If you think a winter wedding needs to include fur shrugs or winter whites, think again. As long as you choose the right venue, flowers, lighting and details, your winter wedding will have all the same vibrancy of a June date.
Savvy couples are planning winter weddings as it gives a more exclusive feel to their event. Not only are vendors slower and able to devote more time to their clients in winter, but guests are also more excited to attend when personal schedules are less busy.
Venues are more affordable
Being off-season, most venues that cater for winter weddings are more accommodating during the winter months than they are during peak season. Also, the likelihood of rain is already factored into the planning of your wedding, which means that no summer raincloud will catch you by surprise. Just stay away from Christmas week and New Year’s Eve for the best prices.
Accommodation is cheaper
Guesthouses and hotels around your wedding venue will be better priced than in the peak time, allowing you a wider area in which to find your dream venue, as friends and family will all be able to travel and spend the night in the area.
Unbelievable wedding pictures
Winter wonderland wedding pictures are not only amazing to shoot, but also unbelievably intimate and creative. Nothing like a bit of cold to make you scoot closer together and help with the photo shyness.
If you are looking at an evening wedding, the earlier sunset allows you to have incredible sunset shots in your wedding photography without having your guests wait half the night for you to enter the wedding.
Hot pre-drinks
While you are off making memories on your sunset photo shoot, have your guests enjoy a winter warmer pre-drink like sherry, mulled wine, or even coffee! In the summer time everyone is parched, hot and irritated while they wait for the bride and groom’s return, but not your happy winter wedding guests! Also, red wine as the main dinner accompaniment is far more affordable than ice cold summer Champagne guzzlers.
Hot food!
There is nothing as delicious in winter as a scrumptious plate of hot food. At summer weddings you can expect smaller portions and salads for starters, but in winter the portions are ample and hot and the traditional soup starter warms us up just thinking about it…
Comfortable reception venue
If it’s not too hot outside, chances are it won’t be so hot inside. Gone are all the men walking around without their jackets, ladies fanning themselves with their booklets. Rather, have a few blankets and heaters available for your guests and be their favourite bride ever.
Most winter weddings are accompanied by a warm, inviting fireplace in the venue. This allows a wonderfully relaxed area in which to set up your photo booth and just kick back and have fun with your guests.
Start with your look
One of the biggest fears of a winter wedding is keeping yourself and your bridal party warm. There are several sleek options that do not include even a hint of faux-fur.
Channel your inner Kate Middleton with a long sleeve dress. Gowns can have permanent sleeves, or come as a removable option to transform your look from ceremony to reception. The top trend this year is to add a dramatic cape instead of a veil and these showstoppers add a handy extra layer for warmth.
For bridesmaids, add a sleek blazer to their ensembles. This on-trend look takes inspiration from fashionistas like Sarah Jessica Parker and Gisele Bundchen who have been seen rocking the formal dress with blazer look on the red carpet.
Dazzle with the décor
There is no reason your winter wedding has to exclusively feature white décor. Jewel tones like magenta and deep orange with gold accents can add pops of colour. With flowers, think magenta hydrangea, dark purple and burgundy snapdragons, roses and gold orchids will add a lively display of brightness during the dark winter months. Add branches with painted gold for a pop of colour that also brings some height and glam to your centrepieces on the cheap.
A winter bouquet
A brooch bouquet for a winter bride is a fun way to tie the jewel-toned theme together. Whether it is a collection of brooches from the women in your life or strategically picked jewels to go with your wedding theme – this bouquet will surely bring the sparkle.
For the more reserved natural winter bride, non-flowering plants make an eclectic bouquet that is still a show-stopper. With mint green being so popular these days, it is no wonder that a bouquet made of succulents even exists. Bouquets made of pine cones are a thing too!
A hanging structure of boxwood greenery and seeded eucalyptus with striking pheasant feathers or bright jewel-toned peacock feathers will be an unexpected exciting touch for the winter bride who is not looking for the traditional snow and sparkle. This works particularly well for a marquee wedding where you have a blank canvas to work with.
Bring the brightness!
It’s called the season of light for a reason. Complete your winter wonderland with strings of white lights that bring an unexpected feature to your venue. Add complementing gold and amber uplights too for warmer tones even on the chilliest days. And don’t forget the fairy lights…a cheap and very cheerful way to add sparkle to walls, plants, anywhere really – who doesn’t love their festive warmth?
National Event Hire
Regardless of the details you choose for your winter nuptials, remember it’s always warm on the dance floor! If you need help with organising a winter wedding, hiring furniture, or adding equipment required to make your venue shine like a winter diamond, contact the experts at National Event Hire on freephone on 1800 759 759, email us at info@neh.ie, or click HERE.
