5 Winter Wedding Essentials to Consider

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Summer is wedding season, but you can host your big day any time of year. While winter is not the most popular time of year, there are a lot of good reasons to choose the colder months for a wedding. Practically speaking, there will be less competition for venues, dates, and vendors, and everything costs less.

Embrace the uniqueness of a winter wedding with seasonal flowers, a snowy backdrop for photos, or even a sleigh ride. While a winter event can be spectacular, it is essential to consider to ensure it goes off without a hitch.

1.    Heaters

One of the biggest challenges of hosting a wedding in winter is the temperature. Depending on your location, it could be below freezing on the big day. Most likely, your ceremony and reception will both be indoors, but people will still gather outside for fresh air or while waiting to get inside.

Make sure your guests are comfortable by providing some outdoor warmth. Use outdoor heaters or fire pits, if possible, in strategic areas where people can gather.

If winter is a little milder where you live, consider using a tent. You can heat a tent pretty well with the right heaters. The best option is to use propane heaters. They don’t require electricity. With electric heaters, you need to run a long cord indoors or use a generator, which is loud.

2.    A Wedding Cape

Don’t forget to keep yourself warm for the event. Even if you host everything indoors, you’ll need something fashionable to take you from door to door. Some wedding dresses designed for winter events come with capes or capelets to protect your arms.

If you don’t find a dress that comes with a cape, it’s not hard to find one to add to the dress. Talk to the dressmaker or store about adding a cape that will fit you and match your dress. They should be able to find something for you or tailor a cape you find somewhere else.

Consider two capes for your big day. A thicker cape will keep you warm while outside for travel and photos. You may also want a lighter cape for indoors. Some churches and reception halls can be drafty and colder in winter.

3.    Plan for Travel Time

Reliable transportation is important for any wedding, especially if the ceremony and reception are in different locations. Winter weather can throw a wrench in the well-choreographed machine of wedding transport, so be prepared.

Road conditions may be fine for your big day, but if you get a storm or big snow dump, you may experience delays. Stick with just one venue if possible. If you do have two locations, make sure you have plenty of time between events and that all guests have reliable, safe transportation.

4.    Get Wedding Insurance

Winter weather is one of the biggest risks of a wedding hosted in the colder months. If travel becomes impossible and vendors can’t get to the location, if pipes freeze at the venue, or if guests get hurt falling on ice, you could be out a lot of money.

Wedding insurance is a way to protect yourself from these losses. This is more important for winter than at other times of the year. Shop around for a reasonable policy that covers all possible disasters. There are unforeseen problems out of your control, like the weather, to be prepared for.

5.    Photography Opportunities

A winter wedding isn’t all about risks and disasters. It can also be a beautiful time of year to host this big event. Hopefully, you get a reasonable amount of snow that doesn’t delay the wedding but still allows you to get great photos.

Take advantage of a snowy backdrop to take pictures you’ll remember for years to come. If you’re lucky, it may actually snow during the event. If not, consider having some members of the wedding party throw handfuls of snow in the air while your photographer captures the moment.

Look to other winter weddings for photo inspiration. Some great ideas include using a snowy forest as a backdrop, using a sled for a prop, close-ups of snowflakes, and letting snow accumulate on your head for a unique shot.

Make the Most of a Winter Wedding

Whether you choose winter to save money or because you genuinely love the season, take advantage of the down season to hold a memorable event. With the right precautions and planning in advance, you can have a spectacular wedding that no one will forget.

Written by Megan Taylor
Megan is a beauty expert who is passionate about all things makeup and glam! Her love for makeup has brought her to become a beauty pro at Glamour Garden Cosmetics.