Our team has peeled off many programs stuck to our chairs after ceremonies and found enough of them rolled up on the ground leading to the reception area to learn the best practices for having programs at your wedding.
Yes, they are great reading material for guests as they wait for the ceremony to begin and even provide shade when needed but they also create a lot of waste and add additional costs to your wedding.
Now we love programs that give us an insight to the couples love story and to what should be expected in the ceremony and events following and when done correctly they can be great additions to your wedding!
For summer weddings, we recommended buying programs with sticks so they can work as fans and sunshades if needed. This also increases the likelihood that guests will hold on to them for the duration of the wedding as they enjoy other outdoor activities at your wedding. If you’re investing in programs, it’s best to invest the extra amount in eco friendly or biodegradable materials so that they do more good than damage in the end!
A great way to save costs is to skip programs altogether and instead have a large sign as guests walk to the ceremony area that details the order of ceremony and following events. If you’d like to detail more information like the names of your wedding party and parents, those signs could be great additions to the reception area so they can be recognized all night.
Overall, we do recommend that there is a form of communication between you and your guests about what to expect whether it’s a sign, program, or announcement at the beginning of your ceremony.