OK ok. We know that spring and summer are a great time to get married. Indeedy! But I really feel like Autumn and Winter are the poor cousins far too often. And yes, there is the gorgeous warm weather, the long days, and the festive spirit that holidays often bring – that lend themselves to a wedding. But I’m pretty sure that many couples have underestimated the romance that a winter wedding brings. If you need some convincing that may sway you in the other direction.
Winter rates.
Many venues that I know of offer great off season rates. They will either discount the per head rate, or offer other incentives like reduced minimum spend or room hire. If you want to find out more, please email or call us and one of our wedding planners would be delighted to help.
At dusk ceremonies.
With the days as short as they are during Autumn and Winter, you can have a ceremony at 4 or 5pm and take advantage of an at dusk wedding. The beauty of a wedding like this is that if you’re on a tight budget, you can easily create ambience using candlelight rather than flowers and have a powerful impact on the decor for a fraction of the price.
Monique keeps warm after her wedding to Stuart at Thornton Park, Balmain. Image by Allio Photography.
The coffee bar, the whiskey bar, the hot chocolate bar even!
There are lots of cool ideas that you can pull off in the colder months that you just can’t pull off as well in winter. A barista all set up at a station offering freshly brewed coffee and homemade pastries, perhaps with a few liqueurs. Or a whiskey bar with an assortment of cheeky cigars for those that do (lets face it, nothing warms you up like some Johnny Walker). And I just love the idea of a hot chocolate bar with only the finest that Belgium has to offer, with some warm miniature donuts on offer.
Scotch and Cigar Bar we designed and installed for Janet’s groom Kevin at Dunbar House. Image courtesy Heartfelt Photography – Jeremy Byrnes.
The bonfire.
I love a marquee wedding. And although they are hard (very hard) work, they really loan themselves to doing some great stuff that you just can’t do in a restaurant or function centre. Take the bonfire for example. Yes there are some constraints that a really worth considering (the wind direction, the proximity of the bonfire to the marquee can be very important details!) But they work a treat and really give the guests a talking point. Throw a couple of hay bales in and a scotch bar, heck even a marshmallow bar, and you have your after dinner entertainment sorted.
Photography: What A Lovely Photo via Capitol Romance
The white wedding.
Does nothing else lend itself better to winter than a wedding at the snow? For most it usually means planning a destination wedding – not too many of us live on the fringes of a ski field, but the things you could do with your decor for a winter wedding! It may mean you get a fraction of your guests not attending, but let’s face it – sometimes that will work to your advantage.
Photography: Derek and Anna via Pretty Chic Blog
Winter weddings are absolutely divine, and are some of my all time favourite events that we’ve worked on. There is something utterly romantic about the short days, the chill in the air and the ambience that fills a reception room on a cold day. If you find the right venue (and hello, our wedding planners would love to help you just get in touch!), you’ll keep your guests talking for the next decade to come.
