Everyone you love, in one room, on paper.
Live watercolor guest portraits by Kay Potter, painted face first, so every guest looks like who they are.
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The people who made the trip
Your wedding may be the only time everyone you love is in one place. Grandparents and college roommates. The cousins who flew in, the friends from every chapter of your life, the neighbor who watched you grow up. They came because they love you.
Most of the day moves past too quickly to really take that in. A guest portrait is a way to stop and notice each one of them, and to give something back to the people who showed up.
The moment they see themselves
Kay's favorite part of painting guests is the moment someone sees their portrait for the first time. Their eyes light up. They laugh, or go quiet, or call someone over to look. It's rare for anyone to see themselves the way an artist sees them, with real care and attention, and it's a feeling people don't forget.
That's the gift you're giving: something more personal than a favor, a small piece of art made just for them that looks like them.
Painted face first
There are lots of lovely ways to paint wedding guests. Kay's way starts with the face.
She paints your grandmother's smile across the dinner table, your best friend mid-laugh, your nephew grinning past his bedtime. Watercolor keeps each portrait light and loose, and there's still no mistaking who it is. Years from now, that's what people will hold on to: how everyone looked the night you got married.
How the night works
Stop by the table. Guests visit Kay's table during the reception, where her assistant takes a few quick photos. There's no sitting still and no posing, and they're back to the party in a minute or two.
Painted live, right there with you. Kay paints at the table through the reception for up to six hours. Guests drift over to watch, and it quickly becomes a favorite corner of the room.
A display that fills in through the evening. Finished portraits go up as they're painted. By the end of the night, there's a whole wall of your people.
Everyone gets one. Kay finishes any remaining guests in her studio after the wedding, working from the photos taken that night. Within two to three weeks, the whole collection is delivered to the two of you as one complete set. You can tuck them into thank-you notes, hand them out at a family dinner, or share them however feels right.
Finished with care
Each portrait is painted on 6×8" quality watercolor paper, sleeved in protective plastic, and stamped with your names and wedding date. If you'd like something different on the stamp, such as a monogram, a favorite line or your venue, Kay will design it with you.
Packages
Packages are a flat rate based on your guest count. When two guests share one sheet, they count as two. Every package includes up to six hours of live painting, an assistant photographing guests, the evening display, studio portraits for everyone not painted on site, protective sleeves and your custom stamp.
- Up to 50 guests: $3,000
- Up to 100 guests: $3,800
- Up to 150 guests: $5,000
More than 150? Let's talk.
Travel is quoted separately. A $1,000 retainer reserves your date.
The keepsake book
Every portrait from your wedding, photographed and printed together in one book for the two of you. Your guests get their portraits, and you keep everyone in one place. Details and pricing coming soon.
FAQ
No. They stop by the table for a few quick photos, and they're back to the party.
Yes. Kay is a portrait painter, and the face is where she starts.
As many as the evening allows, for up to six hours. If your reception is shorter, that's fine. Kay paints the rest in her studio, so every guest still gets one.
The live portraits stay up on the display for the evening. Kay then finishes the studio portraits and delivers the full set to you, sleeved and stamped, within two to three weeks.
Of course. Two guests on one sheet counts as two in your guest count.
[confirm: table size, lighting, power]
Yes. Travel is quoted based on your location.