Another Program Post.

wifeandmommy0609

Are Programs a mus/requiredt?

We are on a tight budget and Looking to cut out things that aren't a "must" or "required'.

I have never been to a catholic wedding so i have no idea what to expect.

And the 3 weddings i have been to they didn't have programs so i am confused.

ring_pop

No, it's not a must.

It's nice, to help non-Catholics follow along (especially if you're having a mass). But really, it's not THAT difficult to follow along. So don't sweat it.

Calypso1977

we had Mass, in latin, and didnt use programs.  no one seemed to miss them, although the church does provide the latin/english missals which some folks did actually use.

bellashauntee

I am debating the same issue. I think that I am going to say no to programs. I think everybody will be able to follow along.

RoxysMama

We had a full mass with no programs.  Even though there were non catholics in attendance it did not seem to be a problem.  When it came to communion time our priest simply invited those who wished to receive communion to come up and do so, or they could receive a blessing by crossing their arms, or they could stay seated.  I don't see how not having programs should throw anyone for a loop. It is a good place to cut costs!  Best of luck!

[Deleted User]

No, not required. Like pp said, its not that hard to follow along even for a full mass. We did have full mass, however, ours were very basic and simple. We printed them double sided at home on ivory paper, and I took them to Kinko's to have them folded and stapled. They only cost about $50, but definitely something to cut if you are on a tight budget.

GulfCoaster

We had programs printed at Kinkos' (8 pages double-sided, black ink only) for about $50.  About 60 percent or so of our guests weren't Catholic, so it was nice to be able to help them follow along. 

They aren't strictly necessary, though.  If you do want programs, there are definitely ways to make them cheaper (rather than the $1.50 and up per program sold in stationery catalogs).

Alyssa0421

We did DIY programs too and they were pretty inexpensive. We purchased heavier cardstock for the cover but used just a ream of ivory paper from Staples for the inside. We printed them ourselves and used ribbon to bind them. Remember that you only need to make programs for about half of your expected guest count. Most couples will just take one, kids don't usually take one, etc. We made 100 for our 190 guest wedding and still had some leftover.

I think programs are a nice touch and something I generally expect at a wedding. I like to look at them and see who's in the wedding, their "thank you" message, etc. It's a nice touch for a Catholic wedding too, since those tend to be longer and have more sections where your guests participate.

blackfire5th

We had programs, but I think it would be pretty cheap to just print some single sided sheet that at least mention the missal if guests want to follow along.

We bought our program kit on clearance for $11 and then printed them at the UPS store for about $35.  We made 75, had 110 guests, and still had a few left over.

Porphyra

Programs are always nice. But if you're just worried about non-Catholic guests being able to follow along, the missalettes you find already in the pews at most churches should do for that, since they usually have the order of Mass at the beginning.

Or if you don't want to forgo the program entirely, it would be simple enough to print a one-sheet program with the names of the wedding party and celebrant(s), an outline of the ceremony (first reading, second reading, communion, etc.) and a note of what hymns, if any, the guests are invited to sing along with. I'm sure samples can be found online.

wifeandmommy0609

Thanks Ladies. I think we will just skip them!