Everything We Need From You to Design Your Wedding Magazine (The Complete Checklist)
Custom design sounds amazing in theory. A magazine designed from scratch, specifically for your wedding, that looks like nothing else out there.
But here's what no one tells you: custom design requires you to show up.
Not in a stressful way. Not in a "hire a project manager" way. But in a "we need to know what you want so we can design it" way.
Because here's the truth: we can't design a magazine from scratch without knowing what goes in it, how long it needs to be, what your aesthetic is, and what story you want to tell.
So let's talk about what we actually need from you to create your magazine. This isn't a "nice to have" list. This is the stuff we legitimately need to do our job well. Think of it as your wedding magazine homework.
(And if you have a wedding planner? We can handle most of this directly with them, which makes your life significantly easier. Struggling with writing? We can write all the content for you too. More on both below.)
First: We Need to Know the Scope
Before we design a single page, we need to understand two critical things:
1. How Long Should Your Magazine Be?
This isn't a trick question, but it does require some thought.
Magazine length depends entirely on how much content you want to include. A 20-page magazine that includes your love story, timeline, and wedding party bios will feel very different from a 40-page magazine that also includes menus, playlists, games, vendor spotlights, and a detailed ceremony explanation.
Neither is better; they're just different.
But we need to know upfront because length affects design. If you want to include 15 different elements but only want a 16-page magazine, we'll need to design super efficiently and make tough editorial choices. If you want a more spacious, editorial layout with lots of white space and big photos, we'll need more pages to work with.
Think about:
How much content do you actually want to include? (See the full list below)
How important is readability vs. having "everything" in there?
What's your budget for printing? (More pages = higher printing cost)
2. What Do You Want to Include?
This is where couples often stall out. "I don't know, what do most people include?"
Here's the thing: there is no "most people." That's the whole point of custom design.
Some couples want a traditional ceremony program with minimal extras. Others want a full magazine with games, recipes, playlists, and a crossword puzzle about their relationship. Both are valid. But we can't design without knowing which direction you're going.
So below, we've created the most comprehensive list of everything you could include. Your job is to go through it and figure out what matters to you.
The Complete Content Checklist
Here's everything we might need from you, depending on what you want in your magazine. Don't panic. You definitely don't need all of this. Just what applies to your vision.
Essential Information (Everyone Needs This)
Your Invitation Suite
Save the date (physical copy or high-res scan)
Full invitation suite: invitation, RSVP card, details card, envelope, envelope liner, belly band, wax seal, literally everything
Any other wedding stationery you've designed
Why we need it: This is our design foundation. We pull colors, fonts, patterns, and overall aesthetic from your existing stationery to create a cohesive look.
High-Resolution Photos (At Least 10)
Engagement photos
Professional portraits
Couple photos from any professional shoot
Why we need it: Magazines print at 300 DPI. iPhone photos are around 72-150 DPI and look blurry or pixelated in print. Professional photos are sharp, beautifully lit, and properly composed for printing.
A note on AI-generated images: Technically, we can use generative AI to create images if you don't have enough professional photos. But we strongly prefer not to. Magazines are meant to be personal, intimate keepsakes of your real relationship. AI-generated images, no matter how beautiful, aren't you. They're generic approximations. If you're investing in a custom magazine, invest in real photos that capture your actual love story.
Wedding Theme & Aesthetic Direction
What's your overall wedding vibe? (Romantic garden, modern minimalist, vintage glam, bohemian, black-tie formal, etc.)
What colors are you using?
What feeling do you want the magazine to evoke?
Why we need it: Your magazine should feel seamless with your entire wedding aesthetic. If your venue is a rustic barn but your magazine looks ultra-modern, something's off. We need to understand the visual world we're designing within.
Your Love Story Content
Timeline Content (If You're Including It)
Ceremony start time
Cocktail hour timing
Reception start time
Key moments: first dance, toasts, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc.
End time
Ceremony Details
Order of ceremony events (processional, readings, vows, ring exchange, etc.)
Are you doing any cultural or religious traditions?
Who's officiating?
Any special moments guests should know about?
Unity Ceremony Details (If Applicable)
What unity ceremony are you doing? (Unity candle, sand ceremony, handfasting, tree planting, etc.)
Why did you choose it?
What does it symbolize for you?
Why we need it: If you're doing something meaningful like a unity ceremony, we want to explain it in your magazine so guests understand its significance. Generic descriptions don't cut it. we want to know why you chose it and what it means to your relationship.
Your Love Story
How you met
Your first date
When you knew this was serious
The proposal story
Why you chose your wedding date/location
What you love about each other
This doesn't need to be essay-length, but it needs to be written in your voice. We can help edit and refine, but we can't write your story for you.
Or, we can write it for you. If writing isn't your thing or you're struggling to find the words, we offer full content writing services. You tell us your story in a conversation (over the phone, via video chat, or even through a questionnaire), and we'll write it in a beautiful, polished way that captures your voice and your relationship. You'll review and approve everything before it goes into the magazine, so it still feels authentically you.
Wedding Party & Family Information
Bridal Party Bios
Names
Role (Maid of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaid, Groomsman, etc.)
Brief bio or how you know them (optional but adds personality)
Photos (if you want to include them)
Parents & Important Family
Do you want to honor parents, grandparents, or family members who've passed?
Are there family traditions you're incorporating?
Vendor & Venue Information
Venue Details
Venue name and location
Why you chose it
Any special significance?
Vendor Spotlight (Optional)
Do you want to thank your vendors by name in the magazine?
Photographer, videographer, florist, caterer, band/DJ, planner, etc.
Why we need it: If you're including vendor information, we need accurate names, business names, and potentially websites or social handles. We also need to know how you want to feature them: just a list, or a full "meet our vendors" section?
Menus & Bar Information
If you want to include food and drink details (and many couples do), we need:
Cocktail Hour Menu
Passed appetizers
Stationed food
Signature cocktails
Dinner Menu
Appetizer/salad
Entrée options
Sides
Dietary accommodations (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options)
Bar Menu
Signature cocktails (with recipes if you want!)
Beer and wine selections
Non-alcoholic options
Dessert Menu
Wedding cake flavors
Dessert table offerings
Coffee/tea service
Why we need it: Menus take up space and need thoughtful design. We also need to know if you want a simple list or full descriptions with ingredients.
Interactive Elements (If You Want Them)
Playlists
Are you creating a Spotify playlist for your wedding?
Do you want to include a QR code so guests can listen?
What's the vibe of the playlist?
Are you allowing requests?
Do you have a “Do NOT Playlist”?
Games
What kind of games? (Wedding bingo, I Spy, scavenger hunt, etc.)
Do you have specific ideas or do you want us to suggest options?
Should they be integrated throughout or collected in one section?
Quiz or Trivia
Do you want a "How Well Do You Know the Couple?" quiz?
What's the tone, funny, sentimental, challenging?
Do you want to write the questions or want help brainstorming?
Crossword or Word Search
Do you want a puzzle about your relationship?
Should it include inside jokes, important dates, meaningful places?
Why we need it: Interactive elements require specific content from you. We can design beautiful layouts, but we can't invent your inside jokes or relationship milestones.
Website Information (If Applicable)
If you have a wedding website, we need:
Website URL
QR code (or we can generate one)
What's on the website that you want guests to reference? (Registry, accommodations, transportation, FAQs, etc.)
Additional Elements (The "Nice to Have" Category)
Depending on your vision, you might also want:
Travel & Accommodation Guide: Hotels, transportation, parking info
Weekend Itinerary: If you have welcome party, day-after brunch, etc.
Local Recommendations: Favorite restaurants, things to do in your city
Relationship Timeline: A visual timeline of key moments in your relationship
Family Recipes: A meaningful recipe from your families
Song Lyrics: Lyrics to your first dance song
Love Letters: Excerpts from letters you've written each other (with permission, obviously)
Photo Collage Pages: Collections of favorite memories
Thank You Note: A personal message to your guests
How to Actually Pull This Together
Okay, we know that list is overwhelming. Here's how to approach it:
Step 1: Start With Your "Must-Haves"
What absolutely needs to be in your magazine? For most couples, that's:
Love story
Timeline
Ceremony details
Wedding party
Everything else is extra.
Step 2: Add Your "Would Be Nice"
What would enhance the guest experience but isn't critical?
Menus
Playlists
Vendor thank-yous
Games
Step 3: Consider Page Count & Budget
More content = more pages = higher printing cost. Be realistic about what you can afford and what you actually want to design.
A 12-page magazine with thoughtfully curated content is more personal than a 48-page magazine stuffed with filler but both are perfect depending on what YOU are after.
Step 4: Organize Everything in One Place
Create a Google Doc or shared folder with:
All your written content (love story, bios, ceremony details, etc.)
Your photos (clearly labeled)
Your stationery scans
Your menu details
Everything else we need
The more organized you are upfront, the smoother the design process.
OR. if you have a wedding planner: Give us permission to work with them directly, and they can provide most of this information on your behalf. We'll coordinate with your planner to gather what we need, and you just review and approve.
What Happens If You Don't Have Everything?
Real talk: most couples don't have everything ready when they first reach out to us. That's completely normal.
Here's what we typically recommend:
If you don't have professional photos yet: Schedule your engagement session ASAP with your magazine deadline in mind. Most photographers can turn around photos in 2-3 weeks.
If you haven't finalized menus: That's okay. we can leave space for them and add them later in the design process. But we need to know upfront that they're coming so we design with that space in mind.
If you're not sure about interactive elements: We can brainstorm during the design process. But it's easier to plan for them from the start than to try to squeeze them in later.
If you don't have your full content written: We get it. Writing your love story is harder than it sounds. We can give you prompts and help edit what you write. Or, if you prefer, we can write the entire thing for you. You just tell us your story (we'll ask the right questions to pull it out of you), and we'll craft it into beautiful, polished content that sounds like you. You'll review and approve everything, of course.
Working With Your Wedding Planner or Vendors (Or Letting Us Handle the Writing)
Here's something that makes this whole process easier: we can work directly with your wedding planner.
If you have a planner coordinating your wedding, they likely already have most of the information we need: timeline, vendor contacts, menu details, ceremony specifics, everything. With your approval, we can communicate directly with your planner to gather what we need, which takes a huge amount of work off your plate.
Your planner becomes the bridge between us and all your vendors, and you just get to review and approve the content we're designing.
We can also reach out to your vendors directly (with your permission, of course).
Need your final menu from your caterer? We can request it directly. Want to include your florist's Instagram handle? We can reach out and confirm. Need your DJ's playlist or song list? We can coordinate with them.
All you have to do is:
Give us permission to contact your planner and/or specific vendors
Let your planner/vendors know we'll be reaching out
Review the information once we have it
And if writing content feels overwhelming, we can handle that too. We offer full content writing services where we interview you about your story, then write everything in a polished, beautiful way that captures your voice. You tell us the facts, the feelings, the funny moments, and we turn it into magazine-ready content. You review, approve, and we're good to go.
This is especially helpful if you're busy with other wedding planning tasks or if gathering all this information feels overwhelming. We're happy to do the legwork. We just need your green light.
The Timeline Reality
Here's why we need most of this information upfront:
Custom design takes 4-6 weeks. That includes:
Initial design (1-2 weeks)
Your feedback and our revisions (1-2 weeks, depending on rounds)
Final production prep (a few days)
Printing and shipping (1-2 weeks)
If we're waiting on content or photos or menu details, that timeline extends. And if your wedding is approaching fast, delays can get stressful.
The more prepared you are at the start, the smoother everything flows.
Why All This Matters
Look, we could design a generic wedding magazine without asking you for much. We could use stock photos (or AI-generated images), write a template love story, create a standard timeline, and call it a day.
But that's not what you're paying for.
You're paying for a magazine that's yours. That tells your story. That reflects your aesthetic. That includes the details that matter specifically to you.
And we can't create that without your input.
Custom design is collaborative. You bring the content, the vision, and the personal details. We bring the design expertise, the creative direction, and the technical know-how to turn all of that into something beautiful.
But it only works if you show up with what we need.
Ready to Get Started?
If this list feels manageable and you're ready to pull everything together, let's talk.
If this list feels overwhelming and you're not sure you have the time or energy to gather everything, that's also valuable information. and we can discuss whether a simpler magazine or a template-based option might be a better fit.
Either way, we'd rather have an honest conversation upfront than surprise you halfway through the process with "Oh, by the way, we need 47 more things from you."
Schedule your consultation call and let's talk through your specific needs →
