Drawing at the beautiful Victorian Belle Mansion…

If you don’t already know (but you probably do, if you’re reading this at all) - I do live guest portraits at weddings and events, and rather than take a photo, the guests sit for me as I draw. It only takes about ten minutes for two people.

Back in May I attended the Veil and Vows alternative wedding expo, hosted at the Victorian Belle Mansion. I offered complimentary live portrait drawings to couples, and was quite busy drawing the entire show.

I ended up getting a few inquiries and a couple of bookings, one of which I just fulfilled the other day- it was clear and sunny (so sunny that I actually had to move my set up a few feet over as the sun was in my eyes). My couple’s wedding took place at the very venue the expo did, the Victorian Belle. It’s one of my favorite venues in Portland; a sprawling, lush garden with a three story high ornate house towering over the space. The ceremony took place in the gazebo, and it is very quaintly decorated. I enjoyed being set up right outside of the gazebo, so as guests left the ceremony to attend cocktail hour, they saw me right away. It’s always a little difficult if you’re positioned in a place that’s a little out of the way.

I was booked at Jessica and Kellen’s wedding during their cocktail hour, although I always give a half hour grace period so I ended up drawing for about an hour and a half! I believe everyone who really wanted a drawing was able to get one, and I left when everyone had already been ushered off to dinner.

Having a live guest portrait artist at your wedding is such a fun feature, everyone was really pleased with their drawings, and I had a great time capturing everyone’s likeness. I think if you want a favor for your guests, to have them take away something from your wedding to remember the day- something they will cherish and keep- it’s kind of the perfect option.

I will be back at the Victorian Belle for the next Veil and Vows wedding expo on November 15th. If you’re planning a wedding and are interested in this service, definitely check that out, as I’ll be doing free sample portraits again. The link to get a ticket for that is here.