The Winter Wedding Guide

When planning a winter wedding of any kind, we know first hand that you need all the help you can get!

Before and up to the late 1800s, getting married around Christmas time was the norm for many prospecting couples hoping to tie the knot. However, rather than being the romantic wintertime gesture many see it as, this was done almost entirely out of necessity as Christmas Day and Boxing Day were often the only days that couples could have off work in order to get married. Since the 1940s, winter weddings had almost disappeared from the calendar.

However, with more and more people looking for new and creative ways to celebrate the biggest day of their lives, winter weddings have made a comeback and could be a fantastic idea for your big day!

But where should you even start? With so much to consider, plan and organise, it can be a challenge to wrap your head around it all. That’s where we come in! Being experts in organising hen party ideas, it’s safe to assume that we know our stuff when it comes to weddings too! That’s why we’ve put together this extensive guide on how to plan and pull off a successful winter wedding, covering everything from venues to what cocktails to serve up.

Planning a Winter Wedding In Sections

1. Why Should You Choose to Have a Winter Wedding?

When people think of weddings, the first image that usually comes to mind often consists of a sunny blue sky, lots of light and plenty of indoor & outdoor space. However, with a winter wedding, there’s going to be a number of elements during your day that you’ll need to adapt and change. If you picture yourself getting married outdoors, then a winter wedding might not be for you! As this is the UK, we all know how unpredictable and wild our weather can be… and that’s not just during the winter months!

As we’ve mentioned, winter weddings were considered to be the norm during the Victorian era and for many years before then. With the days leading up to and immediately following December 25th being some of the cheapest days to get married throughout the entire year, old newspapers report of the “Christmas rush” as church ministers were swamped with work around the festive period. These weddings, unlike today, were small and inexpensive affairs with only a few guests and were often done as quickly as possible, with some churches even advertising how fast they could get through a service! The last time this trend hit its peak was during the 1940s, when young men would only have a few days of leave from the army around Christmas time. Couples took advantage of the little time they had together to get married before the husband returned to war.

Nowadays, soon-to-be-married couples have plenty more freedom than those who did over a century ago, especially with flexible holidays throughout the year when it comes to booking time off work. In addition to that, a higher budget and amount of disposable income as well as a ridiculous amount of choice when it comes to venues, this old custom has made a big comeback!

2. What Are the Pros & Cons of a Winter Wedding?

Whether you’ve been dreaming about a proper white wedding since you were a child or you’ve only just recently considered having a winter wedding, it can be difficult to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of having your special day at this time of year. With so much to think about, we’ve decided to give you a helping hand by weighing up the common pros and cons of hosting a winter wedding:

3. Where To Have A Winter Wedding in the UK?

If you decide to have your winter wedding here in the UK, there’s a number of advantages that go with it as opposed to getting married abroad. One of the biggest reasons to stay in the country is, of course, money. Weddings are notoriously expensive affairs as it is, so if you don’t have a huge amount of disposable income or have other more important parts of your wedding to be included in the budget then staying local is a great idea. This also goes for your guests who might not be able to afford the accommodation, flights, insurance and other expenses that all come with having your big day abroad.

Another reason to consider staying in the country is transport. Whilst we all know that disruptions to road and rail services are rife throughout the winter months, making it to the venue on the day would be even more of a struggle for guests if you decided to head to the continent or further. You should factor in that flight delays and other forms of cross-border travel could be delayed or cancelled during bad weather and therefore you must decide whether it’s worth the risk!

On top of all that, the UK doesn’t fall short when it comes to finding a fantastic winter wedding venue! If you are really hoping for a white wedding but don’t want to take the plunge with taking your celebrations to the continent, there’s a number of areas in the UK that always get snow! Think Edinburgh, Yorkshire and the Lake District. Whether you’re looking for a charming rural barn or a traditional church, you’re bound to find something that ticks most of (if not all) the boxes.

4. Winter Wedding Colours

5. Top 5 European Cities for a White Winter Wedding

If your idea of a dream wedding as getting married under a grey sky with the sound of crunching snow beneath your feet, then these are the top 5 cities in Europe for a white wedding:

Prague, Czech Republic

The birthplace of Good King Wenceslas himself, the Czech capital is a massively popular destination throughout the year for British tourists and party-goers alike. Being slap-bang in the middle of the continent and just a short distance from the Austrian border, this city is no stranger to a bit of snow!

Population: 1.318 Million

Flight Duration: 2 Hours 20 Minutes

Currency: Czech Koruna (Kč)

Average Winter Temperature: -1°C

Riga, Latvia

Sitting on the Baltic coast in Northern Europe is the capital of Latvia, which too is a city that doesn’t bat an eyelid when it comes to cold weather. In fact, on average this city experiences more days of frost throughout the entire year than without! As the temperature rarely climbs above zero degrees from November all the way through to March, you should expect a high chance of a white wedding.

Population: 633,071

Flight Duration: 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Currency: Euro (€)

Average Winter Temperature: -4°C

Warsaw, Poland

Affectionally called the “Paris of the North” for many years, Warsaw is a bustling city right in the heart of Eastern Europe. With temperatures often dropping to a bitter -4 degrees, snowfall usually occurs here around the start of December. Additionally, with Poland not being in the Eurozone, the great exchange rate between Zloty and the Pound means that you could save yourselves a lot of money across the board.

Population: 1.318 Million

Flight Duration: 2 Hours 25 Minutes

Currency: Polish Złoty (zł)

Average Winter Temperature: -2°C

Top 5 Warm Winter Wedding Destinations

However, if you’re after a wedding in the winter sunshine, check out these scorching destinations on the continent:

Albufeira, Portugal

Right on the southern tip of the continent you’ll find Albufeira, the largest and most populous city in the Algarve region. Known for its nightlife, local seafood and white sandy beaches, this little slice of paradise is a great contender that you should definitely keep in mind.

Population: 40,828

Flight Duration: 3 Hours

Currency: Euro (€)

Average Winter Temperature: 14°C

Valencia, Spain

Spain’s third largest city and one of the country’s most important ports, Valencia also lies on the sun-kissed Costa del Sol. Noted for its impressive size and eclectic mix of old and new, this former Roman colony is a fantastic big-city destination if you’re looking for a wedding in the sunshine!

Population: 791,413

Flight Duration: 2 Hours 35 Minutes

Currency: Euro (€)

Average Winter Temperature: 11°C

6. Winter Wedding Trends

When you’re first shopping around for winter wedding ideas it’s likely you’ll come across the trends of the time! Following these trends obviously has pros and cons, but as long as you have a clear vision of what’s important to you and your couple you can’t go wrong. Below we’ve listed some winter wedding trends that are proving popular for the foreseeable future.

Micro Weddings

Pretty self-explanatory, micro weddings are a great option for couples seeking a smaller, more intimate celebration. A lot of people have started leaning away from big, overwhelming weddings with everyone they know. Micro weddings require less people (usually 20 guests or less) meaning you can spend more time and money on the things that matter to you.

Sustainable Weddings

We all know that the world is struggling with the amount of waste we produce, and unfortunately weddings undeniably contribute to that waste too. If you’re eco-conscious it’s never been easier to create a sustainable wedding than in 2020. From recycled seating to paper decorations, homemade wedding favours and birdseed confetti.

Self-Service Bars

Trends don’t just cover the wedding as a whole, there’s also a few small, quirky additions you can include that have blown up recently. One of these is the self-service bars! Rather than having a traditional bar, lay out ingredients for a cocktail self-service stand, beer kegs or even wine taps so people can free pour.

Confetti Alternatives

One of the best feelings for a newly-wed couple is being surrounded by family and friends as they throw confetti and well wishes all over you! However, people have recently been switching at traditional confetti for other alternatives.

Should I Have My Wedding Before or After Christmas?

They don’t call it the “party season” for nothing! As we all know, everything seems to be non-stop as soon as December strikes with work Christmas parties, nights out, meeting up with friends & family and so much more. So if you’ve had your mind set on a winter wedding for a while now then we’re pretty certain that you’ve asked yourself this question already… and we don’t blame you! Coming up with a date for your wedding is difficult enough, but when it comes to arranging your big day around the festive season, there’s a few tips we think you should take note of.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember first is that Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve/Day are the most expensive dates to have your wedding ceremony. At the same time, everybody will be visiting friends and family and celebrating the holidays, making attendance of guests less likely on these days.

When it comes to deciding whether to have your special day before or after the holidays, there are a number of things to consider. For example, hosting your wedding in the weeks leading up to December 25th could be a great idea if you plan far in advance as this gives your guests time to clear their social calendar around the busy period. Financially, this would also be a better idea than hosting your winter wedding in January as most people are often strapped for cash after splashing out on gifts over Christmas. However, you might find that supplier costs and venue hire to be significantly cheaper and more flexible with availability in January as many companies will be bogged down with bookings in the run up to the holiday.

7. How Much Does a Winter Wedding Cost?

As we’ve already mentioned, you might find that the cost of a wedding in November, December or January is likely to be significantly cheaper than it would be in June or July! Although only 2-3% of couples choose to get married during this season, we would recommend the average planning time of 7-12 months for your big day! While availability won’t be as much of an issue as it would in the summer, booking as far ahead in advance as possible will save you even more money in the long run. This will inevitably free up your budget for any extras you might want to include on the day or to contribute towards the honeymoon.

Listed below a few things to consider and take into account when you start the planning process:

The Venue

Due to low demand for wedding services, venues will typically lower their prices during this off-peak time period. And if you plan way ahead in advance then you could get an even cheaper deal. There are also some stunning venues like barns and country houses that would suit a winter wedding better than a summer one!

The Date

The most popular day of the week to get married is a Saturday… but if you’re open to the idea of having your big day during the week then you might save yourself a few pennies. Even if you do choose to get married on a weekend, you should still expect to pay a little bit less than you would at the height of summer.

The Suppliers

Not only will wedding suppliers have less work and more availability but prices also tend to get slashed around this off-peak time of year. Whether it’s food, flowers or photographers… you’re likely to get a sweet deal on all three (and more!) on a date that suits you.

8. Winter Wedding Venues

Of course, one of the most important factors to consider when planning is where to host it! Traditionally, the ceremony is usually held in a church or religious building before the reception, that’s often hosted at a private venue such as a function room, hotel or country house. However, recent figures show that bars and farms have overtaken traditional religious buildings for hosting the marriage ceremony.

Another thing to remember is that with so many events and services taking place at places of worship during the Christmas holidays, it would probably be a better idea to consider an alternative venue as you may find there to be a lot more availability and choice on dates!

Perks of Winter Wedding Venues?

They’re cheaper! Overall, wedding venues are always cheaper during the winter season. This is mainly because the season is less busy than Spring/Summer so the venues want to fill up as much as possible. However, this is perfect for you if you want to decrease some costs.

Having a winter wedding is a great excuse to keep all your celebrations under one roof. Especially if you live somewhere that’s prone to snowing! Plan your ceremony, reception and accommodation in one cosy space to save on transport and reduce your stress.

It’s likely that guests will be naturally more excited about your winter wedding as it’s out of the dreaded ‘wedding season’. A lot of the time, a bulk of your friends get married around the same time in Spring/Summer. If your wedding is in the colder season your guests won’t have that wedding fatigue.

Great Winter Wedding Venues for 2020

9. Winter Wedding Dresses & Attire

Winter Wedding Dresses

Just like every season, there’s a few factors that set winter wedding dresses apart from the rest. Apply your own style and preference to the chilly time of year to create the perfectly curated look for you that still ties into your big day.

Comfort

Getting married in winter means that the weather will be chilly, and no one wants goose bumps on their big day. If you’re a cold person, look into dresses with long sleeves and layers. Alternatively, if you have your heart set on a strapless number there’s always fur shawls or delicate jackets to add to your outfit instead.

Other comfort options include:

• Three-quarter length sleeves
• Illusion long sleeves
• Faux fur coats

Style

Even though style trends are forever changing, there’s a few timeless staples for a magical winter wedding. Depending on your theme these style choices could effortlessly tie your day together and really give your wedding photos the wow-factor!

Alternative Winter Wedding Outfits

The beauty of your own big day is that you can tailor it to your own ideal of perfection. Weddings are no longer cookie-cutter templates, the big day is personal and this reflects in every element of the organisation. If a white wedding dress just isn’t you, consider these other winter wedding outfits.

Style

Even though style trends are forever changing, there’s a few timeless staples for a magical winter wedding. Depending on your theme these style choices could effortlessly tie your day together and really give your wedding photos the wow-factor!

Winter Wedding Bridesmaid Dresses

Second of importance when it comes to outfits in the winter wedding bridesmaids dresses. There’s a couple of steps you can take to make sure your bridesmaids look incredible for the big day while still feeling confident.

Guest Outfits Ideas

If you’re someone attending a wedding in the winter, you might be on the hunt for winter wedding guest outfits. Obviously, as a guest you have a lot more freedom with what you wear than someone participating in the wedding. However, there’s a few ways you can match your outfit to the season and coincide with the festivities.

Some winter wedding guest outfit ideas:

• Sparkling jumpsuits
• Basic top with coloured tulle skirt
• Metallic accessories
• Christmas-inspired fascinators
• Velvet dresses
• Emerald green, dark red and silver colourings

Winter Wedding Flower Girl Dresses

It’s always a given that if you have little children, nieces and nephews or just family friends – they’ll look cute no matter what! However, when choosing what flower girl dresses to add into the wedding there’s the obvious cold weather precautions. Kiddos get cold, so your highest priority is making sure the dresses and outfits are warm with layers.

Bear in mind that kids incorporated into your wedding ceremony means they’re likely to be on their feet for a long time. It’s best to opt for comfort over style, but clothing like cardigans, capes and shawls will still look adorable! The same can be said for footwear. Bulky little boots might not fit into your theme, but you can always request for the parents to bring an extra pair of shows or provide these for indoor photographs.

What Should The Groom Wear?

We hear a lot about the dress… but the groom’s suit is just as important! If you’re looking to go down the traditional route, then opting for a black suit, bowtie and white shirt is your safest bet. However, these days, the groom’s suit can come in all shapes and styles! And with a winter wedding, you could push the boat out and go for something completely unique… just like your wedding date!

Check out these trending colours for the groom's suit in 2020:

10. What About Winter Wedding Cakes?

After all the months of planning, organising and stressing over the smallest details… it’ll all be worth it when it comes to the moment when you take the first slice of your delicious wedding cake! But first, you’ll need to decide on a style and a flavour.

For winter wedding cakes, you can go as big (or small!) as you like, just as with any other seasonal wedding. You can add popular winter additions to the decoration of the cake too, such as pinecones, winter flowers, seasonal berries and more. In terms of colour, popular designs often use warm and classy palettes. For example, deep reds and greens are a hit with a lot of designs, but you’ll also find plenty of classic whites, silvers and golds to maintain that classy feel.

Here’s a few popular winter wedding cake designs to give you a bit of inspiration!

11. What Winter Wedding Decorations Could I Use?

One of the most exciting parts about planning a wedding is the decoration and theming! To help you choose what winter wedding decorations to use, we’ve split all options up into bite-sized sections. From Christmas wedding decorations to an ice cave and everything in between.

Cosy Vibes

Dramatic Ice Cave

Christmas Wedding Theme

TOP TIP: If you have a Christmas wedding theme, you can save a lot of money! Most wedding venues dress themselves for Christmas so you can use some of their décor in your ceremony and reception.

12. What Winter Wedding Florals are Available?

13. Winter Warmer Wedding Food & Drink

More often than not, your wedding theme will influence your food and drink for the reception. Winter warmers are sure to go down a treat with your guests, and a winter wedding staple is some chocolatey treats for dessert.

3 Course Meal

A traditional meal for the wedding is still a popular choice when it comes to feeding guests. Sit down for a few courses, make sure everyone leaves feeling full and then get to dancing! A few winter meal ideas include:

Canapes & Small Treats

Rather than a full meal before dancing (could be risky), opt for a variety of winter-style canapes floating around the room. Who doesn’t love comfort food in the form of dainty treats?

Desserts & Sweets

Whether or not you’re having a wedding cake, it’s nice to offer a spread of desserts for your guests to dip into. Winter means less diets, so you can really go all out for the sweet treats!

Food & Drinks Stations

A hugely popular activity in recent years has been to let your guests DIY their own drinks. Have a particular drinks station is a great photo opportunity and adds a thoughtful touch with less effort.

• Hot Chocolate Station – Fill a hot drink dispenser and lay out whipped cream, crushed candy canes, flakes and marshmallows

• Chocolate Fountain
• Doughnut Station – Present plain doughnuts with a selection of toppings like glaze and sprinkles
• Mince Pie Station
• Soup Station

Winter Wedding Drinks Ideas

Let there be booze! From arrival drinks to signature cocktails, it’s extremely easy to factor your drinks into the winter wedding. Below we’ve done a quick list of must-haves – both hot and cold.

14. What Are Some Winter Wedding Hair & Makeup Ideas?

If you’ve set your mind on a winter wedding, one of the most exciting, stress-free aspects is your hair and makeup. As long as you follow the general tip of less is more when it comes to the wedding day, there’s a variety of pretty makeup and hair looks you can implement into the celebrations.

Make Up Styles

Hair Styles

It’s true that your wedding dress is the main statement of your style, but a well-thought-out hair style will really tie everything together. Here are some options to suit every type of budding bride for her winter wedding hair.

If you want a more detailed guide, see our guide to Bridal Hairstyles for Wedding Hair.

Tips for Flawless Hair & Makeup

15. Winter-Themed Wedding Favours

It’s safe to say that we all love a good wedding favour! They’re a fantastic addition to the day and shows the guests that the happy couple appreciate the time and effort they’ve made to make it a special day. Traditionally, guests would receive a handful of sugared almonds that were supposed to represent health, wealth, happiness, fertility and long life. However, those days are long gone and there’s a ridiculous amount of unique and fun ideas you can come up with for your winter wedding favours!

Ultimately, the theme you choose for your special day will dictate what kind of wedding favours you offer. However, there are a few that work universally and can be done well with any winter wedding theme. One trend that’s been on the rise in recent years is DIY stations. Whether that’s for hot chocolate and warm drinks or winter-themed desserts like s’mores and cookies, this will only heighten the sense of warmth and cosiness that’s often associated with winter weddings.

With the guarantee of cold weather, more couples are opting for alternative wedding favours like “help yourself” blanket stands where guests can help themselves on their way into the venue. Pashminas are also a growing trend, with some couples using them for favours by placing them on the back of seats for guests to help themselves to.

16. Where Should You Go on the Honeymoon?

If you’re adamant on sticking with the white wedding theme, then there’s a whole host of stunning locations across the continent where you newlyweds can spend your first days of married life together! So here’s a list of some of the best (and coldest!) places in Europe to honeymoon:

What Other Extras Should You Consider?

If you’re still with us… congra­tula­tions! We’ve tried to cover all the biggest and most important topics when it comes to planning, organising the big day ahead of you. Hopefully you have a better idea on how to assign your budget, find a venue and much more… but there’s always going to be something small that you’ve missed in the planning process!

Photographers & Videographers

Coats and Winter Clothes

This one is quite self-explanatory, but it’s guaranteed that all of your guests will be turning up to the service and reception with lots more layers of clothing on due to the inevitably cold weather. Even if you’re planning on having the service and reception at the same venue, arranging a cloakroom and hiring/­assigning an attendant is a solid idea. After all, the last thing guests will want to be doing is carrying around their heavy scarves and thick winter jackets all day!

As well as arranging a coat drop-off and pick-up station at your venue, you might want to consider handing out some wedding favours for when the guests arrive that will keep them warm and cosy throughout the day. As we’ve already mentioned, winter-themed wedding favours like blanket stations will be a great alternative to your guests having to wear their coats indoors.

What we do

If you need a bit of help with hen party planning, Funktion Events organise thousands of events every year for girl groups. There’s a bunch of different hen do activities to choose from to suit every bride to be across the UK. You can also get the stag do sorted if you’re feeling motivated!