How to layout missalettes

One of my brides’ often-DIYed project is the missalette. Since it’s normally not in the top of the priority list, brides who have enough time (or office resources… hahaha!) on their hands want to do this by themselves. But whenever I ask them if they know how to layout a booklet, more often than not I learn that they do not. Most type the missal and then cut it page by page and then manually layout the pages. Hay ang hirap nun kasi everytime you need to change something, you need to redo the layout. There is a better way and you’ll love Bill Gates for this (or at least his programmers).

Open Word and go to Page Setup / Margins / Pages and then select Book Fold (the orientation will automatically shift to Landcsape). If using letter size paper, I suggest using 0.75 inch for all the sides as margins.

You will then notice that the page layout view changes. The page is now the size of half a bond paper folded into two.  This is now your Page 1. Second page will be your missal’s Page 2 (back of Page 1). Basta booklet na layout na yan.

Page 1 normally is the “title page”.  Page 2 is normally blank. Pages 3 to 4 are normally where you put the names of the wedding entourage. Page 5 is normally where you put the names of liturgical entourage. Page 6 is normally blank. Page 7 onwards is the body of the missal.

When you’ve typed up all the text, then you’re ready to print (Hehe! Parang obvious ito.)  Explore your Print dialogue box. Make sure the Manual Duplex option is ticked (unless super high tech your printer and it prints on both sides of the paper at the same time! Wow!). Also make sure that the Reverse Print / Print Last Page First option is NOT selected. Place paper and print All pages. A dialogue box appears in your screen asking for your signal when you’ve turned over the pages. Wait for the printer first to stop, get the printed pages, turn it over, put it back in the feeder, then OK the dialogue box. The printer will resume printing. Get the printed pages, fold it into two, and tsadan! (Hahaha! Pinoy na pinoy, hindi man lang “voila!”) as long as the turning-over process is correct, you now have a missal!

Enjoy printing!