The crisp clear air. Sparkles everywhere. Rich sumptuous colours, roaring log fires and hopefully a sprinkling of snow…winter weddings are magical, romantic and – most importantly – budget friendly! We all love the thought of a winter wedding…so we’ve put together some of our favourite suggestions …
1. Keep the Cosy. What do we mean? Well, think about bringing in light and warmth – from materials to colours. Keep your guests comfortable with little touches such as candles, twinkling tealights or fairy lights, or rich coloured blankets if your ceremony is outdoors. Deep colours as accents add to the rich warm feeling.
2. Match your colour theme with the type of winter wedding you want. A sleek white winter wedding comes to life with silvers, whites and accents of green. Going for starlit/candlelit? Choose gold or bronze instead! Go wintery with your favours such as blankets or pashminas, sparklers, cookies, mulled wine spices, candy canes or little bottles of Baileys are all cute & doable winter wedding favour options. Love the winter look of trees coated in snow or the glitter of freshly fallen snow? Hang garlands or icicles or add candles, pinecones and glitter into your table centrepieces or room decorations.
3. Choose hearty, warm dishes for your wedding breakfast. Tasty soups during cocktail hour, shortbread with coffee, spiced cider or mulled wine for toasts. Another great option? A decked out coffee bar with extras like whipped cream and chocolate shavings will warm everyone up.
4.Hold your ceremony earlier during the day to leave enough time (and daylight) after the ceremony for any outdoor shots….or later afternoon if you’d love that warm winter sunset light! Nobody has fun when they’re shivering, so work with your photographer to plan group shots in advance and ensure guests aren’t left standing around for hours outside. And perhaps consider handing out warming drinks and blankets for guests whilst photographs are being taken….it will be much appreciated!
5. Remember the accessories. …it’s likely to be a wee bit chilly so accessories will be important to keep warm. A faux fur stole, a veil, a cape or a chic cardigan are all good options. None of these have to be white! Boots can be a stylish (and warm) bridal shoe option for winter weddings, especially if it rains.
6. Last but not least….Locate your ceremony & reception in the one venue, or venues very near to each other. This will make transport easier, no matter what the weather does! On a similar note, remember that it goes dark quite early (something to keep in mind if your guests need to travel between venues especially if they’re unfamiliar with the area).
We’ve love seeing these setups here at Smiths at Gretna Green and we’re happy to help turn your Gretna Green wedding into your white winter wonderland. The only thing we can’t guarantee is the snow…
Did you have a winter wedding? Any tips or suggestions for future brides and grooms? Leave them here!