Sydney & Nick's Wedding
Sydney and Nick’s intimate wedding at the Granville Inn was a whirlwind of exquisiteness.
Sydney requested their first dance be live captured and gave me creative freedom for all other details. Upon arriving at the Granville Inn, I began setting up in the reception hall, while outside, first looks were photographed and guests gradually arrived. After setting up my paints and easel, I took the hour before the ceremony to paint the background and layout of their portrait. Initially, I painted the iconic Grandville Inn stone and curtains as a backdrop and lined the foreground in palette knifed textures and wedding flowers in pale pinks and sage. Painting was then paused to watch Nick and Sydney’s ceremony.
The outside ceremony began glazed in light, everyone aglow as the golden hour transcended sunset vows. Admiring the picturesque wedding arch and overhead string lights against the stunning cotton candy sky backdrop, I knew their wedding painting HAD to include these elements, this vibe. While additional photos took place and hors-d’oeuvre served, I quickly went back to my easel and repainted the curtains “opening” to reveal through a window the outdoor wedding patio against a sunset. This added diminution to their painting and better captured the emotion of Sydney and Nick’s perfect day. After dinner, the lovestruck couple made their way to the dance floor. This was when the live painting began. To get the dance completely painted and detailed in real time during their song, I painted via a grisaille, or a monochromatic palette underpainting, that would later be color glazed.
The very best part of the live paint experience is that Nick and Sydney could immediately come off the dance floor and see their painting. Another amazing aspect of the experience was how entertaining the painting process was to the guests. Each guest came over at least once during the evening to hang out with me, talk or take pics. The kids were captivated also! After the reception, I packed up and took the painting back to my studio for color glazing and sealing. The newly-wed couple after their honeymoon picked up their painting at their leisure .
Thank you, Sydney and Nick, for including event painting into your incredibly beautiful wedding!
Wedding photography: Alayna Parker
““No one’s ever painted my portrait.”
”No? Well, they should.””