Father of the Bride Gifts Couple with Live Wedding Painting in Columbus, OH
Live Wedding Painting // Cleveland Event Painter Jacqueline DelBrocco // Walter Commons, St. Charles Prep, Columbus, OH // 30x40in // Acrylic on Canvas // October 2016
What happens when your dad is the best wedding caterer in Columbus and you’re about to marry the man of your dreams? You can expect the celebration to be out of this world spectacular, with every last detail expertly planned and all your vendors handpicked for a proven track record of excellence.
Catering by Scott has been providing top of the line catering for weddings in the Columbus area for almost 30 years, so it’s no surprise that when Scott’s daughter got married last Fall, it was nothing but the very best the wedding industry has to offer. With over 500 guests, this was the largest wedding I’ve painted yet. The reception was held at The Robert C. Walter Commons on the grounds of St. Charles Preparatory School, a magnificent venue located just a few miles from downtown Columbus.
When I first arrived, I was immediately impressed with this stunning space. Natural light shone down from distant skylights onto a huge, courtyard like atrium, surrounded by sky high brick walls and beautiful stained glass windows. Once night fell, it transformed into something that felt like a fairytale, enchanted forest mixed with a party in Gatsby’s mansion. Feathers, flowers, beads, spotlights, candles… Magical, lighted trees twinkled throughout the space. Elaborate centerpieces and grand floral displays scattered among the tables, with elegant sprigs and illuminated, glowing branches springing out out in every direction. The whole place sparkled!
Because the lighting changed rather drastically from the naturally lit early hours to the illuminated evening hours, the color palette of the environment experienced a shift. When I began painting around 4pm, I was inspired by the brighter colors I saw at the time… but once it got darker and the twinkling lights, candles and spotlights made their appearance, I knew I had to capture that magical atmosphere... so I switched gears and adjusted the palette to what you see in the finished piece.
Guests at this reception were so engaging and fun to talk with as I painted. Two young guests in particular were very interested in what I was doing, and I enjoyed chatting with them while they watched over my shoulder. The sister of this friendly sibling pair took it upon herself to be my marketing agent for the night, passing out business cards and telling anyone who would listen about how I was painting the party while it was happening. As promised, I made sure to include her and her brother in the painting. You can spot them in the bottom right corner, at the table where they were seated for dinner with their family.
I shouldn’t have been surprised at how friendly everyone was at this wedding. I met Scott a week earlier when he catered a wedding I painted at Irongate Equestrian Center, and his cheerful, kind-hearted nature was apparent from the get go. He asked if I was available on short notice to come down in a week to paint his daughter’s wedding, and as chance would have it, I actually was. October was my busiest month last year, with an event every weekend, but the event I already had booked for the 8th was in the morning, leaving my evening available as long as I could make the drive from Cleveland in time. This was the first time I painted two events in one day. I was up at the crack of dawn to be downtown in Cleveland to paint the AHA Heart Walk, and as soon as that ended, I headed straight for Columbus. Talk about an adrenaline filled day! Needless to say, I made it to Gabbie and Mike’s wedding and was sure to include Scott in the painting. You can see him toasting the newleyweds on the right side, near the cake.
Speaking of cake… and pasta, and carving stations and delectable food of all kinds - Scott’s team at Catering by Scott really set a new standard with what they provided for this reception. I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves. (Photos by Style & Story Creative)
Another shout out to the live music that night - Conspiracy. This talented and upbeat 11 piece band has been booked for the last THREE weddings in a row that I've painted in Columbus, and they are great! If you're in the market for a wedding band, be sure to check them out!
Last shout out is a HUGE one - thank you, thank you, thank you to the amazing wedding photographers for this event, Style & Story Creative. Although the degree to which I rely on photos after an event varies, this painting took a lot of studio work that wouldn't have gone so smoothly without the help of such incredible photography.
What a night, what an event, what an epic celebration! I'm so happy to have had the chance to be a part of it. Below are a few detail shots of the finished piece. Enjoy and thanks for reading! Last but definitely not least, congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. - Gabbie and Mike!
