Creating A Personalized Wedding Order Of Service

An order of service booklet is a great way to let your wedding guests know what will happen during the ceremony and can also serve as a lovely keepsake. It's a small booklet containing all the details about the wedding ceremony, acting as a running order for guests so they know when to get involved and how long the service will last. It can be a simple outline of each stage of the ceremony or include more details such as the bridal party members, fun facts about the couple, and even the lyrics to hymns.

Creating your own order of service might feel overwhelming at first, but it's a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding stationery. The layout is quite simple: the front cover usually includes the couple's names, wedding date, and venue. The inside pages include the order of the wedding ceremony, and you can also add things like a timeline of the day, readings, poems, hymns, and a thank-you note to your guests. The back cover can feature a line from a poem or an inspirational quote.

You can choose to hand out the order of service booklets as guests enter the venue, or leave them on seats or near the entrance for guests to collect.

Front Cover

The front cover of your wedding order of service is the first thing your guests will see, so it's important to make a good impression. Here are some tips and ideas to help you create a beautiful and informative front cover:

Names of the Couple

The front cover should include the names of the happy couple. This is usually the main focus of the cover, with the font size ranging from 14 to 22pt. You can choose a font style that reflects your wedding theme, whether it's classic, modern, or whimsical.

Wedding Date and Venue

In addition to the couple's names, include the wedding date and venue. This provides useful information for your guests and adds a nice touch to the front cover. The font size for this information can be smaller than the couple's names, creating a visually appealing hierarchy.

Design and Colour Scheme

Consider matching the design and colour scheme of your front cover to your wedding theme or other wedding stationery. This creates a cohesive look for your wedding and can make your order of service more memorable. You can also add decorative elements, such as illustrations, florals, or other artistic touches.

Photography

While not necessary, some couples choose to include a photo of themselves on the front cover. This can be a lovely way to personalise the order of service and make it more visually appealing. Consider using an engagement photo or a favourite picture of the two of you.

Simplicity

Remember that simplicity is often the key to a great design. Avoid cluttering the front cover with too much information or decorative elements. A clean and classic look is usually best, allowing the important details to stand out.

Font and Typography

Choose a font that is easy to read and aligns with your wedding style. You can use bold and italic text to highlight important headings or the couple's names. The font size should be legible, with the couple's names as the most prominent element.

By following these tips, you can create a beautiful and informative front cover for your wedding order of service. It's a great way to set the tone for your wedding and provide your guests with a keepsake they can cherish.

Inside Pages

The inside pages of your wedding order of service are where you can get creative and include all the details of your ceremony. Here are some ideas and suggestions for what to include:

The Ceremony Timeline

The inside pages should include a timeline of the ceremony, outlining each step of the wedding. This will help your guests follow along and know what to expect. Include the key moments, such as the entrance of the bride, the exchange of vows and rings, and the signing of the register.

Readings, Hymns, and Music

If you plan to have readings, whether they are religious texts, poems, or passages from novels, include them in your order of service. You can also mention the names of the guests or family members who will be doing the readings. If you're having hymns or songs during the ceremony, consider including the lyrics so that your guests can sing along. This is also a great way to ensure guest participation and create a memorable experience.

Wedding Party Details

Use the inside pages to introduce and thank the members of your wedding party, such as the best man, maid of honor, bridesmaids, and groomsmen. You can also mention the names of the celebrant or officiant. This is a great way to acknowledge and honor the people who are special to you and played a role in your big day.

A Thank You Note

Include a heartfelt thank-you note to your guests for their presence and support. You can also use this space to share a favorite quote or poem that holds a special meaning for you as a couple.

Practical Information

Provide practical information such as the timeline of the day, including the reception venue and any other locations guests need to be aware of. This ensures that your guests know what to expect and can easily transition between different parts of the wedding.

Remember, the inside pages of your wedding order of service can be as detailed or simple as you like. You can include fun facts, photos, and illustrations to make it unique and engaging. The key is to provide your guests with a clear understanding of the ceremony while also creating a beautiful keepsake.

Back Cover

The back cover of your wedding order of service is a great place to include some extra details about your wedding and to thank your guests. Here are some ideas for what to include:

Names of the Wedding Party

You can choose to include the names of the people in your wedding party, such as the maid of honour, best man, bridesmaids, and groomsmen. You could also mention the flower girl, ring bearer, officiant, and anyone who is singing or reading during the ceremony.

Thank You Message

It's common to use the back cover to express gratitude to your guests for sharing your special day with you. You might also want to thank your wedding party, or acknowledge your parents for their support.

Reception Details

If your reception is at a different venue, you can include the address and start time. This is a practical detail that will help your guests know where to go and when.

A Favourite Quote

Including a meaningful quote or lyric is a lovely way to add a personal touch to your order of service. Choose something that reflects your feelings about love and marriage, perhaps a quote from one of your readings, or lyrics from a song that will be played during the ceremony.

A Tribute

You might want to include a tribute to loved ones who have passed away, or who were unable to attend your wedding. This is a way to acknowledge those who are absent but still very much in your thoughts.

Hymns and Readings

Number of Hymns

Usually, two to three hymns are included in a Church of England wedding ceremony. The first often comes at the beginning, after the vicar or priest's welcome, to start the service off and set the mood for the joyful occasion. The second is sung during or after the signing of the register, depending on your preferences, and the last hymn is right before the final blessing.

However, it's totally up to you how many you'd like to sing – just consider how long you want the service.

Choosing Hymns

To make the ceremony most enjoyable for your guests, you can pick hymns well-known to them or tunes that they can easily pick up. If you're having trouble making these decisions, opt for some familiar songs from school assemblies or ask parents or grandparents for their favourite choices to make it more meaningful.

The vicar or music leader at the church will also be able to help with suggestions. Another great way to inspire your selection process is to research some of the Choir of Queens' College wedding hymn songs or listen to their album.

When narrowing down your options, it may be helpful to make a list of all of your favourite hymns and then work out what will fit with the pace and tone of your service. Long-established, slower hymns like Be Thou My Vision would work better for a more traditional service, perhaps with Communion. Something faster, like One More Step Along The World I Go, is more suitable for a livelier ceremony or as an opening hymn.

If you plan to have a choir, this may take a lot of pressure off the guests to keep the song going. Ask your officiant for recommendations if they have them, or you can search for choirs on British Choirs On The Net or Gerontius.

Examples of Hymns

• Abide With Me - William Henry Monk
• All Creatures of Our God and King - William Henry Draper
• All Things Bright And Beautiful - Cecil Frances Alexander
• Amazing Grace - John Newton
• And Can It Be (Amazing Love) - Charles Wesley
• Be Still For The Presence Of the Lord - David J. Evans
• Be Thou My Vision - Eleanor H. Hull
• Bind Us Together - Bob Gillman
• Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind - John Greenleaf Whittier
• Fill Your Hearts With Joy and Gladness - Timothy Dudley Smith
• Give Me Joy In My Heart
• As Man And Woman We Were Made - Brian A. Wren
• Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Thomas Chisholm and William M. Runyan
• Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (Bread of Heaven) - William Williams
• Hail Redeemer, King Divine - Patrick Brennan
• Here I Am To Worship (Light Of The World) - Tim Hughes
• Here Is Love, Vast As The Ocean - William Rees
• How Deep The Father’s Love For Us - Stuart Townend
• How Great Thou Art - Carl Gustav Boberg
• I Vow to Thee My Country - Cecil Spring Rice and Gustav Holst
• In Christ Alone - Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
• Jerusalem - Hubert Parry
• Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee - Henry van Dyke
• Lord of All Hopefulness - Jan Struther
• Lord of the Dance - Sydney Carter
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling - Charles Wesley
• Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace - Sebastian Temple
• Morning Has Broken - Eleanor Farjeon
• One More Step Along The World I Go - Sydney Carter
• Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven - Henry Francis Lyte
• Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us - James Edmeston
• Tell Out My Soul - Timothy Dudley-Smith
• The King of Love My Shepherd - H. W. Baker
• The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want - Francis Rous
• To God Be The Glory - Fanny Crosby
• Here I Am, Lord - Daniel L. Schutte
• Panis angelicus - Saint Thomas Aquinas
• Shine, Jesus, Shine - Graham Kendrick
• Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
• Ave verum corpus - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• On Eagle's Wings - Michael Joncas
• You Are Mine - David Haas
• The Hymn of Joy - Henry van Dyke
• Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise - Walter C. Smith
• As I Kneel Before You - Maria Parkinson
• The Clouds Veil - Liam Lawton
• Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace) - Joel Houston and Jonas Myrin
• This is the Day - Scott Wesley Brown
• Let Us Be Bread - Thomas J. Porter
• Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – Robert Robinson

Readings

Readings are also a great way to personalise your wedding ceremony. You can ask family members or friends to come up to the altar and recite your chosen readings after being introduced by the officiant.

• Song of Solomon 2:10–14, 16a ; 8:6–7: "Love is strong as death... You are precious in God's eyes... You shall go out in joy."
• Isaiah 61:10–62:3: "Rejoice in the Lord... The steadfast love of the Lord."
• Romans 12:1–2, 9–18: "The life of a Christian... The greatest of these is love."
• 2 Corinthians 5:14–17: "In Christ we are a new creation... Called to the one hope."
• Ephesians 4:25–5:2: "Members one of another."
• Philippians 2:1–2: "The Christlike spirit."
• Philippians 4:4–9: "Rejoice in the Lord... Come to a wedding, Come to a blessing."
• Colossians 3:12–17: "Live in love and thanksgiving."
• Revelation 19:1, 5–9a: "The wedding feast of the Lamb."
• Matthew 7:21, 24–27: "A house built upon a rock... Love, the greatest commandment."
• The marriage feast of Cana.

The inside pages of your order of service should include the <

Thank You Note

A wedding order of service is a booklet containing a step-by-step outline of how the wedding ceremony will run. It is a lovely keepsake for your guests and can be personalised with your names and wedding date. It can be a simple, printed A5 page or a more detailed booklet.

The thank-you note is an important part of the order of service. Here are some ideas and examples to include in your thank-you note:

Short Thank-You Note

A short and sincere message of thanks can be just as impactful as a longer note. Here are some examples:

• "Thank you to all of our friends and family members for being a part of our special day!"
• "Thank you for sharing this joyous moment with us!"

Long Thank-You Message

If you want to include more detail in your thank-you message, you can thank individual people by name, such as your wedding party and family members. You can also use this space to tell your relationship story, from how you met to your journey towards this special moment. Here is an example:

"To our dearest family and friends, thank you for being a part of our wedding day and for all the love and support you have shown us. We are so grateful to have you in our lives and for your presence at our ceremony. A special thank you to our wedding party, [names of wedding party], for standing by our side and making this day even more memorable. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people and we look forward to creating more memories together. Thank you for sharing this joyous occasion with us and for helping to make it so special."

Thanking Out-of-Town Guests

If you are having a destination wedding or guests are travelling long distances, you can include a general thank-you note in your order of service to express your gratitude for their efforts:

• "We are grateful for those of you who have travelled so far to be here today."
• "Thank you to those who have travelled near and far to join us on this important day."

Thanking Deceased Loved Ones

The order of service is also a nice way to commemorate friends or relatives who have passed away and thank them for their presence in spirit:

"We would like to take a moment to remember those who are no longer with us and thank them for the love and joy they brought into our lives. We know they are watching over us on this special day and we are forever grateful for the time we had with them. In particular, we remember [names of deceased loved ones] and thank them for the impact they had on our lives and the legacy they leave behind."

Frequently asked questions