When it comes to booking wedding entertainment, you might not be a hundred percent sure of what you want. Deliberating between hiring a band or a DJ is something that many brides and grooms go through ahead of their big day – you may even want a Ceilidh – but other forms of entertainment are also available! Magicians tend to be very popular as do photo booths, but we thought we’d use the blog today to talk about the wonderful idea of hiring a silhouette artist for a wedding.
Silhouette art is one that has been around for well over 200 years. Since the late 18th century, silhouette artists have been able to create almost instantaneous art by cutting a profile of their subject from card and mounting the image on a contrasting colour. The creation was often referred to as ‘paper cuts’ as well as simply ‘silhouette imagery’. Famous artists of the past who made their living from this impressive artistic ability include author of The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen.
Since becoming a highly popular form of art, silhouettes were also used in shadow theatre and also on film with Lotte Reiniger pioneering the use of shadow and silhouettes in numerous silent films that utilised a variety of iconic graphical images of the age. With the advent of photography, the silhouette artist became more of a curiosity but one that always goes down incredibly at numerous events and weddings throughout the year. Guests are often absolutely stunned at the skills and ability of a silhouette artist, with most performers able to complete their cutting within two minutes or less. It really is a piece of entertainment that needs to be seen!
When hired for a wedding, silhouette artists will stroll through your friends and family and offer to create a cutting for them. Generally speaking, they can manage up to twelve in an hour, though naturally numbers fluctuate depending on how difficult the subject is! Gifting your wedding guests with a free memento of your big day is something that will stay with them long into the future. The simple and unique beauty of a silhouette ensures that many can even display the creation on their wall. Such is the popularity of this idea, some artists have even created whole exhibitions devoted to famous characters and what their profiles may look like.
Hiring a silhouette artist for your wedding day may not be an obvious choice but we certainly feel it’s one of the more unique choices out there. Perfect for the drinks reception or as the bride and groom are having their photos taken, it’s a genuinely interesting addition to the best day of your life. Oh and it goes without saying that the bride and groom will receive their very own cutting if requested!
