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I've been having the same thought recently, especially after pricing them out. I think I'm going to do programs, but skip the menu cards. I'm also having a sit-down, full service meal, and having guests pre-select their entrees. So having a menu card isn't really necessary.
What are your thoughts?
We had both and I don't regret them one bit. While they're not necessary, I do think they're a nice touch. I DIY'ed both and I doubt I spent more than $10 total (we're talking 80 programs and 15 menus). It took a good amount of time to design and cut each one but I think they're well worth it. If its something that you'd like but you don't want to spend a lot on, look into DIYing them. A printer and some card stock is really all you need.
I personally don't feel a need to do a program unless there is something unusual happening. Frankly, you are watching two people get married. This will probably involve people speaking and you know it is over when they kiss and walk out.
As for menu's, I also don't want to waste paper, but in the other thread you are talking about I posted what I am doing to solve this. For favours we are giving out pots with flowers in them. Around the pot/vase I am going to wrap the menu. It will bring in our colours, save me from decorating some pots and gives it a multi-function. As a guest, I DO enjoy having menu's because every meal is so different. One wedding I went to was a standard 4 course meal (soup, salad, main, dessert, all of which was brought out within 90 minutes) and there was no menu. I had pre-selected the steak and got what I asked for. It was quite nice, too, being suprised by what came out. The last wedding I was at was TWELVE course and it took 6 hours for it all to arrive. It was nice to have a menu because at course 5 I was able to see that there was still another 2 courses until meat, so I stopped eating to save my stomach!
I did some DIY programs, and they weren't that expensive due to us doing the work on them and I liked having them, but I skipped the menu's, I didn't feel they were necessary.
They are def. not needed. I was going to go with the matching menus, seating chart, programs, ect. Then I thought...
Each place card has a table number assigned and each table obviously has a number.
As for the programs not many people are going to keep them besides parents, and yourself.
Menus I would recommened if your having a huge wedding, so people know and can be aware if allergies. ect
If you get right down to it, neither are really necessary. However I do think menus could be useful for people who might have allergies that you did not know about. I know all the ingredients don't get listed, but for someone with a nut allergy, "waldorf salad" is a red flag.. something like that.
No, they are not necessary! I think this is a great place to save money and, just as important to me, energy. I'm planning to skip both.
I don't think menus are necessary, but I do think programs are essential. Besides cluing your guests on what is happening, it's one of the only chances you formally name your bridal party, programs pay tribute to deceased family members, formally thank your guests for coming, give special mention to those who have gone above and beyond to help you plan for your big day as well as provide a chance for you and your fiancé to write a special note to the people who helped raise you and shaped you into the people you both are today.
@june3012: I agree. No menus for us (brunch buffet), but we're doing programs.
I made my menu for about $10, but I probably spent about $20 getting my menus printed from Vista Print. I liked how they added some color and the font lent a bit to our Art Deco theme. If you don't need/want it for decor reasons, though, I would definitely skip it.
We aren't doing programs but are having menus. We have a lot of meal choices (not pre-selected), so it will make things easier for our guests.
Neither are really necessary but like PP's have said, they are fairly easy and inexpensive to make yourself.
I don't think either are necessary. I might DIY some but I definitely wouldn't spend a lot of time/money/effort on it.
I've never been to a wedding with menus, if that helps. I wasn't going to do programs until last night actually, but only because I've been looking for a way to honor my dad who died last year and I just discovered you can put this in a program. Other than that, you definitely don't need either.
No menu for us, it's a gorgeous brunch buffet with omelette station and everything is labeled. If you are serving multiple courses, I do think a menu is appropriate, but you really only need two on each table, sign-style.
As for programs, we have no wedding party, just FI's brother as Best Man. It's a secular ceremony, and our awesome officiant explains the meaning of everything as a part of it. I felt that a program was useless for our situation, but I do appreciate them at religious or cultural ceremonies where an explanation or even translation is necessary.
If you're worried about cost, try vistaprint. Some brides have used it, and they said when they signed up for emails they received almost 50% off their orders. I'm not sure as I have never used it but I have never heard any complaints.
I don't think either are necessary, but both are great keepsakes for you to remember the details of your wedding day. If you DIY them (or at least purchase a digital file if you aren't big on photoshop), then they can be pretty inexpensive too. A lot are printed on 8.5x11 inch paper, so it is really easy to do now.
They are certainly a nice touch and I am a paper/scrapbooking freak... so I will certainly have both menus and programs at my wedding. If you DIY them, it would probably be cheaper than having them printed. Maybe to save money on the menus, at least, you could have only one menu per table instead of an individual menu at each place setting?
They aren't necessary but they were a really easy DIY and with materials mine probably cost under $50 for both (for 135 of each). I wanted to have the menu tucked into a folded napkin at each seat since we didn't have chargers or fancy china and it kind of dressed up the table a bit, they were certainly unnecessary but as a guest I always appreciate knowing what I'll be eating. It is also nice for guests to have something to read through while you wait and it helps to follow along in the ceremony. Note that you need far fewer programs than guests, I still have at least 1/2 of them as people usually only take one per couple. I could have save some money if I'd figured that out in advance :)
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In trying to save money, I've been thinking all along that I probably won't do ceremony programs. A recent thread got me thinking about menus and if they are necessary. What is the general thought on these two things, are they both needed? My reception will be a sit down, full service meal if that makes sense. What do people think?