Why Winter?
The majority of couples I speak to dream of getting married in the summer months. And it's no wonder when you think about sunny blue skies, drinks receptions on the lawn, a lovely warm evening, walking hand in hand through the gardens for 'that photo' at golden hour and dancing into the long balmy night with your nearest and dearest. However, let's face it getting married in the UK means we’re always at risk of the odd shower or freak weather. Some summer days are actually so hot that not only could your make not last the ceremony, all the men in suits will be boiling hot and guests will be extra thirsty which means somebody will undoubtedly over indulge at the bar and be in bed before speeches.
So if you fancy something a little bit different, there really is something to be said for a cosy and romantic winter wedding. Ask any photographer and they’ll tell you the best light for photos is actually overcast! Not only that but your favourite suppliers are more likely to be available, venues are more likely to have choice on dates and potentially even access to ‘off peak’ rates– more money to spend on flowers I say! A winter wedding really takes the pressure off hoping for the sunshine and if you go all in and embrace the season I promise there’s magic to be had with a winter wedding.
Colour Schemes
Flower choices tend to be a little more tricky for a winter wedding. Spring blushes and pastels don’t work. Summer brights can work but why not embrace your season and go with it. I’ve put together some wonderful colour scheme ideas below that might just sway you towards a winter wedding!
Luxury Green and White
A classic combination which, when combined with A LOT of candle light, oozes ‘luxe winter wedding’. This colour scheme is classic for a reason, it suits almost all venues and bridesmaid dress colours. Adding lots of texture with flowers and foliage makes sure this colour scheme is interesting. Lush seasonal foliage can be added to aisles, staircases, arches and tables to create a full and beautiful look. Anemones are my favourite flowers to use with lots of greenery in a winter wedding along with big blousy roses and astilbe.
I’ve put together a Pinterest board of inspiration
Burgundy and Blush Wedding
Another classic colour combination burgundy, whites, green and a smudge of blush to bring
it all together. This is probably the most popular colour scheme for winter for good reason. Its perfect for the season, its wintery and cosy. And the flower options are endless so no two blush and burgundy weddings will ever look the same. This colour scheme goes so well with navy, sage and even burgundy and definitely suits gold accents and lots of tapered candles!
See more inspiration here
Plum Wedding
Something a bit more trend led now. Purple… Not for everyone but I love the different depths of tone you can get with ‘berry’ or ‘plum’ – sounds better than purple doesn’t it! It’s luxe and beautiful when done well. Its dark and moody and romantic. It can be lifted with blush and ivory or left to simmer amongst its own plummy toned flowers. The scheme really suits gold accents, velvet and again lots and lots of candles.
More inspiration here;
Something Blue
I do love a bit of blue when it comes to wedding flowers. Pastel blues don’t traditionally work for winter and there’s definitely something colder about it compared to the other schemes. For me it’s definitely a January wedding scheme and I’d add lots of birch branches in arrangements to embrace the cold midwinter theme and team it with silver accessories rather than gold. Blue doesn’t give a huge amount of flower choice but eryngium and silvery blue toned foliage such as eucalyptus and senecio are lovely to use. Also this is where linen, bridesmaid dresses and candles can all really add to the theme.
More inspiration here;
Seasonal Flowers
So we’re all trying to be a bit more sustainable in all areas of our lives and as much as I love using local flowers there’s no secret that British flowers are few and far between in the winter months. Hence why lots of winter weddings are foliage heavy. However, flowers are available thanks to the wonderful Dutch flower growers. They maintain a wonderful variety of flowers throughout the year. So never fear winter weddings can still mean an abundance of flowers. Some of my favourite winter wedding flowers include anemones, eryngium, hypericum, clematis, ranunculus, ameranthus and hellebores.
Styling
If you haven’t guessed already its all about candles, candles and more candles! I don’t think a
winter wedding can have enough candlelight! Daylight hours are short so instead of using lots of artificial bright venue lighting introduce lots of candle light and keep that warm, cosy winter vibe going long into the night. There’s something about enjoying your breakfast wedding and speeches by candlelight that just oozes magic, love and romance. Some venues won’t allow naked flames so LED candles are a good option here (they’ve improved dramatically in the past few years). Plus with the benefit of lasting all night, not ruining your linen and not setting light to anything!
Also get creative with linen! There's so much more to linen than the standard white tablecloth and napkins.A little bit more thought here can be the difference between pretty and wow! There are some fabulous suppliers who can help with linen rental and its something I can definitely help with to complement your flowers and colours when we work together
Top Tips
I would definitely visit your venue at night to see how it is lit. Just imagine the pictures with a beautifully lit backdrop of the venue but not all venues are lit up well at night and it really does make all the difference visually. Also ask about candles – are they permitted? Ask about lighting options – lots of venues cater for mood lighting. The only time your venue should be flooded with artificial light is at midnight when they want everyone off the dancefloor!
Think about your timeline for the day – this is something your photographer will probably chat more to you as they’ll want to get the ‘golden hour’ shots and as that’s likely to be late afternoon in winter. It’s important that to build photos into your timeline so you’re not missing out on a dinner course.
Consider the temperature. Most guests will obviously come dressed for the season but it’s nice to provide little touches like blankets for outdoor seating, hot water bottles and umbrellas for dashes outside. Bridesmaids sometimes get overlooked in winter weddings so make sure they have an extra layer! How about hot cocktails or mulled wine as an option for your reception drinks?
Sparklers! A winter wedding is a great opportunity for a sparkler send off or even as an alternative to confetti if you have a late afternoon wedding.
I hope you’ve seen the joy in a winter wedding and the benefits they hold. I really don’t think any other time of year can’t match a winter wedding in the romance stakes.
I’d love to hear from you if you’re planning a winter wedding!