Winter Wedding DOs & DON’Ts

Winter weddings have been on the rise for the last few years. More & more brides are opting to have that winter wonderland ambiance for their special day. With beautifully decorated Christmas trees, twinkly lights & that cozy feeling we all get when the first snow falls, winter weddings are quite dreamy. However, there are some DOs & DON’Ts of planning your winter wonderland wedding and we’re here to tell you!

DO Plan your reception in a convenient location

The last thing you want is to have your guests travel a long distance from the ceremony to the cocktail hour to the reception. Winter weather can always be a little unpredictable so try to plan majority of your wedding activities in one or two places. Our beautiful Celebrations ballroom can accommodate a gorgeous ceremony, cocktail hour & reception for 200 guests!

DON’T Leave your guests to freeze

It’s always a good idea to keep your ceremony indoors when the weather gets a little chilly. Most venues offer portable heaters for any outdoor events, but keep in mind those heaters won’t keep every single one of your guests’ nice and cozy. If you do plan on having an outdoor ceremony, it’s a good idea to notify them in your invitation to bring their coats!

DO experiment with colors!

Sometimes couples are hesitant to shy away from bright colors during the wintery months. Bright colors are a perfect choice for your winter wedding. Experimenting with colors other than red & green will bring vibrancy to your big day and make you stand out a lot more on your wedding day.

DON’T make it holiday themed

So many couples are hesitant to plan a winter wedding because they feel pressured to keep with the holiday theme. Your guests will be THANKING you for not doing a holiday theme wedding. During the winter season, your guests are attending multiple holiday parties, functions, etc. so straying away from a holiday theme gives yourselves and your guests a much-needed break from the holiday craziness.

DO Plan for nighttime photos

Dependent on the time of day you and your future hubby or wifey get married, you need to plan around mother nature in the winter months. During the spring, summer and early fall months the sun sets anywhere from 7 pm to 10 pm, but in the winter it can start setting as early as 4 pm! Due to all the other things you’re planning on doing that morning and afternoon such as hair and make-up, you’re most likely going to have nighttime photos.

DON’T hire an inexperienced photographer

Since you’re working around a time of year that the weather can be tricky, it’s always a good idea to hire a photographer that has experience shooting in rain or snow. You should also ask your photographer if they have experience shooting nighttime photos. Photographers usually require special equipment to shoot evening photos with no light or sunset to work with. Be sure to look at their previous work with night photography.

DO accessorize accordingly

With winter weddings comes having the proper accessories. Unfortunately, strapless and short dresses just are not very convenient for yourself OR your bridal party. Some great accessories include shawls, hand muffs and beautiful fur!

DON’T overheat your guests!

While we love our beautiful coats and stylish stockings, sometimes we forget that once we’re in our reception venue we’re moving around, dancing and drinking. That clothing will start to shed pretty quick! It’s important to make sure that you work with the venue to ensure that the thermostat is being watched carefully to keep your guests from being overheated at your reception!

Photo Credit: Nicole Dumond Photography