The cold, winter season is now upon us. You know what that means- winter weddings!
Yes, surprisingly, there are lots of people that choose to have their wedding in a winter wonderland. Isn’t there just something so beautiful about the snow, the silent majesty of a winter’s morn?
If you have had any thoughts of having your own winter wedding, or know that you will be attending one soon, we are here to help make sure these events are a success.
Here are our do’s & dont’s for those of you that want to have their wedding in the snow!
List of Do’s
Do Dress Your Bridesmaids in Style
Just because you are doing your wedding in the cold, doesn’t mean can’t look classy. Furs? Wool Skirts? Those big Russian jackets? These are all acceptable! With a winter wedding, you don’t have follow traditional wedding styles. It will most likely be cold outside during the ceremony. There might even be snow falling! During a wedding like this, you can have your bridesmaids wear layers, boots, hats, and modify them all to look great and be warm. Layers are especially important because after the chilly ceremony, everyone will be headed into a (hopefully) warm reception area. You will want your bridesmaids to be able to switch to their “warm weather gear”. I would recommend saving the heels and short dresses for indoors. Since a winter wedding isn’t traditional, you can think outside the box and style your bridesmaids however you want! Be creative!
Do Choose a Warm & Cozy Reception Area
Just because you want to have your ceremony in a winter wonderland doesn’t mean you have to freeze the entire wedding! It’s a good idea to have your wedding in a warm, cozy fireplace-in-a-lodge type space. There is nothing better than walking into a a softly lit, warm space after being in the cold! Be sure to have warm drinks, hot cocoa, cider, to keep your guests warm. You can also provide a winter/holiday soup for the same effect. I would personally try to make sure the reception area is filled with delicious smells of warm cinnamon and other holiday goodness.
Do Be Creative With Food, Guest Gifts and Decorations
One of the great things about choosing to have a winter wedding is all the holiday and winter themed possibilities! You could use cute mini Christmas trees on each table that have an ornament with each guest’s that is assigned to sit there. You can give little Christmas themed boxes filled with holiday treats as gift bags. You can go old school Santa with milk and cookies for dessert. There are so many options to help give your wedding that extra holiday/winter “oomph”. Be creative!
List of Dont’s
Don’t Feel Forced to Use Christmas Colors.
Just because it is the holiday season doesn’t mean everyone has to wear red and green and look like Santa’s helpers! Be bold and use colors that really stand out against the holiday season. Spring colors, soft pinks, yellows all work great. Your guests will be expecting you to go with the holiday theme, but you can surprise them with a tropical themed wedding. But, who are we kidding, if you want a winter wedding there is a good chance you are a fan of the holiday theme. If you really love green and red, don’t be afraid to use those too!
Don’t Let Your Guests Freeze to Death!
Just because you prefer a chilly wedding, doesn’t mean everyone else loves the cold! Be sure to keep the ceremony, especially if outdoors, on the shorter side. There is nothing worse than enjoying your big day and looking over to see everyone shivering and miserable. Be sure to let your guests know to wear coats and other warm clothing while outside. It is a good idea to let the ladies know to NOT wear their heels outside in the snow. They should wear boots and then switch to their glamour gear once inside. Please be sure that there is enough space for all your guests inside the reception area. You don’t want to force anybody to stand outside in the cold.
Don’t Overdo the Heat
Okay, I know I just said not to let everyone freeze to death, but you always don’t want to go the complete other direction and unleash a million heaters on your guests. During the reception, be sure to keep an eye on your guests and make sure they aren’t all soaked to the bone in sweat. Once your party starts dancing and grooving, the reception area will heat up fast. Being uncomfortably hot is worse than cold, right? You can only take off so many layers!
There you have it!
Winter weddings can be a beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding experience. The winter background can make for absolutely beautiful photographs.
Stick to this list of do’s and don’ts when planning your wedding and you are sure to have a winter wedding that will be amazing!
~Sarah A.
