|
Home > Wedding
Planning > The Basics
Planning a Winter Wedding
 While spring remains the most popular season in which to
tie the knot, winter can be a beautiful time as well. The clean,
crisp air, sparkling snow and holiday mood all combine to make
winter a wonderful season in which to wed. Here are some ideas to
help you plan a spectacular winter wedding:
Theme
Choosing a theme makes planning your wedding easier. With a theme,
it's simple to choose colors and coordinate everything from your
attire to the decorations. Examples of winter wedding themes
include
For a
Christmas themed wedding, your color scheme would of course include
red and green. A snowflake theme would of course feature lots of
crystal snowflakes. For a Winter Wonderland theme, you could go for
either frosty shades of white and silver or deep jewel tones like
sapphire, ruby or emerald.
Location
There are many great places where you can hold your winter wedding.
A church is always a traditional choice. However, a country inn,
banquet hall, or even the home of a friend or family member can
work nicely also. For a romantic and magical experience, arrive at
your destination (or exit) in a horse drawn carriage. See more
creative location ideas in our detailed article
Winter
Wedding Locations.
If you choose an outdoor location for your wedding, do read
our tips for Planning
an Outdoor Winter Wedding.
Invitations
When choosing invitations, match them to your color scheme. You
could choose snowy white invitations adorned with embossed holly.
Or, go for navy blue invitations featuring engraved white
snowflakes. Make sure to include not only the wedding announcement
but the location, time and dress code. Always request an RSVP, as
it's much easier to plan when you know how many guests to expect.
Transportation
The romantic winters give you a chance to skip the usual and
opt for an old-world charm means of transportation. Think
horse-drawn carriages or a sleigh.
And if you opt for a classic car, make sure the car has a
heater. You wouldn't wish to arrive chattering your teeth for
your wedding.
Attire
 A winter wedding is a great excuse to wear a stunning white fur
stole or cape (preferably faux fur.) Or, try a frosty white
cashmere cape draped over your shoulders. To mimic the sparkling
appearance of snow, wear silver or platinum jewelry and adorn your
hair with a pretty tiara. Try a diamond (real or fake) pendant
shaped like a snowflake for an appropriate and glittery accent to
any wedding gown.
Depending upon how severe or mild the cold weather outside is
or the location of your wedding, you could opt for a full length
lace jacket for mild weather or an indoor location and a fur
muff for harsh weather or outdoor locations. Gloves look
romantic with winter wedding dresses.
As for your gown, you can easily wear most any
style you prefer. Pure white is always a great color for your
bridal gown, especially in the winter months. For more ideas, see
Winter Wedding
Dresses.
Remember to dress your bridesmaids practically too. And the
little flower girls and ring bearers will need utmost care to
stay warm.
Decorations
Your decorations should coordinate with your theme and color
scheme. Typical winter colors are green, red and silver for a real
Christmas atmosphere. Want to keep it more neutral? Choose the
combination of white, silver and /or gold for an elegant look.
If you would like a modern contrasting color such as purple or
fuchsia to choose, create a modern look.
Go for bunches of red and green balloons or blue and silver
ones. Try draping pretty gathered fabric along the pews if you're
holding your wedding in a church. Fabrics can be velvet, tulle, or
a combination of the two. Try two different types of fabric in
contrasting or coordinating shades. For example, red and green or
navy and silver are classic. Or, go for all white to create the
illusion of snow. For great centerpieces, try cute snowglobes,
miniature evergreen trees, or candles surrounded with floral
wreaths or nestled in piles of fake snow.
Menu
Dinner:
When choosing your menu, go for filling favorites. Baked ham, beef
stew, and lots of delectable sides like macaroni and cheese and
mashed potatoes with gravy are popular choices. Your guests will
feel like they're sitting down to a holiday feast! Serve Christmas
cookies or cookies shaped like snowflakes.
Hot Beverages: A chocolate fondue or fountain makes
for a really warm and comforting item on the menu of a winter
wedding. Mulled wine for adults and hot chocolate for kids will
be devoured hungrily on a cold day.
Dessert: Think down home comfort for dessert. How
about a Dutch apple pie served with vanilla ice cream, and a
nice piece of spice cake with coffee.
Wedding Cake: Your wedding cake is
limited only by your imagination! Go for an all-white cake, or
accent your cake with edible fake poinsettia or holly berries made
from frosting.
Favors
Wedding favors are a great way to express gratitude to your guests
and give them a souvenir of your ceremony. Try wrapping candies in
a bundle of colorful tulle, secured with a satin ribbon. Or, hand
out disposable cameras so that your guests can take their own
photos. Packets of cider, tea or cocoa are always appropriate for
winter weddings. Scented candles, miniature soaps or even little
bottles of bubbles for guests to blow as you exit the wedding also
make great favors!
|
