Video:What to Include in a Wedding Program

Transcript:What to Include in a Wedding Program

Hi, I'm Meghan Lynn Allen for About.com.

Parts of Wedding Programs

And if you're getting ready for a wedding, you might want to know how do you make a wedding program? What goes in it, what to include? We're going to talk about that today.

ONE: The Front of the Program

So the first thing you might want to consider is the front of your program. Generally, the front of your program announces your wedding, so there might be some wording at the top. For example, "The wedding celebration of" or "The sacrament of marriage uniting." Something that announces the bringing of two people together. Then you'll want the entire bride's name - first, middle and last. Her last name will be her maiden name. And the entire groom's name on the front.

A lot of people often, after the wedding, after the ceremony, after the honeymoon, take that wedding program and frame it. It's nice to have the time, date and place of the ceremony at the bottom.

And then you might want to include some clipart of some kind. For example, this wedding program has wedding bells. You can look on your computer at clipart - if you have Microsoft Word, you can insert a picture there when making your own program. There's tons of clipart to choose from. You might want to think about hearts, bells, ribbons, doves - or something that's especially symbolic to you as a couple.

TWO: The Inside of the Program

Next is the inside of the program, which commonly includes elements of the ceremony. So what happens first in the ceremony is up to you - every wedding is a little bit different. But here are some common things that are inside the program:

The Processional. What music do we hear when the bride, the bridal party, mother and father are walking down the aisle.

Most services have a vow and ring ceremony, and there's not much to say about that in the program, but you'd like to list that in order where it it appears in the program - Vow and Ring Ceremony.

But if there are things happening, little events throughout the ceremony like the lighting of a memorial candle, readings by friends and family, a blessing, a prayer, a poem - anything like that that happens throughout the ceremony, you want that listed - in order - throughout the program, on the inside.

Somewhere towards the end of the program will be the Recessional music, if you have that, and throughout that wedding program, if there's any other music, you'll want to include that same thing.

Some couples choose to have a memorial page. It could be part of your folded program, or it might be an insert, but if there's some special people in your life that you wish were at the wedding but couldn't be there, it's nice to include their names on the memorial page.

THREE: The Outside of the Program

Be sure to include the names of your entire bridal party along with the officiant in your program. It doesn't have to be on the inside - commonly, it's on the back of the program, and you'd like to list the bride and groom, the maid of honor, the groomsmen, the bridesmaids, flower girls - anyone who participates in your wedding.

And keep in mind that your wedding program should fit in thematically with the rest of your wedding. Does it look like, match, feel like your wedding invitations, your guestbook. Does it match the theme, possibly, of your reception?

Good luck with your wedding, and thanks for watching! If you want to learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.