The wedding ceremony can be elaborate or simply elegant and without pretense. You can have pretense even without being elaborate, but don’t think that having a nicely decorated, printed program to let your guests know the score or to provide a memory for this important occasion pushes you into the Pretentious Zone. It just shows that you have good taste and a desire to make good taste happen at your wedding. After all, it is your day, so do it your way!
You can find several versions of wedding ceremony programs on the Internet. You can search all you want, but I suggest starting at Microsoft Word™ templates that you can type your information into and modify how you want. If you have Word 2010, you might go here to begin: Wedding Templates http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010117264.aspx. You will also find other free forms you can modify in Word or many of the other word processors you might use.
Originally, wedding programs were used to explain the order and rituals of the ceremony. Nowadays they reflect your individual tastes and creativity. Continue the theme of your wedding with a creative program that reflects your invitations and other niceties.
Who Should Receive Your Wedding Program?
Place your wedding programs in decorative baskets in the entrance to the ceremony, or on the chairs or pews. Ushers can hand out the programs or involve family children to make sure all teenagers and adults receive one.
The Elements of a Great Wedding Program
Generally, a wedding program has four parts:
- Introduction: names of the bride and groom, the day and date of the ceremony, time, location, city and state
- Ceremony Order: segments such as the prelude, processional, welcome, seating, remembrances, commitment, vows, readings, rings, pronouncement and recessional. Listing the musical pieces, selected lyrics, wording of prayers and the performers is a very nice touch, especially for the performers.
- Names of People in the Wedding Party: list everyone by full name and title (Mr., Mrs., Ms, etc.)
- Closure (or your special personal note)
Example
Prelude …………………….. “You Came Along”
Solo ……………………………. “Love is in the Air”
Lighting of the Candles
Seating of the Mothers
Processional ………………. “Canon in D”
Welcome or Invocation
Wedding Message ……… Officiant
Solo …………………………….. “On Bended Knee”
Commitment
Vows
Personal Vows
Exchange of Rings
Lighting the Unity Candle
Pronouncement of Marriage
Solo ……………………………. “Forever More”
Presentation of the Bride and Groom
Recessional ………………. “Ode to Joy”
Closure
Announcements: e.g., The wedding party will join their guests for refreshments in the Oak Room after their photo session.
The Wedding Party
- Parents of the Bride
- Parents of the Groom
- Grandparents of the Bride
- Grandmothers of the Groom
- Maid of Honor
- Matron of Honor
- Bridesmaids
- Junior Bridesmaid
- Honorary Bridesmaid
- Flower Girl
- Best Men
- Groomsmen
- Ring Bearer
- Officiant
- Pianist
- Soloist
Your day, your way!
