For the first time this winter, we’re having a bit of a cold snap and some parts of the country are waking up to snow.
So if you’re getting married this winter or even if you’ve planned a winter wedding for next year, we thought we’d like to give you a few winter wedding ideas to help your wedding have that extra sparkle.
Add a sprinkle of glitter to wedding favours for that winter accent
Keeping your guests comfortable
If you’re marrying in December, January or February then there’s likely to be a cold twinge in the air. And a cold guest isn’t a guest that’s going to have a lot of fun, so think about keeping your guests comfortable.
If you’re marrying in a church, consider having blankets piled up at the end of pews, so guests can grab a blanket to put over cold knees. Afterwards, don’t make everybody stand shivering whilst the photographs are being taken let guests go off to the warmth of the reception.
At the reception itself, think about serving spicy mulled wine on arrival or hot chocolate with cream so that chilled hands can be warmed.
Thinking about your wedding venue
To add that winter sparkle to your wedding reception, consider having light curtains draped by the walls or behind the top table to make it a feature. This is something that our experienced wedding stylists can help you with. Clever lighting can transform a lacklustre venue into something very special.
A feature curtain will add some winter sparkle
You also need to think about lighting outside the venue and how to make arriving at the reception something of an ‘event’.
How about having large lanterns lining the footpath giving guests a sense of expectation as they arrive? Our stylists have plenty of winter wedding ideas to share with you and they also have all the props you’ll need at your disposal, so you don’t have to trawl the high street or Ebay looking for items you’re unlikely to use again.
Lanterns add a warm glow to a winter night
Room draping is also another way of making a venue that lacks personality (but is affordable and in the ideal location) something very special.
Winter wedding flowers
Here we’d say go for whites, winter greens or a dramatic red. A bouquet of red roses will always look wonderful against a winter backdrop and roses are available year round. Alternatively you could have an all-white bouquet of cream roses, white freesias with evergreen leaves. And let your bridesmaids hold bouquets of red roses to add a contrast.
On the guests’ tables, think about traditional winter flowers. Hellebores look wonderful in winter – so maybe a small pot on each table? Or you could have snowdrops or forced narcissi to add some spring promise.
Winter white roses with a silver candelabra brightens up table centres
What time of day should you get married in winter?
Remember that in England you can now get married up until 6pm. We think that a late afternoon wedding would work beautifully in winter. Your guests can arrive at 4pm when it is getting dark and you can light up the ceremony venue with candles, which would be intensely romantic.
After the ceremony at the reception, make sure that your guests get a warm welcome – if you’re marrying in a country house-style hotel make sure that there are roaring log fires in the hallway.
The other advantage of getting married later in the day is that you will save money – you’ll only have to feed your guests one meal. You can have the drinks reception, the wedding breakfast (or rather dinner) and then go straight on to the evening entertainment.
Your guests would enjoy warming themselves by a fireplace – this one has been decorated by one of our stylists
And what should you wear to your winter wedding?
Make sure that you have a wonderful cape or wrap to drape over your shoulders as you go to your ceremony. Wearing a long velvet cape can look extremely elegant and will certainly give your photographs the wow factor. And think about having a pair of wedding wellingtons to wear to and from the venue – you don’t want to spoil your wedding shoes.
As for colours, think about using silver, gold, scarlet and green as accent details. These could be on your shoes, as a cravat for the bridegroom and his party, your bridesmaids’ dresses.
Just one of the many pics from our Seasonal photoshoot – This is one from the Winter Look
Then one of our wedding stylists could help you translate these colours straight onto your wedding tables – adding colour-co-ordinated sashes to help you get the seasonal effect just right.
Get in touch with one of our stylists and have a chat. You’re under no obligation to take things further and a chat is free. And if you’re looking for winter wedding ideas then our stylists will have plenty of ideas you may never even have thought of!