Caricatures at weddings are a thing that 10 years ago was seen as unusual. Nowadays when I draw at weddings I meet a lot of people who have already had a caricature at another Wedding! In a world where grooms and brides-to-be look for increasingly interesting party favours and entertainment for their big day, having a caricaturist at their shindig is seen as something quirky and different. In addition, the guests can have a fun memento to take home and remind them of the day.
As I’ve been doing this for more than a decade I thought it would be useful to customers for me to write a quick guide to having someone draw caricatures at your wedding. Here goes!
BEFORE THE DAY
As anyone who has planned a wedding knows, this can be WAY before! I’ve had people book me THREE years in advance for example. You can book me far in advance, all I need is to know the address of your event and vague timings, and I can secure the date for a small deposit.
I’m amenable to all kinds of suggestions from the customer (For example a commemorative date and title on the caricatures)and don’t mind talking over phone or by email if you have any questions or queries, large or small.
I can travel all over the West Midlands, the UK, and further, customers will just have to know that the travel expense will be adjusted accordingly! In the few weeks before your wedding or at another convenient time I will call to talk about finer details for the day and go over any changes that may have occurred.
Caricaturists are very low maintenance and all I need to know is that the space I’ll be drawing my caricatures in is well lit and what the guests will be doing during my time with you. I want to make sure that you feel happy and secure with my services before the big day!
ARRIVAL
I aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before I am due to start drawing caricatures at your wedding, so as to talk to you or your event planner about where you want me. After that I can be left to my own devices and can start drawing my spot-on caricatures of your guests!
I have two ‘modes’ in which I can operate, the first being stationery, drawing in one spot so that the guests know where to get their caricature, or ‘Mix and Mingle’ mode, where I walk around the venue drawing guests where they are standing or sitting. I find the former is better for getting more caricatures drawn, as I usually get a queue of people, but I understand if the latter is more suitable to the dynamics of the event.
THE CARICATURING ITSELF!
So your about to get caricature, exciting! I usually sit a metre or so away from the guests I am drawing caricatures of so I can comfortably see their features.
If a little bit nervous that I will caricature a feature they feel insecure about in a ridiculous, overblown and grotesque way, they can let me know and I’ll try to be sensitive to their needs!
On an A4 sheet of card(my preferred size) I can easily caricature between 1 and 5 people, with each person taking approximately 5 minutes to caricature in black ink. In this time I chat to the guests I am drawing to put them at ease and they are often surprised at how quick the caricatures are finished. It’s of course easier to caricature people who are sitting still but you’d be surprised at how accurate a caricature I can get of someone who is sozzled or fidgety!
After the caricatures are finished I slide them into a plastic sleeve to protect the drawing from smudges, and I can either hand the drawings directly to the guests I’ve drawn or put the caricatures in some kind of display so that they can be seen all together and taken away by guests as they leave. In the event a friend or relative couldn’t make it to the wedding I can even draw caricatures from photographs.
Before you know it the whole room will be buzzing with laughter at their caricatures. They are the perfect icebreaker and room-warmer 😉
TO CONCLUDE
Apologies if there’s a question about my caricatures or me as a caricaturist that I’ve missed out, but this summary is in essence what you can expect from Pen Jones the Caricaturist when you book me for your wedding.
I’m professional, smartly dressed, full of good cheer, and most importantly of all a good caricaturist who can get a great likeness and make your guests laugh.
I include below a few choice quick 5 minute caricatures from throughout my career as a caricaturist. Have a look why not! If you need to see more caricature just check out my portfolio page here—>
https://penjones.co.uk/portfolio-new/
Don’t forget to share this link on social media and tell people about my website. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of caricature, people!
https://penjones.co.uk/
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