Wedding venue illustrations: your day, drawn beautifully
There’s a reason couples fall head over heels for their venue. It’s where the whole day happens- the I do’s, the first dance, the cake being cut- and a wedding venue illustration captures all of that in a way that’s different to what your photographer will deliver. A hand-drawn venue has a different kind of warmth and character. It feels like yours, because it was drawn just for you.
New here? Lovely to meet you. I'm Becky (she/her), the designer and illustrator behind Hawthorne and Ivory. Illustration is my first love and my favourite part of this job, and of everything I draw, venues might be where I get to show off the most. In this post I’ll share every way to use a venue illustration, how the process works, and why it’s worth commissioning early.
Why a venue illustration is so special
Your venue is often the first big decision you make together, and usually the one you fell hardest for. An illustration turns that place into the signature motif of your wedding: it appears on the save the dates or your wedding invitations, so guests feel the day before they’ve even checked their diaries, and it quietly threads through everything that follows.
And afterwards? It becomes a keepsake of the place you said ‘I do’. Couples frame them, gift them on anniversaries, and tell me years later that it still hangs in the hallway. A photo shows your venue; a drawing remembers it.
Photography by Jo Greenfield
Ways to use your venue illustration
This is where a venue illustration earns its keep, because one drawing works everywhere:
As the hero of your save the dates and invitations- an instant wow the moment the envelope opens.
Carried through the suite onto details cards, your order of service, guestbook, and menus.
Blown up beautifully for a welcome sign or table plan.
As a more simple line-drawing, or a full watercolour statement- whichever suits your style.
Paired with a hand-drawn map to guide guests from ceremony to reception (more on those in my details card post).
How it works (easier than you think)
Couples often assume commissioning an illustration is complicated. It really isn’t. Send me a photo or two of your venue, from the angle you love most, and I’ll take it from there. Once it’s all sketched up and coloured, your venue is ready to run through the whole suite.
No decent photos? Not a problem. If your venue’s website and your camera roll come up short, I’ve even drawn venues from Google Maps when there’s been a real photo shortage- where there’s a will, there’s a drawing. And here’s a happy bonus: if I’ve already illustrated your venue for a previous couple, there’s no additional charge to include it in your stationery.
The one thing I’d gently encourage is commissioning early. The illustration is the thread that ties everything together, so the sooner it exists, the more of your stationery it can grace, from the very first save the date to the last thank you card.
Venues I’ve loved drawing
A few favourites from real weddings: the Royal Liver Building, drawn for a gorgeous Liverpool city wedding (all of those windows were a real labour of love), the charm of Wharfedale Grange in Yorkshire (read more about this gorgeous wedding here!), the stately glamour of Iscoyd Park, and a whole congregation of beautiful churches, each with its own personality. Every one of them started with a couple saying ‘could you draw our venue?’- and the answer is always yes.
A table plan with a Liver Building venue illustration
Photograph by Rachel Clarke
A welcome sign with Iscoyd Park illustration
Photograph by We Are The Clarkes
Welcome sign with Oh Me Oh My venue illustration
Photograph by Willo Photography
A welcome sign with an illustration of Liverpool Town Hall
Photograph by Leesha Williams
Wedding venue illustrations: your questions answered
What do you need to draw our venue?
Just a photo or two, ideally showing the angle and details you love most. If photos are scarce, I can work from your venue’s website or even Google Maps.
What if you’ve already drawn our venue?
Lucky you- there’s no additional charge to include an illustration I’ve already created in your stationery. It’s one of the perks of marrying somewhere popular!
Can the illustration go on everything?
Yes, that’s the beauty of it. One drawing scales from a small motif on your RSVP cards to a full welcome sign, and ties the whole day together.
When should we commission it?
As early as you can, ideally before your save the dates, so the illustration can feature on every piece. But adding an illustration at any stage can take things to another level of beautiful.
Ready to see your venue drawn beautifully?
If you can already picture your venue at the top of your invitations, let’s make it real. Pop me an enquiry through the quote builder, tell me where you’re marrying, and send a photo if you have one... I’ll be sketching before you know it.
Your day deserves to be drawn beautifully, and I would love to be the one to draw it.
Want to read and find out more? Here’s where to go next:
- Your ultimate timeline guide, so you can figure out when you’ll need to order
- More about celebrating your venue with your stationery
- A Liverpool City Centre wedding which celebrated illustration
- And a Wharfdale Grange wedding too!
- More info about save the dates
- And more about on the day stationery!
