beyond the brush: 4 ways to customize your live guest portraits
Making the Guest Experience Truly Yours // When I first began painting live guest portraits, I quickly realized that my couples aren't just looking for a service—they are looking for a way to make their loved ones feel seen and cherished. While receiving a hand-painted watercolor on the spot is special in and of itself, Fig and Font offers several ways to further refine and personalize the experience to match your wedding’s unique aesthetic and feel.
Whether you are hosting a black-tie gala in Buckhead or a whimsical garden party on the Marietta Square, here are four ways we can customize your guest’s art experience:
1. Hand-Lettered Personalization
The simplest way to elevate a portrait is through the art of calligraphy. I can hand-letter your guests' names directly onto their paintings using a fine-point pen. This requires me to be nimble and interactive, chatting with your guests as they pick up their art. It’s a subtle, delicate addition that turns a "sketch" into a personalized heirloom.
2. Custom "Thank You" Note Inserts
One of the most meaningful touches you can add is a "hidden" message. You provide the verbiage—something like, "Our celebration wouldn’t have been the same without you!” or “Thank you for celebrating with us! Love, The Newlyweds"—and I print and cut these notes in my studio before the event. Each portrait is placed in a protective sleeve with the note tucked inside, so when your guests turn the package over, they find a personal word of gratitude from you.
3. Venue & Date Custom Stamping
For couples who want their portraits to serve as a literal "souvenir" of the day, we can stamp the venue name and wedding date on each piece. This can be placed on the front for a classic look, or on the back if you’d prefer guests to have a clean, frameable portrait while still retaining the memory of when and where it was painted.
4. The Signature Embossed Seal: The Luxury Choice
This is my absolute favorite customization. Using a physical embosser, we can press a design into the watercolor paper itself, creating a raised, textural mark of quality but one that doesn’t distract from the painting since there’s no dark ink involved. The raised image on the page feels subtle yet refined.
Monograms: Your new shared initial with floral accents.
Names & Dates: A clean, modern look for the bottom of the page.
Custom Branding: If you have a custom wedding logo or monogram from your stationery designer, we can turn it into a custom embosser to carry your wedding branding consistently through every detail, even the guest favors.
Note: Because this involves ordering custom hardware and hand-pressing the paper in my studio, this option requires advanced notice—but the result is undeniably high-end. Only brides who book at least 6 weeks before their date will have access to the custom embossing option.
No Idea is Too Outlandish // At Fig and Font, I thrive on bringing your unique vision to life — I am here to solve the puzzle of how to make your wedding favors feel intentional and refined. If you have an idea for customization that isn't listed here, I would love to hear it!
Ready to customize your wedding fine art? Let’s chat about your vision - Message me here!
