You don’t need to have a wedding program. They seem to be a fairly recent trend. All through the 80s, when performing weddings in non-​​church locales, people managed to get married without them.

I succumbed, I admit it. But my wedding cere­mony was involved and had respon­sive read­ings. (I am the Wedding Priestess, after all!)

But if your wedding cere­mony is straight­for­ward, you don’t have to have one. Your bridal party will be intro­duced at the recep­tion. And they’re not inex­pen­sive, even if you design them.

Tip: consider whether or not you’re having wedding programs because you need them or because the wedding industry thinks you need them.