Live Wedding Painting in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

July 2, 2016 was one of those summer days that feels like you’re living in a storybook. The weather could not have been more perfect for Jenn and Nick’s wedding that took place on the tree covered lawn of Hines Hill Campus in the heart of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

The weather wasn’t the only thing that made this wedding feel like a fairy tale. The picturesque stone architecture, the bride’s gorgeous violet hair, the whimsical scenery enhanced by Sweet Water Caravan and all the fun they brought to the party... this was a wedding reception I could not wait to capture with paint!

I had been hired by the sister of the bride to paint the wedding reception as a surprise gift for the bride and groom. As the ceremony took place behind a romantic stone cottage, I decided on the best angle to capture the celebration and set up my easel and paints.

By the time the newlyweds made their way over to the reception area, I had started laying in the background of the scene and the first layer of paint was on the canvas. The timing was perfect when Kathryn, the bride’s sister, brought the happy couple over to meet me and discover the special wedding present she somehow managed to keep a secret until that moment!

I love when my clients get a chance see their painting during the early stages... it makes the artwork even more sentimental when they can look at it years from now and remember how it looked in the beginning – when their marriage first began.

There was a lot of excitement surrounding me as I painted this outdoor celebration... hoola hoopers, lawn games, children running and laughing (and sometimes asking me if they could paint too! Ahhh! haha)

I hoped to capture the joy and happiness I witnessed that day in the painting. When I brought it home to finish up in my studio, I was so happy I had met Kevin of Kevin Chuey Photography, who was able to get me the PERFECT photo of the bride and groom. With the help of this source image for reference, I was able to add their portrait to the foreground, completing the scene.

When I delivered the painting to the newlyweds, their reaction made me feel like I had succeeded. A one-of-a-kind work of art to preserve the unique memory of a truly magical day! Congrats Jenn and Nick, I hope your marriage is as much a fairytale as your wedding was – thanks for having me there to paint it!