Winter is such a magical time even without a wedding filled with festive cheer, twinkling fairy lights and crisp mornings. The nights might be darker but you can embrace this and use it to your advantage. Candles!!
Winter weddings are becoming increasingly popular and not just because many venues are that bit cheaper, especially in January and February when it is off season!
We have a couple of tips and a bit of inspiration to get your winter weddings off to a flying start.
Venue
I have to say our top tip for a winter wedding has to be – visit the venue at night time!
It gets dark early in the winter months so you need to get a feel for the venue at night – inside and out. Will you get the same cosy feel that you do in the day? You want that warmth and comforting vibe to continue into the evening. Are the fires lit, heating on – too hot…too cold!? Will you need extra lighting; not just for guests to feel at home but also for your photographer to be able to shoot the photos you would like. Do you need lighting outside if guests are leaving late? Some of these are for a marquee wedding but it’s those little details that people will actually remember. If they all had to trek back up to a carpark in the dark with only their phones to light the way, it will be a talking point for years to come!
Another top tip with venues is to consider having both ceremony and reception in the same place. Of course, if you are having a church wedding this won’t be able to happen but either way consider the following. In the UK winter is typically not the best weather. With rain, winds and on occasion, snow it can get pretty hairy out there so always think about having a contingency.
How are guests making their way from A to B? Could people share cars? Will you put on a bus? Or, crossing my fingers that it won’t, but what it the weather is so bad that part of your day gets cancelled? This has happened to one of my brides. Luckily wedding planner, caterer and venue were able to do a little bit of juggling and had everything in check before the guests arrived at the venue – none the wiser and still had an amazing time! The one thing that was in place – a back-up plan!
Also, along with this back-up was wedding insurance. Another must for any wedding and worth every penny.
Décor, themes and schemes!
Candles and fairy lights are your new best friends! Winter boasts many different wedding themes and here are just a few to tempt you.
Our first thought always heads towards the classic Christmas wedding when we think Winter but there are many different options that might suit you better. You can of course welcome all the festivities (in December) with carol singers and mulled wine greeting your guests. Mince pies, candy canes, red and green themed tables with holly and mistletoe wreaths set around big candles, Christmas pudding for dessert and gingerbread men for favours.
If Festive is not your winter winner then head for the ice and snow. It might not always snow when we want it to, and let’s face it the Lake District brings a lot of rain instead…but that doesn’t mean you can’t host a winter wonderland on your wedding day. Men in black dinner jackets and bow ties – very James Bond and a classic and timeless look. Match that with bridesmaids in silver evening gowns and the rest speaks for itself! Candles set in glass cylinders, crisp white table cloths with glittering silver overlays, white roses, table names in silver jewelled frames…and perhaps even a vodka luge as an extra?
Another wintery wedding theme is warmth! We aren’t just talking about giving your guests blankets, which is a bonus but the notion of colour, texture and décor bringing warmth to the big day. Of course, you can tell we love candles, tealights and fairy lights but match those with rich burgundy, browns or navy blues and you’ve got a whole different dimension. A bit of a Game of Thrones inspiration if you will with fur collars, yards of ale, or perhaps velvet capes for yourself and the flower girls or soft navy velvet suits for the chaps? I’m not thinking Austin Powers – maybe don’t add frill collar shirts!
No winter wedding is complete without a box of Quality Street or Celebrations for your guests to dip into.
Just make sure Jack Frost isn’t nipping at your guests noses and provide some much-needed warmth through blankets, fire, candles and a strong tipple!
