How important are wedding programs?

Oh and the wedding will have about 70 guests and the reception is semi formal but like I said the ceremony will be brief.

I'm saving the trees.

If people don't know who my wedding party is, why are they there? But then again, ours is our children- so anyone close to us at least knows of them.

To me, they are a waste. Iv'e never been to a wedding where I thought "Why don't they have programs?"

Thanks! Well a few of the distant relatives and groom's side might not know all of the wedding party but I hear ya!

I guess I want reassurance is it okay to skip them!

I think we will be doing them as many members of our families don't know each other or the wedding party (his family is all over the world). I will save some trees by printing one per couple or family. No one saves them anyway.

If they are distant relatives, are they even going to come? If they aren't local, they'll probably just send a gift.

And you can introduce them, or FH can explain to his friends who the hottie in the teal dress is...

It is fine to skip the program, Jennifer. Your guests will be so focused on watching your beautiful ceremony, they most likely won't even miss having a program.

The only reason we had programs was that it was a Jewish ceremony with several nonJewish guests. So we put the whole ceremony, with translations and transliterations of the Hebrew, into the program. We also provided explanations of the various Jewish wedding traditions. If you're not in that situation, programs are really unnecessary. Anyone who never met the BMs before the ceremony will probably never see them again, and has no reason to want to know their names and relationships.

I have never been to a wedding that had them.

We're not doing a program. We're having a very small wedding, ceremony & reception in the same room. I think people will figure it out.

I really want to skip on the Programs too, but idk. lol. I think I would be making them more for me anyways, because I always feel better when I see something written down, and organized.

The vast majority of weddings I have been to have not had programs

From what I've been told by my Mum and a few others, programs are a relatively new trend. Therefore, not necessary. Save some trees

I didnt know weddings had them...guess not having them would not be that big of a deal!

Thanks everyone! I have decided I am definitely skipping the programs! I bought the paper to make them so I will be returning it.

I was thinking about it and I think I have seen programs at a few weddings but I have been to a lot and I never remember them or keep them..just seems wasteful if not needed. I was a bit concerned they were the norm now since every checklist has make and print programs on it but I guess not!

One more thing off my checklist woohoo!

I have only ever been to one wedding that had them, my step brother's ... but they only really had it because they had the guests recite their vows back to them after they said them to each other. But if you are not doing anything like that then I would so no you do not need them. I am not sure what we are doing for our ceremony yet but I doubt we will be doing programs either.

I'm not sure if we're going to do them - it just seems like something else to worry about and pay for. For me, programs are mostly just something to read and pass the time before the ceremony starts or use as a fan if it's hot. But I've never gone to a wedding and thought "how lame, no programs." If there are programs, fine, if not, no biggie.