BY KATHLEEN
COOK
Today,
more couples are choosing to have a wedding program designed
especially for their wedding.
A personalized wedding program is a wonderful
way to set the tone for the special
day, and make your guests feel more welcome
and at ease. And when your
wedding day is just a happy memory, a program
is a keepsake you'll treasure.
Since
so many people are skilled on a personal computer, it's possible to
create the program-from start to
finish-all at home. Others may choose to have
their program printed professionally.
But like other details, don't leave your
program to the last minute!
As most brides-to-be already know, a time crunch
and pressure can take the joy out
of anything. Programs should be a fun
project that couples can work on
together.
Like
wedding ceremonies and wedding attire, programs can be traditional or
contemporary. Keep in mind
that the style of the program should fit in with
the other details of the wedding. 
Eileen
Monaghan,
vice-president of the
Association of Bridal Consultants,
says, "It should be informational,
providing the names of the bridal
party, all of the participants in the
wedding, the parents, and the order
of the ceremony. Your program should
complement your wedding stationery."
WHAT
TO INCLUDE
A
wedding program is a helpful guide for those who want to follow the
ceremony, and is handed to guests
as they are seated. It should list the titles
of musical pieces being performed
during the ceremony, and the names
of the composers, musicians and
vocalists. Also, include the names of those
who are participating in readings.
You can list sources of particular readings
(for example, Genesis 2:18-24),
or include the text of the reading itself.
If
your wedding is going to include a ritual that some of your guests won't
be familiar with, consider describing
it in the program. This is especially
helpful in interfaith wedding ceremonies
that may include traditions
from two religions.
Lynn
Schlereth, a wedding consultant in Short Hills, New Jersey, recalls
that a decade ago, programs were
the exception rather than the rule.
All that has changed. "Virtually
everyone uses them now,"
Schlereth says,
adding that along with the increase
in popularity comes an ever widening
variety of styles. "It is
a wonderful, lovely touch for a wedding where
you want to cover all the bases,
" she says.
SPECIAL TOUCHES
Some
of the brides that Schlereth has has worked with have added pretty
details to their programs, by binding
the pages together with a colored
satin ribbon, or decorating the
cover with hand-painted flowers or a
sketch of the church.
"The
trend now seems to be traditional programs," says Karin Falcone,
a graphic designer for Crestmark
Ltd., in Syracuse, New York. Good
quality ivory paper with black
ink is the most popular choice. A classic
cover might include a wedding expression
such as "The Wedding
Celebration of," the names of the
bride and bridegroom, and the date.
Another
option is a monogram, with the bride's first initial on the left side,
the inital of the groom's last
name in the middle, and the groom's first initial
on the right side. From a
design perspective, Falcone advises not trying to
fit too much on one page.
Crowding can make a program difficult to read.
Monaghan
suggests deciding on the programs as soon as you have
finalized plans for the ceremony.
Whether you are completing the program
yourself or bringing it to a professional,
pay close attention to details.
"The most important thing when
gathering information is to have everything
complete before you go to a printer,"
Falcone says. "Double check the spellings."
Some
couples add a personal touch to their program by including a note to
their parents and guests.
Often, the note is at the end of the program.
A simple message, written from
the heart, will mean a lot.
You
may want to include a favorite quote in your program, or even lyrics
from a song that is special to
you and your fiance. Where to find the right words?
Look through a book of wedding
readings, or poetry. Dust off your college
literature books, look up "love"
or "marriage" in the index of a familiar
quotations book. When you
find just the right quote, you'll know.
