An Original Wedding Gift in Aix-en-Provence
Mrs. C. contacted me at the last minute to offer my live painting service as a wedding gift to her daughter.
In fact, she messaged me a week before the wedding! She was lucky; it was one of my available dates for the summer!
The Reception Venue: Château de Fonscolombe in Aix-en-Provence
Mrs. C.’s daughter lives in the United States, and her future husband is American. The young couple, D & A, therefore chose to celebrate their wedding in the South of France, near Aix-en-Provence, at Château de Fonscolombe. This splendid 18th-century château, a listed historical monument, was transformed into a hotel in the late 20th century. Since 2017, it has been a 5-star hotel. Everything is magnificent: the facades, the interiors with period furniture, the formal French gardens. I can understand why this château captivated them!
The surprise live painting gift
Mrs. C. had chosen to give her daughter a live portrait of her and the groom, with the château in the background.
When I arrived on the wedding day, the bride didn’t know the purpose of my visit. Her mother introduced me and explained the wedding gift. The bride was thrilled! But the background of my painting was about to be completely transformed by the daughter’s choice: rather than having the château as an exterior subject, she preferred an interior:
What I didn’t realize at first was that this change would have a significant impact on the time I spent working…
The secular wedding ceremony in the château courtyard
So I began my pencil drawing in this magnificently decorated salon. The room’s decor was full of detail: draped walls, a huge glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling, an intricately designed rug, large curtains at the windows, and a view of the garden through the glass doors. I took a short break from sketching during the secular ceremony because I heard a beautiful voice singing in the distance. It was the talented Ariane Douguet, whose voice gave me goosebumps. She officiated the secular ceremony and, what’s more, she sang! (If you’re looking for someone with a sublime voice for your event, I highly recommend her! Here’s her website : https://www.ariane-douguet.com/
Live painting during the wedding reception
I quickly returned to my painting; I had a lot to do! Between the secular ceremony and the cocktail hour, I kidnapped the bride and groom to take their picture. I added them to my drawing, and then I could start adding the colors with my watercolors.
After the cocktail hour, the guests sat down to eat (I took the opportunity to grab a bite myself!).
Then I set up my easel in the tent where the guests were dining. One of the advantages of this live painting performance is that the guests can watch the painting evolve throughout the evening! The conversations are always enriching: I share my artistic career with them, reveal my painting secrets, and we sometimes get into artistic debates (and I won’t deny that these are also moments when I receive tons of compliments on my work, which is always a pleasure 🙂 ). There was also the moment when I had to tell Mrs. C. and her daughter that the painting wouldn’t be finished that evening. Given the change in background compared to the original idea (with all the details of the scenery), it was taking much longer than expected.
Mrs. C. and her daughter were very understanding and were already delighted with the painting in progress. The evening is in full swing, the guests are dancing the night away, and I discreetly slip away to rest after this long performance!
The painting is finished at the studio.
I’m heading back to my studio in Toulon to finish the painting.
I have about ten hours of work left to complete it. I’m quite happy with the result!
And you, what scene from your wedding would you like to have in your painting?!
