Live Wedding Painting – Jocelyn & Dalton
Jocelyn and Dalton’s wedding was my first live wedding painting at 1684 Venue Resort in fall of 2025, and we went all out. This wedding featured both a couples live painting *AND* live guest portraits!
Starting with Guest Portraits
To make the most of my time on site, we chose to start with guest portraits. Designated “VIP” guests like parents & the bridal party received early access to text a special keyword to my number. It automatically prompts guests to send a selfie as a reference for me to paint from and explains the next steps. No guessing, no waiting in lines…just a smooth & friendly process!
I began painting early and continued throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour. Many guests were able to pick up their portraits that same evening, and watching their reactions never gets old. The joy, the surprise, the feeling of being seen – it’s such a meaningful part of the process.
Transitioning to the Couple’s Painting
Just after the ceremony, I paused painting guest portraits and met with the newly married couple as planned at the altar for reference photos. Their vision for the painting was a pose at the altar that had the perfect backdrop -overlooking the lake, framed by soft pampas grass, black accents, candlelight, and a simple cross with draping moving gently in the breeze under a clear blue sky. By request, we also included their two pups in the painting! 🐾(The dogs were painted in using photo references, since they couldn’t be physically present!)
After congratulating the couple briefly (because hey, they have some celebrating and photos to do!) and snagging those photo references, I went back to painting portraits until the reception festivities truly began. I then transitioned to the easel to begin the couple’s live wedding painting!
Throughout the evening, guests were able to watch the scene come to life brushstroke by brushstroke. With a little guidance from me, a few had the opportunity to help paint. I painted as much as I could on site and was happy with the progress, considering I had less time than usual to paint. The important layout, proportional and color filled the canvas and the guests had a great time, which is my main focus!
The video from the day shows it all unfolding, from the ceremony space and decor, to my setup, to guests picking up their portraits, and finally the couple’s painting coming together. Toward the end, you’ll even see reference photos and the studio refinements that brought the final piece to completion.
After the Wedding
Any guest portraits I didn’t get to on-site were completed in studio and shipped to the couple shortly after so everyone is taken care of 🥰Some couples like to ship these off with their thank you cards!
As I type this, the final wedding painting is now varnished, curing, and nearly ready for its forever home. It will be delivered in museum-quality packaging and includes:
- Fine art care instructions
- Ready to hand hardware
- Cotton gloves for handling
- A signed Certificate of Authenticity
Every detail matters – not just the painting itself, but how it’s preserved for generations to come.
I’m so grateful to Jocelyn & Dalton for the opportunity to infuse so much creativity into their day while making everyone feel like a work of art. They were truly a joy to work with, and I’m so excited for this new chapter of their lives as husband and wife.
