The map is an essential part of a wedding invitation. It will tell your guests, especially those unfamiliar to the place, how to get to the Church and to the Reception venue. However important, the map was never the highlight of an invitation. It often consists of boring arrows and straight lines and corners and an X to mark the spot.
I wanted to do away with such dullness and give the map the respect it is due. But of course, I also wanted it to be accurate and possibly show our guests the easier and faster routes to get to us. I figured the best way to start the journey was in Google Maps. And here’s what happened when I converted the map I found via Google Maps:
into our very own Map To Happy Ever After:
Makes you wanna go there, doesn’t it?
Click here for the instructions on how to create your own DIY wedding map using MS PowerPoint.
Hi Sheng. Perchanced on your site. Was wondering how you did this map.
@Pao F, I got the map from Google, ‘traced’ it using Adobe Illustrator (pen or pencil tool) and used some vector graphics and script fonts to decorate it
I’m a Linux user eh and I use GIMP. Would that be enough?
“Tracing” would mean printing it out, manually tracing the route then scan? I’m having difficulty cleaning out the other roads eh.
Any tips?
Ok ba yung GIMP? I’ve heard it’s one of the best free graphic software.
Anyways, here’s how I did it: I opened the jpg file of the map in Illustrator as a layer and with a pencil tool (you can also use a pen tool but I found it’s easier with a pencil tool), I drew lines on the main roads and the routes that I think will be significant, on another layer. Parang when you trace something manually by putting a slightly sheer paper over another image. After that, it’s just a matter of adjusting the thickness, the color and putting some images and fonts to decorate the map. When I’m happy with the result, I just removed the layer of the jpg file.
I’m sure you can do it with GIMP although I’m not sure if GIMP uses layers. But what’s good with Illustrator kasi, the output is a vector image. So I can enlarge the my map and the quality of the image will stay the same.
Hope this helps. Maybe I should post a tutorial on how to do this. Hehe =)
I think yun ang inherent weakness ng GIMP. The output isn’t vector-based so sasabog si pixels pag ni-resize.
Found a quick fix on the web using Illustrator. I hope my netbook can handle the huge thing when I install it later. But thanks for the idea of layers. Having dabbled with Photoshop, I forgot na pwede nga palang gawin yon. LOL. Thanks thanks thanks!
And the tutorial will come in handy for other DIY h2b’s (and b2b’s too) like me.
@pao, so you’re an h2b pala. i hope you can show me your map, too when it’s finished. goodluck on the preps. wished my husband was as hands-on as you are. he’s the more artistic one (between the two of us) but all my pleadings fell on deaf ears. i had no choice but to do all the graphics myself. hehe.
I guess it helped that I’m the OC type. Sure Sheng. Will post the map I am making. Pati na rin siguro yung invite kasi that’s being made in PS/Illustrator na rin. Here’s to you and D on your newly married life!
@Pao, that’s nice! do you have a wedsite, so i can link you up. goodluck din on your upcoming wedding. don’t stress too much. just enjoy the day. thanks =)