One of the UK's leading live wedding painters: from TWIA winner to judge

Winning the award in 2024 and starting to feel like one of the UK's leading live painters

Winning a TWIA award in 2024 was the year I finally thought, wow, I've made it, I might just be one of the UK's leading live wedding painters. I had been painting live since 2018, and that year I started to realise I was one of the leaders in my industry. I was getting daily DMs from people asking how I do what I do, and I was asked to be on The One Show for the BBC. Then I won the top prize across the whole country at the TWIA wedding industry awards.  I always knew how impactful live painting was, so I was really glad to see something so niche and rare start to get recognised. Now there is a category for live painting all of its own. When I entered, it sat under the Special Touch category.

If you haven't come across them before, TWIA stands for The Wedding Industry Awards. It was set up in 2011 to recognise excellence across the UK wedding industry, with regional and national stages. Clients vote, and a panel of industry experts judges the entries. You can find out more on the official TWIA website.

I really felt like one of the UK's leading live wedding painters when I was asked to judge two years later

Two years on, I have been asked to become a judge. It is a funny position to be in, because I spent years looking at other people's work with a mix of admiration and nerves. Judging makes you look at things with a different eye. You start to notice how a painting holds together in a busy room, how the artist keeps their focus with guests all around them, and whether the finished piece really feels like it belongs to the couple. I now look for those same things in my own work.

What it means if you are planning a wedding

If you are planning your day and wondering whether a wedding artist is worth the investment, an award is a nice clue but it is not the whole story. Look at how a painter talks to you, how they work with your venue, and what the finished pieces look like once the day is over. Those things will tell you far more than any badge.

If you are thinking about live wedding painting for your own day, get in touch through the website. I am always happy to have a chat about what would suit you and your guests, and there is no pressure at all.