How to Create a Special Wedding Program

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By KateSez-
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Create a Special Wedding Program

Everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect. Organized couples that don’t want anything left to chance can add a Wedding Program to help with the flow of the day. A program can serve as a template to plan the ceremony in advance. It also gives the guests, who are essentially an audience at the event, a list of the names of the members of the wedding party and details of the ceremony. Last but not least, you provide a keepsake for your guests who are sentimental. How do you create a Wedding Program that is useful and special enough to be a keepsake?

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Decide on the method of preparation. Do you want to create your own programs on your computer or would you rather order them from a printer. There are many sources online to order wedding invitations and programs. If you prefer a face to face consultation regarding your design you may want to go to a local provider for printing of your programs and invitations. You can also order from specialty paper suppliers such as Paper Direct if you would like to create and print your own program.
Step 2

Determine what information you want to include in the program. This is sometimes pre-determined by your choice of program style and how much flexibility there is in the template design. The Bride and Groom are listed and all details of the ceremony are included such as date, location and time. The ceremony and music are detailed. Some possible inclusions are the Prelude, Lighting of Candles, Seating of Mothers, Processional, Solos, Wedding Prayers and Addresses, Exchange of Vows, Exchange of Rings, Presentation of the Bride and Groom, and Recessional. It is also customary to include the names of the parents of the Bride, the parents of the Groom, and the Wedding Party (Maid or Matron of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girl, and Ring Bearer.
Step 3

Choose your program style. You will make design choices, such as rings, roses, etc. You will make style choices, such as Bulletins, Tri-folds, Classic Side Fold-Overs, Top Fold-Overs, etc. You will have selections, different fonts and styles of text, such as Script, Block, Times New Roman, Etc. And you will also have additional special options to select from if you choose to such as bows and vellum overlays.
Step 4

Consider the price range of all options and choices and make a selection that fits within your budget. This may be an area where costs can be kept lower by preparing the programs yourself if you have the necessary computer and printer access and the skills to tackle the project. One benefit to a do-it-yourself approach is that you can add special verses and customize the included items when you are not working within the limitations of a specific template. Setting up and printing in landscape mode and printing double sided copies may take a little bit of trial and error to get things right but it can be a less expensive option than having programs professionally printed. This option can be printed on plain white copy paper creatively and inexpensively and have very nice results.
Step 5

Be creative. It’s your wedding program, Design it so it has special meaning to the two of you. If you want something very traditional, include only traditional information. However, if you want something unique, you may want to include a special picture, or a special saying or favorite verse. Here is one of my favorites excerpted from my Soulmates Mantra.

"YES, I will marry you. Because when I wake up, The first thing I think of is you. And when I go to sleep as I drift off, The last thing that I think of is you. We are Soulmates..."
Step 6

Print your programs only when you have all details finalized to avoid having to reprint because of changes. Some unforeseen changes may still occur but waiting until you are relatively sure of details can avoid having to hand out programs with errors.