Swan Club Wedding | Roslyn, New York
In late October 2025, I had the honor of painting live at Catherine and Nick’s beautiful wedding at The Swan Club in Roslyn, New York. The Swan Club is known for its breathtaking gardens, and when I arrived earlier in the day to begin planning the composition for the painting, it was immediately clear why this venue is so beloved.
The gardens were incredibly well maintained, with several gardeners tending to the landscape that morning. The late autumn atmosphere had a soft, peaceful feeling. The sky was slightly overcast, but every so often a warm glow would break through the clouds and gently illuminate the grounds.
Watch the Painting Come to Life
Dean created a beautiful highlight reel showing moments from the wedding day, and I also recorded a short behind-the-scenes video sharing a few painting tips from this piece.
Finding the Perfect Composition
One of the things I always look for when designing a live wedding painting is a setting that feels both meaningful and visually balanced. At The Swan Club, the pond garden immediately stood out.
A graceful weeping willow tree framed the scene, and just beyond it sat a delicate white bridge crossing the water. The pond itself had a small fountain, and the subtle ripples created beautiful reflections of the trees and sky. The effect reminded me of a Monet painting, where reflections and atmosphere play an important role in the overall feeling of the scene.
Around the pond were dried hydrangeas in soft burnt orange tones—one of my favorite details of the day. Their warm color contrasted beautifully with the cool blue-green trees in the background, creating a natural harmony that translated perfectly into the painting.
Painting Live on Location
When I paint at a wedding, I begin the painting on location using acrylic paints. Acrylics are water-based and dry quickly, which makes them ideal for working during the live event.
This early stage of the painting is often referred to as the block-in stage. During this phase I establish the composition, place the figures, and capture the overall atmosphere of the scene. Because acrylics dry so quickly, I’m able to make adjustments and corrections as the painting develops throughout the evening.
Guests love watching this part of the process unfold—it gives them a glimpse into how a painting begins to take shape in real time.
Where the Real Magic Happens
While the live painting experience is a highlight of the wedding day, the real transformation happens back in my studio.
Once the painting returns to my studio, I begin the refinement stage using traditional oil paints. Oil painting has been the preferred medium of portrait painters for centuries, and it allows me to bring a deeper level of richness and detail to the artwork.
By layering oils over the acrylic foundation, I can add delicate glazes, soften transitions, and create greater depth within the painting. This is where the piece evolves from a quick impression of the evening into a fully realized heirloom portrait.
Behind the Scenes: Back in my Studio – Recap Video
In the behind-the-scenes video from this wedding, I also talk about the importance of edge control in painting.
Not every edge should be sharp. In fact, the masters—artists like John Singer Sargent and Diego Velázquez—were brilliant at guiding the viewer’s eye by controlling where edges were crisp and where they were soft.
For example, the distant trees in this painting have softer edges, creating a gentle blur that pushes them into the background. This allows the focus to remain on Catherine and Nick—the true focal point of the scene.
If you enjoy seeing how paintings evolve from the first brushstroke to the finished artwork, I’d love for you to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share more behind-the-scenes videos, painting insights, and stories from the weddings I paint.
Subscribe here to follow along with future live wedding paintings and studio refinements.
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