Purchasing or Commissioning the Design of Your Wedding Programs

Wedding programs are a way to let your guests know what is going on during the event, and they are also a way to convey something about yourselves as a couple. This can be done both with the style of program you choose as well as the information you present in the program. For very short, simple ceremonies, a single-sheet program is perfectly appropriate. Usually this will be printed on quality cardstock, embossed with your names or initials, and printed with an outline of the events. Dedicatory songs, the name of the officiator, the exchange of the vows and the presentation of the couple are all important elements that should be included on a small program. Large folded programs are a good option if your ceremony will be a little longer or you’d like more room for details.

The front of these folded wedding programs usually has the names of the bride and groom, as well as the date and location of the ceremony printed on it, along with some decorative elements of your choice. A very modern, casual look can be achieved by using simple sans-serif fonts for initials, or scrolling designs of flowers and birds can add a beautiful natural touch to the program. The inside is usually printed with the program proceedings on one side and names of the wedding party or lyrics from the songs in the ceremony on the other. If you would like to honor deceased family members, they can be commemorated on the back of the program with a special message and a photograph.

Ordering your wedding programs from a wedding stationery company will be the easiest way to get your programs prepared. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get what you want–the design options available today even from single designers number in the hundreds, so there is bound to be an option for you. Most of the wedding programs will have predetermined design elements, but you can choose the colors and usually the fonts. The designer will limit you to one decorative script and one block font to make the program look clean and classy, but they usually have hundreds of options for each of these. If you prefer everything to be in one font, designers are usually more than willing to create the programs according to your wishes.

Often they provide matching wedding announcements, save-the-date cards, and wedding luncheon or dinner menus, so if you would like to get coordinated stationery for every part of the celebration, ordering from a large wedding stationery company will often be your best option. If you’d like a little more flexibility and creativity with designing your wedding programs and other stationery, consider hiring a designer. Many designers advertise themselves through blogs on the internet. They can design everything from wedding programs to baby announcements to birthday party invitations, and most are more than happy to brainstorm ideas with you about your wedding stationery. If you have a vision for your programs or want a specially designed element, share these ideas with the designer and see what they are able to create. Beware that if your ideas are especially time-consuming or complicated, the cost of your programs could become quite expensive.

For every five or ten minutes you spend deciding whether you like something, the designer has probably spent four or five hours choosing colors, fonts, customizing spacing and wording, and creating unique designs. You will have to pay the designer for all that labor, even if there are several stages of the design process that don’t make the final cut. This method works best if you have a very clear idea of what you want and you are able to communicate that to your designer. If everything works out the way you would like, the rewards can be well worth the time, as you will have a piece of your wedding that is unique to you and your style.