Jeremy and Eric's Wedding at Oakdene, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

Featured in Town and Country Magazine and recounted by celebrity Carole Radziwell, this was an over the top wedding to paint.

Here is a link to Town and Country's article.

This painting is a four dimensional depiction of their wedding day. Meaning that this painting shows multiple scenes throughout the day knit into one piece. Some notable scenes included in this painting are:

The Ceremony

Ceremony Excerpt from Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

Details include the musicians from Philadelphia, the chicken house and horses in the background, and their speaker, Carole Radziwell, in 6 inch heels on grass.

It was raining and a tent had been erected over the ceremony space in preparation, so I arrived a day early and set up my easel on the edge of the tent to capture the view, then added Jeremy and Eric and the musicians and flowers from photos I took during their ceremony. The tent was left out of the painting.

Guests Walking from the Main House to the Reception Tent

Pre-Reception Excerpt from Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

Details include the acrobats, the champagne lady, individual guests, Jeremy and Eric with their vintage vehicle pre-ceremony.

The First Dance and Cake Cutting and Speeches

First Dance Excerpt from Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

Details include their first dance, family speeches, ladies on stilts with wings, the cake cutting, and Pippa their dog (Pippa was not actually there).

The Horah

Horah Excerpt from Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

The Tent Lit at Night under the Moon

Lit Tent Excerpt from Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting, 30x40", painted by Patricia Bennett

Details include the live event painter from behind.

It is a challenge to comprehend this painting spatially because it is impossible. The ceremony and view there is behind the Main House, and the reception tent was in front of the Main House, and inside the tent my view was the opposite direction. The lit tent was seen from the house. But it all works compositionally.

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The Process:

Fortunately I live nearby, and the event planner is really wonderful and helpful, Kate Taylor, and I have painted at Oakdene many times, so I was able to visit the location a week in advance and learn the layout of the event. Just based on my imagination, I did this sketch and showed it to the grooms before their wedding to get approval for my vision.

pre-event sketch of Jeremy and Eric's Wedding Painting

Then I arrived a few days before the wedding and painted the background. This was challenging because a giant tent was erected over the ceremony space the day before, blocking the view, and it was drizzling. The father of the groom wisely counseled me to set up under the tent, near the front of it, so I did and it worked great.