A Face I Knew

I have worked with Aimee before.

She is one of those people you don’t forget — full of joyful, electric energy, with the kind of talent for pulling together glittering events that most people can only dream of. When I last saw her, she was heavily pregnant, glowing, and absolutely unstoppable.

I hadn’t seen her for a few years. I found out exactly how many the moment the ceremony began.

Walking Adown the aisle were her daughters — a five year old big sister and four year old twins. Those tiny girls, dressed beautifully, walking their mother towards their dad, the man she was about to marry.

The last time I sketched Aimee, those twins were still months away from being born. I had to take a breath.

The Groom Who Made the Call

I was introduced to N before the reception began, and he said something that I will not forget in a hurry.

He told me that he had a sketch I had done of A — from that pregnancy, all those years ago — and that he loved it. He said it was one of his favourite things.

And when they started talking about the wedding, it was Nathan who said: we have to get Sarah.

I have been requested by brides, by mothers of brides, by wedding planners and by venues. Being requested by the groom — specifically, enthusiastically, because of a sketch he treasured — is something else entirely.

A looked absolutely stunning. And N had a smile on his face from ear to ear from the moment I arrived to the moment I left.

The Guests Who Stole the Night

Every wedding has a favourite moment for me. Something I carry home. Here, it was N's family.

They had travelled from New Zealand, and they brought their culture with them so beautifully and so naturally that it didn’t feel like a gesture — it felt like a gift. Between the speeches, a song began. Not announced, not choreographed — it simply started, voices joining together, and the room went completely still.

And then the men did the Haka.

I have never seen it performed in person before. I was not prepared for how it would feel to be in that room — the power of it, the love in it, the pride. It was one of the most extraordinary things I have witnessed at a wedding in fourteen years.

I joked with A afterwards that I had felt a little under pressure that evening — in the very best way. Her guests were so warm and so curious, so genuinely interested in what I was doing, that my head was up and down like a yo-yo. Answering questions, laughing, connecting — while also making absolutely sure I delivered every sketch I had promised.

I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

What This Kind of Wedding Feels Like

A and N, like my husband Matt and I, had their family before they got married.

There is something particular about celebrating a wedding when the life is already so richly underway. It is less about well-wishing for what is to come and more about celebrating everything that already exists — the children, the years, the joy already created together.

You cannot fail to feel that in a room full of people who love them. It is a different kind of celebration. In many ways, a fuller one.

About Zonzo Estate

Zonzo Estate in the Yarra Valley is one of Melbourne’s most beloved wedding venues — and one of my personal favourites to work at. I am proud to be a preferred supplier and to have been part of so many extraordinary evenings there.

If you are planning your Zonzo wedding and considering a live illustrator, I would love to hear from you. Preferred supplier relationships mean I know the venue, the team, and how the evening flows — which makes the experience seamless for you and your guests.

About Live Wedding Illustration

I illustrate at weddings across Melbourne, the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Sydney, and beyond — including international destination weddings. Every event is completely different. Every one teaches me something new.

Wedding packages begin at $1,900 + GST for a five-hour event, including A5 guest sketches presented in luxury envelopes, a complimentary couple’s portrait, and a custom template designed around your day.

View wedding packages →

Sarah Darby is an award-winning Melbourne-based live fashion illustrator. Named IFIW 2026 People’s Choice Award Winner and inducted into FIDA’s Top 100 Fashion Illustrators globally, she holds back-to-back commendations for Best Live Event Artist (2023 and 2024). She has illustrated for Cartier, Valentino, Fendi, Sofitel, Rolls-Royce, and private royal clients in the Middle East.

Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahdarbyfashionillustration