Newspaper Programs

Wedding Programs — Dos and Don'ts

Wedding Programs

A wedding program seems like one of those blasé, just-get-it-over-with task that sometimes just gets in the way of the important thing--such as exchanging vows and getting on to the good stuff, the Honeymoon. But here's the thing about a wedding program: it is one of the very few things that your guests will keep. It will also be one of the things you'll refer to years later when you decide to walk down memory lane and relive that special moment. In that context, the wedding program is an important part of the wedding. Here are a list of Dos and Don't to help you along the way.

DO: Make Sure You Have Enough Space

Don't shortchange this. Remember, this is what you will turn to along with your pictures to remember that special day years from now. With that in mind, you'll want to have enough space to put everything in that you want to put in. This is one reason why so many brides and grooms love our newspapers...it has enough room to put everything in.

DON'T: Make It Insider Knowledge Only

Like inside jokes that no one is going to understand except a select few. Well, actually, you can do this if you want. It's your wedding. And if you have enough space to get everything else in, then having insider privileged information is fine. You'll laugh about it years later. But if your program is only for those who have insider knowledge, then you might just confuse your guests.

DO: Include Necessary Information

A wedding program is designed to provide guests with the necessary information to know what's going to happen next. Guests can follow along better, know approximately how long it will last, can mentally prepare better if they know what's going to happen. Your wedding program needs to have all the necessary information to make that happen. Below is a list of both necessary and unnecessary items that should be in your wedding program:

Necessary:
  • Details of the when and where the ceremony and reception are to take place
  • Order of Service
  • The Bridal Party if chosen already (names, short biography of each, and pictures)
  • Don’t forget the Officiant if chosen already
  • Your Vows if decided upon already
Unnecessary, but Nice — If you have enough space.
  • Your Story (how you met, your courtship, your engagement, and your future plans)
  • Your Vows if decided upon already
  • Tribute to your parents
  • Tribute to mentors, friends, and other influences
  • Marriage advice articles written by family and friends
  • Parallel timelines of both of you from childhood (don’t forget the pictures!)
  • Personalized word searches, crossword puzzles, jokes, and comics

DON'T: Put This Off to the Last Minute

As best you can, get your wedding programs done as soon as possible. That doesn't mean you should get them printed as soon as possible--small details may change and you'll want those new details to be reflected in your wedding program. But get the bulk of it done as quickly as you can. There are several good reasons for this.

  • It will reduce stress
  • It will help you focus on other details, reminding you of other things that need to get done
  • Starting early allows you to enjoy the creation process

DO: Give Yourself Time To Correct Mistakes

This has already been stated somewhat, but if you print your wedding programs too early and something changes between that point and the wedding, your programs may reflect the wrong information. This could be at minimum embarrassing, and at worst down right disrupting. You don't want your programs to become the center of attention because of a blatant error.

DON'T: Forget To Print Extra Copies

Print more copies than you need. Having too many on hand is much better than not having enough. If your programs are nice enough, you can give some away to people who weren't able to attend, making them feel a part of your wedding. You never know if something may happen to your own copy, so having extras is good for that too.

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