ILLUSTRATION · WEDDING STATIONERY · GRAPHIC DESIGN
Bespoke Illustrated Wedding Invitation
Custom family portraits, two original landscape compositions, illustrated wedding stationery and complete graphic design for a celebration in the South of France.
The presentation above is a styled visualisation of the invitation, rather than a photograph taken at the wedding. The original artwork and complete layouts are shown below.
THE COMMISSION
A Wedding Invitation Designed Around a Family
For Célia and Wilfried’s wedding in southern France, I created a completely personalised faire-part de mariage. The design was developed around the couple, their baby, the château where the celebration would take place and the events planned for the wedding day.
The commission combined custom portrait illustration from photographs, two original illustrated compositions, floral decoration, vector pictograms, typography and the complete graphic design of a folding invitation. The challenge was to bring these different elements together without losing clarity or elegance.
RECTO · COMPLETE INTERIOR
Illustration and Graphic Design Working Together
The opened invitation brings together the wedding announcement, illustrated programme, practical information and original artwork. The family appears within a panoramic landscape, while a separate illustration of the château establishes the setting for the celebration.
Floral compositions frame the upper edge. Soft greys keep the information readable, while pink accents connect the typography, pictograms and decorative elements. The result is a detailed composition that remains easy to navigate.
CUSTOM PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATION
The Bride, Groom and Their Baby — Illustrated from Photographs
I drew individual portraits of the bride, groom and their baby using reference photographs. The figures were then brought together in a lively family scene, balancing recognisable likenesses with expressive, cartoon-inspired drawing.
For the reverse of the invitation, I created a heart-shaped composition showing the family running through a colourful meadow. Soft digital watercolour textures give the illustration a gentle, atmospheric quality.
DIGITAL WATERCOLOUR · VENUE ILLUSTRATION
A Second Illustration: The Château and Its Surroundings
The interior features a second, separate illustration: a panoramic view of the wedding venue and its surroundings. I illustrated the château, trees, garden and flower-filled countryside in an elegant digital watercolour style, creating a sense of place within the invitation itself.
The family figures were incorporated again into this wider landscape composition. Reusing the custom portraits in a different illustrated setting helped establish a consistent visual identity across both sides of the invitation.
VECTOR ILLUSTRATION · INFORMATION DESIGN
A Wedding Timeline That Makes the Programme Fun
The practical programme became a small infographic. I designed original vector icons representing travel, accommodation, the ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dancing, then connected them with a pink dotted line.
The pictograms add humour and personality while helping guests follow the sequence of events at a glance. This is a useful example of visual storytelling applied to a functional graphic design problem.
VERSO · FOLDING COVER
The Folding Cover: “On se dit Oui”
The reverse was designed specifically for the invitation’s folding format. When closed, the two front flaps bring together the pink lettering On se dit Oui, surrounded by floral illustrations.
When laid flat, the reverse reveals the heart-shaped family illustration at its centre. The placement of the artwork, lettering and decorative elements was planned around the folds, so the invitation works both as a closed object and as a complete printed composition.
SCOPE OF WORK
One Complete Illustration and Design Commission
The finished invitation brought together custom portraits of three family members, two distinct illustrated landscape compositions, floral artwork, original vector pictograms, a visual wedding timeline, the folding cover, typography and the complete recto-verso layout.
All elements were developed as part of one coordinated design, including preparation of the final artwork for printing. The result is a personal invitation that communicates the practical details of the day while telling something of the family’s story.
BESPOKE COMMISSIONS · INDICATIVE PRICING
What Does a Custom Illustrated Wedding Invitation Cost?
Every project is different, and the price depends on the complexity of the artwork, the invitation format and the overall design requirements.
A complete bespoke invitation comparable to the example shown here would typically cost approximately €900–€1,200 for illustration and graphic design, excluding printing.
This indicative range covers a substantial illustrated invitation: family portraits drawn from photographs, the heart-shaped portrait composition, a separate château and landscape illustration, floral decoration, custom vector icons, the illustrated wedding programme, front-cover lettering, complete recto-verso graphic design and print-ready artwork.
Fixed Project Fees, Agreed in Writing
I prefer to work with fixed, all-inclusive creative fees rather than hourly rates or separate charges for individual illustrations and design components. After discussing your ideas, I prepare a written project outline describing the agreed scope and deliverables, together with one fixed quotation.
That way, you know what is included and what the creative work will cost before the project begins. Printing costs are handled separately and depend on paper, format, quantities and finishing.
ILLUSTRATION & DESIGN BY IAN DAVID MARSDEN
Illustration and Graphic Design for Personal Projects
This invitation illustrates how commissioned artwork and graphic design can work together to create something personal and distinctive. The same approach can be applied to illustrated announcements, custom family portraits, anniversary invitations, holiday cards and other special-occasion stationery.
Based in southern France, I work with private clients, publishers and businesses in France and internationally. You can explore more of my work in graphic design and creative direction, editorial and educational illustration, and my illustration portfolio.
If you have an illustrated stationery or personalised design project in mind, you’re welcome to get in touch with a description of your ideas.
Artwork & Visualisation Note: Original label artwork, illustration and graphic design by Ian David Marsden. Product and lifestyle images may include AI-assisted visualisations.
