Massachusetts DJ - Boston Wedding Disc Jockey

Maps For A Wedding?

When our parents got married they didn't need a map, and that was long before Yahoo and Google maps not to mention global positioning satellites that could maneuver you clear across the country to the church and up the aisle into the right pew!

But, these days, weddings are a multi-facetted event. No longer simply a ceremony and a reception, they are often orchestrated to include brunches, dinners, tours and parties that last an entire weekend or more. Maps can pinpoint the locations of all the planned events as well as suggest some specific sites such as museums, restaurants and shopping areas for your guests to visit during the few hours that are un-scheduled.

Never include maps along with your invitation unless you absolutely need to. When designed badly, or simply copied offline they will ruin the beauty of the invitation. When designed well, they may more attractive than the invitation. If you need to have a map to the location of the ceremony do include it with the invitation, but fold it in half so it doesn't overwhelm the "real" message. Make sure the map complements the invitation in size, color, and paper stock and font styles; yet make sure it is legible.

If it is one that you'd provide for you guests at the destination (such as in the hotel gift basket) have the map serve two purposes: include a schedule of events. These days you can even have them customized. Your family and wedding party will get the map that includes the location and time of the rehearsal dinner. Those with small children might have a slightly different map that shows the location of a zoo or play area. Teenagers can get a third map with the "hip" places marked. Desktop publishing can allow for many slight variations without adding extra printing costs.

When designed well, a map can be beautiful. They become a suitable-for-framing memento of the entire wedding event. Not only for the couple and their family, but also for all the guests. Functional, too: they'll get your guests to the church on time!

Pier Gustafson is a graphic designer, illustrator, calligrapher and CARTOGRAPHER. His maps can be seen framed on the walls of happily married couples as well as on his website: www.piergustafson.com.