No queue. No one missing their own cousin’s toast to stand in line for a drawing.
The setup
Every card was designed for this wedding. "Jillian ♥ Bill" and the date across the top. And at the bottom, a small ink sketch of the Epping Forest clubhouse, so every portrait carries the place it was made.
If you’ve been to Epping Forest, you know the setting does half the work. The river. The Spanish moss. The old Mediterranean-style house that looks like it has a few stories of its own. It felt right to put a little of it on every card.
I arrived at 4pm to set up. Table, lights, paints, a stack of blank cards, and a very strong cup of coffee.
The evening, as it happened
4:00 pm. Setup outside
Cocktail hour was outdoors, so that's where the station started. Warm light, a breeze off the water, and the kind of sound that only a happy crowd makes.
The first three hours. Cocktail hour on the lawn.
This is when the sign-ups come fast. Guests are fresh, dressed up, and curious. Couples came as pairs. Friends came in threes. And nobody has to stand at my table. Smile for the photo, go enjoy yourself, come back later.
Moving indoors.
When the reception started, the station moved inside. We placed it away from the dance floor, in a quiet corner by the bar. This turned out to be the best decision of the night. People came for a drink and stayed for the art. The bar became a little gallery.
The long middle.
This is the part nobody photographs. Head down. Brush moving. Ink first for the lines, then the watercolor. One portrait, then the next, then the next. Each one takes minutes, and each one has to look like them. Not a type. Not a cartoon. Them, on their best night.
11:30 pm. Last brushstroke.
Seven and a half hours after setup, I put the brush down.
My hand was tired. My heart was very full.
The long middle.
This is the part nobody photographs. Head down. Brush moving. Ink first for the lines, then the watercolor. One portrait, then the next, then the next. Each one takes minutes, and each one has to look like them. Not a type. Not a cartoon. Them, on their best night.
11:30 pm. Last brushstroke.
Seven and a half hours after setup, I put the brush down.
My hand was tired. My heart was very full.
What the guests took home
Every guest portrait was painted in ink and watercolor on premium cardstock, then slipped into a protective sleeve. The dresses got the most attention. That's the fashion illustrator in me. A blue gown has to move. A red satin gown has to catch light, even on paper.
And for Jillian and Bill, a couple portrait of their own. Champagne glasses up. Veil everywhere. Framed and ready for a wall.
I also shared the night with live painter Ben Keys (https://www.instagram.com/benkeysfineart/), who painted the couple on canvas while I painted the guests. Two artists, two very different jobs, one very lucky couple.
In their own words
A few messages from guests after the wedding:
"How beautiful!! Thank you!!"
"Omg soooo cute I love it!!"
"Wow! Thanks it's beautiful."
Short messages. They mean a lot to me.
Why this works at a big wedding
Here's what I learned from 225 guests.
A live artist at a wedding isn't a line at a booth. It's a place people wander to. It gives the guest who doesn't dance somewhere to be. It gives grandparents a reason to sit down. It gives the room something to talk about that isn't the weather.
And when it's placed well, like that corner by the bar, it becomes part of the reception instead of competing with it.
A quiet thank you
To Jillian and Bill, for trusting me with your guests. To the team at Epping Forest Yacht & Country Club. To Heather Hagin for keeping the night running like a clock. And to Ashley Steeby and Ricker Films for the beautiful photos and film.
If you're planning a wedding in Jacksonville or St. Augustine and want your guests to leave with something they'll actually keep, see how live guest illustration works (https://www.shonezidesigns.com/live-illustration-services-and-pricing) or check your date here (https://www.shonezidesigns.com/live-illustration-form).
I'd love to paint your people.
Shonezi
Credits
Venue: Epping Forest Yacht & Country Club (https://www.efyc.com/weddings-events), Jacksonville, FL
Planning and design: Heather Hagin Events, @heatherhaginevents (https://www.instagram.com/heatherhaginevents/)
Photography: Ashley Steeby, @ashleysteeby (https://www.instagram.com/ashleysteeby/)
Videography: Ricker Films, @rickerfilms (https://www.instagram.com/rickerfilms/)
Live event painting: Ben Keys, @benkeysfineart (https://www.instagram.com/benkeysfineart/)
Live guest illustration: Illustrated by Shonezi (https://www.shonezidesigns.com)
More from the studio: live illustration portfolio (https://www.shonezidesigns.com/live-illustration-portfolio) · why I paint guests like a fashion illustration (link to our post: /blogs/live-fashion-illustration-not-caricature) · Instagram @shonezi_designer (https://instagram.com/shonezi_designer)