One of the many preparations the happy couple must take care of before their wedding is taking care of the programs. These are a guide for their guests to follow the order of the service and a chance to give public thanks to people who made the day possible.
Although wedding programs must maintain some function in order to help your guest follow the service (and possibly give directions to following functions), that’s not to say that they can’t be fun, different, or interesting. Here are some tips to create a memorable program that won’t end up tossed in the trash even before the wedding begins!
Have fun with your program
There are many fun things you can do with your wedding program that will keep your guests entertained during the down time at your ceremony. Any independent program designer should be able to help you create these items will little hassle.
- Crossword puzzle: We’re not talking about the New York Times Sunday puzzle. All you need to do is interlock important words about your ceremony (bride and groom’s names, and words like “wedding,” “ring,” and “vows,” along with a list of the clues.
- Word search: Same as the crossword puzzle, except the words are hidden in a jumble of random letters.
- Origami: Add a paragraph of instructions on how to fold the program into a swan or other creations.
- Trivia: Come up with fun trivia items about how you met, pet names, or general wedding trivia.
- Jokes: Some light-hearted wedding tales, teases, and quotes will make for an interesting read.
- Design: Make the front of your program can look like a famous movie poster with your faces and names in the place of the stars. Or a stage show’s Playbill. Or even a newspaper.
Follow the tone of your wedding
Let’s say you’re wedding will be a traditional, full Catholic mass service. It would not be a good idea to have a program that looks like an Old West wanted poster. Nor would a 10-page-long formal program on parchment paper be a good idea at a country-themed outdoor wedding that’s only going to last about 20 minutes. Just remember to match the tone or theme of your wedding to all your accessories, such as the program, the invitations, and favors.
Also, it’s important to remember to keep the program PG-rated out of respect for your guests, no matter what style of wedding you may have. Don’t put anything in your program that you wouldn’t want your clergy, your grandparents, or any children to see.
The basics are important
No matter what type of program you decide to have, don’t forget to have the most important information: A list of the participants, the order of the ceremony, and any audience participation instructions (such as clergy/audience responses or hymns). Also, don’t forget to include the date, time, and location of the wedding for those who wish to keep the program as a souvenir.