WINTER WEDDINGS
WINTER WEDDINGS
Winter Weddings are magical, cozy, intimate affairs that warm both hearts and spirits. What’s more romantic and inviting than a wedding filled with candlelight, warm, glowing fireplaces, hot cocoa or wine and champagne, and rich, indulgent comfort food. Families and friends naturally come together this time of year, and the feelings of togetherness and love the season evokes is the perfect backdrop to celebrate a wedding.
Winter Weddings also have a distinct advantage over the other seasons. First, most winter weddings are held indoors – removing any risk of having, rain, extreme heat, wind or bugs interfere with your ceremony and reception. This makes planning and designing your wedding easier for vendors as they don’t have to plan around the various issues that “might” arise. Second, Winter Weddings are still considered “off season” allowing couples more choice in venue and vendor selection and often at reduced “off season” rates. Being “off season” also allows for more leniency in the amount of time a couple may use a venue or for vendors to set up and tear down your ceremony and/or reception. This can often translate into “getting more for your buck” – as vendors will have the time and opportunity to create more elaborate spaces and the couple to celebrate a bit longer than in the busy summer and fall months. Third, most venues will decorate for the season – extending your wedding budget even further. Most venues will incorporate greens, candles and twinkling lights into their seasonal décor – meaning you don’t have to budget for it. Combine these cost savings with the natural warmth and ambience of the season, and Winter may truly be the “most wonderful time of year” to get married.
Winter Weddings are also incredibly versatile in terms of theme and colors. While most people envision snowy white tablescapes or deep, rich burgundy’s and reds – there are many other color combinations that work wonderfully for Winter Weddings. Dreaming of a formal black-tie affair? Winter weddings are perfect. With cooler weather, black tuxedos and sparkling sequin and beaded gowns are comfortable to wear and blend perfectly with the “sparkle” ever present in the season. Add some gold or silver metallics to the classic black and white color scheme, and elevate this palette. Also, winter provides an abundance of seasonal white flowers from which to choose: Hydrangeas, roses, stock, delphiniums, anemone, tulips, mums, and calla lilies mixed with the silver foliage of dusty miller or eucalyptus leaves complete the traditional, formal look. For an added twist, have some of your flowers, berries or eucalyptus leaves sprayed or dipped in gold or silver. Hypericum berries come naturally in white, but are easy to paint in metallics. Similarly, many greens can be sprayed silver or gold as can hydrangeas and roses. Another new trend is adding clear, silver or gold glitter to the edge of roses – giving them some extra sparkle this time of year. Some online floral vendors as well as a good florist can offer these flowers. And for a finishing touch – add some crystal beading to birch branches or curly willow for a sparkling “icy winter” feel.
Deep red and burgundy roses, calla lilies, anemones, orchids, carnations, mums, tulips and berries also work well with the classic black and white Winter Wedding theme. However, nothing evokes the feeling of the holidays as a color scheme steeped in deep reds, merlots and berry colors mixed with seasonal greens. This color scheme is not only classic – it is cost effective. Seasonal greens are everywhere. In addition to greens and reds decorating most public spaces, couples can save on their floral budget by purchasing seasonal greens from their local nursery or garden supply store. Besides being traditional and seasonal, winter greens add great texture, aroma, substance and warmth to winter floral arrangements. Winter greens are generally bolder and larger than summer greens, thus making winter arrangements larger and grander without additional cost. Greens sold locally also have the advantage of holding up well in the various winter climates. Traditional pines, cedars and balsam firs do well in cooler climates, but couples in warmer climates would be better served by selecting magnolia leaves, rosemary, eucalyptus or southern cedars. Holly, Boxwoods, Myrtle and Pittosporum greens also blend in well with this theme, are easily available and affordable online, and do well in all climates. With a solid bed of seasonal greens, couples can easily add roses, hydrangeas, lilies, mums, berries, tulips or carnations in white, reds and burgundy’s to complete the look. Toss in some pinecones to add a more rustic, mountain touch.
Other trending Winter Wedding pallets include rich burgundy’s, berry and wines with touches of blush or light pink and cream. This color scheme plays off the warm colors of the season with a more modern edge. Add in deep evergreens for a warm and cozy effect or lighten the look with eucalyptus or hanging pepperberry greens. Blush or light pink with cream and white is also a popular winter wedding choice. Add touches of rose gold or gold to add more sparkle and formality to your wedding; or add cotton blossoms, pinecones and natural wood accents for a more casual affair. Incorporating grey foliages such as dusty miller and eucalyptus adds a seasonal touch.
Other rich, warm Winter Wedding color trends include dark greens. Taking a cue from the season, darker greens and evergreens combined with cream and an underpinning of brown is increasingly popular. Reminiscent of a forest dusted in snow, this color scheme evokes a natural, comfortable elegance. Adding gold accents elevates the formality, where as incorporating natural elements such as pinecones, scabiosa pods and branches and wood accents creates a more relaxed feel. Using a lot of seasonal greens not only fits this theme perfectly, it adds the wonderful aroma of a pine forest for added effect. Lots of candles and touches of hydrangeas and roses makes this a beautiful, easy, and budget friendly wedding option.
Blues are another seasonal color for Winter Weddings. From soft, icy blues and whites to dark navy and creams – you can’t go wrong with a Blue themed Winter Wedding. Soft blues and whites or cream conjure up images of a winter wonderland filled with ice skating rinks and glistening icicles. White hydrangeas, roses, anemones, delphiniums, mums, stock, carnations, baby’s breath and calla lilies are in abundant supply in the winter – pairing these flowers with the blues of thistle (like a little blue snowflake), succulents, blue hydrangeas and light blue delphinium is elegant and classic with a modern edge. Add in silver sage, grey dusty miller or bluish eucalyptus and you complete the look. Accent your flowers and tables with silver tinted berries and foliages, silver candle holders and votives and silver embossed escort and menu cards. To add more sparkle, include white birch branches or silver branches in your tablescapes. Add a light dusting of clear glitter for touches of glistening snow and hang crystal beads and votives at different lengths to resemble icicle filled trees.
Want a more formal blue Winter Wedding? Navy, cream and gold is stunning. Navy suits and bridesmaids’ dresses coupled with navy blue table linens creates a modern, warm and elegant look. Add in gold candle holders and votives, gold rimmed chargers and flatware, and gold embossed menu or escort cards for glamour and sparkle. Again, bouquets and centerpieces filled with seasonal white winter flowers completes this gorgeous look.
A Winter Wedding can be as dreamy as you desire. Formal or casual, traditional or modern, city chic or mountain rustic – winter weddings are magical, warm affairs that are also budget friendly.