It seems like spring and summer are always the go to seasons for weddings. There’s even that old stand by phrase – ‘the June Bride’. But not every couple wants to get married in the spring, and not every bride longs for a summer wedding.
So for those couples, let’s take a quick look at winter weddings, and tips on how to get the most out of this magical season. A chill may be in the air, but where weddings are concerned there is always warmth in the heart.
The Benefits of Planning a Winter Wedding
Before we dive into the winter wedding tips, let’s look at some of the benefits of planning a winter wedding. Spring and summer weddings are so common, that it can often be difficult to find the venue you want, and at a price that fits your budget.
Since fall and winter aren’t peak times for weddings, it is often easier to book a venue on the day you desire. Moreover, since winter is a slack season for most wedding vendors, couples are more likely to be able to save money on the cost of booking their venue, and on hiring caterers, photographers, and entertainment. That alone puts a winter wedding in a welcoming light.
Choosing A Wedding Theme
Just because you’re planning a winter wedding that doesn’t mean that you have to have a holiday themed event. Still, it is always nice to take advantage of the season, and let your theme reflect the time of the year. Consider a wintertime theme for your wedding invitations, using snowflakes and pine cones to represent the season. Apply the wintertime theme to your tablescapes, using icicles for centerpieces and ginger bread cookies for place settings. The possibilities are endless.
Winter Favors for Your Wedding Guests
Every couple likes to send their wedding guests home with a little memento of the wedding day. Winter weddings offer a variety of options for fun and tasty winter wedding favors. A decadent hot cocoa mix, distinctly bottled and labeled for your wedding day, gives your guests a tasty memento to take home. Or perhaps, if you’re lucky enough to live in apple country, bottles of milled cider to celebrate the season as well as your wedding.
Wintertime Wedding Attire
Winter Weddings offer a wonderful opportunity to get creative with your wedding attire. Tuxedos and gowns that would be too stifling in the summer are perfect for wintertime weddings. Grooms may opt for a traditional tux, complete with tails and top hat, finished off with a cloak or great coat. Brides and bridesmaids can accent their dresses with stylish wraps, shrugs, or capes.
The Winter Wedding Menu
As always, when choosing the menu for your wedding reception you will want to rely on your favorite foods. But you should also consider adding a variety of seasonal dishes, such as roasted squash or pumpkin soup, to represent the season. Also, consider serving egg-nog (both spiked and non-alcoholic), as well as milled wine and/or spiced hot cider.
Let your wedding cake reflect the season as well, opting for an all white cake decorated with snowflake patterns and sugar sculptures. You may even choose to forgo the traditional wedding cake topper for a uniquely winter themed snow globe.
Flowers and Bouquets
Your choice of flowers during the winter may be limited, but that doesn’t mean that your imagination should be. Choose flower combinations that reflect the pale colors of winter, and accentuate the arrangements with pine cones and berries to give them a wintertime vibrancy. Consider alternatives to the tradition bridal bouquet, such as a stylish arrangement of feathers or paper flowers. You might even consider trading the traditional bouquet for a crystal bouquet, to be taken home and cherished for years to come.
Yes, the summer weddings get all of the attention. But that’s hardly fair. Winter weddings offer a unique and stylish way to celebrate the joining of two people in matrimony. The crisp cold air and the clean driven snow, all make for a wonderful backdrop to a wedding celebration. When it comes time to plan your wedding, remember – there’s more than one season in the year that can make for magical memories.
