You don’t need to have a live painter at your wedding to own a painting of it.
How to Commission a Wedding Portrait Painting
Quick answer: to turn your wedding photo into a painting, choose your favourite photo, pick an artist whose style you love, and send them the photo with the size you want and any deadline. They will quote, take a deposit and paint it by hand in their studio. On TheWeddingPainters, hand-painted pieces start from £450 to £3,000, and most take four to six weeks.
What is a wedding portrait commission?
A commission means asking an artist to paint something just for you. For a wedding portrait, you send a photo from your day, and the artist paints it by hand in their studio. The result is an original painting, not a print, a filter or a computer-generated copy.
It is different from a live wedding painter, who paints at your wedding while it happens. You can commission a painting weeks or even years after your wedding, and you don’t need to have had a painter there.
Step 1: Choose your photo
This is the most important step. Choose the photo that brings back how the day felt, rather than the most technically perfect one. Popular choices are the first kiss, the first dance, a quiet moment between the two of you, or a wide shot of the ceremony with your guests.
A clear photo with good light and an obvious focus is easiest to paint. Make sure your faces are sharp and not too small in the frame. Phone photos usually work. Very blurry or very dark photos are harder, so if you’re unsure, send two or three and let your artist choose.
You can also ask your artist to combine photos, for example to add a loved one who couldn’t be there, or to change small things, like removing an exit sign or a guest’s phone.
Step 2: Choose your artist
The artist’s style shapes your painting as much as the photo does. A watercolour will feel light and soft. An oil painting can be rich and detailed, or loose and dreamlike. Look at each artist’s past paintings, especially how they paint faces, light and backgrounds, and read their reviews.
You can compare our artists who paint from wedding photos, with their styles and starting prices, in one place.
Step 3: Send your first message
The more your artist knows, the more accurate your quote will be. In your first message, share:
Your photo: or two or three you’re choosing between.
What you love about it: the feeling, the light, a detail you want to keep.
Size: where it will hang, if you don’t know the size yet.
Style: realistic and detailed, or softer and more painterly.
Changes: anyone to add or remove, including pets.
Deadline: an anniversary, birthday or other date it needs to arrive by.
Delivery: where it is going, especially if it’s outside the UK.
Budget: so your artist can suggest the right size.
Surprise: if it’s a gift, so they don’t contact anyone else.
Your artist will reply to say whether they can take it on, with a quote and an explanation of how they work.
Step 4: Agree the details and pay your deposit
Before work starts, agree the size, style, price, timeline and delivery. Ask what happens if you want changes. Some artists include one round of changes, and others discuss adjustments as they go.
Your artist will ask for a deposit, usually 30% to 50%, to secure your place and cover materials. On TheWeddingPainters you pay through the platform, so your messages and payments stay in one place.
Step 5: Review the work in progress
Many artists send a photo part-way through so you can give feedback on colour, detail or composition. Most of our commission artists do this. Be specific. “The dress looks a bit too dark” is easier to act on than “something feels off”. If progress photos matter to you, ask about them before you book.
Step 6: Receive your painting
Your artist sends a final photo for your approval, then delivers your painting, carefully packed and ready to hang or frame. Some artists include a frame, and others offer framing as an extra.
How much does a wedding portrait commission cost?
On TheWeddingPainters, hand-painted pieces start from £450 to £3,000, and six of our nine UK painters start below £1,000. Our one digital artist starts at £355. We checked these prices on 13 October 2026.
Your price depends on the size of the painting, how many people are in it, how much detail you want and the artist’s experience. Adding people usually costs extra. One of our artists, for example, adds £80 for each extra adult and £50 for a pet. Delivery and framing may be added too. You can compare every artist’s starting price on our wedding photo to painting page.
How long does it take?
Most of our artists who give a time say four to six weeks from when they start. Larger or more detailed paintings take longer, and some detailed oil portraits take up to three months. Allow extra time for delivery and framing, and always mention a deadline in your first message.
When should you commission a wedding painting?
There is no deadline. Some couples order a painting as soon as their photographer’s preview arrives. Others wait until they’ve seen every photo, or commission one years later for an anniversary. Paintings make especially meaningful first, tenth and twenty-fifth anniversary gifts. See our 25th anniversary gift ideas and our wedding gift guide.
A commission or a live wedding painter?
If your wedding is still ahead, you have a choice. A live wedding painter paints at your wedding while your guests watch, which adds something special to the day. A commission is painted afterwards from your photo, so you can choose your favourite moment once you’ve seen everything, and it often costs less. Read how much live wedding painters cost or browse our live wedding painters.
Frequently asked questions
Can I commission a painting from an old wedding photo?
Yes, as long as the photo is clear enough to see your faces. Prints from film and older digital photos are often used. Scan or photograph the print in good light and send that to your artist.
What size should I order?
Think about where it will hang. A large canvas suits a chimney breast or a feature wall. A smaller piece suits a bedroom, hallway or desk. If you’re unsure, go a little larger, because paintings often look smaller on the wall than you expect.
Can I choose the style, like watercolour or oil?
Yes. Most artists work in one or two styles, so choose an artist whose past paintings match what you want. You can also mention your preference in your first message.
Can the artist add someone who wasn’t in the photo?
Often, yes. Several of our artists can combine more than one photo, so you can add a loved one or a pet. Send a clear photo of each person and explain where you’d like them.
What if I’m not happy with the painting?
Raise any concerns when you see the progress photos or the final photo, before your painting is shipped. Changes are much easier at that stage. Check your artist’s terms on changes before you book.
Can I commission a painting as a surprise gift?
Yes. It is a popular gift for anniversaries and birthdays. Tell your artist it is a surprise so they don’t contact anyone else.
Ready to start? Compare our artists who paint from wedding photos and send your photo to the one you love.
Here’s exactly how the process works.
What Is a Wedding Commission?
A wedding commission is when you hire an artist to create a painting based on a photo from your wedding day.
It’s different from a live wedding painter, who creates a painting on the day itself. With a commission, the work happens in the artist’s studio — after the wedding, at a pace that allows for real detail and care.
The result is a finished painting made just for you. No prints, no filters, no digital editing. A real painting by a real artist.
Step 1: Choose Your Photo
This is the most important part of the whole process.
Pick a photo that means something to you. It doesn’t need to be the most technically perfect shot. It needs to be the one that captures how the day felt.
Popular choices include the first kiss, the first dance, a quiet moment between the two of you, or a wide shot of the ceremony with all your guests.
A few things make a photo easier to paint from. Good lighting helps. A clear focal point helps. Blurry or very dark images are harder to work from, so share a few options if you’re not sure.
Step 2: Choose Your Artist
Different artists paint in different styles. Some work in oils. Some in watercolour. Some produce detailed, realistic portraits. Others work in a looser, more impressionistic style.
Look at each artist’s portfolio before you reach out. Make sure their style matches what you have in mind. A painterly, emotional style suits some couples. A sharp, detailed portrait suits others.
On The Wedding Painters, you can browse studio commission artists and view their previous work before making contact.
Step 3: Send Your Enquiry
Once you’ve found an artist you like, send them a message. Include the photo you have in mind, the size you’re thinking of, and any deadline you’re working to.
Most artists respond quickly. They’ll let you know if they can take on your commission, give you a quote, and explain their process.
If you have a firm deadline — a birthday, an anniversary, a gift — tell them upfront. A good artist will be honest about whether they can meet it.
Step 4: Agree the Details
Before any work starts, you’ll agree on a few things with your artist. These include the canvas size, the painting style, the price, and the timeline.
Most artists ask for a deposit at this stage — usually 25 to 50% of the total fee. This secures your place in their schedule and covers the cost of materials.
Make sure you’re clear on what happens if you want changes. Most artists offer one or two rounds of feedback before the painting is finalised.
Step 5: Review the Work in Progress
Many artists share a photo of the painting partway through. This is your chance to flag anything — a detail that doesn’t look right, a colour that’s slightly off, or a change in composition.
Be specific with your feedback. “The dress looks a bit too dark” is more useful than “something feels off.” Artists want to get it right.
Not all artists offer progress updates as standard, so ask about this when you first enquire if it matters to you.
Step 6: Receive Your Finished Painting
When the painting is complete, your artist will send you a final photo for approval. Once you’re happy, they’ll arrange delivery.
Most paintings arrive carefully packaged and ready to hang. Some artists offer framing as an add-on — worth asking about if you don’t want to source a frame yourself.
The whole process typically takes four to eight weeks from the point of booking. Timelines vary depending on the artist’s schedule and the complexity of the work.
What Does a Wedding Commission Cost?
Prices vary based on the artist, the size of the painting, and the level of detail involved.
As a rough guide, most commissions start from around £300 to £500 for a smaller piece and rise from there for larger or more complex works.
It’s a significant purchase — but it’s also a permanent one. Unlike almost everything else you spend money on for your wedding, a commissioned painting doesn’t get eaten, worn once, or packed away in a box. Read our guide on what a live wedding painter costs if you want a broader sense of pricing across different types of wedding art.
When Should You Commission a Wedding Painting?
Any time. That’s one of the best things about studio commissions.
You can order one the week after your wedding, or years later when you find the right photo. There’s no deadline. Your wedding photos don’t expire.
Commissions also make excellent gifts. A painting of a couple’s wedding day is one of the most personal anniversary presents you can give — particularly for milestone anniversaries like the first, fifth, tenth, or twenty-fifth. If you’re looking for gift ideas, take a look at our wedding gift guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I commission a painting from an old wedding photo? Yes. As long as the photo is clear enough to paint from, the age of the image doesn’t matter. Many couples commission paintings from film photographs or older digital shots.
What size should I order? Think about where the painting will hang. A large canvas works well above a fireplace or on a feature wall. A smaller piece suits a bedroom, hallway, or desk. When in doubt, go bigger — paintings tend to look smaller on a wall than they do in photos.
Can I request a specific style — like watercolour or oil? Yes. Most artists specialise in one or two styles. Filter by style when browsing artists, or mention your preference in your first message.
What if I’m not happy with the finished painting? Reputable artists include a revision process in their terms. Raise any concerns before you sign off on the final piece. Changes are much easier to make before the painting is shipped.
Can I commission a painting as a gift without the couple knowing? Yes — and it’s a popular choice for anniversaries and milestone birthdays. Just let the artist know it’s a surprise so they know not to reach out to anyone else.
Ready to turn a favourite photo into a painting? Browse wedding commission artists on The Wedding Painters and find an artist whose style fits your vision.
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