Tips for Planning a Winter Wedding

Winter weddings certainly have a magical element to them with the crisp blue skies, ambient snowy landscapes and long, cosy evenings. Hence it’s no surprise that more and more couples are now opting to say ‘I do’ throughout the winter months. To help you on your way, find our top tips on planning a winter wedding below.

Give enough notice
Winter can be a very expensive and busy season, so it’s important to consider your guests. Similar to a summer wedding, guests are likely to have commitments already, so we recommend sending out Save the Date’s with plenty of notice to avoid your guests booking up their calendars.

Look to book the same venue for your ceremony and reception
To save the hassle of guests traveling between two locations and to help solve half your travel problems, look to hold your ceremony and reception at the same venue. This way if there’s poor weather on the day, guests don’t need to worry so much about getting around or arriving late. Even better if they can stay overnight at the venue too!

Visit your venue at night
The majority of wedding show rounds take place during the daytime, however with a winter wedding the majority of your reception will take place once the sun’s gone down. Therefore we always recommend visiting your venue in the evening where you can see what kind of lighting they have and whether the vibe is cosy and inviting. After you’ve booked, ask if your photographer can see it in the evening too so they can plan their shots.

Timing is everything
During the winter months the sun can set as early as 4pm, therefore it is essential that your ceremony is booked at the right time if you want to ensure that it is still light outside for your photographs.

Check what decorations are already up
If you are looking at a wedding date just before or after Christmas, your venue may already have decoration up. If you have a particular vision in mind for the day, they should be able to show you some photos of last year’s decoration to give you an idea of what to expect. If you don’t like them, ask whether you’re allowed to take them down as you don’t want something that clashes with your vision of your dream day.

Layer up and stay warm!
Making sure you keep warm during a winter wedding is essential, especially during your photos outside. Layers and accessories will keep brides & bridesmaids warm during the day – why not accessorise with a faux fur bolero or layer up with tights underneath your dress if your legs won’t be visible. Or better yet, get your maid of honour to carry hand warmers to heat up icy hands before your wedding photos.

Think textures for grooms
It’s not just the bride and bridesmaids we need to worry about keeping warm on the wedding day, we also need to ensure that the groom and groomsmen are too! Thick fabrics like velvet, tweed and tartan are warm and look incredibly chic on grooms and groomsmen.

Match your flowers to the time of year
Make sure you choose flowers which are in season. Out of season flowers will need to be sourced, which can be extremely difficult and expensive. Embrace seasonal blooms for your bouquet and arrangements, and why not add wintry foliage such as ivy, springs of yew, holly and hypericum berries which all look gorgeous.

Embrace the season
Your tables are the perfect place to create that really magical, warm and festive atmosphere that your guests will love. Candles are an absolute must during the winter and think about playing with different heights and scents. There are also plenty of options when it comes to offering favours for your guests. A custom cracker, personalised bauble or really anything that incorporates chocolate always goes down well at this time of year.