How to Plan a Winter Wedding
Where do you start when planning a winter wedding and what do you need to consider?
The traditional wedding season always used to be May to September and there would be just a handful of weddings over the winter months. But more and more couples are choosing to get married during the winter. A winter wedding could be magical. Imagine yourselves in front of a beautiful picturesque venue, the ground sparkling with frost and gentle flurries all around… It’s a magical picture so why not consider a winter wedding?!
No surprises
There are some assumptions you can make in winter that you can’t guarantee in summer. For example, you know the weather will be too cold to plan anything outside – in summer it could be raining, windy or burning hot sunshine, no matter the month! And because it is outside of the traditional wedding season you may find that prices are slightly lower so your budget will potentially go further.
More time to celebrate
Use the change in season to your benefit, it gets darker a lot earlier in winter so you could start the evening part of the wedding a lot earlier, making it last a lot longer! A ceremony around midday would enable you to make the most of the daylight while it lasts, sunset can be as early as 4pm on some winter days, which also means a great opportunity for some amazing photos.
Feeling festive
Many venues will be decorated for Christmas from late November so if you wanted to incorporate some festive touches to your wedding, including a big Christmas tree, make the most of what the venue have already got planned. Lighting is a key ingredient for any wedding and in winter there’s so much you can do to create a fabulous cosy atmosphere with lots of fairy lights, festoons and candles – you can never have too many candles at a wedding!
Eat, drink and be merry
Venues such as stately homes or barns work perfectly in the winter. It’s a great opportunity to serve a warm drink on arrival such as mulled wine or a warm spiced apple and cinnamon punch. You could even set-up a hot chocolate station for the evening with a selection of different toppings and freshly baked shortbread. If you choose a winter wedding around the festive period, bear in mind that people will be going to Christmas parties and planning their own Christmas dinners so it might be best to avoid a traditional roast for your wedding breakfast. Get creative with your menu, why not serve something a bit different but still warming such as a casserole or pie with lots of winter vegetables, followed by a classic dessert such as apple crumble or sticky toffee pudding.
A warming touch
Darker colours do tend to work better for winter weddings, try rich plums, forest greens, navys and berry reds. When dressing the bridesmaids, and the bride, do consider how you will all keep warm. Whilst you may not be planning to spend much time outside, you will need to move between venues and you may want to go out for some photographs. You might need to look at dresses with sleeves or consider some additional accessories such as cardigans, a fur wrap or even a dramatic bridal coat.
Winter blooms
Winter doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a great time for flowers – you won’t find as many seasonal blooms to choose from as you might in the summer months. However, there are still lots of options. Why not consider adding some wintery elements to your arrangements such as pine cones, holly or winter berries. We also love a classic white floral arrangement and think they make for an elegant winter wedding, but as always foliage can be your best friend, take inspiration from nature, think branches, evergreen or burnt orange leaves!
Honeymoon perfection
Winter weddings can benefit from some great honeymoon destinations. December is the best time to visit placed like the Maldives, South Africa or the Caribbean. Alternatively stay closer to home and rent a cottage in the charming Cotswold’s where you can cosy up in front of a roaring fire and enjoy your first few days as newlyweds.
If you’re planning a winter wedding, we’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment below or contact us here.
Happy planning!
TWP x