How We Did a Live Painting AND Live Guest Portraits for this Couple's Dreamy Hawaiian Wedding at Anna’s Ranch.
live guest portrait artist
How We did a Live Painting AND Live Guest Portraits for this couple's Dreamy Hawaiian Wedding at Anna’s Ranch.
I was ecstatic when Nyla first contacted me to paint guests at her and Alex’s Waimea, Hawai’i vow renewal taking place on the Big Island in 2024. The couple had actually already been married for a few years but due to Covid had not yet had the chance to celebrate with their family and friends, something that was important to them as well as the brides late father.
A Dreamy Hawaiian Setting
The wedding was held at Anna’s Ranch, a stunning location with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape and rolling hills. The mountain atmosphere, combined with the couple’s love for each other, created a truly magical setting for the celebration.
live wedding painting at Anna’s Ranch
The Live Painting Experience
I arrived early, hours before the ceremony to get setup and start painting in the sky. Since I work with oil paints I couldn’t get too far on the background ahead of time but I was able to work on a special request from the bride right away, angel wings in the sky to represent her father and loved ones who were no longer with them.
Once the couple had their first look, I snapped a reference photo of the two of them doing a dip - the requested moment for the painting. I began working on this and loosely sketched in guests as they arrived for the ceremony. The painting was far from finished by the end of the ceremony but it was well mapped out and final touches would be added in my home studio so that the rest of the day could focus on guest portraits.
Guest Portraits: A Personalized Touch
As the reception began, I quickly shifted into guest portrait mode, capturing as many photos and painting as many guests as I could as quickly as I could. The guests were incredible and so interactive! They were so stoked to have been able to see the beginning of Nyla and Alex’s canvas painting and then receive their own personal treasures from such a special day. We had discussed any unfinished guests being done in studio and sent to Nyla with her final oil painting but I was actually able to get all the portraits done that day!
A Memorable Experience
Working on Nyla and Alex’s wedding was an unforgettable experience. The couple’s love and joy were infectious, and I was honored to be a part of their special day. While it completely flew by for me, fitting in both the live painting and guest portraits provided an extremely unique and meaningful way to capture the magic of the occasion for everyone involved. It was really cool for the guests to see both a fine art piece begin and transform before their eyes and then get to have their own special art keepsake from the day.
