Winter Wedding is a Wonderful Choice

A Winter Wedding is a Wonderful Choice

We all know that peak wedding season is usually April to October, give or take a month or two depending on where you live. I, myself, was married on a beautiful afternoon in late April, and it was a wonderful experience. However, a friend of mine got married in the middle of winter last year. The timeless beauty and quiet elegance of her nuptials made me realize that winter weddings can rival even the most sun-soaked summer soirees.

I’ve put together a list of five reasons why a winter wedding might be the perfect thing for a couple who isn’t sure when to host their wedding. 

While we might not be seeing many weddings this winter, what better way to while away the cold winter nights than to plan a showstopping wedding for next year?

Winter wedding planned by Todd Harper of Woodland Events 
Photo by K Schulz Photography
Winter wedding planned by Todd Harper of Woodland Events
Photo byย K Schulz Photography

A Winter Wedding Is Elegant and Refined

There’s nothing wrong with an outdoor wedding in the middle of a gorgeous field of wildflowers or cocktails in a beautiful garden. But there’s just something about a wedding in winter that makes me think about timeless beauty. It’s the bride’s faux-fur stole, holly berries and ivy decking the venue’s halls, or the roar of a fire and the flicker of hundreds of candles. Winter weddings are the perfect mix of cool elegance and warm, cozy, intimate moments. One search for “winter wedding” on Pinterest will show you exactly what I mean. And that leads me to my second point. 

Winter Wedding Fashion Is Unforgettable

Like I said, my friend looked stunning in her white dress and faux-fur stole, and there are many more options for winter weddings that won’t just look fashionable but will keep you warm and cozy. I’ve seen grooms in beautiful wool overcoats beside brides in fur coats and capes, beautiful cashmere shawls draped over the shoulders of bridesmaids, even gorgeous muffs that surprisingly don’t look a bit out of place. If you want to make a fashion statement at your wedding that your guests won’t soon forget, perhaps choosing a winter wedding is the perfect place to start. 

winter wedding fashion in Pinterest

You’ll Have More Freedom To Decide When To Hold Your Event

Ask any event planner, and you’ll be told that you need to book well in advance for your wedding – event timelines take tons of planning. And while this is always true, there is perhaps a bit more wiggle room on the calendar for weddings that take place in winter.ย 

Your options will open up so much. That beautiful, historic hotel that is totally booked up all summer might just have an opening in January. The band you had your heart set on might jump at the chance for a gig in the new year after the holiday hubbub has died down. Don’t let planning a wedding in the off-season deter you. You’ll probably end up uncovering a multitude of treasures for your wedding. 

Winter Flowers Are Delicate, Gorgeous, And Supremely Elegant

I could do a whole post on the beauty of winter florals, but I’ll save that for another time. Suffice it to say that there aren’t many things more breathtaking than a church decked out in white roses, with punches of deep red poinsettias here and there? 

And there’s no need to stick with traditional “Christmassy” type flowers. Tulip season actually begins in winter, and white, pale pink, and cream varieties can make showstopping centerpieces. Winter boutonnieres can be understated – simple, single blooms of calla lilies or more robust formal, fragrant gardenias or ranunculus blossoms. The bride’s bouquet will always look stunning, whether she chooses amaryllises in traditional colors or white camellias against robust greenery. Or even anemones with their dark centers for a modern, dramatic look. The options for stunning winter florals are truly endless and so much fun to play with. 

Winter flowers
Photo by Zoltan Tasi

You Can Build Off The Festive Feeling of the Winter Holidays

There’s nothing wrong with riding the coattails of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or even New Year’s Eve to make your event feel even more festive. My husband’s uncle got married several years ago on New Years’ Eve, and it was one of the most elegant weddings I’ve ever been to. We all had fun with the 1920s theme. There were flapper dresses and sharp suits everywhere you turned. And counting down the New Year together made an already exciting event even more memorable. Plus, if you can tie in your wedding to when a lot of your family will be congregating together anyway, your guests will have even more reason to RSVP an enthusiastic “yes”!

Photo by Jennifer Pallian

A Winter Wedding Is Simply Special

I hope this article has helped you see why winter weddings can be a wonderful choice for any couple. Even if you’re a lover of all things summertime, and winter has you wanting to stay inside, cuddled up to a glass of mulled wine and a good movie. If you decide to host your wedding in the winter, I’m sure you won’t regret it. 

I’d like to leave you with a quote by Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, that, to me, gets to the heart of what makes winter – and winter weddings – so beautiful. 

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'”

Lewis Carroll