Sunshine and Talavera Tiles: Illustrated Map and Bar Sign for a Wedding at the Old Rancho in San Diego
When a San Diego couple came to me for custom wedding stationery for their early summer wedding, I was thrilled. Boston was buried under snow, so designing something warm and bright felt like an escape from the cold! Their venue, the Old Rancho in Carlsbad, is a Spanish-style ranch with sprawling patios that are decorated with Talavera tiles and stunning gardens. The architecture of the original adobe ranch house gave me so much inspiration to create a one-of-a-kind custom wedding map and bar sign. Here, you can learn more about the process of how I can design wedding stationery that is completely customized to your wedding venue!
An example of the stunning Talavera styles that inspired the borders on the custom wedding map and bar menu
Custom wedding maps are a fun way to show off your city and venue
From the very first conversation, this San Diego couple knew exactly what they wanted: sunshine, Spanish-style architecture, and all the little things that made their city feel like home. We talked through their must-have details, including the iconic North Park sign and water tower, the Carlsbad flower fields, and the classic SoCal palm trees swaying in the background. Piece by piece, these details came together into an illustrated wedding map that told the story of their life in San Diego. I used a warm palette of oranges and blues that was bright enough to capture the endless San Diego sunshine, but soft enough to keep the whole thing feeling romantic.
Custom wedding maps can highlight landmarks in your city - such as the San Diego coast, North Park neighborhood sign, and the Old Rancho venue in Carlsbad
Custom bar signs can highlight the best parts of your venue and personalities
The couple chose to have signature cocktails at their wedding, so I worked with them to design a bar menu with the same style as their wedding map. The Old Rancho estate uses beautiful terracotta and Talavera tiles, so the border on the bar menu was inspired by these venue components. The wandering floral design surrounding the signature martini drinks was influenced by the well-known Southern California tulips and poppies, which tied the whole bar menu together in true SoCal style. And, of course, I loved how the couple wanted to include the ingredients (and effects) for each of their signature cocktails: the espresso martini for the groom will keep him awake all night and the dirty martini for the bride will bring out her best dance moves!
The process of designing a custom bar menu - the original painting (left) and the final result (right)!
I have so much fun working with couples to create custom wedding stationery that highlights their home and story. The more details that you can provide, the more I can customize your wedding stationery into a one-of-a-kind design. By using components of your wedding venue, like the Talavera tiles and terracotta at the Old Rancho in San Diego, I can design art that matches exactly with your wedding style. If you’re interested in using a custom wedding map or bar sign at your wedding celebration, please reach out to me so that we can design the perfect stationery for your big day!
