Winter wedding inspiration

Less than 20% of weddings take place during the winter months, which can be a good thing if you want the magical feel of a  snow globe for your big day. If you’re considering a snowy wedding, we’re here with winter wedding inspiration. (And you can read about summer and fall wedding inspiration on our blog also.)

Right at the top of the advantages list: there will definitely be less worry about finding venues and vendors. And a lot of those things will be discounted (in the Erie area, but not if you’re looking at destination weddings in ski towns).

Right at the top of the possible disadvantages of a winter wedding is the flip side of “snow globe:” blizzards. If you’re having people come from out of town, if they’re traveling from far away, there’s always a worry that they won’t make it. And there’s the possibility that flights will be canceled. Or the reverse, that your guests will get snowed in and have a hard time getting home. You can check out websites like this to get a good sense of a coming winter’s patterns for your area.

Let’s dive into more pros (the cons seem obvious so we’re not covering those here) and then we’ll get to winter wedding ideas.

Advantages

Free decor

Seriously, the magic of winter is real. Especially early on when we’re not sick of it yet. ((ha)) And if you’re lucky and get a fresh snow right before your wedding, the trees are outlined with it and the little bits of color there are really pop.

You can also get literal free decor if you go out in the woods and cut your own boughs of evergreen. Just look around and you’ll see winter wedding inspiration everywhere.

The weather

Sure there are negatives to the weather, but this weather is also drier so no humidity to possibly mess with your hair. And no sweating. For you or the guests.

Cheaper all around

Not only will many venues and vendors be willing to give you a deal, but travel and accommodations will also be cheaper for your guests. (Again with the disclaimer that you’re not wanting to have your wedding in some popular ski resort sort of town.)

Less busy time of year

A lot of people end up bouncing from one wedding to the next in the popular months and get some pretty serious wedding fatigue. That won’t be the case for you. And an added advantage to a winter wedding: a beautiful wedding can sure be an antidote to the winter blahs and blues.

Stunning photos

Sure your local Erie wedding photographer is not exactly a big fan of winter for themselves, but they can’t deny that it makes for some stunning photos. And different and unique. Your outdoor photos won’t look like the usuals at all. (And yes, I will brave the weather for you.)

And onward to winter wedding ideas…

Cold weather wedding inspiration

Our primary tip for winter wedding inspiration is to embrace the winter of it all. Why else have a wedding at this time of year?

Cozy Attire

Sure, there’s no reason you need to wear a dress that looks like you’re ready to trek through Alaska. You can still do fun, off the shoulder, sleeveless looks, for example. But now you can add fun and rich layers.

Wear a (faux) fur or lush wrap. You could wear long, luxurious gloves. He can wear velvet and it will look perfectly in place.

Consider your shoes if you’re taking photos outside. Maybe be playful and wear some winter boots for a few shots. (Or at least have them at the ready to move between venues.)

Color ideas

For winter wedding inspiration, think dark and dreamy and romantic for your color palette. Dark, emerald green is obvious but also deep blues or reds and wines.

You could also go in the opposite direction and go for a muted color palette. This can create a really dreamy effect especially in your outdoor photos.

And when it comes to decor, think seasonal greenery and dried flowers and berries and pinecones.

Warmth for your guests

This could be a fun way to add the winter aesthetic even indoors.

Think about ways to warm the venues. Is there a fireplace? ((score!)) Use lots of candle light. Put twinkle lights everywhere! Have blankets on benches and chairs for coziness. Put out baskets of shawls for anyone who needs one.

Warm drinks. Hot cocoa. Hot cocktails. (They exist!)

Embrace winter activities

You could have a S’mores station. It won’t just be the kids who will like this. Guaranteed.

If the weather is mild enough but snowy enough for outdoor activities, you could have sleds available. Or is there a pond nearby that freezes for ice skating?

If you’re having a winter wedding because you love winter, what are your favorite things about winter? How can you incorporate those things?

You could spend some time watching winter and holiday movies for some more winter wedding inspiration.

Random ideas

• Icicles and snowflakes might feel obvious but they’re also just fun. How can you use them in your decor? Can you use snowflakes on your invitations?
• Use evergreen as place setting decorations.
• Use velvet runners where you can.
• In a smaller wedding, it could be really beautiful to have everyone holding a lit candle as you enter.
• Plaid is also a fun winter theme. How can you use it? (Maybe you could sneak it in on your shoes?)
• Winter greenery could also make a beautiful head piece.
• You could go all white… flowers, decor, everything. Stunning.
• If your wedding is near Christmas, embrace that, too. Lit trees make great backgrounds.
• Mittens could make fun wedding favors.
• Don’t forget that you could have a snowball fight. (Just teasing… maybe, maybe not.)
• Do you have access to a sleigh and a couple of horses? ((smile))
• Use birch branches wrapped in twinkle lights in large pots for some entryway charm.
• And speaking of snow globes, you could set larger ones around or even have small ones as favors at each place setting.

A winter wedding is not everyone’s cup of… eggnog, but for some it’s perfect. And it can be truly magical.