Thinking of a Winter Wedding?

It’s OK to be a little different…

The typical dream is a June wedding with a bright sun in a clear blue sky. Lots of lovely sunny photos with guests all mingling on the freshly cut lawns.  But what if you want to go against the grain and are thinking of a winter wedding? It’s possible to plan the best winter wedding just as easily as it is to plan a summer celebration. There are a lot of advantages to doing a winter wedding including the ability to create a unique event that most people shy away from.

Of course, with a unique plan there are always things to consider. Remember to take the date of your winter wedding into consideration. While the event itself might cost less than a summer wedding, luxuries such as the honeymoon can sometimes be more expensive. However having a wedding in the winter can also give you different choices for honeymoons that wouldn’t necessarily be the best time in the summer. Perhaps choose the place you want to go and work around that.

You’ll also have to plan your wedding around the fluctuating winter holidays. And don’t forget that flights can go up depending on when your wedding will be. So have a think about whether you have overseas guests that you want to invite.

Save Some Money

Overall, the winter isn’t considered the peak wedding season. Thanks to this, you’re more likely to find discounts on most of the important purchases for your big day. For example, most venues have a lot of empty space on their calendar which allows them to offer more flexibility on their prices.

Photographers, videographers, transportation rental services, and entertainers may also have lower off-peak rates. With the cost of weddings rising steadily, it can be nice to know that by picking a different season to celebrate your love, you’ll also be saving money on the things that matter most.

Be prepared, however, to spend more money on other aspects of your wedding due to the winter season. For example, the flowers might be more expensive since most are out of season. In the same vein, your flowers can end up costing you more money around St. Valentine’s Day since they are always marked up for the holiday. You can however remedy this, by picking more traditional winter flowers like poinsettias, carnations, and gardenias.

Prepare for Problems in Advance

Any wedding can expect it’s fair share of unexpected issues and winter weddings have their own unique problems. The most obvious one that you’ll worry about on daily basis is the weather. If you’re in an area that is prone to snow you’ll have to be concerned about whether or not a blizzard will blow in on your big day and you’re forced to cancel everything.

To combat this problem you should talk to all of your vendors about their policy regarding postponements and cancellations. Usually a vendor will reschedule you for another available date at no additional charge when it comes to inclement weather. If they have to travel, (not obviously the venue) then it will probably be just as hard for them to make arrangements work, as it will be for you!

Another way to try to protect yourself is wedding insurance. These policies can usually protect you from losing your deposits to your vendors due to weather-related issues. This is helpful if you have to find a completely new vendor or venue for your new wedding date.

If you are inviting people from out of town or have elderly relatives on your guest list they might decline the invitation due to the season. This is usually due to concerns about icy conditions, higher travel rates, or travel delays. While this can be seen as a money-saving advantage, not having the people you love around you on your special day can be discouraging.

It may be raining…

Obviously when we think of a winter wedding, it’s all frosty, snowy, maybe bright and crisp – ideal photograph opportunities. However what if it’s raining all day? And let’s face it, this autumn we have had our fair share! Again you just need to plan ahead. There are always fabulous wedding photo spots – a pretty window sill, the corner of a room, a grand stairway. Even a selection of colourful umbrellas! Just plan this into your day and then if it happens, you are fully covered for all eventuality.

Embrace the Season

A lot of couples have ideas on what they want their wedding day to be like in regards to themes, colour schemes, and the wedding catering. While you might be adamant about having pastel colours instead of the warm winter colours of gold and red or the winter wonderland white and silver theme, you should consider embracing the winter and holiday season. This will make your wedding more unique and special since it’ll be guaranteed not to be repeated later in the year by a spring or summer wedding.

You can have fun with frosted branches as decorations, warm cocktails at the bar, and hearty soups on your menu, in order to really take advantage of the winter season.

By keeping these suggestions in mind and planning for any possible winter-related issues, you can have a successful and really stunning winter wedding that everyone will remember.

At Super Event Catering & Marquee Hire Ltd, we work in many venues across Sussex, Kent and Surrey. All venues look absolutely fabulous during the winter months. You will also be assured that the catering will be wonderfully warming and our suggestions to you would be totally inkeeping with the style of your day.

If you are possibly planning or even just thinking of a winter wedding and would like to chat with us, then please get in touch. Either by calling us on 01435 865904, emailing us or filling in the contact form and someone will get back to you.