Archie Hayes 
It’s traditional to give a gift to couples when they get married, particularly if you’re invited to the wedding. Couples often register for things they may need to help guests pick gifts that they’ll actually use. What if they don’t though, or you’re looking for a gift that’s more personal than a place setting?
A custom portrait from Paint Your Life might be the perfect solution. It’s totally unique. It’s a household item, which is a commonly accepted category to buy from when it comes to wedding presents. Plus, it’s a depiction of their love for one another. With those things in mind, you can’t really beat a custom portrait as a gift for newlyweds!
What About the Timing?
A lot of times, people feel like they have to take a gift to the event itself. That would be kind of difficult if you’re planning on having a picture from the wedding turned into a custom portrait. While PYL’s services are pretty quick when you consider they’re hand-made by a professional artist, they’re not instantaneous.
Common etiquette states that you should send a gift within a year of the wedding itself, meaning you don’t have to send a gift before the event or bring one with you. In fact, some couples truly prefer that the gifts begin rolling in after the wedding. It means they don’t have extra stuff laying around while they’re preparing for the big day and that they don’t need to drag even more stuff home from the ceremony.
Designing a Custom Portrait for the Happy Couple
First, you’ll need to choose a picture that the artist of your choice will base the portrait on. The better quality the picture, the better the finished portrait will likely turn out. You can choose a more classic portrait pose like a close up of the two of them, an action shot like the couple walking back up the aisle together or the official kiss, or a more stylized photo that depicts tiny details in the wedding like a ring shot or a shot of the flowers.
If the couple doesn’t plan to post photos to social media or send them to friends and family members soon after the event, you might need to make a special effort to capture a great picture on your own. Don’t hesitate to ask them for a quick pose. They’ll thank you later!
Next, you’ll choose a medium. Oil and pastel portraits tend to look more photo-realistic. Watercolor and custom charcoal portraits offer a more stylized finished product that looks a little more ‘artsy’. Think about the couple and their tastes. Think about the style of their new home. If you’re close to them, you may even have an idea of which type of art they’d appreciate the most. No matter which medium you choose, you can count on a unique custom gift.
Then, you’ll choose an artist. The artists at Paint Your Life are all highly trained professionals, but individual tastes may mean that you prefer one artist’s style over another’s. As you’re scanning through the site, you can hover over any portrait in any of the galleries and a button will pop up stating, “I want this artist to paint my photo!”
After that, you’ll have a chat with the artist about what you’re going for. You can let them know if you’d like anything in the photo changed. For instance, maybe you want the background to match their home’s color palette rather than that of the wedding. Just let your artist know! They’ll do their best to get a clear picture of what you want and grant your requests.
Once the artist has completed the first draft, you’ll have the opportunity to look over it and have changes made if you feel it’s necessary. At Paint Your Life, our artists are dedicated to a finished product that you’re totally satisfied with. You can check out a review from Mattresses Reviewed to learn what one writer had to say about our services, along with some tips for a successful purchase.
Maybe you don’t feel like you know enough about the couple to create a custom portrait that they’ll absolutely love. That’s no problem. You can always get them a gift certificate! This certificate will allow them to choose their own photo, artist, medium, and add their own special touches so that the portrait fits their style and their home. Designing their own custom portrait is also a great couple’s activity!
No matter who you are to the happy couple, a custom portrait is a great way to show them how much you love them and believe in their relationship.
