The wedding program, handed out by the ushers while seating your guests, can be a helpful item if you are planning a large wedding. If most of your guests will not know the wedding party, placing everyone's name and relationship to the couple in the program is a thoughtful gesture. For example, if your sister is playing the harp in your ceremony and had to travel from Chicago to Trenton lugging her instrument, listing her name and relationship to you is a nice way to acknowledge her gift. Likewise, if all eight groomsmen are his brothers, listing them in the program will honor their family bond.
The program is also thoughtful if you will be performing rituals some guests might not understand. Sometimes a wedding officiant will explain parts of the ceremony as it progresses, but it is also nice for guests to understand the meaning behind your actions. If you are incorporating something from you ethic heritage, explain to your guests through the program why this part of the ceremony is important and what it symbolizes. For example, certain prayers in Latin or your native language will have more meaning if everyone is included.
The wedding program can also be a place to honor those members of your family who have passed on. If you are wearing your grandmother's dress, reading from your grandfather's bible or a song will be played to remember you father, let the guests know about this special moment. Your family and friends are probably thinking about this person as well during the ceremony. By including this information in a program, you can share your tribute with everyone and allow them to participate in honoring those people who could not be with you.
If you choose to have a wedding program, here are a few general guidelines:
- Gather all your information and order your programs with your invitations; you might qualify for a quantity discount. As an added bonus, all of your wedding stationary will be taken care of at one time.
- Make sure you have correct spellings for everyone's names. Even with easy names like Smith and Jones, make sure you have it right. Especially with first names, creative parents can make common spellings tricky.
- Ask your desired participants before you list them in the program. This seems like an obvious step, but you would be surprised how many brides make assumptions. Make sure your sister is willing to haul her harp to your ceremony before you list her solo in the program.
- Provide directions and time lines for the reception. Unless the reception is in the basement of your venue immediately following the ceremony, give people solid information about the reception location. If there will be a delay between the reception and the ceremony, let your guests know they have an hour to walk around the downtown area. If the reception is being held in a rustic lodge in Mark Twain National Forest, provide detailed directions and maybe a map on the back. Guests may have misplaced the directions you sent with the invitation or simply forgotten to bring the card with them.
Wedding programs are a treasured keepsake from the wedding day. Try seeing them as a way to share the more intimate parts of your ceremony with everyone. Allowing your guests to feel connected and a part of the ceremony is a special gift you two can give to everyone.