Wedding Painting Subjects

Deciding on the subject matter for a wedding painting is one of the key things for a couple.  It's a very personal decision.  I advise my clients on what I think would be a good approach, but they're the ones that live with the painting after it's done.  So it really has to match who they are.

I've found that there are four popular subjects:

• The ceremony, usually just at the end when they're the world's newest married couple. 
• The recessional, walking back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony.
• The first dance.
• The couple away from a formal setting.

Let's look at each of them.  Click on each of the images for a larger version.

The Ceremony

Paintings of the ceremony capture THE moment that they are now a married couple.  It's about them, but it's also about a particular moment where they become one.  Sometimes the couples want members of the family or the wedding party, other times they want it to show just them.  Either way, I try to capture the formality of the moment.  

The Recessional

The recessional is a variation of the ceremony, except now they're moving.  I try to capture their feelings for each other as they are walking and realizing that they've really, finally, done it.  There's a joy in their walk.  Sometimes the wedding party is in the background, but more often the families are.  Either way,  it's a balanced composition: the couple is in the center, bridal party or family to the left, groomsmen or groom's family to the right.  But this is where paintings are different from photos - I can put people in, or take them out, in ways that photographers can't, and so I do!

The First Dance

A First Dance is a more romantic and informal subject than the recessional.  I have a lot more freedom with the composition.  Usually the couple is positioned slightly to the left or right, other figures are offset in some fashion, and I use perspective to help guide the eye around the painting.  There's a lot of adding and subtracting in these artworks to create the feeling of the evening.  These paintings are about the love of the couple for each other, the celebration of the day, and the support for them from all their family and friends.

The Couple

This subject is my favorite.  At it's most basic level, it's about these two people and their love.  By simplifying the composition to just them, I can focus on their connection.  This subject is more timeless than the others.  Friends and family members may come and go, but the two of them are forever.  I can zoom in on them, making their figures larger and bringing them to a higher level of completion.  

So there are the four most common subjects.  There are infinite variations: Indian weddings, for example, usually have the same subjects but bright colors.  Paintings of the couple can have them in a room or walking in a field.  Some want their dogs included - and I like dogs.  Every painting is very different.  That's what keeps it fresh and interesting for me!