Abstract The vector meson dominance hypothesis can be formulated covariantly in terms of invariant amplitudes. This method, which has been successfully used to predict π−p→ϱon from pion photoproduction, is extended to include ω production and charged ϱ production. With the introduction of only two further parameters to describe the mass dependence of the ϱωπ coupling, a unified description of vector meson production and pion photoproduction is obtained.