Okay guys, today we’re going to take a quick look at my absolute ~favorite~ thing to create for my wedding suites. Hand illustrated maps!!! While including a map is optional, I would include one of these with every single invitation suite if I had my way.
The Makeup of a Wedding Map
While every map I make is a little different, they all include a few things. I start with a general outline of the roads in the area we’re creating a map of. These are not always exactly to scale, sometimes I play with the scale of things to make the area fit what we need, or just just plain look a little prettier. I always keep roads in the correct order, in case a map is being used as help to find venues or other locations. Another common thread through my custom maps are illustrations that mark the important places you would like to show to your guests. This can vary from map to map of course, some lend themselves better to 3-5 illustrated spots, while others are best left simple.
Reasons to Include a Map
1.) Location info and/or activity suggestions
This is the most common base reasoning behind including a map with your stationery. Maps, after all, are for showing where things are! Show your guests where the ceremony will be, where to go for the reception afterwards, and where their hotels are. Or for another twist, show your out of town guests where all your favorite spots are. From the little restaurant they *have* to try while they’re in town, to your favorite spot to play some arcade games. The possibilities are basically endless.
2.) Help telling your love story
One of my favorite requests for maps is to draw out a couple’s love story. The map pictured above is one of my favorites that illustrates this, with the couples’ lines bouncing all around the world (even to Paris!) until they intersect and fall in love. Happy, romantic sigh!!!
3.) They are ~art~
Beyond the obvious reasons for including a custom map, my very favorite reason is that they are beautiful keepsakes, works of art that you can keep, and look at for years to come. They’re a reminder of the places you’ll associate with your big day. Print one large enough to use as your guest book, frame it, and have something that you can look at every day.
Ready to invest in a map of your own?
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