Guests who attend your wedding will want to know what's going on and who is involved in the ceremony. The traditional way to share this information is to use a wedding program that outlines your order of service, bridal party members, and any other notes.
Classic Wedding Program Template
Download and edit the traditional program template using Adobe Reader. The template is set up for you to edit as needed - just highlight the existing text and type. If you have any issues, you can consult this guide.
What to Include
The same basic information is included in most programs:
- Order of service - Tell readers what to expect during the ceremony. The service can be religious or secular, but you should offer them a few clues as to what's coming.
- Bridal party members - Include parents in this spot as well. If the person officiating or musicians are not mentioned elsewhere, you can choose to include their names here.
- In remembrance - If the bride or groom has deceased family members or close friends, a special note is often included at the bottom of the template to remember them.
- Reception information - Usually the couple will include a sentence or two about the reception following the ceremony. Note where it is and extend the invitation.
- Thank you - The bride and groom should thank guests and attendants for their support of the marriage.
Customizing Your Program
The easiest way to customize your free wedding program template is to use unique fonts and select your favorite blank program with a cover design that suits your wedding style. However, you can add more details to your program as space allows.
- Relationship with attendants - The bride and groom can include a few notes about their attendants. This might be how they know them as well as why they are important to the couple.
- Explanation of ceremony element(s) - If you choose to include an unusual element in your ceremony, guests may appreciate an explanation. Include a brief description of what the element is and then explain why it is meaningful to you as a couple.
- Family traditions - If you choose to incorporate family traditions into the ceremony (or on your person, such as using a family Bible or wearing a parent's veil), mention these in the program.
- Embellishments - You don't have to alter just the wording in a program. Instead, add stickers, small trinkets with your wedding theme, or ribbons to the actual paper program.
Creating Your Program
Creating the wedding program is often an afterthought for couples. After all, there are more pressing matters. However, it's a small item that helps the guests feel more like part of the big day. Whether you have the ushers hand programs out as they seat people or you provide them in a basket at the back of the ceremony, guests will appreciate the gesture.
