Thinking
about having wedding programs at your ceremony? Don't pay someone else to do
this when you can make a very elegant, and cost-effective program yourself.
Of course, this will cost you time and energy, but can be a wonderful project
if you are experiencing Just-before-the-wedding Not-much-left-to- do Need-something-to-keep-me-busy
Syndrome.
Here
is what you will need (remember, though, each guest does not need his or her
own program. You can instruct your ushers to hand one out per family, or just
to the adults, etc.):
65 lb. Card Stock Paper 8 1/2 x 11 (color of your choice) - Sold at office
supply stores. Ex. http://www.officedepot.com
Vellum 8 1/2 x 11 (a translucent, smooth, type of paper) - this can be
found at most craft stores and often at office supply stores, sometimes in
the drafting supplies aisle. Small warning - I had some trouble finding enough
of this. You may need to order it via catalog, which could take a couple of
weeks.
Laser or Inkjet Printer (obviously, this may not be cost-effective if you
don't already own one. I don't suggest buying a printer just to make your
wedding programs, so ask around, maybe a friend would let you borrow theirs
in return for an ink cartridge.)
Ribbon (color and style of your choice) - found at craft stores.
Single-hole paper puncher - found at most office supply stores, however,
I bet your mom already has one.
Possibly, a paper-cutter (you may need to cut your vellum in 8 1/2 x 11
inch pieces) - found at most office supply stores, but check if you can borrow
a school's, business's, or church's first.
Oh yeah, and a computer (equipped with word processing software) - found
at most office supply stores, libraries, or friend's houses.
To
begin working on your program, you are first going to need to know the order
of your ceremony. Talk with your Officiant about this, and be sure to okay it
with him or her before you begin. Write the order on a piece of paper and go
over it several times to make sure you are not missing anything.
Next,
begin typing your program. You will probably want your paper in landscape mode,
so that when you fold it, it will be longer than it is wide. Also, choose two
columns to help line up each side. And remember, if you are putting words or
a printed pattern on the cover these will need to be on the right-hand side
of the paper - words for the back of the program will go on the left.
Once
you have your program typed to your satisfaction, you have the following decision:
Print the order on the vellum or print the order on the paper. Either way, it
is going to look nice, and either way, you will want to print the cover and
back of the program on the opposite. For example, I chose to print my cover
on the card stock. Then, I printed the actual meat of the ceremony on the vellum.
Note: If you are using an InkJet printer, make sure to
let the vellum dry for a few minutes before touching it
where the ink is. This will smear if you are not
careful.
Now
comes the laborious part. You will need to fold each piece of card stock and
each piece of vellum in half. Depending on what your preference was, place the
folded vellum inside the folded card stock or vice versa. Next, punch two holes
through both the vellum and the card stock in the center-fold - each about 1
1/2 inches from the edge. Cut a piece of ribbon about one foot long, and test
it to see if it is too long or too short to tie in between your two punched
holes with a nice bow on the outside. Adjust the length accordingly, but don't
tie it back on. Use this piece as your measuring stick and begin cutting the
rest of the ribbon the same length.
When
you are finished cutting the ribbon, begin tying your programs together with
a simple bow on the outside. Place your finished programs in a tulle-lined basket
for your ushers to grab them from and you are ready to go!
Here
are some additional ideas for your programs:
If you want to remember a loved one who has passed on, consider placing
a single rose on the altar and then writing a special note about that person
on your program beginning with "The single rose on the altar is in loving
memory of..."
Craft and office supply stores often sell stamps that you can use to decorate
your program with. Also, you might want to try using some of those fancy scissors
that will cut the edge of your program in a jagged or curvy line.
Don't forget to thank your guests for attending your wedding and reiterate
any special instructions you may have for them. For example, "Maps to the
reception can be found at the back of the church."
And don't forget to save one of the programs for yourself! After all that
hard work, you will want to place one in your wedding album or scrapbook.
If
you would like to see a picture of the Ceremony Program that I created, go to:
http://www.bwedd.com/couples/CeremonyProgram.asp You can also download an actual example of a ceremony program to use for yourself.
To download the documents, right-click (CTRL-click for Macs) on the links below and then select "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" depending on your browser.
