What are Live Wedding Paintings?

 Since 2016 I have been painting weddings live as they happen. It's not the path that I set out on, but it's one that I kind of fell into. It was a wedding in Charlottesville and from there, I was asked from time to time to paint one. I didn't really pursue it, but in 2017, I painted a smattering of them and then a few more in 2018. 2019, I kind of put it on the backburner, but was still asked every so often to paint someone's. I don't think I did any in 2020 (for obvious reasons) and then in 2021, people began requesting them...a lot. I didn't understand why - I wasn't advertising or posting them on social media. TikTok...people were showing them all over TikTok. So, I began doing live wedding paintings almost every other weekend. 

So what is a live wedding painting? Well...it's a scene that the bride and groom (or bride and bride/groom and groom) want painted as it's happening. And not necessarily every single detail, but the ambiance of the moment...captured with an artistic feel to it. Whether it's the first dance, first kiss, walking down the aisle, saying the vows...the moment is painted as it's happening. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting some of my live wedding paintings to give you an idea of what it is. 

Each live wedding painter is different - some use oil, others paint in watercolor, but the industry standard seems to be acrylic. Some artists paint in high detail, others limit it. When you watch the TikTok videos and they show extreme close-ups of the painting, it's usually in the studio after the event (not always, but most of the time). 

On my end, I capture about 80% of the event in person and finish the remaining details in my studio. If the wedding is outside, I take soil from the area people said their vows and grind it into the paint, so that the couple always has a piece of the land they said their vows with them. Each live wedding painting will be different...some couples ask that the venue stands out, while others ask for closeups of them. If you're in the market for a live wedding painter, shoot me a message - johnpriceart@gmail.com. I'd love to set up an appointment with you and paint your wedding.