Creating Personalized Wedding Programs: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be stressful and expensive. One way to save money is to make your own wedding programs. Wedding programs are a great way to help your guests follow the ceremony and understand any wedding traditions you've incorporated. They can also be kept as a memento of your special day. You can make your own wedding programs by using a template from a computer program, or by creating them from scratch. This paragraph will explain how to make your own wedding programs, and offer some tips and tricks to make the process easier.

Choosing a design: Pick a template, or start from scratch

When it comes to choosing a design for your wedding program, you have two main options: selecting a template or creating your own design from scratch. Both options have their own advantages and can result in a beautiful and functional end product.

Using a Template

Using a pre-made template can be a great option if you want a quick and easy way to create your wedding programs. Many websites, such as The Knot, Canva, and WeddingWire, offer a variety of customizable templates that can be tailored to your specific wedding theme and color palette. These templates can be edited to include your desired fonts, colors, images, and text, making them a personal expression of your style. They are also often available for free or at a low cost, which can help keep your wedding budget in check.

Starting from Scratch

If you're feeling creative and want to design something truly unique, starting from scratch is the way to go. This option gives you complete freedom to design a program that perfectly reflects your vision. You can use programs like Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher to create your own layout, or even hire a professional graphic designer to bring your ideas to life. Starting from scratch allows you to incorporate personal touches, such as favorite poems, quotes, or photographs, that may not be included in pre-made templates.

Factors to Consider

When deciding between using a template or starting from scratch, consider your budget, time constraints, and design skills. Templates are often more cost-effective and time-efficient, especially if you're a beginner or have a tight schedule. On the other hand, starting from scratch gives you unlimited creative freedom but may require more time and effort, and certain technical skills.

No matter which option you choose, remember that your wedding program is a special keepsake for you and your guests. It should reflect your style, provide useful information, and set the tone for your wedding celebration.

Adding personal touches: Photos, poems, quotes, illustrations, etc

Adding personal touches to your wedding program is a great way to showcase your personality and interests. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Photos

You can include photos of you and your spouse-to-be, from childhood to adulthood, adorning your walk down the aisle. Alternatively, you could use a polaroid-style print of your guests for their place cards, or reprint an old photo of you and your partner on vellum to top the program.

Poems/Quotes

Adding a favourite poem or quote to your wedding program is a lovely way to inject a bit of personality. You could also include a favourite book excerpt, like this couple who used a quote from Anne of Green Gables as a dessert backdrop.

Illustrations

Including an illustration of your wedding venue on your program is a unique way to showcase your chosen space. You could also add illustrations of the happy couple doing your favourite things, like binging your favourite Netflix show.

Other Personal Touches

• Add your monogram to your veil, wedding cake topper, or cocktail napkins.
• Create a unique hashtag for your special day.
• Include a favourite song lyric or inside joke in your wedding signage.
• Write your vows in a personalised notebook.
• Create a unique stamp to use on your invites, seating cards, and other wedding stationery.
• Make your table numbers meaningful by using precious moments from your relationship as inspiration.
• Serve a signature cocktail with a fun name that reflects your relationship.
• Customise your wedding favours, for example, by gifting each guest a baby succulent if you're plant parents.
• Include a memorial for deceased loved ones with a photograph and a fond memory, poem, or quote.

The order of the ceremony: From the prelude to the recessional

The prelude: The prelude starts when the first guests arrive and typically lasts 15-45 minutes. It is usually accompanied by light, festive music performed by a musician or musicians as guests are shown to their seats. The final guests to be seated are often the grandparents, mothers, and other special family members.

The processional: The officiant leads the procession, followed by the groom (or one partner in a queer/non-binary couple) who can walk with their parents or alone. Next, the groom's wedding party and honour attendants, then the maid of honour, bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer. Finally, the bride (or second partner) enters, escorted by a parent or alone.

Opening remarks: Once everyone is in place, the officiant welcomes the guests and thanks them for being present. They may also speak about marriage and the couple's love story.

Readings: Wedding readings are usually pulled from holy texts in religious ceremonies, but couples can incorporate any lines, verses, poems, or spiritual texts that speak to them. Many couples ask family or friends to come up to the altar to recite these readings.

Unity ceremony: If the couple chooses to include a unity ceremony, such as a sand ceremony or handfasting, it will take place after the readings.

Vow exchange and declaration of intent: The couple speaks their vows and declares their intent to marry.

Ring exchange: The couple exchanges rings, and the officiant may give them the opportunity to say a few kind words about the significance of the wedding ring.

Pronouncement and first kiss: The officiant pronounces the couple as newlyweds, and they share their first kiss.

The recessional: The couple leads the way out, followed by the wedding party and family in the reverse order of the processional. The officiant is usually the last to leave and may offer closing remarks and instructions to the guests.

Recognising the wedding party: Include names and roles

Recognising the wedding party and including their names and roles is a thoughtful touch to add to your wedding programs. This is a great way to introduce your wedding party to your guests and prepare them for the order of events. Here are some ideas on how to recognise your wedding party:

Names and Roles

Begin by listing the full names of the bride and groom, the wedding date, and the city and state where the wedding is taking place. Then, list the names and roles of the wedding party members, including the maid/matron/man/person of honour, best man/woman/person, bridesmaids/bridesmen/bridespeople, groomsmen/groomswomen/groomspeople, flower girl/boy, ring bearer, parents of the couple, and any other members of the wedding party such as ushers, candle lighters, or pages.

Bios and Relationships

Consider adding a brief description of each wedding party member's relationship to the bride or groom. This can be a fun and creative way to introduce your wedding party to your guests. For example, you could include how you know each person, any funny or heartwarming stories, or how they have supported you throughout the wedding planning process.

Thank-You Notes

You could also include a special thank-you note to your wedding party, expressing your gratitude for their support and participation in your special day. This will make them feel appreciated and valued.

Photographs

If you want to make your program even more personalised, you can add photographs of your wedding party. This could be individual photos or group photos, and it will surely add a memorable touch to your programs.

Remember, the key to crafting a good wedding program is to think practically and creatively. By recognising your wedding party and including their names and roles, you are not only introducing them to your guests but also showing your appreciation for their support and contribution to your wedding.

Thanking guests and honouring loved ones: A short message goes a long way

Thanking your guests and honouring loved ones is an important part of your wedding programme. It is customary and considerate to thank your loved ones for sharing your special day with you. Here are some ideas on how to do this:

Honoring Loved Ones

If you wish to honour deceased loved ones, you can include a memorial section on the back page of your programme. This can be a photograph, a fond memory, a poem, or a quote. Here are some examples:

• "As we celebrate our marriage, we have not forgotten those who have passed on; instead, we remember them in our hearts. The bouquet at the front of the church is in remembrance of our family members who are no longer with us, especially [name]."
• "We lovingly remember our family members who are with us today in spirit. May the bouquet on the altar be a symbol of their presence."
• "The flowers in front of the church are in loving memory of our grandparents, who are unable to be here today to celebrate with us but are watching from heaven and will always be in our hearts."

Thanking Guests

The "thank you" section is an important part of your wedding programme. Whether you choose to write a short note or a long message, it is a great opportunity to express your gratitude and make your guests feel valued. 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!"
• "We are so honoured that our friends and family are joining us on our most special day. Thank you all for the generosity, love, and support you have shown in making this day finally happen. We love and truly appreciate you."
• "We will first of all like to give thanks to God for blessing us with each other. Thank you also to our parents, who taught us the true meaning of love and commitment. We appreciate you more than you will ever know, and we love you very much."
• "Thank you to our parents, for your unconditional love and support throughout our lives. Thank you for raising us to be independent, strong, and loving people."

Remember, you can also include a general thank-you note to out-of-town guests, such as "We are grateful for those of you who have travelled so far to be here today."

Frequently asked questions