Wedding and Anniversary Gifts Using a Sketched Photo

Gifts for weddings and anniversaries are hard to choose. A sketch-style picture of a meaningful photo gives something personal, and it's affordable.

Gift ideas

Idea	Notes
Framed sketch portrait	a couple's photo turned into a sketch, framed
Sketch of the wedding venue	a keepsake of the place
Sketch of their first home	for a housewarming or anniversary
Sketch of a shared memory	a trip, a favourite café, a park bench
Sketch guest book cover	a printed sketch on the front
Thank-you cards	with a sketched photo on the front
Anniversary series	a new sketch every year for a wall gallery

Choose the right photo

• A relaxed, happy moment rather than a stiff pose.
• Both faces clear, in good, even light.
• A simple background.
• A good-resolution original if you'll print large.

Candid photos often make the warmest sketches.

Match the style to the couple

Couple's taste	Suggested style
Classic and romantic	soft pencil-like effect
Modern and bold	strong line or ink effect
Warm and colourful	a colour sketch effect
Dramatic	a charcoal-like effect

Presenting the gift

1. Print on good paper at a suitable size.
2. Frame it, with a mount for a polished look.
3. Add a note on the back with the date and a short message.
4. Wrap it simply, with a card.

Sizes

Size	Approx. pixels at 300 PPI
5 × 7 inches	1500 × 2100
8 × 10 inches	2400 × 3000
A4	about 2480 × 3508

Use the original photo at full resolution, and check that it has enough pixels for the size you want.

Digital gifts

If you can't print in time, send the sketch by message with a personal note. You can print and frame it later.

Milestone ideas

• 1st anniversary: a sketch of the wedding day.
• 5th anniversary: a sketch of a photo from each year.
• 25th anniversary: an early photo alongside a recent one, sketched to match.

Keep originals

Keep the original photo and the sketch version. If anything gets damaged, you can print again.

Try Color Photo Sketch →