Live Wedding Illustrations at The Dolder Grand Zurich – A Romantic Outdoor Wedding with Guests from the USA
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of working as a Live Wedding Illustrator at the beautiful Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich for Anna & Michael’s wedding, a couple from the United States who traveled all the way to Switzerland together with their guests to celebrate their love in one of the most iconic luxury hotels overlooking Zurich.
And honestly? The day began with a tiny bit of weather drama.
The kind every wedding artist secretly watches through the window while checking the sky every five minutes and pretending not to panic.
The morning was grey, windy, rainy, and very undecided. AAAAAnd because my live guest illustration setup was originally planned outdoors, both the bride and I spent most of the morning asking ourselves the same question:
“Outside… or inside?” :,(
Switzerland in spring loves suspense apparently.
But as I slowly drove toward Zurich in the afternoon, the clouds began to soften. The rain slowed down. The light became warmer. And almost at the very last minute, Anna made the final decision:
“We’re doing it outside!”
And honestly? It ended up being magical.
I set up my illustration table outside overlooking the elegant ceremony space and transformed my little corner into a cozy live art station filled with watercolor paper, brushes, pencils and organized creative chaos.
Because the wind still had a bit of personality that day, I quickly realized displaying the finished illustrations upright was not going to end well. Unless, of course, we wanted the guests to experience an interactive treasure hunt across the Dolder gardens chasing watercolor portraits through Zurich.
So instead, I carefully placed the artworks flat on the table with little weights holding everything down while pretending this was all part of the artistic vision.
Before the ceremony even started, I began photographing guests with my iPad so I already had reference photos prepared in advance. This is usually how I work during live wedding illustration experiences, guests can continue enjoying cocktails, conversations, champagne, and the wedding itself while I later illustrate from the photographs peacefully without making anyone sit still for long periods.
And then the ceremony began.
While drawing quietly from my table, I could see Anna walking in with her father beside her. One of those moments where you suddenly forget you are working because everything feels cinematic for a second.
The guests became silent. The wind calmed down. Even the weather seemed to pause.
Throughout the ceremony, I alternated between sketching, painting, listening to the vows, and secretly watching the emotional reactions of the guests around me. One of the things I love most about live wedding illustration is that I don’t just create portraits, I witness tiny human moments all evening long.
After the ceremony, guests slowly began coming to my table one after another to be photographed, until my iPad eventually became completely full of smiling faces, elegant outfits, couples, families, champagne glasses, and joyful chaos.
At that point, I could simply sit back and illustrate calmly throughout the evening.
As sunset arrived over Zurich, the temperature dropped surprisingly quickly. And despite wearing a jacket, I eventually reached the point where even my Swiss survival skills were no longer enough to continue painting outside.
Thankfully, the incredibly kind team at The Dolder Grand immediately stepped in and helped move my entire setup indoors so I could continue illustrating comfortably during dinner service.
And honestly, there is something very special about painting during dinner at weddings. The atmosphere becomes softer, quieter, candlelit. Guests lean over the table to watch the illustrations appear brushstroke by brushstroke while conversations and laughter fill the room.
Take a look: Link to my video on instagram
By the end of the evening, I completed as many live watercolor illustrations as possible within the agreed time. The remaining guest portraits will now be finalized peacefully in my studio and later shipped directly to the couple together with an additional large A3 watercolor painting of Anna & Michael during their ceremony.
And I already know this final piece is going to be incredibly emotional to paint.
Anna & Michael, thank you so much for trusting me with your wedding memories.It was truly such a joy to be part of your day.
And to all future couples considering live wedding illustrations in Switzerland: Yes, even if the weather changes five times in one day… the magic always somehow finds its way through ☁️✨
Your Artist
Stephanie
Live Wedding Painter
Kuenzli Wedding Art
Comments