Live Painting vs Post Wedding Commission: Which Is Right for You?

Couples ask me all the time whether they should book live painting or order a commission after the wedding. I love this question because both paths end with a painting you will keep forever. The differences come down to experience, timeline, and price. Here is how I walk couples through the choice.

What live painting feels like

I arrive well before your moment and set up my easel while the venue hums around me. Once the celebration starts, guests wander over all evening to watch the canvas develop, so the painting doubles as entertainment. There is always a little crowd near the easel during cocktail hour. By the last song you take home a nearly finished painting, and your guests have watched your day become art in real time.

How a post wedding commission works

A commission is painted in my studio after your day, working from your photos. It carries the same style and the same care, just at a different pace. Commissions are a lovely fit for elopements, for destination weddings that fall outside my travel dates, and for anniversary gifts. If your wedding is already behind you, this is how your painting still happens.

• 

• 

Price and timeline

Live painting includes travel and hours on site, so it is the bigger investment. A commission is gentler on the budget, and the timeline is flexible, so it can arrive in time for a first anniversary or any date that matters to you. Exact numbers live on my pricing page, so you can compare collections side by side.

How to choose

If you want the experience and the wow moment for your guests, choose live painting. If you want the artwork itself with no timeline pressure, a commission is perfect. And some couples do both. They book a live painting of the ceremony, then come back later for a commissioned portrait from the same day.

Ready when you are

Still weighing the two? Read what to expect on the day to picture how live painting fits into your timeline. See pricing and collections, or get in touch here and tell me about your day. I will help you land on the option that fits.