#10 Weddings Galore
October 8, 2024
After I started making custom portraits for people, it was only a matter of time before the wedding requests started rolling in. Exotic locations, ingenious themes, charming retinues, gorgeous bouquets and chuppahs and oh so many doggies!
ENGAGEMENTS
But – before there were weddings, there were…engagements!
Marriage proposals are deeply satisfying because I get to capture an instant…the YES! instant, when everything changes. Some IRL and miniature recreations above.
Teddy and Callum got engaged sledding in Telluride Colorado, Jack surprised Meg with his proposal in Tokyo, Carly and Eric had a fully urban engagement experience in New York, Claire and Mike – what a setting! Proposal accepted at Big Sur in California, and Ross and Katarina is a picture perfect “Yes!” moment in Santa Monica. Stories in more detail on my website.
WEDDINGS
So many common elements, but each love story unique. Here are a few of the more unusual commissions…
1. Let the Real Games Begin! (Ireland, 2021)
Carolyn commissioned this for the marriage of her son Arthur to Tal. Both have represented Ireland in the Olympic Modern Pentathlon multiple times, so what better scene than them running into their shared lives as man and wife, framed by the Olympic rings.
2. In the Beginning (Northern California, 2016)
A wedding present for Joe and Caitlin, which included their “spirit” animals of a hummingbird (groom) and snake (bride). The scene was like a garden of Eden, with them in fig leaves. I feel this was my first custom Glass Cathedral where my imagination really ran riot and I loved the results.
3. Second Star to the Right and Straight on ’til Morning (Spain, 2017)
Borja and his sister Susi’s love of Peter Pan inspired this magical scene of the newly-weds Susi and Julio flying off into the cosmos with Peter, a happily-ever-after beginning to married life.
4. Fuck Yes! (NYC, 2023)
Sometimes a photo perfectly captures the memory. Then a Glass Cathedral perfectly captures the photo. This was so with Nick and Sharyce’s wedding, where I got to miniaturise every brilliant detail for this ridiculously cool Glass Cathedral. Sparkly shoes (at least three pairs), scooting page boy, mirror ball accessories, glamorous everyone… the only missing piece was the three cats, which made it into the box if not the retinue.
THEMES
Ok, it will take me forever to tell all the love stories that I’ve delighted in recreating as Glass Cathedrals. So for the next little while (but scroll to the bottom for a final fantastic story!) here are some themed highlights – nature – venues – dogs – retinues – chuppahs – a visual smorgasbord of thrills and romance…
NATURE: Ana + Ben in Maui (2023) / Miranda + Sara at Eagles Mere Lake, PA (2020) / Nick + Meredith at the Presidio eucalyptus grove (2014) / Monica + Blake at Big Sur, CA (2020)
VENUES: Allison + Nick in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (2022) / Alissandra + JR at the Rodin Museum in Paris / Chrish + Glenn in Vermont (2020)
DOGGIES: Paul, Dydia + Harpo in LA (2017) / Monika, Anthony, Trixie + Frankie in Missouri (2021)
Btw, it’s not often I get to make a portrait of a wedding, a car and a house! This special commission (left) for Sharon’s brother Paul, newly wed to Dydia, had to include the three other loves of their lives: their restored historic home in Lincoln’s Heights LA, one of their vintage Tatras (they have a huge collection) and their beloved dog Harpo.
RETINUES: Neil + Hope with their 4 kids in Cornwall, (2021) / Mike, Rochelle + baby Lucas in Pacifica CA (2019) / Tim + Dani in Cabo, Mexico with best friends (2023)
The turquoise Glass Cathedral in the middle was the very first I made at the start of Covid, when I had not been sure whether I’d ever make them again. The bride Rochelle had fallen in love with my “Waterwings” Glass Cathedral a while back, and always dreamed of owning one. When Mike secretly commissioned a custom box of their wedding, we incorporated the theme with the signature turquoise sparkle and their son Lucas, in waterwings, in the box too.
CHUPPAHS: Emily + Zac in London, (2019) / Katharine + Dan, East Coast USA (2019) / Jessica + Aaron in Aspen, CO (2018)
GLASS CATHEDRALS TELL THE STORY
Some rather visionary folk have had Glass Cathedrals made not just of their engagements, and not just of their weddings, but even of their honeymoons. Above and below are some of Berdine and Anlo’s South African wedding moments. What lifelong treasures!
GLASS CATHEDRALS IN THE STORY
And finally, Lester and Nick’s love story. I do love telling it…
Lester won a Glass Cathedrals competition a few years back, where I asked people to say what moment they would most like to capture in a Glass Cathedral. Lester described the time Nick met him off a plane, holding a sign with his ‘real’ name (without going into all the wonderful details) and that was the moment Lester knew Nick was THE ONE.
Nick LOVED this gift when Lester gave it to him…
BUT Lester did not propose at the same time…
Awwwww, Lester…. ! !! ??
But it was because he had ANOTHER PLAN….
Lester decided to commission a whole new Glass Cathedral with which to propose.
This time including their newly adopted dog, Sydney.
And this time, he really did use it to propose. And Nick said YES!
Finally, in 2023, a wedding. It overlooked the San Francisco Ferry Building, with Sydney Dog-of-Honour :) and the signatures of all the guests, witnesses to this love story, written in the sky.
So I shall leave it there. Thank you for entrusting me with your hearts!
x Lisa