For the day itself, and the years after.
Wedding program template, with wording you can use
A wedding program guides your guests through the ceremony and gives them the hymns to sing. It’s also a small keepsake of the day, and the part of the stationery people actually read.
Updated November 5, 2026
The short answer
A wedding program has a cover with both your names, the church, the date and the time. Inside are the order of ceremony and the words of any hymns, along with the wedding party and your thanks. Ask your pastor to check it before you print, and allow one per guest, or one per couple if you’re watching the budget.
Make this program
Tell us your names, the date and your choices, and we will set the whole program. Change it as often as you like before you print.
Make a wedding program$29 for this program. No account needed.
What goes on each page
A typical order
This is the usual shape of a church wedding. Your pastor will confirm the details with you.
Wording for the cover
The Marriage of Eleanor Grace Hartley and Thomas James Okafor
The Marriage Celebration of
A service of Christian marriage for
Together with their families
Full names look right on a cover. Check the spelling against your marriage paperwork, and agree whose name comes first.
Wording for your thanks
Thank you for sharing this day with us. It means more than we can say.
With love and thanks to our parents, and to everyone who helped make today happen.
Please join us after the ceremony at The Old Mill for dinner and dancing.
Who to name
- Parents, by name, if you’d like to honor them.
- Maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers.
- The flower girl, the ring bearer and any readers.
- The pastor and musicians, and anyone being remembered, in a quiet line.
Choosing hymns
One or two is usual. Pick ones your guests will know, because a wedding crowd is rarely a practiced one. Our list of wedding hymns says what each one is like, and print the words of every one.
Mistakes to catch before you print
- A name spelled differently from your legal paperwork.
- A hymn sung to a different tune from the one you expected, so ask your musicians.
- A reading your pastor hasn’t yet approved.
- Verses printed that won’t be sung.
- The wrong year on the cover, after you reused someone else’s file.
Printing it
Half-letter is the usual size, and a heavier paper makes it feel like part of the day. You can print it at home using our guide, or send the PDF to a local print shop. Try to have it finished a week or two before the wedding, so nobody’s folding at midnight.
Make this program
Tell us your names, the date and your choices, and we will set the whole program. Change it as often as you like before you print.
Make a wedding program$29 for this program. No account needed.
Questions people ask
Do you need a wedding program?
It’s not required, but guests find it useful, especially if they don’t know your church or your tradition. If you want to keep costs down, a single folded sheet is fine.
How many should we print?
One per guest is safest. One per couple is fine if you’re watching the budget, plus a few extras for the wedding party and the pastor.
Who goes first on the cover?
Traditionally the bride, but it’s entirely up to you.
What goes in a wedding program?
The names, the date and place, the order of ceremony, the wedding party and a note of thanks. Add the words of any hymns the guests will sing.