A Family History, Brought to Life.
Turning generations of family connections into keepsakes to treasure.
Family Tree Design · Editorial Design · Print Design · Bespoke Creative Projects
The Brief
When an extended American family gathered in Charleston, South Carolina, for a special reunion, they wanted something that would help everyone reconnect, celebrate their shared history and remember the occasion.
The project centred on two complementary printed pieces: a large-format family tree for each attendee and a commemorative booklet bringing together the people and stories behind the names.
Making Sense of Generations
Working with family information, photographs and memories supplied by the organisers, I designed two complementary pieces.
The large-format family tree presented multiple generations of relatives in a single illustrated layout, balancing a complex network of relationships with clarity and visual appeal.
For the accompanying 60-page booklet, I created an editorial design that brought together individual profiles, family photographs, personal memories and historical images. A consistent visual style, incorporating subtle botanical imagery and warm neutral tones, connected the booklet to the family tree.
The booklet also included a map showing where family members lived across the United States, offering another perspective on how the family had grown and spread over the generations.
Something to Take Home
Together, the family tree and booklet gave relatives two ways to explore their shared history: the bigger picture of how everyone was connected, and the individual stories that made those connections meaningful.
Created for a single occasion, the finished pieces became lasting keepsakes — a record of the family as it was in 2024, and a celebration of the generations that came before.
It's a reminder that some of the most rewarding creative projects aren't commercial at all. They're about making something personal, thoughtful and worth keeping.
What the client said:
“I have 24 first cousins on my father’s side. We live all over the US, so we planned a reunion weekend to celebrate our late grandparents and to reconnect. I decided that a family tree would be a fun “giveaway” for my cousins, but wasn’t sure how to graphically portray such a large amount of information. Sarah was a lifesaver - she created a beautiful family tree with imagery, made suggestions that enhanced it tremendously, and led the printing process at completion. It was a great success!
We also made a “family update” book that depicted everyone’s hobbies, children, favorite family memory, and more. Sarah collected and organized all of the information into a fantastic booklet that shared the same imagery that was on the family tree. My cousins were incredibly touched and happy when I shared the family trees and booklets - many reached out after our reunion and thanked me for such a special gift. Thank you Sarah!”