The Wedding Party Newsletter

Written by Angela Phelan Seattle, WA

One of the most stressful tasks that a bride has is getting her wedding party together. Will they get their outfits in time? Does everyone know what the schedule of events is? Do they know where to meet? There is so much information to get out to so many people about your ever changing wedding plans. Though it would be nice to sit everyone down and go through your details with everyone every day, it usually isn't possible with everyone's different schedules and locations. However, with a wedding party newsletter, you can let everyone in on the details easily.

A newsletter can take many forms; a newspaper, a booklet, or a simple sheet of paper. But the main idea is to get all of the necessary information out to the wedding party that they will need to know. This is a fairly new idea, but is beginning to be used more and more as word gets around. It is a great way to get organized and collect all of your information into one place. It can be sent to bridesmaids only or the whole wedding party, depending on the info you include. If there is relevant information, family members that are helping you plan may want a copy too. Even vendors might appreciate the extra information if it pertains to their duties. Often, it is sent out a couple of months before the wedding, to inform people of the finalized details. However, some may choose to send out several letters with continuing updates.

What to include in your newsletter is completely up to you. It should be unique to your wedding and include whatever info you want to get out to the others. You may want to include a special thank you or personal note to the party for helping and taking part in the wedding. It will show how much you appreciate them and their contributions. Contact information could also be important. They need to know how to contact you, or your family if they are also contributing. They may also need to contact other wedding party members to confirm details. With the wedding party contact information, you could also include a short bio of the party. Many times your wedding party is in different locations and may not have met. It will allow them to become familiar with the others that are important to your day. They need to know what they should be wearing, so you may include descriptions of their attire, pictures, fabric swatches, and measurement charts. Details about shoes, hair and jewelry will also be appreciated. A checklist of everything they will need to bring would be very handy. Your wedding party will also need to know what will be happening and where they will need to be. A timeline of events with descriptions of responsibilities and meeting places would do the job. You could also add hotel information, info about the wedding location, vendor information, or updates on planning to make them more involved.

Because these newsletters are fairly new, there is no set standard to the format. You can be as creative as you like! Make a newspaper, a booklet, a slide show presentation, a website, a pamphlet, or anything else! You can make them on your computer on Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, PowerPoint, Photoshop or other programs. Microsoft Publisher has many templates that you could convert into a newsletter or booklet. You can add pictures of the wedding party, you and your fiance, and the wedding location. Or you could make a slide presentation on PowerPoint and send it via e-mail. Make it simple, or get fancy with special paper and graphics.

Any way that you make your newsletter, your wedding party will surely appreciate your effort and all of the information. It will also cut down on your pre-wedding stress and cut down on last minute questions and panics from your wedding party. You'll definitely have enough stress as it is on your big day. Be creative and have fun