Watercolor Wedding Map of Hawaii and Kona Village
When A & A told me they were getting married at Kona Village on the Big Island of Hawaii, I knew immediately that their wedding weekend itinerary deserved something special. With guests flying in from across the U.S. for a four-day celebration, they needed a beautiful, functional way to communicate the weekend schedule and help guests navigate the resort and surrounding areas.
Rather than a standard printed itinerary, we created a custom watercolor map of Kona Village and the surrounding Kona coast that became both a practical guide and a gorgeous keepsake guests could frame after the wedding.
The Vision For The Wedding
A & A’s wedding weekend included events across multiple locations at the Rosewood Resort property—post-rehearsal-dinner drinks at the resort’s Shipwreck Bar, a Welcome Party at the Moana Pool Deck, the ceremony on the South Crescent Lawn, and a reception under the stars at Ho’Okipa. They also wanted to share their favorite Hawaiian local spots with guests: the best snorkeling beach, hiking trails, and the Kona brewery they loved visiting.
A traditional text-based itinerary wouldn’t capture the magic of the location or help guests visualize where everything was. So that’s where a custom illustrated watercolor map came in!
How do you create a wedding map?
I started by studying maps of Kona Village Resort and the surrounding coastline, then sketched the layout emphasizing the most important locations for their wedding weekend. Once the sketch was approved, I used subtle watercolors in blues and greens that echoed the ocean and tropical landscape by hand. (No AI or digital paint brushes here!) I hand painted the resort property, nearby beaches, and key Kona landmarks. If you want to learn more about the process of creating a watercolor wedding map and if you need one for your event, check out my comprehensive guide here.
The map includes:
- Kona Village Resort illustrated with individual pavilions and the ceremony beach marked
- Locations for each wedding weekend event
- A & A’s recommended spots (snorkeling, restaurants, activities)
- An intimate welcome note from the bride and groom
- An accurate compass orienting guests
- The weekend schedule in elegant typography alongside the map
The color palette featured ocean blues, sandy beiges, and lush tropical greens—the exact colors of the Big Island coastline. Small details like palm trees, flip flops, and stringray added charm and a sense of place.
The Final Wedding Itinerary Booklet
The finished map was printed on 5×7″ folded booklets, tied with a delicate silk ribbon, and included in welcome bags guests received at check-in. It served triple duty: artwork guests could enjoy, practical navigation tool for the weekend, and detailed schedule showing exactly where and when each event was happening.
A & A were ecstatic with how everything turned out, “Everything looks amazing!!” And we even worked together on matching bar signs and dessert table signs.
This is exactly why I love creating custom watercolor maps for destination weddings. They transform practical information into beautiful artwork that captures the spirit of your celebration and the place where you’re getting married. Guests don’t just reference them during the weekend—they take them home as meaningful keepsakes.
Order a custom watercolor wedding map
Interested in a custom watercolor map for your destination wedding? Whether you’re getting married in Hawaii, Tuscany, Mexico, or anywhere in between, I create original watercolor maps that help guests navigate your wedding weekend while serving as beautiful mementos.
Purchase a custom map here:
Or see other maps we’ve created for clients. Like this one for an event in Cabo!
