Our Story, a timeline
Our Story
From a single drawing to over a million prints. Over the years, we’ve grown from exhibiting at small fairs to being featured in leading publications and stocked in some of the UK’s most prestigious stores. Each milestone reflects our commitment to design excellence, quality craftsmanship, and a deep appreciation for the customers who have supported us along the way.
Explore our timeline to see how it all began and how we’ve grown into the brand we are today.
| Year | Milestones |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Our very first illustrated wedding invitation is sold. |
| 2003 | Exhibit at the UK Wedding Show, Wembley. Featured in Wedding Venues Magazine. Exhibit at various shows across Epsom, Hungerford, Reading, Newbury, Weybridge, Cobham, Kempton Park & Guildford. |
| 2004 | Featured in Brides, You & Your Wedding, and Wedding Day Magazine. Exhibit at The National Wedding Show (Feb & Sept) Olympia and Earls Court, Cobham, Farnham, Guildford & Weybridge. Awarded membership of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. |
| 2005 | Exhibit at The Designer Wedding Show (Nov) & The National Wedding Show (Feb & Sept), plus Cobham, Guildford & Weybridge. Featured in Brides, You & Your Wedding, Wedding Day Magazine, The Independent, and Red Magazine. |
| 2006 | Exhibit at The Designer Wedding Show (Feb & Nov), The National Wedding Show (Feb & Sept), Guildford & Weybridge. Voted Top 10 Wedding Companies by Wedding Day. Launch of Baby Stationery Company, Little One Cards. |
| 2007 | Exhibit at The Designer Wedding Show (Feb & Nov) & The National Wedding Show (Sept). Appear on Wedding TV and in Brides, You & Your Wedding, Wedding Venues, and Cosmo Brides. |
| 2008 |
Exhibit at The Designer Wedding Show (Feb & Nov). |
| 2009 | Launch greetings cards range. New website goes live, including online stationery store. Retail at Winchesters Art & Design market. |
| 2010 | Stocked in Fenwick, Bentalls, RHS, Liberty & beyond. Launch of Two by Two Express. Exhibit at Spring Fair, Autumn Fair and Top Drawer. Retail at Winchesters Art & Design market. |
| 2011 | Join Not on the High Street. 11 card agents represent our work in the UK. Southern TV films our story. |
| 2012 | Exhibit at PG Live Show & Top Drawer. Move to larger premises in Winchester. Illustrated skylines for The New Yorker. Selected exhibitor at Winchester Christmas Market |
| 2013 | Stocked in John Lewis, Liberty's and 180 UK stores. Exhibit at Spring Fair, Autumn Fair and Top Drawer. Exhibit at National Wedding Fair and Truman Brewery. Appointed Wedding Industry Awards judge. Featured in Wedding Ideas, Mid-Hants Observer & Vogue. |
| 2014 | Full-scale shop window skyline commission. Featured in Not on the High Street seasonal calendar |
| 2015 | New website launch! Chosen as Top Picks for Christmas on Not on the High Street. |
| 2016 | Move to warehouse & studio in Hampshire. Ant and Dec commission work for Saturday Night Takeaway. The Daily Telegraph selects us as 'best to buy' at Christmas. |
| 2017 | First Christmas with products to buy online! Pop-up shop in Hampshire. |
| 2019 | Production expansion in global locations. Start selling direct to the USA. |
| 2020 |
Brexit, Friday 31st January 2020. The Global pandemic, March 2020. Somehow we survive this year! |
| 2021 | European production moves to Spain. Additional production in the Netherlands and Australia. |
| 2022 |
We now ship US orders from the US. Our global network of suppliers is complete. Launch on Etsy. |
| 2023 | Covid is no longer a global health emergency. |
| 2024 | Star Seller on Etsy. Etsy selects wedding illustrations as a must-have product. |
| 2025 | Products become an 'Etsy Pick' 12 months as Etsy Star Seller. |
As Natalie Ryan Design enters its 24th year, we celebrate more than two decades of creativity, craftsmanship and growth. This milestone is a testament to our team who bring each design to life, creating beautiful products and ensuring every customer experience feels seamless.
At the heart of Natalie Ryan Design lies a passion for illustration, design and quality craftsmanship. From personalised gifts to art prints, every piece is made with care, creativity and a deep appreciation for the people who welcome these designs into their homes.
We look forward to continuing the journey and creating meaningful, beautifully designed pieces that bring joy for years to come.
