Wedding Programs made easy

{ Bhavi and Tom's wedding program. Photo provided by Jared Platt }

In my experience, nothing seems to stump a bride like the wedding program. By the time you reach this point in the planning process, you're likely to be worn out making decisions that have anything to do with your wedding. Understood. 

That's why I'm providing you with the Kelly Ashworth Design Super Fantastic Wedding Program Checklist (or KADSFWPC for those of you who like a good acronym).

I normally have brides build a program around four main components:

1. Wedding Party

2. Order of Ceremony

3. Message of Thanks from the Bride & Groom

4. Remembrances / Tributes

Then if you want to get a little more in depth, you can explain your relationship to the members of your wedding party. Depending on your energy level, this can include a straightforward "Shannon Snodgrass, bridesmaid, college friend" or a more intimate approach that may sound like "Shannon Snodgrass was one of my Biology lab partners at MSU. We bonded over bunsen burners and beer at The Riv."

For brides with unique cultural or religious traditions, I always recommend laying them out in the program. Guests will appreciate being able to follow ceremonies they may be otherwise unfamiliar with. 

{ Bhavi and Tom's ceremony combined elements to celebrate their Indian and American heritage. }

{ Stephanie and Jordan's wedding program provides detailed explanations of Jewish wedding traditions. }

And always ALWAYS thank you guests in some way for attending your wedding. It doesn't have to be eighteen paragraphs long. It does have to express your gratitude and appreciation that people have taken time out of their busy lives to be with you. 

Easy, right? Now just make sure you don't put this off until the last minute because your friendly designer is liable to FREAK OUT. Thanks.