Winter weddings are not the most popular option because they can be complicated, but they have a lot to offer to newlyweds. They offer a unique and memorable experience that will be unlike most other weddings, they can be significantly cheaper than weddings in other seasons, and the winter weather offers a beauty all its own to the occasion. The trick to a successful winter wedding is realizing that the season is unlike any other, and taking advantage of its unique characteristics to create a pleasant and memorable occasion for every guest.
1- Take Advantage of Discounts
Weddings can be extremely expensive, but winter weddings often come with massive discounts because there are less people who want them. That causes vendors to lower their prices in order to make themselves more appealing to the people who do want winter weddings. You can take advantage of those low prices to reduce the amount that you spend on your wedding, but you can also use them to stretch your budget and get more for the same price.
That is the ideal choice for people who want to have a big, fancy wedding but are not sure if they can afford it. In general, you will get the best results by focusing on services that are only relevant to weddings, since they will have the biggest discounts in most cases. That having been said, prices will usually be lower across the board, so you should shop around with everyone that you can so that you can afford to perfect your wedding.
2- Use the Season
Winter weddings naturally stand out, and you should try to capitalize on that to make your wedding as impressive as possible. Winter-themed decorations are a natural choice, and they will look particularly good next to frosted windows. Your color scheme should also reflect the season, which usually involves mixing the traditional white with deep red or another contrasting color.
People are often tempted to include holiday-themed decorations in winter weddings, but that is rarely a good idea. Some items, such as wreaths, bells, and candles, are associated with both weddings and winter holidays. Those are an excellent choice, but decorations that are only associated with a holiday will make people think of that event instead of the wedding itself. Avoid this problem by focusing on decorative touches that make people think of the winter season in general rather than of any specific holidays or events that happen to be in the season.
3- Avoid Holidays
The season is full of holidays. It is normally a good idea to schedule the wedding around them, since holding the ceremony on or near a holiday makes schedule conflicts likely. It can also raise the price of the wedding, especially if you hold it near a major vacation destination. In contrast, you can hold your wedding right before or after the holiday rush to save even more money on the ceremony. The same rule applies to traveling for the honeymoon, which also needs to be scheduled with care.
4- Plan for the Weather
The downside to choosing a winter wedding is that the weather can turn into a problem very quickly. A sudden blizzard can make it impossible for guests to make it to the ceremony, and some people who aren’t accustomed to driving in winter weather may hesitate to make the trip even under decent conditions.
There are two major ways to deal with this problem. The most important is to have a backup plan in case a major storm forces you to reschedule. You should talk to the vendors that you hire for the wedding and see if they have any support plans for that, since most of them will. Since winter weddings are relatively uncommon, many venues will also be able to accommodate rescheduling.
You should also be ready to hand out winter driving tips to any guests that aren’t used to the weather. It may seem like a minor thing to do, but it will increase the odds of them making it to the wedding safely, and it can even give them the confidence to make the trip if they were worried about the driving conditions.
