The sparkle of the sunshine reflects off the newly fallen snow giving it a demeanor of glittering diamonds and the icicles form beautiful ice sculptures off of every tree branch against a chilly blue winter sky. Does this picture embrace your magnificent dreams of a perfect winter wonderland wedding? If so, you are not alone. Many brides-to-be dream of a beautiful winter wedding and why wouldn’t they? Winter weddings provide the quintessential setting to create a magical event for the couple as well as the wedding guests, not to speak of inexpensive venues and open availability.
If you too are sold on the idea of having a winter wedding, you should be mindful of the fact that your big day will naturally require some planning ahead of time. But how do you set things moving? Here are eight things you can consider.
If you are considering getting married in a church, bear in mind that they can be cold and drafty in winters, so make sure they are heated well beforehand. Or, alternatively, you can look for a spacious Inn or country house with a large fireplace – it will definitely look the part for a winter wedding and keep your guests warm.
Bear in mind that the venue you choose should be central to major airports and easily accessible to transportation services. After all, your wedding ceremony and reception should be easy to get to for your guests, even in the event of heavy snow, sleet or rain.
2. Food selection
For your winter wedding, the typical summer wedding menu will simply not do. Instead, you should go for warming dishes such as chicken and mushroom pies, carrot soup and glazed hams. For the beverages, you can replace the standard champagne toast with spiced wine. For younger guests, you might want to consider serving hot chocolate.
Style: #CWLT13093, Image Credit: Kamp Photography
3. Décor
The décor you choose for your big day can enhance the magical charm of your winter wedding. There are several big holidays during the winter season that can be used as a springboard for your wedding decor ideas. For your wedding colors, however, you don’t really have many options to choose from beside white, silver, light jewel tones and blue.
4. Favors
You may want to incorporate your wedding season into your wedding favors too. You can find many unique and personalized winter wedding favor ideas sure to inspire and delight your guests. Some of the more common favors may include snowflake bottle stoppers, mini snow globes, homemade hot cocoa and cocktail mixes.
Style: #8006, Image Credit:Leah Marie Photography
5. Bridal gown
If you’re getting married indoors, you can choose a sleeveless or strapless A-line wedding dress. You can also do without heavy winter accessories. Your wedding gown materials can also be more lightweight with satin and chiffon being the most in demand. On the other hand, if you choose an outdoor wedding, you will need a long sleeve wedding dress in heavier material. You can also pick lace wedding dresses with rich embroidery on the fabric. For your accessories, you can invest in an elegant jacket or a silk or velvet stole to highlight your wedding look while providing protection against the winter chill.
6. Bridesmaid dress
You can consider dressing your bridesmaids in classic ball skirts. The full skirts will look breathtaking as your attendants’ process down the aisle. Choose the bridesmaid dresses in a rich fabric like satin as it looks absolutely gorgeous and will keep your girls warm throughout the big day.
Style: #LD4203, Image Credit: Little Locket Photography
7. Flowers
When it comes to flowers for your wedding, you have some very beautiful options to choose from – such as amaryllis, carnation, gerbera, ranunculus, rose, tulip, gardenia, narcissus paper white, etc. While the prices for winter wedding flower bouquets may run a bit on the high side, it’s absolutely possible to chance upon some great bargains. There are many varieties of lilies, roses, and orchids that would make for some beautiful, exotic winter wedding flower arrangements and not cost you an arm and a leg.
8. Photography
Though winters with typically overcast and freezing weather may not be the most camera-friendly season, it’s possible to get the best images to grace your wedding photo album. All you need to do is to choose the right photographer to make the most of the stark winter landscape and do justice to the big day in order to capture wonderful memories with a timeless tag.
By taking these things into consideration ahead of time, you will not only alleviate the worries of your guests but also abridge the amount of stress you will feel on what will be the best day of your life.