Maps - how did you make your maps?

[lizaanne]

I'm thinking of using Google Maps for mine. I know some people actually draw their own or use maps from vendors and stuff.

What did you do for maps, and how well did they copy? I will be sending them out with our visitor packets, so I'm not restricted to a tiny little card size.

Thanks! :floating:

~Liza

[carolinalady67]

Great question! I'm thinking of using AAA which Chris is a member too. But I'm interested to hear the answers to this.

[*TanyaJeanne*]

Chris drew our maps I believe in paint or a photo shop type program. We brought them to Office Depot and copied them onto Vellum.
They turned out great and they were cheap!

[saraw04]

I ended up making mine in Word. If you are proficient with Word it isn't that hard. I don't have an example of it that I can share. I just used the drawing features and then labled everything with text. I even put little pics of a church and hall where they were located. I dotted the lines of where the guests needed to go. I included the directions underneath the map. I made the map the size of a quarter page so I could print four out on one page. I wanted them so they would fit in the invitation envelope. Liza, since you have room I would say making them bigger would be better. On the back I included the information about the hotels.

I've seen people use Mapquest maps before as well. Good luck girls!

Sara :)

[*heather*]

I made mine in word too. I found a map online that I liked, saved it as a jpg then made a textbox and inserted the pic. I was then able to mark it up some, labeling the hotel and the boat, for instance. It worked perfectly!

[-->Kat<--]

Ours was a joint effort... I provided the map and FH drew a red line to the ceremony and a blue to the reception. But I was thinking that it would be really cute to have a map and then put the line to the ceremony or reception on vellum paper over top of the map.

[Kirsten]

Here's our mapcard:

http://www.geocities.com/kirsten319/_images/mapcard.jpg

I made it using Google and Photoshop. First I Googled a map of the area, opened it in Photoshop and then created a new layer. I drew on the new layer (using different colors for different kinds of roads) to make the map. When I was done tracing I added text info (names of roads) and last, I removed the Google map and printed my new maps out.

Haven't gotten any feedback from the guests, but I think they turned out pretty good.

ETA - there are directions on the back, but I didn't think anyone here would be really interested in that.

[Jenn]

FH made the maps using mapquest and photoshop.

[belle67]

I copy and pasted my maps from mapquest and imported them into powerpoint. I then added the arrows, buildings and text.
It was quite easy. Here are mine:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y166/belle67/inserts.jpg

[lizaanne]

Jennifer - I saw your inserts and that's what prompted me to ask!!! :)

Our reception will be in downtown Detroit - zillions of roads, and very easy to get turned around if you take a wrong turn.

I like the idea of marking up an already existing electronic map. I may try this.

~Liza

[nikkiana]

We used Google Maps for ours and then just used Photoshop to draw where you needed to go over the map.

[Lori]

I did mine the same way as kirsten...
I copy and pasted a map from mapquest, then just used the drawing tools to draw in the main streets I wanted on there, used some clip art, then deleted the pasted map which left me with a simple map.
Here are mine, the first one is a close up because its kinda confusing where to go at the place I'm getting married

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Ttennis4life/Wedding/directions1.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Ttennis4life/Wedding/directionscard2.jpg

The knot has a bio that explains it step by step if you want to do it this way.. they also have some good example maps on there. Here is the link to that:
Mapbio (http://talk.theknot.com/boards/User/Profile.aspx?UserID=17978)

[Kirsten]

I like the idea of marking up an already existing electronic map. I may try this.

~Liza
If you have the software for it, give it a try. I think my map took 45 min or so? And I spent a bit of that time trying to find the right picture on Google maps that showed the major roads I wanted to include.

[KathyandJer]

There's a great little tool at Microsoft, called Microsoft Maps (I believe) - you can put different destinations and it will put a coloured flag at each "stop" you choose. It also gives printed directions as well!

We'll probably do a couple of different ones and see which one looks best!

Also, we're going to try getting some AAA maps for the OOT bags as well - if people want to explore other parts of the state, that will help them out, I'm sure :)


Edit - it's called Windows Live Local (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?s_cid=msc000003)...

[diannad]

http://www.steveanddianna.com/pamphletmap.jpg

I love my map. It took two full evenings of work to create, but I'm very pleased. My fiance was extremely impressed ;).

Anyway, I used mapquest and photoshop to make my map. I copied the map from mapquest into photoshop, then created a new layer and traced the roads I needed. Then I deleted the original map layer leaving me with my tracing. I finessed the lines and added text, icons, and a tracing of Lake Winnipesaukee. Voila! Fifty layers later, you have a lovely map.

If you use photoshop remember to design your items using CMYK and 300 dpi. Most professional printers use CMYK instead of RGB and your design will not look as crisp and clean as you want it if you do not set your image to 300 dpi when you start.

The trial and error by which it was accomplished was tedious, but I'm pretty happy with the end result.

[BASIA]

The Website for my Reception/ceremony site has directions and map so that I what I will be using. If I use the mapquest, my guests will never be able to get there. When we first went to see the place we got sooo lost and never made it. SO I trust the directions on their site.

Here is the map that they have. I may make it a little nicer if I have time, if not Than that is good enough.

http://mahanscatering.com/images/images/LV_Map01.gif

[-->Kat<--]

what is that supposed to be under the sign? well whatever it is... I'd try to remove it ;)

[BASIA]

Which sign are you talking about? The Mahan's lakeview??? Under that is just a dot to show where the place is a guess.
I will probably make it nicer, but at least I don't need to worry about the roads.

[-->Kat<--]

the red blobby stuff directly under the sign or that the sign is sitting in

[BASIA]

I guess that is the pic of a sign that they have in front. And that stuff is some sort of planter with bushes and flowers in it..

[-->Kat<--]

just my opinion, but I'd try to remove it

[BASIA]

Thanks, I probabaly will. I just want to use the roads etc. but I will improve the looks of it so match my wedding.

[Carrie429]

I used microsoft picture it to make our cards and traced over a map I found online. I think Yahoo has a new map feature and thats the one I used - not sure if its still in testing or not (was when I used it) but it was easier to "trace" than all the other online maps!

These were our map cards (front and back)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/CarrieAnn9300/Paper%20Products/MapCards.jpg

[lalalola]

BUMP! I can't seem to find one site that someone recommended in a separate thread a couple of months ago........but I found this helpful!

[Winter_Bride]

Jen (Belle67) recommended a website! I can't remember what though!!

I used mapquest.com. Then I selected the map, pasted it in word, and went from there.

[lalalola]

I'm playing with mapquest right now too.........fun!

[Winter_Bride]

I found the website!!

Here's the thread Belle67 started!

http://www.mustloveweddings.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4352