If you're planning a winter wedding you might be thinking of having a Christmas themed wedding or at the very least introducing some festive elements to your big day. There are lots of ways of transforming your big day into either a Christmas or winter wonderland.
Photo: @rachelaclingen_boutique_blooms
Choose your perfect venue
Some wedding venues just lend themselves to a winter wedding. Look out for venues with cosy fireplaces, staircases for garlands, space for Christmas trees indoors and outdoors for twinkling lights, space for firepits and food vans.
Don't forget to ask the venue what their Christmas decorations will look like, if they don't suit your theme it might be an issue, or they could be perfect and all you'll need to do is enhance what's already there. Just remember to check what you can and can't do before you book.
Don't be afraid of marquees and barns for the winter, these are now often fully heated and may offer more scope for your own décor.
Venue: @doxfordbarns
Decide on your festive theme
Whether its all out Christmas or winter wonderland there are lots of ways of introducing Christmas colour to your day.
Popular winter colour schemes include winter berry and blush, silver and sage, navy and gold, ice blue and cream, plum and emerald, and bottle green and brown.
Once you've chosen your festive colours and theme, use it throughout your day for consistency. Your wedding invitations will be the first hint of your theme and give guests an idea of what to expect. Carry the theme through to the on the day stationery, your bridesmaids, the tablescape and especially the flowers.
Photo: @theweddingrescue
Festive up your ceremony
Make your ceremony space feel like the cosiest Christmas carol service. If you're getting married in church, choose up beat carols that everyone knows, such as Hark the Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithfull.
If your having a civil ceremony, why not hire carol singers or a gospel choir to sing popular songs during the ceremony, such as All I Want for Christmas is You, Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to town. Remember, you can't have any religious content in a civil ceremony but there's nothing stopping a few carols after the ceremony during the reception drinks.
Wherever you marry or which ever type of ceremony you have, fill the space with candles and fairy lights, Christmas foliage in keeping with your theme such as holly and mistletoe either on the back of chairs or on the end of aisles and if the budget allows add lots of Christmas trees throughout the venue either flocked, decorated or just with warm fairy lights.
Create a magical and romantic setting that your guests will never forget.
Venue: @skitbyhouse
Festive Catering
Instead of the usual prosecco and canapes, serve festive drinks and mince pies after your ceremony; guests will love the change. Festive drinks could include prosecco with pomegranate juice or cherry brandy, or warm mulled wine, cider or punch. Decorate with rosemary, cinnamon sticks and dried oranges with some coloured sugar for festive sparkle.
Photo: @hitched
For your wedding breakfast, there's nothing better than a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, that should keep everyone happy. For dessert, why not have a yule log delivered to each table for guests to serve themselves with brandy cream.
Choose a wintry themed wedding cake for guests to enjoy later in the evening, along with a festive coffee or hot chocolate from a beautifully set up hot drink station. Think of including alcoholic options such as Baileys, brandy or rum with cookies, sprinkles, squirty cream, chocolate flakes and candy canes to add to the festivities.
Cake: @_catiecakes
For evening food, why not have a cheese cake table and all the usual accompaniments such as cheese biscuits, crackers, fruit and chutneys, the perfect way to end the day.
Christmas Wedding Flowers
Customise your wedding bouquet with seasonal foliage such as holly, fir, berries and pine cones, add in seasonal flowers such as amaryllis, camellias, poinsettias and roses.
Photo: @catskillweddings
Use your chosen flowers throughout the venue such as sprigs of holly on your napkins, or on the backs of chairs. If your looking for a big impact greenery is the way to go, tuck in a few of your wedding flowers amongst the foliage and use lots of candles and lanterns for that magical feel.
Use wreaths around the venue for decoration and as a gorgeous focal point behind your cake, or as a prop for photos or even on the back of the wedding couples chairs.
For simplicity, use lots of Christmas tree or if you want a winter wonderland feel use white blossom trees. The only rule is the more the merrier.
Photo: _@christinawu
Finishing Touches
To make your wedding day that extra special and magical why not add a few finishing touches such as;
Set up the perfect warm welcome scene with a plan for the day, an open fire pit for gathering around and toasting marshmallows, outdoor seating with fur rugs, lots of blankets, wreaths, pine cones, rustic logs and lanterns. Create lots of welcoming christmassy vibes.
Photo: @theweddingomd
Think lighting, think magical winter days. Even on the most beautiful sunny winter day it will be getting dark by 4pm. You can never have enough fairy lights and if your venue allows have loads of candles to create warmth and a magical romantic atmosphere both in and outdoors.
Photo: @thenationalweddingshow
If the budget allows, why not have a snow machine. Your DJ may have one so its worth checking with them. It will bring that extra special magic feel, use it to greet guests as they leave the ceremony or have it start during the reception so guests think its snowing outside.
Arrange for your DJ or band to have a wedding playlist full of Christmas classics, nothing more will ensure the dance floor is filled all night.
End the day with a spectacular fireworks display or sparklers for guests to create a light tunnel, perfect for beautiful photos.
Photo: @colehayespark
If you need help planning the perfect winter wedding or would like to discuss some wedding ideas, then get in touch via hello@magnoliaandmeconsultancy.co.uk
