Wedding painting at the Glen Cove Mansion

Wilshire Grand wedding

The Wedding Planner Weds

Southern NJ wedding

This past summer I painted live at a wedding at the Seaview Country Club in Galloway, NJ. This wedding had the most exotic and beautiful floral centerpieces. The bride's mother told me that she hadn't found a wedding florist in her area that did anyuthing interesting or outside the box. While I'm sure the Atlantic City area has amazing florists, Judy, The mother of the bride kept searching. She is a true gardening enthusiast, and asked the designer who landscaped her home to handle the centerpieces for her daughter sarah's wedding. It was the landscapers first time decorating a wedding, but the flowers looked amazing! It was such a treat for me to get to paint exotic flowers with bold colors, not typical flowers at a wedding.

The bold colors of the centerpieces against the mostly yellow and pink uplighting made for a stunning painting.

Live Wedding Painting at the Venetian

 Last night I painted live at a wedding at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. I was very excited to paint in their new palazzo ballroom. When I arrived, my friend Adam Leffel of Petals Premier was still transforming the room using a palatte of ivory, cream, and pink flowers. The last three weddings I painted at have done alternating arrangements on the tables, and I love this look. It adds interest by not making every single table the same ( I did alternating arrangements for the centerpieces at my wedding last October, and it makes me happy to see I was ahead of a growing trend)
At last night's wedding some tables had beautiful half manzanita trees with topiary balls of flowers and crystals hanging. Others had three cylindricals vases with floral arrangements at different heights. Something very cool that I haven't seen at a wedding in person yet was a 6 foot arrangement of flowers in the shape of an "O" the couples new last name. I say that I havent seen it in person yet, because I read every wedding publication printed and watch every wedding show on tv, so it takes a lot to say I've never seen something at a wedding before. ( Something I'm often told when guests or vendors see me there painting live at a wedding)
  Something else I loved about this wedding was that each bridesmaid wore a different, yet coordinating dress (something else I did at my wedding, and again I credit myself a pioneer)
   When  I presented the finished painting to the couple they were thrilled.  While I love that the guests enjoy watching me paint, my main concern is always a bride happy with the painting, and last night I got another one!

 Last night I painted live at a wedding at the Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, NJ.
When I first walked into the foyer of the venue, I saw the bride and groom taking pictures. I stopped in my tracks because this bride was breathtaking. She looked as though she was an actress on a soap opera filming a luxurious television wedding. Throughout the evening I discovered her beauty was matched by kindness and grace. What a pleasure!
     The ballroom was uplit pink, but the ceiling was still a yellow hue. Florentine gardens has high ceilings, tall windows draped with luxurious fabric, and beautiful molding all around the ballroom. It also boasts a juliette balcony above where the band performs. The other amazing visual element to this wedding was the centerpieces. They alternated between tall displays on hydrangeas and roses on some tables, and huge cherry blossom displays atop 4 ft glass vases on others. It set a very romantic, enchanted garden feeling for the reception.
   I love when guests come to see the painting and check in on the progress throughout the event. I'm there to create a piece of art for the bride and groom, but I'm also there as an additional form of entertainment for the guests. The bride and her mother were so enthusiastic as the painting developed, that I think they sent each of their 280 guests over to view the painting. (which actually has resulted in me booking two parties today from guests who loved my work).
   This bride was a girl after my own heart. Her brother told me that after to she hired me he asked her what she wanted as a wedding gift, so she said, "you got me a live event artist to paint at the wedding, all you have to do is pay her" ( I have been known to buy my own gifts for holidays and birthdays and then just hand family members the bill)
I always ask a bride which specific people she wants in her painting ( we all know what happens when we just assume)
The brides parents, the grooms parents, two maids of honor, two best men, and the brides brother made the cut. Below are photos of some of the principle guests included in the painting.

 The bride's parents. I think I really nailed the mom's dress in the painting.

 The bride's two best friends and maid's of honor. It makes my job much easier when the subjects are so pretty.( I will be creating a painting live at the maid of honor on the left's wedding in may)

The beautiful bride and groom. I learned durring the best man's speach that they have been dating since high school. I love learning the couple's story

Wedding Painting NJ

April 2, 2011 was a very special wedding for me, it was my brother's. While I could not paint live at his party, I did wasnt to create a painting for him after the party. My favorite part of the painting is how I captured his new brides amazing flowered amsale gown.

Live Wedding Painting in Long Island

On april 3, 2011 I had the pleasure of painting live at a beautiful wedding on the south shore of Long Island. The location was the Sephardic Temple of Cedarhurst. The groom's mother hired me to create a painting live as the reception unfolded as a gift to the new couple. Throughout the evening just about all of the 300 guests stopped by in awe of the painting being created right in front of them. I learned that the bride is a star in Broadway's WICKED, and the groom a doctor. The most interesting part of their story for me, was that they had met on match.com! I guess the commercials are true.

The back wall of the ballroom opened up when the ceremony ended, and the beautiful chuppah was visible throughout the entire reception. The centerpieces alternated between 4 ft high vases with cherry blossom branches boasting out of the top and with tea  lights hanging from branches, and low arrangements of thick pillar candles surrounded by ivory hydrangeas and pink roses. The cake was 5 layers, with cascading pink roses wrapping one side.

The band was so fabulous, that the couple extended the wedding reception by a half hour. At 10 pm on a sunday night, a packed dancefloor means guests are loving the band!

Showcase at Eagle Oaks

Part of working in the wedding/ Bar mitzvah industry is taking part in event showcases. These are gatherings for future brides and their families to come and meet all sorts of relavent vendors in one place.

Eagle Oaks golf and country club in Farmingdale, NJ is a stunning location for a special event, and they hosted a wonderful bridal show on Feb. 16, 2011. Over 50 Brides-to-be came with family and friends and mingled with photographers, djs, and for the first time, a live event artist. Sometimes at a showcase people do not understand exactly what I do just by glancing over at my set up. Once I explain to them that I come to their wedding and create a painting depicting the scene of the reception or ceremony live, for guests to see, and them to take home at the end of the evening; most want to book my services on the spot.

I'm very pleased to announce that Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club now has me on their website as a preferred vendor, and I look foward to creating many live wedding paintings there.

NJ Wedding at The Palace

 Last night I had the pleasure of working with a sweet, fun, and truely in love couple. The groom called me in October saying that he wanted to surprise his bride to be with a one of a kind painting created at the wedding. I love when grooms take the initiative to really surprise their brides with my service, because the brides are always beyond thrilled when they see me there painting a picture of their wedding.

    The venue was the beautiful Palace in Somerset Park, NJ. This venue is impressive from the moment you drive up, and does not disappoint as the evening progresses. Flowers were beautiful as they always are when done by Kim at Marquis Florals.The groom had adorable neices who were flower girls in steel grey dresses. I was most amazed that they were up and dancing the enetire night (the reception didn't begin until 9 pm, and I was tired, so I dont know how these little girls did it)

Here is the Bride and groom next to their painting. at the time it was about two hours into the reception and the painting was about 2/3 complete

Live Event Painting Bnai Tikvah

As a live event artist I am usually hired to paint live at a wedding ceremony or reception, and capture the event in a painting while it unfolds. Of the 50 or so parties I do each year, only about 10 are Bar or Bat Mitzvahs, and I love that these parties are often colorful, fun, and have a packed dancefloor. This Pparticular event was a Bnai Mitvah (bat mitzvah for twins) The theme was peace signs, and the entire back wall behind the kid's table was draped in white fabric and uplit every color of the rainbow. The tableclothes were black wich really made the colorful floral centerpieces "pop". The guests of hunor are in the middle in coordinating lime green dresses, and I captured the parents while they slowdanced to the song they danced to at their wedding 15 years earlier.

Spitz and Peck http://www.spitzandpeck.com/
Pure Energy Entertainment http://www.pureenergyentertainment.net/
Unlimited Exposures http://www.unlimitedexposures.com/
Diance and CO http://www.efashioncentral.com/

Wish Upon a Wedding Painting

Tuesday night I painted at a Fundraiser for the launch of Wish Upon a Wedding, the NJ chapter. This photo is the work of the amazing josh Lynn of Josh Lynn photography, NJ. When I saw this image I could not wait to share it. It captures the entire ballroom as well as how my painting captured the ballroom. Painting live at this event was a challenge, but a very fun one. As a live event artist, I'm used to painting the scene of a wedding reception. Painting the bride and groom durring their first dance, the cake, the centerpieces,etc. This party had no principle guest in the center the whole time, but the painting still came out fabulously!

Crystal Plaza Wedding Painting

The Crystal Plaza in Livingston, nj is elegant, chic, and a gorgeous venue for a wedding.Theoversized gilded molding and pilars on the perimeter of the mall room make it remeniscent of the grand ballroom at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. There is a Juliet balcony that overlooks the room and allows an arial view to brides as well as photographers.
   For this wedding, the brides request was that I capture the ballroom in detail, she is an architecture student and loved the "bones" of the room. She also wanted only her and her new husband, his parents, her parents, thir siblings, and her grandmother in the painting. I always like to paint the cake as I see it, as well as centerpieces and the tablescape. The painting was the brides gift to the groom for their wedding. She was thrilled with the finished painting,and two of her bridesmaids called me the week after the wedding to book my event painting services for their upcoming wedding.


The Crystal Plaza http://www.crystalplaza.com/
Marquis Florals by kim http://www.marquisflorals.com/
Castle Couture  http://www.castlecouturenj.com/
Hank Lane Music http://www.hanklane.com/

NYC Wedding Painting at the Yale Club

NYC is one of my favorite places in the world, and the city that will always have my heart. That's why I get super excited when I get to go into manhattan to paint live at a wedding. I lived in Manhattan for five years durring college, and had I not married a true suburban man, I'd still be there.
   I was hired to paint live at a wedding at the Yale Club in midtown. This wedding felt glamourous and sophisticated. The entire room was uplit in pink which gave it a romantic glow. Tableclothes were a rich burgandy with varying floral arrangements placed in the middle. I love when a bride (and florist) are bold enough to step outside the box of standard uniformed centerpieces for each table, and do coordinating  arrangements that differ in size and shape. The large bamboo leaves that loop through each arrangement ties the whole look together.
    Asside from the beautiful decor ( which I feel I captured well in the painting) was the 12 piece band. This band was wonderful and guests danced the entire evening. I was told that this band was on the Today show for the BIG WEDDING GIVEAWAY a few years ago, they are called Faze4.

http://www.thecelebrationartist.com/
Faze 4 http://www.faze4.com/

Wedding Painting at The Rockleigh

Last Year A bride to be named Tara contacted me to paint a live picture capturing the scene of her wedding reception at The Rockleigh. She was very excited about having a live event artist there to both entertain her guests and create a gorgeous portrait of the evening.

The Rockleigh is a very elegant and sophisticated venue. It reminds me of an english style mansion with a modern twist.The ballroom was uplit in making the ceiling lime grean and the walls hot pink. The room looked stunning. I personally love the combination of lime with pink. The bride hired a decor company which brought in specialty linens and used a hot pink shear overlay tabblecloth to fully set the scene. The centerpieces were very elegant, using tall vases with lilies, roses, and hydrangeas set atop.

 I can not wait for tuesday night where I am painting and capturing the launch party for Wish Upon a Wedding!

Pleasantdale Chateau wedding Painting

The Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ is one of the most breathtaking venues for a wedding or special party. as a live event artist, or artist who paints the scene of wedding receptions, I have gotton to experience just about every banquest facility new York and New Jersey have to offer.

I was hired to create a painting capturing the scene of the reception, as well as the bride and groom's first dance, and some very special guests. I think the painting turned out beautifully, and the couple was thrilled!

http://www.pleasantdale.com/
Pleasantdale Chateau

Estate at Florentine Gardens Wedding Painting

In December I created a live event painting at a wedding at the Estate at Florentine Gardens. It is truely an exquisite event space and very regal ballroom. The floor the ceiling windows that line the perimeter of the room are draped with lux fabric, and boast a view of the beautiful garden outside. My favorite part of this painting is that I captured the romantic choreography of the first dance. I also loved how the centerpieces had long bamboo like leaves that wrapped around the floral arrangements almost like how a present is wrapped.

The Estate at Florentine Gardens http://www.theestateatflorentinegardens.com/

http://www.thecelebrationartist.com/

The Venetian in Garfield Live Wedding Painting

One of the most popular wedding venues in NJ right now is the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. They recently renovated their palazzo ballroom, and its just stunning. The room has a very high ceiling and can be uplit in various colors, really adding to the feeling of a reception. There are massive crystal chandeliers, and the whole room has a very regal and Italian feel.

For this wedding the ceiling was lit with shades of pink and purple, and the dancefloor was soaked in green and yellow from the gel lights above. The Cake was atleast 5 feet tall, so sitting on the table in the ballroom it towered over guests, and was a true centerpiece for the party. In the painting I captured the bride and groom's frist dance, as well as the bride's parents, the grooms parents, and all four of the bride's  grandparents. What a lucky girl to have all four grandparents there to celebrate
 
 The centerpieces are tall glass vases with hydrangeas, ranunculas, roses and orchids dripping from the top in shades of white, cream, pale yellow, with accents of lavendar. There were smaller arangements of white tulips and purple lavendar in next to the taller arrangement. I personally love the look of different heights of flowers all on one table. There were also very modern crystal candlesticks all around the floral displays that truly illuminated each table.

The reception was actually so large (400 guests) that many of them never noticed me in the corner painting. Needless to say, when the groom presented the painting to the bride (it was his wedding gift to her ) guests were stunned and the bride cried. She told me later she managed to hold it together and not cry durring the ceremony, their first dance, or the father-daughter dance; buther new husband surprising her with the live event painting blew her mind and she couldn't hold back the tears of Joy!

http://www.thecelebrationartist.com/

Temple Beth Ahm Wedding

I was very excited to paint this picture ( from photos) of a wedding at temple Beth Ahm of Springfield, NJ. This is the catering hall/ temple where I got married, and I think the ballfoom is stunning. My brother is getting married here this April, and i never tire of this place. It's a very art deco style ballroom, there are mirrored alcoves that line the perimneter of the room, and  if you really stare at the the chandelier you can see that its shaped like a jewish star. Its beautiful and symbolic, but subtle, not cheesy.

The photos provided to me by the couple showed the gorgeous centerpieces of tall glass vases with large rose arrangements of pink, crimson, red, and fuschia on top. I loved that they had balls of roses mimicking the main arrangements hanging like topiaries off of each arrangement. The Mother of the Bride commissioned the painting as a first anniversary gift to the couple. The MOB's dress was nude with black lace overlays, but the black full bottom skirt had pick-ups that matched the lace detail on the bodice and was sinched with elegant satin bows. Such a beautiful MOB gown. The Bride wore a fitted mermaid Amsale gown, that bussled in the back and had white satin roses where the dress bussled. The bride wore her veil throughout the entire reception, which I did as well. Many brides take it off after the ceremony, but I personally love when a bride wheres the veil all night. I can not wait for the MOB to pick up the painting. I'm sure she will LOVE IT!

Long Island Bat Mitzvah Painting

I painted this live event painting at a beautiful temple in Long Island, NY. When I had my bat mitzvah 16 years ago, having a theme to the party was a given. Well I have never felt older or more out of touch when I arrived at asked what the "theme" was. The party planner looked at me and said" we don't do themes anymore, it's so 1998". ( actually my farty was in 1994, but who's counting.

The ballroom was beautiful, the entire perimeter was draped with white fabric and uplit in pinks and red. They brought in a red dancefloor, and the centerpieces were very cool. There were two different styles and they alternated every other table. One was a tall glass vase with a burst of red ostrich feathers at the top, and the other was talle and  lampshade like made of crystals with roses at the top. The cake was made to look like a bed of red bacara roses. The Bat-mitzvah girl, her family, and many guests were just speachless when they saw what I had painted over the course of the four hour celebration.

Wish upon a wedding

 

Wish Upon a Wedding New Jersey  Wish Upon A Wedding NJ Sponsor Spotlight: Live event painting is a fabulous way to entertain guests and have a beautiful keepsake of your special day! Jessica Weiss Marder is The Celebration Artist! http://www.thecelebrationartist.com/ Come see her work LIVE at the Wish Upon A Wedding NJ Launch Party! RSVP today http://wuwnewjerseylaunch.eventbrite.com/