My work as a live wedding painter takes me on all sorts of adventures, and this wedding had many surprises.
I was referred to this wedding by another painter who works more locally in western Tennessee. She was unavailable for the wedding but gave the client my name. This wedding was 6 hours from me, but I was more than happy to travel to them to capture their special day on canvas.
The wedding ceremony took place in the woods on the groom’s family property in west Tennessee, while the reception was held in an old steel barn. Because the ceremony was set under the backdrop of the summer foliage, there was a good distance between the ceremony and the parking area. Thankfully, they had organized a golf cart to get me to and from the ceremony.
The terrain we drove over was more than a little rough, and I guess no one told the driver (the neighbor’s boy) to take it slow, because we were bouncing and jostling over every bump in the road. I didn't mind the rough ride, and for some reason, my only reaction was to laugh at the comedy of the ride.
With an elegant wooden arbor draped in white tulle, and the bright green summer leaves framing the couple, the location could not have been more beautiful as the wedding began.
An interesting detail about this wedding was that instead of having a flower girl, the couple decided to have both the bride and groom's grandmothers take on that special role. This tradition has been gaining popularity in recent years and it was heartwarming to see the wide smiles on these grandmothers' faces as they walked down the aisle, scattering petals and sharing in the joy of the occasion.
Throughout the evening I could feel such warmth and connection from everybody there. This truly was a family celebration, and everyone felt like part of the family.
The photo I captured for the painting was the bride and groom’s candid first kiss, the two had saved their first look for the aisle, making this moment so loving and genuine, which truly showed through in their final painting.
When I and all of the guests had moved back to the barn for the reception, I got started painting their portrait. I was deep in the painting when I noticed the crowd starting to migrate outside.
Normally, this is when I would expect to see the first dance taking place, and as I stepped outside the barn as the setting sun bathed everything in golden light, I could not have been more surprised to see the bride mounted on a mechanical bull.
Have you ever been to a wedding with a mechanical bull? Because up until that moment, it had never crossed my mind to have bull riding at a wedding.
The operator started the ride and the spectacle blew me away. When the bride lost her grip she had no reservations about landing on the dirty dusty mat in her pristine white dress. Joy and laughter were all you could see on her face.
This wedding was one of the most unique I've ever attended. The painting turned out beautiful, and the couple loved how it captured their first kiss. This was a very down-to-earth country wedding, and I hope I have the opportunity to paint more weddings for this lovely family.
If you would like a special keepsake for your wedding, whether city or country, glitzy or rustic, I would love to make that happen! Get a quote for your live wedding portrait!