Planning a Magical Winter Wedding
Posted on November 24th, 2021
Winter is such a magical time of year with its crisp weather, festive entertainment and gorgeous colour schemes, so it is no surprise that couples choose this time of year for their perfect wedding.
Over the past few years having a winter wedding has become increasingly popular with brides and grooms. Not only do Winter Weddings tend to offer more availability on dates, it is also a great way of saving some money, as these dates tend to be a little cheaper with venues.
So what should you consider when planning a winter wedding? We’ve got some tips on beautiful Winter Weddings along with advice from a few of our local wedding experts; F3 Design Ltd, The Ivory Lounge, Melanie Barnfield Photography and Hannah Burnett Florist.
Thinking about your Venue
You probably already have a dream venue in mind when planning your wedding. It can certainly be very exciting visiting venues you love, looking around and imagining your big day! When it comes to Winter, you’ll want to take the season into account when choosing your venue. You may go for a gorgeous stately home with grand fireplaces that add the cosey vibe, turn a plain white room into your very own Winter wonderland or go with a barn for an apres-ski vibe. Remember this is your day so you want to make sure that it is just right!
Don’t be afraid to use your imagination when it comes to your venue. The right decorations can really transform a space into your dream location. To help transform your venue into your perfect winter wedding, we’d recommend speaking to Alan at F3 Design Ltd.
Alan advises,
“Try to find a venue decorator with a sense of imagination combined with knowledge of making your visions come true. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year and all your visions can come to life both in the design of your invitations all the way through to your room and table decor.”
You’ll be amazed at what Alan can create! He is extremely talented at transforming your venue into your perfect location. Plus, he also creates the most stunning stationary and table décor. Take a look at their website for more inspiration.
Choosing your Dress
No matter the season, you’ll want to find your perfect dress for your fairytale.
Rachael, Bridal Stylist and Manager of The Ivory Lounge has 3 top tips for you when it comes to picking the perfect dress for your magical Winter Wedding.
Research fabrics – Mikado, crepe and silk like Aspen are weightier and will keep you warmer compared to organza and tulle.
Consider sleeves – Sleeves are very on trend for the modern bride and look incredible. Take a look at Amber.
Add Layers – Anastasia is a beautiful sparkle organza ball gown, adding the cape to the dress not only elevates the look but gives you more coverage.
Anastasia with Cape by Suzanne Neville – Available at The Ivory Lounge, Plymouth
(Above) Amber by Suzanne Neville – Available at The Ivory Lounge, Plymouth
(Left) Aspen by Suzanne Neville – Available at The Ivory Lounge, Plymouth
Contact The Ivory Lounge to book your dress appointment.
When it comes to looking for your dream dress we’d recommend popping into the newest Bridal Boutique located in Plymouth City Centre. They stock a gorgeous range of wedding dresses from British Designers; Suzanne Neville, Ellis Bridals and Kelsey Rose. Plus they really do offer the VIP experience with exclusive use of their boutique during your appointment. Find out more here.
Accessorizing your Dream Dress
When it comes to jewellery and winter weddings you will find lots of gorgeous options to accessorize your dream dress. The good news is jewellery is not defined by the seasons so you can choose the pieces you really love to wear on your special day no matter the month you get married. Our best piece of advice is to pop into your local jewellers to take a look at the piece in person. Don’t be afraid to try lots on and speak to your jeweller about your dress so they can help you find the right pieces you’ll love to wear.
Gemstones – you may choose to accessorise your dress with a gorgeous pop of colour. It would be even more fitting to choose something that is either Tanzanite (December), Garnet (January) or Amethyst (February) as it would be a subtle tribute to your wedding date.
Diamonds – Diamonds are timeless and will go with everything. They are always a good idea! You are bound to find a style to suit your dream day and compliment your dress. Plus diamonds are a beautiful investment, so the pieces you wear on your day could perhaps become a treasured family heirloom later on in life.
Pearls – Pearls are a classic for wedding days and would suit the soft hues of a winter wedding.
Budget – If you were looking for something to suit your budget, we’d recommend popping in and our sales consultants can help you find the perfect jewellery for your dress. We have a gorgeous collection of Swarovski, Clogau, Annie Haak, Diamonfire and much more that will look gorgeous on your wedding day!
You will want to bear in mind how your jewellery will sit with your dress. If you are going for something with a little more coverage you will want your jewellery to compliment it. For example, if your dress has long sleeves we’d recommend not having a bracelet and if you were planning on wearing a cape/cover up you’ll want to try on your jewellery with this because a necklace may not be required. If this was the case, we’d recommend some statement earrings.
Whatever jewellery you choose, remember that it has to be what you love to wear. The perfect expression of you!
Capturing your Dream Day
You may be wondering about how to maximize your photo opportunities in the shorter days. Local photographer Melanie Barnfield tells us her top 4 tips:
“Think about the light, it obviously gets darker in the winter earlier, so I would always recommend having your ceremony as early as possible so you can make the most of the natural light outside. Choose a venue which has a lovely light indoor space, somewhere you can get some fab shots if the weather isn’t on your side.
Have something warm you can pop over your shoulders so you don’t get cold.
Have some clear umbrellas to hand. A spot of rain doesn’t have to stop us going outside, they can make great props and having a kiss under them can be cute.
A blanket box can be a really lovely idea so your guests can snuggle under them in the evening.”
We’ve worked with Melanie Barnfield on a few bridal shoots and find her style of photography suits weddings perfectly. She really has an eye for capturing your day and an abundance of passion, experience and knowledge. Take a look at her website to find out more…
The Perfect Flowers for your Winter Wedding
Flowers are a staple of wedding planning but it can be difficult to know the best type of flower for the time of year that’ll also suit your theme. Rest assured, Hannah Burnett and her team are on hand to help you find the perfect flowers for your special day. They really know their stuff and their enthusiasm for all things floral will leave you in safe hands when looking for flowers.
For a gorgeous Winter Wedding Hannah Burnett recommends:
“Whites, red and burgundy will always be the classic winter wedding colours. Crisp white roses against beautiful foliages is a classic, giving a clean, fresh and frosty feel. It’s also a timeless look, as are the stunning burgundy’s and reds. There are the most stunning roses, which along with berries and seasonal ranunculus give a beautiful festive look closer to Christmas.
We also love adding a different sort of tone to a winter wedding, perhaps a lilac rose, some deep blue berries, or even by adding a protea or two – which is in-keeping with the winter look, but makes your bouquet just a little different. Foliage also plays a huge part in the winter feel. Chat to your florist about the different tones of foliage available, from deep dark greens to silvery, greys this can really change the look of your wedding.”
Embrace the season
If you are planning a Winter Wedding, why not utilise the season to add some quirky personal touches to your day? You could think about a delicious hot chocolate station, mulled wine as the drink on arrival, winter themed cocktails, pinecone centre pieces, cracker favours or festive food favours. The ideas really are endless.
Let us know your Winter Wedding ideas.