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Raspberry Creative, LLC

Simple Guide to Wedding Program Wording

Wedding Ceremony Programs

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Wedding Programs have become more of an optional stationery item for couples planning weddings today.  While some couples see them as just another paper piece that stationery companies are trying to sell, a wedding program really does serve an important purpose on your wedding day.

A wedding program is not a required element for your wedding day, but ask just about any professional wedding planner and I’m confident they will tell you that creating a warm and inviting experience for your guests should be a primary focus throughout your entire wedding planning process.  A wedding program is definitely one of the easiest ways to help your guests feel welcome and even involved with your wedding. Wedding Ceremony Programs are a great way to help your guests understand any customary or special traditions included in your ceremony as well as introduce them to everyone in the wedding party.  They are also a great place to add in extra details about the events throughout the day.

Contrary to what engaged couples may think, creating a great wedding program for your guests doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming or even overly expensive.  They key is to keep things simple and practical.

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Guide to Wedding Program Wording

What to Include in Your Wedding Program

While there are no hard and fast rules about what to include in your ceremony program, you will find suggestions below to consider.  Some will be fairly obvious while others are more optional depending on your own personal preferences.

  • Your full names, the wedding date and the ceremony location.
  • The order of the ceremony.  Include details such as Bible readings (and who is reading them(, names of songs used at different times throughout the ceremony, as well as authors, poems, prayers, etc.  A basic ceremony outline is below but may vary depending on cultural or religious traditions:
    • Seating of Grandparents
    • Seating of Parents
    • Processional
    • Welcome
    • Prayer
    • Message
    • Reading(s)
    • Exchange of Vows
    • Exchange of Rings
    • Pronouncement
    • Presentation of the Couple
    • Recessional
  • The list of the Wedding Party.  Depending on how details you wish to be (and how much room is on your program) you may want to include not only the role and the name but also how you are connected to each person.
  • Additional Important People involved in the Ceremony.  This may include listing parents and grandparents, the officiant, readers, musicians, attendants or anyone else playing a role in the wedding ceremony.
  • A simple explanation of any cultural, religious or other rituals included in your ceremony.   This will help guests understand the significance and allow them to be more engaged.
  • A Welcome Message.  Including a brief welcome / thank you message to your guests letting them know how much you appreciate them traveling to share in this special day.
  • Special Words of Remembrance for loved ones who have passed away or could not be present to share in your day.
  • A special thank you note to your families, vendors or anyone that played a large role in making your day possible.
  • A message regarding the events for the rest of the day or weekend that you want your guests to share in or any other information you wish to provide your guests.  This may include things like:
    • Cocktail Hour, Dinner, Cake Cutting timeline
    • Shuttle times available for guests to return to their hotel(s)
    • Requests for “unplugged” ceremony (turn off your cell phones)
    • Requests not to share  anything on social media
    • Your Wedding Hashtag, if you want your guests to post photos and memories about your day.

Hopefully this is a helpful start for your wedding program planning to get you on your way.  Wedding programs don’t have to be complicated or difficult to create and with so many options available, they don’t have to be expensive either.  Your guests will enjoy getting a little preview of what to expect for the day as well as feel more included by getting a little glimpse into the people standing up front with you.

If you want more information on wedding programs, need inspiration or want to shop program designs, see the links below.  Happy Planning!

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The Wedding Ceremony Program is one of the items we’re busy working on throughout late summer and early fall.  In addition to save the dates, wedding invitations and rehearsal invitations, it’s the one item that couples tend to have a lot of questions about. [Read More]

When it comes to their wedding, most couples know pretty quickly what stationery they need before the wedding.  Couples don’t generally agonize over whether or not they are sending save the dates and pretty much everyone needs some kind of invitation for their wedding.  [Read More]

Shop Wedding Ceremony Programs from Simple Flat Cards to Traditional Booklets and even fans; a great option for summer weddings because they keep your guests cool while providing all the helpful information they need to know about your day.  [Shop Now]

Personalize your wedding ceremony programs with simple, sentimental touches to warm your guests’ hearts and make your day more memorable.

Do you need to plan on having enough Wedding Programs for every guest attending your wedding or can you get away with less?  Find out our pro tips on how many programs you should order.

If you aren’t sure about wedding programs, find out whether or not you actually need them or if you can skip them.

Be inspired with these fun and simple ways to make even a pre-designed wedding program feel more personal and unique.

You want to include ceremony programs to your wedding stationery package but when do you order them since you wont know your ceremony details until closer to your wedding day.  Find out our pro tips for the perfect timeline for all your day of stationery needs.

simple guide to wedding program wording

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