Live Illustration at a luxury wedding in Monaco

I recently had the pleasure of illustrating live at a beautiful wedding at Villa K11 by Sun Secret, on the coast of Roquebrune Cap Martin, just steps from Monaco. The villa is a Belle Époque gem built in 1904, set on over 3 hectares of gardens perched above a cliff with the Mediterranean view.This was one of those settings that takes your breath away before you've even picked up a brush.

My assistant standing in front of the gorgeous property gives you a sense of the scale and beauty of the venue hidden away in a very private street.

The first setup was right in front of the ceremony area, where guests arrived for drinks before taking their seats. This wedding happened to fall during a heatwave, and the sun was so intense that beyond the heat itself, I could barely see my reference images on screen, which slowed me down a little. Fortunately, these clients had chosen the premium package, which covers all their 100+ guests, so any portraits left unfinished on the day were completed after the wedding back in my studio.

The view over the Mediterranean was spectacular, and the white floral arrangements by Lettre à Elise Floral Designer made the whole scene feel like straight from a romantic movie with those thousands of white roses.

The first portrait completed that day was a family of four! Someone had left the bride's bouquet on my table for a while, and it looked so beautiful next to the illustration that it made for the perfect photo. Soon after the ceremony, I was asked to move my set-up to the pool area where guests were having dinner.

Peak working time, well protected from the sun here which allowed me to pick up the pace! With sunset so late at this time of the year on the Riviera, I completely forgot to take my dinner break until 9pm The bride was lovely, and you could tell the guests were genuinely excited about the illustrations. One guest even offered to pay for shipping himself to make sure he'd get his portrait safely. That kind of reaction is what makes this work so special.'\

A few guest portraits waiting to be picked up. One thing that happens at every wedding without fail: guests spot a friend or family member's portrait and rush to bring it to them. I love how easily they recognize each other in the illustrations, and how happy they are to bring it to them! The day's work was over, but the remaining guest portraits were completed back in my studio and shipped to the couple along with their wedding detailed portrait !

Planning a wedding on the French Riviera or elsewhere in Europe? Feel free to reach out if you need a live illustrator!