While not a compulsory item to have at the ceremony, wedding bulletins are mainly done as an accessory for church weddings. These beautifully printed materials have the most accurate information on the wedding couple – their full names, their parents’ names and even their lineage, in some cases. Usually wedding bulletin cover designs are created to bring about the kind of joyful, romantic euphoria that is commonly felt at weddings.
Conventional pictures on covers normally feature a pair of wedding rings on a Bible, some pink, red, white or yellow roses and occasionally a pair of hands with their fingers entwined, all in soft-lens photography. Even bold couples are known to succumb to the sheer romantic look of these covers. Getting the kind of cover look that suits your wedding theme is also possible. Pictures of joined hands amidst a backdrop of maple leaves for a fall wedding or a pair of footsteps side by side in the snow for a winter wedding are all possible considerations. Commonly used phrases on wedding bulletin covers are “Together In Christ”, “Love”, “Holy Matrimony” to name a few, help enhance the romantic feel of the occasion.
Some churches, however, are quite strict on bulletin covers and will provide their own cover possibilities. These covers may consist of pictures of cathedrals, chapels and other places of Christian worship, which may or may not be your choice of bulletin covers. So ensure you check on these details prior to booking the printer.
The information inside the bulletins includes family information (parents’ and siblings’ names) and the order of the service, plus an optional Thank You message at the end from the wedded couple. Most churches will not be involved in the actual printing and conceptualizing of the bulletins but will provide you with a copy of the original order of the service for you to reprint into your wedding bulletins. And before you print even your first 50 copies; make sure you have the church Vicar, Pastor or officiating minister approve your copy to prevent wastage in case it gets rejected. After all, you do not want to print wedding bulletins that are offensive to the church you are getting married in.
More contemporary designs of wedding bulletins are also available these days for the contemporary bride. Pictures of nature, fountains, ethnic designs, flutes and other musical instruments, and many other varieties are yours for the picking as bulletin motifs. If you are adept with paint and brush, you can always endeavor to personalize your bulletin with a little DIY design. Or have one custom made for you and credit the creator on the inside cover or at the end of the program.
Also remember that your wedding bulletins usually have to be ready at least 14 days before your final church rehearsal, which means in order to get it back from the printers in time, one of your first visits in wedding preparation should be to your church for a copy of the order of the service. As most churches do not wish to store bulletins prior to the wedding, you will have to arrange for them to be brought to the ceremony on the day itself and to be taken away once the service has ended. The church would not look too kindly on couples who leave behind their leftovers for others to clear.
Some couples combine wedding bulletins with invitations. Times like these, the last pages of the bulletin would include a photo of the bride and groom, an invitation to the reception and even a map to the venue. This would definitely cut down on the cost of sending out wedding invites and works best if you are having a buffet-style reception. While this may be fantastic cost-cutting, it is best you expect some unexpected gate-crashers and unknown faces as your church wedding guests may take this as an open-for-all invite.
Wedding bulletins are as personal as any other wedding accessory you have at the wedding. The keyword to having a bulletin that your guests will remember for a long time to come and one they will want to keep as a keepsake of your wedding. Beauty and sentiment play a big role in choosing the right content and cover designs.
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