Southern Wedding Guest Portraits: The Sweetest Keepsake They Didn’t Know They Needed

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June 22, 2025

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picasso, the million dollar napkin and live painting
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I create timeless heirloom paintings for couples looking for an original and intentional way to capture their wedding day, and I do it live.

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i'M COURTNEY KIBBY

You know that moment at a Southern wedding—when the cicadas are buzzing, the bourbon’s flowing, and everyone’s just glowing from the inside out? That’s the feeling I want to bottle up and hand to your guests… in the form of a watercolor.

Guest portraits might just be my favorite Southern wedding tradition-in-the-making. They’re heartfelt, personal, and full of soul—a little like handwritten thank-you notes or your grandma’s pound cake recipe passed down with love (and a smudge of butter on the card). You’re guaranteed a steady stream of “Wait, that’s real?!” and “OMG this is amazing!” and “I can’t WAIT to frame this!” — plus at least a few guests who’ll say, “I’ve never seen anything like this before!” or “I’ve only seen this on TikTok!”

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE WEDDING PERSONALIZATION IDEAS…

SOUTHERN WEDDING GUEST PORTRAITS

Here’s how it works:

I tuck myself into a quiet corner with a table, some linen that fits your aesthetic, and a palette full of color. No big easel or spotlight—just me, some brushes, and the soft hum of celebration around us. Your guests don’t need to stop dancing, posing, or sipping on a mint julep. I sketch quick, impressionistic portraits as the night unfolds—tiny captures of joy in motion.

By the end of the night, they walk away with a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Not a mass-produced favor, but something real. Something made just for them. A painted whisper of the moment they felt seen, loved, and celebrated.

No logos. No hashtags. Just art.
Wrapped in warmth and tied with a bow of meaning.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE SOUTHERN WEDDING VENUES…

And you? You get the best part.

After the wedding, I gather every guest portrait and layer in painted vignettes from the day:
— The sun dipping low behind the oaks
— The flower girls dancing barefoot on the grass
— Your venue glowing in candlelight
— The first kiss, the first dance, the last sparkler

It all comes together in a custom hardcover coffee table book—a keepsake you’ll treasure forever. The kind of thing you’ll pull out on anniversaries and snow days and someday, maybe, show to your grandkids.

YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE SAN DIEGO GUEST PORTRAITS…

Because Southern weddings aren’t just events—they’re stories.
And these portraits? They’re the little chapters your guests get to take home.

So if you’re dreaming of a celebration that feels intimate, artful, and full of love…
Let’s paint your people.

Bringing your wedding day to life, thrilling your guests with a show-stopping live wedding painting experience, and creating a timeless keepsake that honors your sacred bond and will warm your heart every time you look at it – it’s what I do best.

Hey, I'm Courtney.

From behind the easel, I serve timeless brides who still embrace the unexpected by creating heirloom painting experiences that are immersive, one-of-a-kind, and thrilling to watch.

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YOU WANT AN ARTIST CAPTURING YOUR WEDDING DAY.

With a slightly abstract Impressionist live painting experience that captures the love and joy of your story, shows off the beauty of your wedding day, and helps everyone who enters your future home to feel your wedding day, you’ll finally have THE THING that makes your wedding day unforgettable.

And your guests? They'll talk about your wedding forever because of the experience you gave them.

PAINT MY WEDDING

This is way more than just a wedding painting.