How Custom Illustrations Can Make Your Invitations Unforgettable
If you ask me, the best invitations are the ones that feel like the people behind them. Sure, you can pick a pretty template off the internet. But if you want something that captures your personality, celebrates your story, and gets your guests excited before they’ve even RSVP’d, illustration is where the magic happens.
Let’s take a look at how illustration transforms a simple invite into something truly memorable.
Wedding Suites and Invitations with Personality
Forget cookie-cutter invites—illustrated wedding suites bring your love story to life. Every element, from the main invitation to the tiniest insert card, can carry your personality. Think signature cocktails, custom portraits, illustrated venue maps, and playful event timelines. The result is a suite that feels as unique as your day.
Remy & Alex: Their suite blended elegant botanical flourishes with personality-filled extras: a signature drink menu, illustrated thank-you card with their likeness, and a custom timeline and a fun page showcasing all their friends who contributed pieces to the wedding - think my invitations, the table decor, the gift bags, etc. Guests felt like they knew the couple even better with this in hand.
Jake & Jess: Playful greenery framed their invitation, which also included illustrated versions of their wedding attire. Their save-the-date featured a charming portrait of their home, while the rehearsal dinner card showcased a food truck serving (yes!) fish and chips.
Bryan & Scott: Their camp wedding suite leaned into a rustic, woodsy vibe with hand-drawn pine trees, a custom crest, and a cozy buffalo plaid envelope liner. The suite captured the atmosphere of their celebration perfectly.
Why it works: Wedding suites aren’t just stationery—they’re the first chapter of your wedding story. Illustrated details make them feel cohesive, personal, and timeless.
Remy & Alex
Jake & Jess
Bryan & Scott
Themed Events with a Twist
Illustration shines brightest when the event itself has a theme. It allows you to be playful, immersive, and imaginative in ways that a template never could.
TV Guide Halloween party: Guests received an illustrated TV Guide cover and contents page filled with nostalgic references: costume ideas, classic show logos, and pop culture callouts. It felt like opening a time capsule.
90s Oscars Party: A blast of nostalgia with illustrated VHS tapes, Blockbuster tickets, “The Rachel” haircut, and movie trivia. Guests showed up in Flannels and Doc Martens because the invite got them in the mood before they even picked their outfits
La La Land Oscars Party: A star-studded affair with a custom map of Hollywood and Los Angeles landmarks, reviews from Vanity Fair and Variety, and sheet music detailing the night’s festivities—this invitation turned the party into a cinematic experience.
Why it works: Invitations like these don’t just share details—they build excitement and immerse your guests in the story from the moment they open the envelope.
TV Guide Halloween Party
90’s Oscar Party
La La Land Oscars Theme
Graduations and Big Milestones
Life’s big milestones deserve more than a fill-in-the-blank card. Illustration adds personality, warmth, and storytelling that makes these announcements worthy of framing.
Owen’s NYU-bound announcement: His announcement featured New York icons like subway signs, Washington Square Arch, and Lucali pizza. Combined with his favorite hoodie and headphones, it reflected both his future and his personality.
Wild Thing Baby Shower: Inspired by "Where the Wild Things Are," this baby shower invitation came with an illustrated forest, gold crown, and custom envelope reading “Let the wild rumpus start!” It set a playful, adventurous tone right from the start.
Harry Potter Baby Shower: A crest uniting all four Hogwarts houses, illustrated characters, golden snitches, and lightning bolts. Even the envelope band was magical. The invitation set the tone for a wizarding celebration guests never forgot.
Why It Works: Illustrated announcements feel personal and specific. They capture who you are in that moment of life—something a generic card never could.
Graduation Announcement
Baby Shower
Baby Shower
Bringing Personality to Your Invitations
Here’s the truth: an invitation is more than just event details—it’s the first chapter of the story you’re about to tell. It’s the spark that gets people counting down the days, imagining the experience, and feeling connected before they even walk through the door.
With hand-drawn illustrations, you’re not only giving your guests a preview—you’re giving them a piece of art they’ll want to keep. From whimsical baby showers to elegant weddings, milestone birthdays to themed soirées, I can help you design something that reflects your style, your story, and your spirit.
If you’re ready to ditch the generic and create an invitation that makes people say “This is so you,” let’s chat. I’ll bring your vision to life—down to the tiniest illustrated detail—and create something unforgettable together.
