A close-up of a handcrafted wooden map featuring a custom heart engraving on the coastline, showcasing personalised design details.

How to Add a Personal Touch to Your Gift with a Bespoke Map

✨ How to Add a Personal Touch to Your Gift with a Bespoke Map

Gifting isn’t just about the item—it’s about the story.

At Tides Out Maps, we believe a great gift should say more than just “I thought of you.” It should say, “I remembered your favourite beach,” or “I know exactly where your heart is anchored.”

That’s why we offer bespoke additions—to help you turn a beautiful piece of wall art into a deeply meaningful keepsake that captures memory, emotion, and place.

🗺️ Step 1: Choose a Location That Matters

It starts with a place:
Maybe it’s the bay where someone learned to sail, the lake you return to every summer, or the beach you walk every Sunday morning. Tell us what location holds significance for you, and we’ll bring it to life.

We create custom maps of:

  • New Zealand coastlines, lakes, and harbours

  • Pacific Islands and international coastlines

  • Personal spots not yet in our collection

🎯 If it’s meaningful to you, we’ll map it.

🎨 Step 2: Make It Uniquely Yours

Once you’ve chosen your location, we’ll help you customise your map in a way that reflects your personal story and style.

Ways to Personalise:

  • Custom Labels – Add names, dates, or place names in your own words

  • Engraved Symbols – Include icons like a heart, boat, star, or wave

  • Ocean Cut-Outs – Add a physical symbol cut into the map’s depth layers

  • Colour Preferences – Match your map to your interior design or taste

  • Orientation & Size – Choose from Small to XL, vertical or horizontal

  • Messages – Include a meaningful engraving on the back or front

🛠️ We’ll always check in before crafting your map to confirm any special additions.

💸 Bespoke Additions are available for a flat fee of $50.

🧵 Step 3: Handmade with Care

Every bespoke map is crafted by hand in our New Zealand workshop. Once your design is confirmed, we carefully layer, engrave, and finish your map with attention to detail and quality.

⏱️ Crafting typically takes up to two weeks.
📦 Shipping available throughout New Zealand and internationally.

💬 Real Customers, Real Impact

“Cannot recommend Tides Out Maps more highly! The team helped me design a map with icons that told our story—my husband was blown away. It’s something we’ll treasure forever.”
— Becki, Wedding Gift Customer

“We added a star to mark our favourite diving spot. Every time we look at it, we remember that perfect day in the Bay of Islands.”
— Emma & Josh, Anniversary Gift

🎁 The Perfect Gift for Any Occasion

Bespoke maps are ideal for:

  • Weddings & Anniversaries

  • Milestone Birthdays

  • Housewarmings

  • Memorials

  • Farewells & Retirements

  • Celebrating “just because” moments

Because when you give someone a personalised map, you’re giving them a reminder of who they are and where they’ve been.

🔗 Start Your Custom Map Today

Ready to create something truly personal?

👉 Explore Bespoke Additions
👉 Start Your Personalised Design
👉 See Our Full Gift Guide – Top Personalised Gifts Made in New Zealand (2025 Edition)

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