The Chicago Wedding Painter

Local Fine Artist Specializing in Live Weddings

Chicago-based, able to travel!

Service area

5.0

Verified reviews from real couples

Better late than never (on our 1-year anniversary)! Booking John for our wedding was hands down one of the best decisions we made! His talent is absolutely incredible, and the final painting is a beautiful masterpiece that we will treasure forever. Beyond the stunning artwork, he was a fantastic source of entertainment for our guests. Everyone loved watching him work throughout the night and seeing his canvas come to life. John is professional, genuinely kind, deeply talented, and added something truly special to our wedding day. We cannot recommend him enough!

Mia C.

5.0

I absolutely loved working with John during our reception! He was very professional and knew the vision right from the get go. After the wedding, John kept us updated on the painting and worked with my schedule for the pickup. The execution was perfect and now we have our first dance captured in this perfect painting!

Sarah A.

5.0

John

OWNER

Typically responds within 24h

AWARD WINNER (2X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Hello! Thank you for visiting my shop. I am The Chicago Wedding Painter! I am a local Chicago fine artist who specializes in high-quality oil paintings. I am a classically trained artist with years of experience to hone my craft. Weddings are one of the many joys I find when creating art - getting to capture a singular moment between two people in love is such a thrill, and it is the happiness I can give people with a completed painting that drives me forward to continue and better my talent. I am based out of Chicago, Illinois, but have traveled throughout the Midwest and completed paintings that now hang in states throughout the country. My paintings are completed in traditional oil paints which yield the highest quality of color, detail, and realism. Many wedding painters rush to complete their work in the hours during the reception. To pay so much money for a hurried painting doesn't seem right to me! My work takes time to perfect - as such, I take my paintings home with me and continue to work on them at my studio at home. I will typically commit at least 15 to 20 hours of studio time (in addition to the wedding) for a single painting to ensure I can deliver you a product you will be proud to hang up and recognize yourself in the art. I eagerly await working with you to best capture your vision for your wedding day! Please visit my website for more information and to submit a focused message to me so we can begin the process! Congratulations on your big day!

LGBTQ+-owned Business

3+ years in business

Speaks English

Just me

Details

Gifts & Favors

Gift & Favor Assembly

Gifts for the Bride

Gifts for the Groom

Personalization

Wedding Favors

Wedding Gifts

Awards and Affiliations

2-Time 'Best of Weddings'

2026.2025.

Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding

Meet the team

John

Owner

I am a local Chicago artist who specializes in highly-detailed oil paintings!

5.0

out of 5.0

34 reviews

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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

Reviewers raved about the live wedding painter’s exceptional talent and lifelike, detailed paintings that capture key moments. Guests loved watching the work unfold during the reception, calling it entertaining and memorable. He’s described as professional, communicative, punctual, easy to work with, and well worth the investment.

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Valerie L

Highlighted review.

12/27/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If I could give more than five stars, I would — a thousand times over. John is, without question, the most outstanding and professional live wedding painter you coul...

d ever book. From the moment you secure him, his communication is clear, consistent, and reassuring all the way through to the day your painting is delivered. You feel confident, cared for, and genuinely excited every step of the process. Not only does John flawlessly capture the “that’s it” moment — the one that defines your wedding day — but he does something truly magical: he creates an absolute masterpiece live during your wedding. Watching him work becomes entertainment for your guests. People were constantly stopping, staring, raving, and genuinely blown away that he was creating something so beautiful in what felt like no time at all. John is professional, punctual, respectful, incredibly talented, and hands down my favorite vendor from our entire wedding. Working alongside him was an honor, and I couldn’t have imagined a better person to not only witness me getting married, but to preserve that moment in a way that will last a lifetime. I am beyond grateful — and honestly forever indebted — for the piece of art he created. Every time I look at it, I’m instantly taken back to one of the most meaningful days of my life. And let me tell you… I brag about John to anyone and everyone who asks about the painting. No matter how many updates you receive or how prepared you think you are, nothing compares to the moment you see the final piece. Your jaw will be on the floor. You’ll be speechless. Legs trembling. Happy tears running down your face — just like it’s your wedding day all over again. If you’re even considering a live wedding painter, book John. It will be one of the best decisions you make for your wedding day — I promise.

Mia C

6/28/2026

Better late than never (on our 1-year anniversary)! Booking John for our wedding was hands down one of the best decisions we made! His talent is absolutely incredible, and the fina...

l painting is a beautiful masterpiece that we will treasure forever. Beyond the stunning artwork, he was a fantastic source of entertainment for our guests. Everyone loved watching him work throughout the night and seeing his canvas come to life. John is professional, genuinely kind, deeply talented, and added something truly special to our wedding day. We cannot recommend him enough!

Any questions?

Sarah A

6/20/2026

I absolutely loved working with John during our reception! He was very professional and knew the vision right from the get go. After the wedding, John kept us updated on the painti...

ng and worked with my schedule for the pickup. The execution was perfect and now we have our first dance captured in this perfect painting!

Torrey R

5/10/2026

John is amazing! His attention to detail is what initially stood out when we booked him, but the final product of our painting absolutely blew us away. He is so talented and was su...

ch a pleasure to have at our wedding. I highly recommend him!

Grace B

4/21/2026

John was one of the highlights of our reception! He is very easy to work with and is SO TALENTED!!! Our painting looks incredible and the details he captured in it brought tears to...

our eyes. Worth it and then some!

Victoria N

4/13/2026

He was super sweet and the painting turned out amazing! I love that I can keep this part of my wedding forever.

Kirsten D

3/11/2026

We hired John (the Chicago Wedding Painter) for our wedding and could not be happier with the decision — it was truly one of the best investments we made for our big day. From sta...

rt to finish, John was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was easy-going, responsive, and very reasonably priced. On the day of the wedding, he helped us identify the perfect shot to paint, which we really appreciated — it took all the guesswork out of it and made us feel totally confident in the process. Throughout the evening, John became a genuine part of the celebration. He was kind, warm, and fun with our guests, and watching the painting come to life was a highlight of the night for so many people. He has a wonderful way of blending into the event while also being a joyful presence. And the final painting? Absolutely stunning. We are so excited to hang it in our home and we know it will be something we treasure forever. If you are on the fence about hiring a live wedding painter, stop hesitating — and if you are in Chicago, John is your guy. We cannot recommend him highly enough!

Natalia S

2/23/2026

John did an amazing job creating a masterpiece during our wedding. It is worth every penny and we will cherish our painting forever. Our guests loved watching him create his magic ...

during our wedding! John was very professional and is so easy to work with! I would recommend John every time!!

Brianne R

1/14/2026

I am so glad we hired John as our Wedding painter. From the moment he arrived, he brought such calm, creativity, and professionalism to the atmosphere. Watching him transform a bl...

ank canvas into a stunning, hand-painted snapshot of one of our most meaningful moments was magical. Guests loved watching the artwork come to life, and it's still something people are talking about. The finished product was stunning and something we will cherish forever. Beyond their incredible talent, John was a joy to work with, organized, responsive, and so thoughtful about every detail. Highly recommend.

Karen O

12/19/2025

John is an AMAZING painter!! He was so easy to work with in planning, the day of the wedding, and afterwards as he put the finishing touches on the painting. We are thrilled with ...

the beautiful keepsake he created!

Megan B

10/21/2025

My husband and I were so beyond thrilled to have received such an amazing painting from The Chicago Wedding Painter. This company was so organized, friendly, and made all of our dr...

eams come true. Every single detail in our painting is simply unreal! We received updates as the process went on and were astonished at how talented John was. I cannot recommend this company enough if you are looking for a breathtaking wedding painting! We look at this painting every day and are left speechless with its beauty!

April B

10/17/2025

We are so happy with our wedding painting. It turned out even better than we expected and our guests loved watching him paint during the reception. Can’t wait to frame it and hang ...

it in our home!

Carmen H

9/22/2025

Words will never be enough to describe the work John delivered. Every single detail was considered with a precision that speaks of years of devotion, discipline, and passion. This ...

wasn't just a painting—it was a story, told in color, texture, and soul. A story that every time we look at our piece of art it takes us back to that that precise moment our first kiss ! John is not only talented and the only painter you should hire! But his professionalism is also what makes him stand out, there was constant communication and he made sure every detail was spoken for. Pictures do no justice to the masterpiece John created but you can see every detail, and our church had so many details! Painting within a painting, the saints on the ceilings , the angels in the altar, he captured my dress and veil in the most beautiful way, and my husband over the moon at how his haircut was capture! He made sure everything was included. We HIGHLY recommend John!

Emily A

8/27/2025

One of my must-haves for our September 2024 wedding was a live painter and I can't express how happy I was to find John. Not only was he professional and communicative, he's insan...

ely talented! He really took the time to talk to us about what part of the wedding we wanted captured (ultimately, we chose a time with just us before the ceremony/insanity started). Our finished painting is one of our most cherished items from our wedding.

Sarah T

8/11/2025

John was a surprise gift from my bridesmaids and I couldn't be more thankful for them. He was so beyond kind and wonderful throughout the wedding. Our guests swarmed him as he was ...

trying to paint and the patience he had to let me baby cousins help him through the process made me tear up throughout the night. He truly incapsulates the perfect moment into a painting. He captured the exact moment we became husband and wife. Looking at the painting you can see the raw excitement and emotions from the both of us coming out. I am so beyond happy I have this perfect image captured forever in such a delicate and beautiful painting. I cannot reccomend John enough. He is someone every wedding should have!

Alexis G

8/02/2025

We loved working with John! At the beginning we set up a zoom call to verify all the details. We touched base every so often before the wedding to talk over the venue and such abou...

t the day! The guest loved getting to watch John work on the painting during the reception. He helped us choose the perfect picture to capture our beautiful ceremony space and the excitement we got to experience right afyer saying I do! I would 100% choose this again and recommend John to my fullest extent to give your wedding the extra flair and capture a beautiful memory in a way no one else can! Our painting has beautiful texture and John's talent is unmatched by any other! Thank you so much for our incredible piece of art from one of the most important days of our lives

Elizabeth T

7/28/2025

I’ve seen John’s work before—he paints live at weddings and creates the most stunning, lifelike scenes right on the spot. It’s truly something special. So when I wanted a wedding p...

hoto turned into a painting, I knew he’d be the perfect person for the job. He absolutely exceeded my expectations! The final piece was so realistic, it looked more like a photograph than a painting. The detail and emotion he captured were incredible. The recipient was completely blown away and loved it. If you’re looking for a unique and meaningful piece of art, I highly recommend John!

Christina C

7/27/2025

We couldn’t have asked for a better live painter than John for our wedding last November! From the very beginning, he was quick to respond, professional, and genuinely helpful. On ...

the day, he arrived on time, was super kind, and engaged beautifully with our guests. Watching him paint was such a highlight! The painting itself is absolutely phenomenal—John truly understood our vision and captured the essence of our day perfectly. It’s now one of our most cherished keepsakes. The follow-up was just as seamless, with easy pick-up and careful wrapping of the artwork. John was a perfect vendor from start to finish and worth every penny. We highly recommend him to anyone looking for a live painter and will definitely be commissioning him again in the future!

Ava R

7/26/2025

We just adore John. He was such a pleasure to work with from beginning to end. He arrived early to make sure he got the perfect shot of us to paint. He was so kind throughout the e...

ntire evening. Many of our guests have complimented John and his work, saying that they loved to watch him live paint. After the wedding, he was quick in finishing our art and getting it to us. We just had the best experience. Highly, highly recommend John to paint for your wedding!

Chase H

7/25/2025

John was incredible! He was truly the talk of the night. Not only does he do incredible work - he is great at walking through the whole process before hand to make sure you get exa...

ctly what you want. We couldn't be happier with our choice to hire John

Dhara A

7/25/2025

John painted our wedding, and he was amazing! We received an oil painting on gesso board, and the painting looked exactly like original photograph. The vibrant colors and his reali...

stic technique makes the painting look like a real photograph! His talent left us speechless! I spoke with John a few times over the phone, but never met him in person prior to the event. When I saw him at the wedding ceremony, I was elated! It was as if I'd worked with him many times in the past, and everyone was in awe of his talent at the reception! We are so grateful we went with THE Chicago Wedding Painter! Look no further if you're looking to capture a special memory in a unique, lifelong manner. Our friends and family love the painting as much as we do! Thank you so much, John! We are so grateful to have stumbled upon you on Google! Wishing you all success in the world!

Brianna C

6/09/2025

John did the most amazing job and was so kind and professional. John helped us find the perfect background and pose, then got to work on making the most realistic painting I have e...

ver seen. I am unbelievably impressed by the detail and talent. I would recommend The Chicago Wedding Painter a million times over!

Michelle F

11/09/2024

10/10 Recommend!! John and his live painting service is one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! His attention to detail, ability to capture our vision and efficiency of ...

completing majority of the painting during the reception is UNMATCHED! This painting is one of my most prized possessions!

Laura H

9/23/2024

John was absolutely amazing! He captured such a beautiful moment during our wedding and the final product was so incredibly beautiful. He is extremely talented and a pleasure to be...

around. All our guests were so impressed by his painting throughout the night. I highly recommend hiring John for your special day. We’ll treasure this painting forever!

Erin Q

9/18/2024

We are so grateful that we found John to capture our wedding day. We couldn't be happier with the result! He painted a stunning piece that not only reflected the beauty of the sett...

ing but also captured the emotions and special moments of the day. Our guests were amazed by watching the painting come to life throughout the reception. The final artwork is now a cherished keepsake that we'll treasure forever. We highly recommend John to anyone looking to add a special touch to their wedding day!

Sarah S

8/22/2024

John was an amazing surprise addition to our wedding this summer! He was commissioned by my siblings to paint a scene from our wedding, and he created such an incredible likeness o...

f our big day. Everyone loved watching him work during the reception, which was a fun element of entertainment. We could not recommend John enough; he’s a talented painter, but also a good human.

Savanah S

8/20/2024

John was amazing! He was such a great addition to the wedding! He created the perfect surprise and gift for my sisters wedding and the final result was stunning!!

Sophia L

6/19/2024

John is amazing at what he does, he captured my vision and wedding so beautifully and meticulously. I’ll be able to look at my painting and cherish the most special day forever! He...

is so fun and easy to work with, and will be sure to use him again for future events!

Carly R

5/28/2024

I fully recommend hiring John if you want a beautiful wedding picture that you can cherish for life. He is very professional and kind, and goes above and beyond to make sure his cu...

stomers are happy. My husband and I were dealing with another wedding painter who was a scam, and John was completely understanding to the situation and re-did the picture! He captured the picture so beautifully but in his own way, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I’m excited to have this painting on the wall to show off how beautiful it is. I’m grateful for the work he has put into the painting. Shipping is a breeze and really quick! Thank you so much!

Meaghan C

2/02/2024

My sister knows John and commissioned a piece for my husband and I after our wedding! We LOVE IT!! It’s hanging in our home and we are hoping to add more to the wall! John is THE B...

EST!

Kiana S

1/31/2024

John did an incredible job with our painting! His painting really captured a beautiful memory for our family. From the conversations of what we wanted to the details of the paint...

ing, John was great to work with.

John S

1/31/2024

John helped complete a painting as a surprise for my engagement party based on our photo shoot. The recreation was stunning and it turned out so beautifully! We have it hanging pro...

minently in our home now. So lucky we got such a wonderful memorial of our happiest day

Jenna O

1/22/2024

When my husband and I got our wedding photos back I knew we had to have John paint one. He is beyond talented and we could not love our painting more. John was amazing to work with...

as he kept us updated on the progress of our painting and checked in after we received it to make sure we were happy with the turn out. Our friends and family compliment our painting every time they come over. I highly recommend John for wedding paintings!

Jonathan M

1/18/2024

John did a wonderful job painting a portrait of me and my husband on our wedding day. We absolutely love it and have it prominently displayed in our home. He is so talented!

Response from The Chicago Wedding Painter on 01/22/2024

Thank you for the wonderful feedback! I hope you enjoy the painting

Service area & Contact info

Lakeview, Chicago, IL

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Chicago-based, able to travel!
Typically included in the starting cost

(773) 885-9241

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The Chicago Wedding Painter

John

Owner

Typically responds within 24h

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The Chicago Wedding Painter

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Review Summary

Service area & Contact info

Wedding vendors in Chicago

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