A guide to the Wedding order of service
“What wedding stationery do I need” is a question we are often asked. In this blog post, we thought we’d look at on the day wedding stationery; the printed stationery required for the wedding ceremony itself. This is really all about the wedding order of service.
What is an order of service?
As all good hosts know, it’s important to let guests know what to expect at your event, so they can follow the proceedings. Typically handed out at the door of the venue, this booklet is a step-by-step guide for the ceremony itself, helping guests know what is going on through all elements of the service.
It doesn’t matter where you’re getting married and whether you’re looking for a Church of England order of service, a Catholic wedding order of service or a civil ceremony order of service, in essence they are the same thing. It is a printed booklet with all relevant information about the ceremony included. With one in hand, no guest will ever wonder what’s happening!
They also provide a tangible memento of a special day; a keepsake reminder of any expected, or unexpected wedding readings, and who read them; the carefully chosen wedding music, or wedding hymns and any special words or blessings.
Do you HAVE to have one? Whilst orders of service are not strictly necessary, for all the reasons we’ve already stated, there is good reason why brides and grooms usually opt to include them in their wedding stationery suite requirements.
However, if the couple is on a very tight budget, is highly eco-conscious, or choosing to have the smallest, most intimate wedding celebration, then a traditional order of service booklet may not be the right route to go. But that’s the joy of modern weddings – there are always fun ways to adapt long held traditions. You might want to project the order of service onto the venue wall, for guests to follow, or print a short version on seeded paper, so guests can plant them in their own garden, after the wedding.
What should I include in the service sheet?
In a nutshell, it depends where you are getting married, as this will determine what’s included. However, in our experience, service orders tend to follow a similar format – regardless of what ceremony type you are having.
First and most importantly, it will usually have the name of the bride and groom on the order of service cover, as well as the ceremony location and time.
A religious wedding service usually follows a prescribed formula set out by that particular religion – which will dictate much of the wedding order of service. It may include details along the following lines:
- Processional
- Bridal March
- Welcome/Introduction
- Prayer
- Hymn
- Marriage-themed Reading no.1
- Hymn
- Marriage-themed Reading no 2
- Exchange of Vows
- Exchange of Rings
- Sermon/Address
- Blessing
- Pronouncement
- Hymn
- Recessional
If you are planning a church wedding, we advise including the words of any hymns, so that the congregation can sing along, or the words to prayers that require all guests to join in.
A civil ceremony is generally less formal. This does not necessarily mean a short, impersonal service. It can include as many special touches and additions as you want, so that you create your own memorable and intimate day. A basic example of a personalised civil ceremony order of service may be:
- Processional
- Bridal March
- Welcome/Introduction
- Reading
- Musical Selection
- Exchange of Vows
- Exchange of Rings
- Pronouncement
- Recessional
There is much more leeway in a civil service ceremony. But, just as with a church ceremony, an order of service acts as both a useful guide for guests to follow along to, as well as something special for you, and them, to keep after the big day. It should feature the names of any special music or love songs included in the ceremony, as well as the details of any carefully chosen reading and any other important names or information about your special ceremony.
Order of service printing...how much time do I need?
Ideally, we recommend wedding order of service printing is done at the same time as the rest of the wedding stationery suite. This is for two reasons. The first is a budgetary one. It is usually more cost effective to bulk order your wedding stationery packages, including order of service, wedding invitations, wedding RSVP cards, wedding place cards etc. at the same time.
Secondly, if you are thinking of a bespoke wedding order of service cover, such as in illustration of your church or venue, a uniquely shaped, or specially die-stamped, order of service design, then allow time for this to be created.
If you are getting married, an order of service plays an important role on your big day. Of course, its design is highly personal to the bride and groom. When you talk to your wedding stationery suppliers, discuss all your order of service ideas in good time, so that you create a booklet that is a highly personal visual reminder of your special day, for you to revisit and enjoy in years to come.