Laura and Eric had a gorgeous backyard wedding on June 24th, 2023 right on the shore of Lake Oconomowoc in Wisconsin. 

I arrived around noon to get a lay of the land and meet with their wedding planner to figure out where I should set up. My fiancé, Greg, came with me to assist in getting behind the scenes footage and content that I could use for social media. Since our wedding was only a couple months away at this point, I had fun telling people he was practicing to be my instagram husband!

As we arrived at the house, Laura and her bridesmaids were enjoying a champagne toast in the front lawn. I set up my easel in the backyard in the middle of the ceremony space so I could get a good view of the gorgeous floral archway that was the centerpiece of their ceremony spot. The brick patio that led off to the docks made for the perfect altar for them to say their I Dos!

Since I was there early, I got the sweetest sneak peek of their first look! I continued to paint as their guests began to arrive and take their seats, and then the moment came where they had their first kiss and were pronounced husband and wife. I snagged several photos to use as a reference for my painting so I could add the couple into the painting at the end!

I had a lot of fun allowing guests to participate in the painting during the reception. As there was a lot of grass, cobblestones, trees, and water, I was able to let the guests take a stab at adding some color to the canvas! My favorite might have been a sweet 7 year old budding artist that got to leave her mark on the painting for the newlyweds! 

Overall, I painted for probably 8 hours on the wedding day. I then brought the painting home and touched it up! This process usually takes between one and three months to complete depending on what else is on my queue of work at home. I am so thrilled with how Laura and Eric’s painting turned out, and I’m grateful to this lovely couple for trusting me with their special day and for being willing to be my guinea pig for this first official live wedding painting!