Weddingbee Blog

It’s amazing being able to plan a wedding in the age of the Internet—get stuck on wording? Hop online! I can’t even say how much text I “borrowed” from other brides out in space for our ceremony programs, but I’d probably still be thinking about what to write instead of wondering where to store them all right now if there hadn’t been so many samples online to rely on.

In that vein, here’s what we included in our programs, in case it helps anyone!

Cover page

You’ve seen this one before!

I just used this page for the Who/Where/When. I got the idea in my head that this would be a great page for a cute photograph and vellum overlay (à la Mrs. Emerald and Mrs. Eggplant), but I wasn’t willing to invest more money or time. Maybe one of you will try these programs that way?

Wedding Party

This one is more or less self-explanatory: I listed everyone who would be preceding us down the aisle, as well as their relationships to us.

It was also an excellent excuse for some cheesy quotations:

Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts. - William Shakespeare

I get by with a little help from my friends. - The Beatles

Ceremony

This is probably the one where I borrowed most heavily from other brides, many of them Weddingbee bloggers!

Sorry, ladies; I didn’t credit you on the programs!

Love is a friendship set to music.

- E. Joseph Cossman

Friends and family, thank you for joining us on our wedding day. We will be standing today under a chuppah to create an intimate space, symbolizing the home that we will share together. The sides are left open to signify that all friends and family are welcome into our new life and home.

PRELUDE… Magnetic Fields, The Book of Love

PROCESSIONAL
Wedding Party’s Entrance… Pachelbel, Canon in D
Procession of the Bride… U2, All I Want Is You

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
The ceremony will be led by Mr. Fred.

READING
From “The Prophet” by Khalil Gibran.

MARRIAGE CONTRACT (KETUBAH)
The ketubah, which is signed before the wedding ceremony, is a marriage contract with a two-thousand year history. Traditional ketubot outline the groom’s responsibilities to his wife and are legally binding agreements. Our ketubah is a “contract of the heart,” documenting our promises to each other, and will serve as a reminder of our love and commitment to one another. It serves not only as a contractual document but also as a work of art to be displayed as a daily reminder of the promises made.

MARRIAGE RITES
Exchange of Vows and Rings
Presentation of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Spaniel

BREAKING THE GLASS
At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Spaniel will shatter a glass under his foot. Just as a broken glass cannot be mended, likewise the promises made today are irrevocable. “As this glass shatters, so may our marriage never break.”

RECESSIONAL… The Zombies, This Will Be Our Year

I had also hoped to explain the henna ritual for Mr. Spaniel’s side of the family here, but we ran out of space and I didn’t think it was essential to the ceremony. Hopefully his parents will clue them in!

Acknowledgments

I also did a lot of “borrowing” for the “Remembrance” text. Mr. Spaniel and I were each very close to some of the people who we listed here, and didn’t know others all that well (most of our grandparents passed while we were quite young, on the one hand, but I was very close with my cousin growing up [she was around my age], as well as my aunt). It was easier for me to deal with to keep the wording somewhat generic.

REMEMBRANCE (AZKARAH)

On this most special milestone in our lives, we wish to lovingly remember those close to our hearts who are no longer with us. Today we remember:

…

Although they cannot be here, we keep them in our hearts on this day.
___

Dear Family and Friends,

On this day we thank our parents, our families, and our friends for your love, support and encouragement. We have been blessed by your gracious love, support and friendship over the years, and look forward to its presence in the years ahead. We would also like to express our gratitude to those who have freely given of their ideas, support and labor to make this day possible.

Thanks also to each of you who have traveled the distance, near and far, to witness our vows to each other and to join us in our marriage celebration today.

All our love,
Miss & Mr. Spaniel

Now go forth and make programs!