Live Wedding Painting at Hôtel Préalpina: a Lake Geneva Dream in Chexbres
Khanh Linh Dang
Every artist has a list of dream places to paint. I grew up in Geneva and studied in Lausanne, so Lake Geneva has always held a special place in my heart. In my first season as a live wedding painter, I painted beautiful venues all over French-speaking Switzerland, yet the lake itself stayed just out of reach.
That changed in my second season, thanks to Bruna and Volkan.
When their enquiry arrived for a wedding at Hôtel Préalpina in Chexbres, I looked the venue up straight away. The terrace opens onto an uninterrupted view of the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards and the lake. I knew right then that this one would be special.
Art, music and romance
Bruna and Volkan imagined a celebration full of art: dancers, live music, dramatic lighting, and a live wedding painting at the heart of it all.
Bruna’s wish for the painting was beautifully specific: the two of them in a romantic moment with Lake Geneva behind them, framed symmetrically by their string duo, one musician on each side.
Arriving early to read the light
No two weddings follow the same rhythm, so flexibility is part of the job. I arrived at Hôtel Préalpina early to set up my easel. That quiet window before the guests arrive is when I study the light and lay down the first layers: the soft lines of the Lavaux hills, the architecture of the terrace and the calm blue of the lake stretching to the horizon.
When the schedule changes
On arrival, I learned that the musicians would play later, during dinner, rather than at the afternoon cocktail. Instead of letting that break the flow, I changed my plan. I spent the daylight hours on the landscape and the warm natural light, and photographed Bruna and Volkan during their entrance so I had their portraits, proportions and outfits for reference.
When dinner began and the duo took the stage, I stepped away from the canvas for a few minutes to watch them: their exact poses, the way their white gowns caught the evening light, their symmetry in the room.
By the end of the night, the painting had come together on site: the view over Lake Geneva, the couple’s portrait and the feeling of the evening.
The finishing touches in the studio
Because the musicians played late, under the venue’s stage lighting, I took the canvas back to my studio to give that part the time it deserved.
In the quiet of the studio, I painted the string duo into the composition, matching their instruments, posture and highlights to the rest of the scene. Then came the details of the wedding dress, deeper shadows and a protective varnish. The result is an heirloom to keep for a lifetime.
Thank you, Linh! The painting is really lovely. Whenever we have guests over, they are always impressed by it.
Planning your wedding on Lake Geneva or in Lavaux?
If you’d love more than a painting, an experience your guests will talk about and a memory that stays with you, I’d love to hear your story.
The Creative Team
- Wedding Planner | A. Dream Wedding
- Wedding Venue | Hôtel Préalpina
- Photographer & Videographer | Aigal
- Light & Audio | Prodio Light
- Music Entertainment | Qart Events
- Florist | Pont de Chailly
- Cake | Cupcaker – by Marine Daglia
- Makeup | Anna Boldina
- Photo Booth | Red Monkeys
- Live Painter | Dang de toi
