Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter Wedding Themes
By Leah Steenstra

Getting married in the winter? Here are a few ideas to tie in the season with your special event in order to make it even more memorable:
Christmas Theme
Decorate your ceremony location with evergreen garland that is finished off with red, velvety bows. For centerpieces, consider using decorated miniature Christmas trees or flaming poinsettias. If kids will be attending your reception, arrange for Santa to make a surprise appearance after dinner and linger to dance a song or two. Finally, send your guests home with a beautiful ornament or a personalized Christmas stocking as a reminder of your special day.

Winter Wonderland Theme
Travel in style with a white sleigh or carriage that will transport you and your husband from the ceremony to the reception. Decorate each table with miniature ice sculptures or make your own centerpiece by pushing craft beads into a white, three-wick candle and surrounding with an evergreen wreath. Dress the tables in lace and use plenty of white candles in your decorations. For favors, place snow globes or miniature snowmen at each setting for your guests to take home.

Winter Sports Theme
Use a decorative sleigh as the initial base for floral centerpieces. At strategic places in the reception, display old fashion sleds with red bows on them. Forego traditional cake tops and order one with the two figures skating or skiing. Finally, give your guests ornaments that effectively relay your winter sports theme.

Valentine's Day Theme
Have your florist create rose bouquets that are in the shape of a heart. At the reception, decorate each table with red and white roses placed in silver vases for the centerpieces. At each woman's place setting, place a single rose or have your DJ pass out roses to the women during one of the slow dances. For favors, pass out candy conversation hearts or heart chocolates wrapped in white tulle and tied together with red ribbon.

Gingerbread Theme
Treat your guests to an edible centerpiece by making gingerbread houses for each table. To make the centerpiece larger, put the house on a cardboard square and with frosting and candy make a snow-filled 'yard'. For favors, give each guest gingerbread men cookie cutters, as well as a recipe so that they can make their own treats. Tie together with a ribbon that claims that you and your husband are 'Truly cut out for each other'.

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

These are great. I love the ideas for winter wonderland. I like the ice sculpture idea. Too bad I ordered flowers already. That would have been cool. I also like the idea of passing out roses to the ladies. I am the week before Valentine's Day, so that could work. Thanks Alias. Good ideas!!! Keep em' coming!!!

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

I was thinking of doing the rose thing too....I am not sure how many I would need, but I think it could work. I hate flowers though. I have more stuff, I'll post it for you now.

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Thanks!!! Your the best!!!

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Planning a Winter Wedding Home | Submit
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Written by Abra Whidden Canada


While many associate weddings with the warm months of the year, winter can also be a romantic time to hold your wedding. When we chose to have a Christmas wedding, some people had reservations. We remained firm, and throughout the planning process we learned the pros and cons of having a wedding at this time of year. If you’re considering having a winter wedding, these are some of the issues to consider:

Snow:
If you’re in an area that commonly has snow in winter, snow can be both your best friend and your worst enemy. On one hand, a nice dusting of snow a week before your wedding can create a festive atmosphere, and may put you and your guests into a holiday mood. The obvious catch is that it’s impossible to control the weather, and your guests will know this. While you may like a few snowflakes after the ceremony for a romantic getaway on a horse and sleigh, guests coming from any distance may decide to forgo your wedding for fear of a storm.

If there is a storm on the day of the wedding, you may have a difficult question to answer: Will you go ahead with the wedding even if some or most of the guests can’t be there? Think about this before the wedding day, so that you can prepare yourself for this situation. If you decide that only the bride, the groom, and the wedding officiant absolutely need to be at the ceremony, then don’t worry about the weather. If you can’t say that, you can take a few precautions. Begin by checking with your vendors to see if they are willing to have a snow date for the wedding and reception. If not, ask important people, such as parents and wedding party members, if they can come a day early, particularly if they have to travel. That way you can continue with the ceremony, and maybe even hold a reception at a later time.

Photography:
For the photography, you may be restricted to indoor shots. In this case, make sure you have a suitable area for indoor photography. If you want to try some outdoor photographs, talk to your photographer. If he or she is willing to take them, think about wearing something like a cape, particularly if you’re wearing a sleeveless or a strapless stress. Since days are shorter in winter, it may be better to take the pictures before the ceremony, unless you’re sure you’ll have enough time to take all you need before dark.

Holidays:
If you choose to get married during the winter holidays, you have the added advantage that you and your future spouse may not have to take as much time off work for the wedding and the honeymoon. If you’re in school, you may have a block of time that you can set aside without guilt. In the future, it may also be easier for you to find the time to go on a second honeymoon or other anniversary vacations.

The problem with choosing the holidays is that some of your guests may have prior family commitments. Friends may go home for the holidays; family members may have gatherings with the other side of the family. People may also have the added financial burden of holiday gift-giving, so they may be unable to afford to come to the wedding. To avoid these problems, give your guests ample warning of your intended wedding date. If you send your wedding invitations earlier than you normally would, you will also avoid the holiday card rush.

Vendors:
Because winter is a less popular time of year for weddings, it is often easier to book vendors. Many vendors need to be booked a year or more in advance. Although I did much of my planning in the few months leading up to my wedding, not one vendor I contacted had another booking for my wedding day. For last-minute planners and for those who want short engagements, winter can therefore be an ideal time.

The Honeymoon:
What’s better than going from a wintery wedding to a tropical honeymoon?

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter Theme Ideas

Winter Theme Ideas Home | Submit
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Submitted by Sandy Hampton


Winter can be a fabulous season for a wedding. If you prefer snow skiing to water sports, think about using a winter wedding theme.

Colors
There are many colors available for winter themes. Choose one of the following or a combination of colors: Silver, white, light blue, light green, lavender, plum, cranberry, ivy, gold, ruby, emerald, pewter, cobalt, navy, hunter green, or black.

Flowers
White poinsettias would be beautiful for a winter wedding along with other white flowers such as roses, calla lilies, carnations, gardenias, magnolias, alstromeria and snowball mums. Instead of the traditional fillers, consider having your florist incorporate evergreen sprigs into your floral arrangements. For a different look, have your bridesmaids carry evergreen wreathes or hurricane lamps instead of flower bouquets.

Decorations
The bride doing a winter theme is lucky for she can hit the after Christmas sales and save on almost all of her decorations. Icicle lights in either white or blue would be a great way to start off decorating your reception. Gold or silver garland would be another great touch. Snowflake ornaments would add a definite winter feel to your decorating scheme and could double as favors. Evergreen boughs could add a touch of green to your decorating scheme. For example, swags of greenery with white lights would add a charming feel to the reception. White and blue tulle will also help create a winter feel.

Centerpieces
There are many unique ideas available for a winter wedding theme. For example, you could have bride and groom snowmen, miniature ice sculptures, large snowglobes, or white poinsettias with snowflakes on them. While candles are used by many brides with many different themes, they can add a special warm glow to a winter wedding. Add fake snow around any centerpiece for an additional winter touch.

Music
To help set the mood of a winter day or evening, chose some songs with the word snow or winter in them. Some examples are: Snowbird, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, or The First Snowfall. Try doing a search on the word 'snow' or 'winter' at any music site for additional ideas.

Food
Hot chocolate, mulled wine, mulled cider and wassail are all good drinks to help set the mood of a winter reception theme. Cheese fondue would make a warm and fun appetizer to start off your winter wedding feast. Follow with a soup course instead of a salad if you are having a sit-down dinner or provide soup on the buffet. Warm bread is especially satisfying on a cold winter day. Ham, turkey, fish, or beef all would be suitable meats for your meal.

Cake
There are many beautiful wedding cake designs incorporating snowflakes available. For your cake topper, consider using a snowglobe or looking for snowmen. For an additional snow effect, cover the cake table with a pile of white fabric, fake snow, or white tulle.

Favors
If you choose to have favors at your reception, here are a few that go well with a winter theme: Miniature glass snowstorm globes with a winter scene and the bride and groom's names and wedding date added, an icicle or snowflake ornament, chocolate mint ****ers in snowflake or snowmen shapes, or snowflake or snowmen shaped cookies. If you are using a lot of greenery for your decorations, miniature evergreen trees would be a good favor.

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

THis is a great thread!!!!!!

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Off White Winter Wedding
I just switched from a summer wedding to a January wedding. I want a winter theme, but my dress is pear and ivory. The other color is champagne. The flower are going to be a deep red, but I don't know how to decorate because I can't use the traditional wedding colors.
posted 08/21/03 by anissa
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Replies to: Off White Winter Wedding
Re: Off White Winter Wedding
You can always go to a craft store and get some fishbowl shaped vases. Take them and turn them upside down and put your flowers inside (ala snowglobe). Add a bowl or plate underneath with some floating candles and you'll have a nice centrepiece. I would also suggest getting or making some snowflakes out of styrofoam and glitter and hanging them from the ceiling. You could also get some white christmas trees and decorate them with mini white lights and some of your flowers. Another suggestion would be to have helium balloons covering the ceiling with just long ribbons hanging down (over the dance floor). Hope this helps
Sarah

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Lighting Decor: White branches with white twinkle lights and tulle. Lining the aisle or front walk this would look great inside or out front at any winter event. Think simple and very elegant. Uplights will heighten the effect.
Decor: Christmas trees or shrubs (in pots) with the white twinkle lights. This is very easy to do, if you plan your wedding right after Christmas. You can pick up trees the day after Christmas from lots and line a path with them decked out in lights.
Maids: Have your maids carry candles instead of flowers. This is would be magical coming down the tree lined path in an evening wedding.
Reception Decor: You can make paper snowflakes and hang them from a white branch tree. Put photos of you and the groom growing up and then shots of you two together in the center of each flake.
Outside: If you live where there is snow you can construct a snow ball light display. See Martha Stewart for construction details. I live where it never snows so I filed the idea in my brain but did not read the how to. It was beside the door way of a party and it was a pyramid of snowballs with a space inside for the light.
Tables: I would use a lot of ice blue along with white for the table cloths and napkins. Layering to give icy depth.
Buffet Tables: Ice sculptures. I can't think of a wedding were they would look better.
Cake: I would pick a very fluffy icing for the wedding cake and pile the icing high on the top to suggest a slope. Coconut cake would be very pretty if you like coconut.
Cake Topper: Snow globe cake topper would be something you could keep as well as a striking accent to the scene. The cake on the top of the page has a huge snow flake on top with white trees made from cones.
Cake Setting: Set the Bride's cake in a snow bank of tulle or cotton snow.
Bouquet: Snow white roses for the Bride's bouquet. I think an all white bouquet would be beautiful.
Dress: Trim your gown with white faux fur. Crushed white velvet would be stunning for a winter wedding. Do not forget a hooded cape.
Toss: Sliver/white glitter for tossing instead of rice. Place in paper cones.
Drinks: Serve warm drinks to off set the cool room decor. (or to warm up after an outdoor wedding) Hot cider (hard and regular), wassail, hot chocolate and fancy coffee drinks. Chocolate dipped coffee spoons would make a nice favor.
Greenery: Use your flowers sparingly and use white branches, lights and garland to set the mood. (the garland should make it smell like you are in the woods.)

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter Style
A cold weather wedding demands a different style to one held in the balmy days of summer, but in many ways the wedding can be more breathtaking and dramatic.

A spectacular winter wedding can be all white, with a theme of snow and ice.

The groom and his party wear white suits (a la David Beckham)
The Bride wears a pure white gown of heavy satin or velvet, soft and flowing.
The Bride wears a pure white gown of heavy satin or velvet, soft and flowing.
Her dress, jewellery and coronet-style head-dress gleam with the icy sparkle of diamanté and crystal.
Bridesmaids also wear white but carry the only splash of colour, each carrying a posy of dark red roses.
Floral decorations consist of white bloms with white bows and silver bells and ribbons.
Transport may be a white horse and carriage – don’t forget the bells for the horse and a faux-fur rug for you! Or a white limousine.
The cake is decorated with ‘icicles’ and silver ornaments. A pure white statue of a bride and groom on the top tier is surrounded by silver dragées.

Other colour schemes can use silver or ice blue fabrics. Sheer, iridescent material used over a heavier silk can give a shimmering effect or use one of the many ornate fabrics that incorporates silver threads, spangles or sequins.

Ideas to Beat the Cold

A short, white, faux-fur jacket, matching fur hat (instead of head-dress and veil) and large muff decorated with white flowers and silver bells and ribbons.
Full length, white, cape of velvet trimmed with fun-fur, which you can leave at the door as you enter the venue and wear again for outdoor photographs. (This would be easy to make yourself).
A wedding dress that has its own matching long sleeved jacket.
Plenty of petticoats under your gown.
White wool, mohair or faux-fur wraps for the bridesmaids.
Decorate large white umbrellas with ribbons and artificial flowers, in case of rain.

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Hello There SuperWeddings!

I am planning a Winter Wonderland Themed wedding. I have been exhausted trying to come up with some original ideas and so far I have thought of the following:

The ceremony and reception will both take place in the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier (Chicago). I chose this venue because it is encased in glass windows - hopefully it will snow that night! I can't imagine anything more beautiful than that! Navy Pier also goes all out for Christmas decorations. Its one of the most beautiful places in downtown Chicago for that time of year.

Ceremony:

6 Bridesmaids (wearing navy blue satin dresses lined with navy blue fur) will carry a candle down the aisle for a dramatic effect, instead of bouquets.

2 Junior bridesmaids (ages 7 & 11) will carry a white muff to accent their navy blue satin dresses.

My flowergirl will actually be a 'snow angel', complete with white dress, white wings and glitter snowflakes in her basket.

Reception:

White cake with a snowglobe cake topper or an evergreen shaped cake. I have been trying to find a bakery which will do this but, so far, no such luck.

Snow Village (borrowing my mom's collection) to be set around the cake as decoration.

Mini-Evergreens with white twinkle lights as centerpieces.

Silver bells engraved with our names and wedding date - will serve as alternative to rice and will double as a wedding favor to cut costs. Just tie a navy ribbon at the top & voila, we have an ornament!

Photography:

I'm designing a Winter scene - White Tree with lights, White park bench with fake snow, complete with a winter's night backdrop (available for rent from party supply stores). I think that will be quite different for the guests.

Hope these suggestions will help inspire some of your visitors. Thanks so much for the help you have provided to me!

Patty M
Chicago, IL

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter or Christmas Theme Wedding Ideas
copyright Rachel Sanfordlyn Shreckengast of WedFrugal.com

Here are some ideas for planning a Christmas theme wedding or a winter theme wedding. Many of the ideas presented here are appropriate for both and I've also included ideas within this article which will help you keep the costs of your Christmas or Winter wedding down.
Color Suggestions:

- Red and white
- Red and green
- Hunter and burgandy
- Hunter and ivory
- Burgundy and ivory
- White and iridescent
- White and light blue or navy blue
- Gold and white
- Silver and white

Decorating Ideas:

- Iridescent snowflakes hanging off tablecloths, chairs, walls or ceilings
- Christmas bulbs wrapped in tulle (be sure to use cool-to-the-touch bulbs)
- Use simple pew bows and decorate with a hanging ornament or a few sprigs of pine (or any other evergreen).
- Use plant material such as holly, pinecones, evergreens and mistletoe in centerpieces and for decorating the ceremony site (church, etc.).
- Ask friends whether they have anything you can use to decorate. Just as an example, I have an old children's sled that would look lovely decorated for the holidays (or a holiday wedding). Your friends may have items such as sleighs, lighted Christmas decorations or an overstock of icicle lights. If you don't ask, you'll never find out.
- Use garlands of stringed popcorn or cranberries to decorate tables or walls.
- Toss a bit of glitter on plain white tablecloths to instantly add a winter feeling.
- Use rich looking materials (velvets, velveteen, brocades, etc.) to add instant elegance. Save some money by using fabrics (mostly cottons) that look like the expensive versions.
- Dress up plain tablecloths with a snowflake stamp and a silver (or gold) stamp pad. The stamp and pad should cost around twenty dollars.
- Various things can be decorated with evergreen (pine, spruce, etc) swags. Just a few options are staircases, altars, banisters, wedding arches and pews.
- To add a bit of winter to your walk down the aisle, have your flower girl throw glitter or faux snow. Just realize that clean up might be a pain if you don't use an aisle runner of some type.

Centerpiece Ideas:

- Use wrapped boxes (to look like Christmas presents) for various centerpieces.
- Use Yule logs as centerpieces.
- Another centerpiece idea: Fill a small glass bowl with nuts (or pinecones or cranberries), put the bowl on a wreath and add a candle in the middle of the bowl. Simple, but effective.
- Use miniature wreaths and candles as centerpieces.
- Use poinsettia plants or miniature Christmas trees (faux or real) for centerpieces.
- Use floating candles in the shape of stars, trees or snowflakes in a simple glass bowl.
- Use gingerbread houses as your centerpieces. Make them yourself to save money.

Favor Ideas:

- Christmas ornaments (preferably found clearanced after the holiday season).
- Use a holiday scented potpourri (cinnamon, pine, etc) in traditional potpourri sachets.
- Two candy canes can be glued or taped together to produce a heart shape. Simply add a bow and you're done.
- Attach miniature bells or silk poinsettias to any traditional favor to add a holiday touch.
- Instead of using traditional candies, use striped peppermint candy or Christmas ribbon candy.
- Make your own Christmas 'crackers' (you pull it apart and little prizes come out).
- Candles wrapped in tulle.
- Cookie cutters in Christmas shapes.
- Use red or green tulle/netting to dress up your favors.
- Place a few miniature bells on a piece of ribbon. Have your guests’ ring them as you leave the reception, then let them take them home as favors.
- Miniature snow globes can be made using old baby food jars.

Food Ideas:

- Instead of a cake, have an assortment of Christmas cookies.
- You can use cupcakes decorated with the edible silver balls sold during the holiday season.
- Have a traditional Christmas dinner (preferably made by friends or family) and treat it as a holiday get-together.
- Buy a cake that isn’t decorated and decorate it yourself. You can use anything from ribbons, ornaments, plastic snowflakes, icicle ornaments, pieces of pine or rosemary and candy canes.
- A simple cake topper can be made from a statue (dollar stores sell bride and groom statues) and some greenery (evergreen, holly, mistletoe, etc).
- Drinks can be anything from eggnog to spiced apple cider (and can be made ahead of time).

Frugal Tips:

- Plan ahead so that you have plenty of time to shop around and compare prices
- Consider wearing a long white velvet dress (easily trimmed in faux fur if you wish)
- Use a muff instead of a bouquet and/or have your bridesmaids carry candles.
- Many venues decorate for the Christmas season. Take advantage of this and you can cut your decorating costs without effort.
- View your venue a year in advance (during the holiday season) and choose your colors based on their decorating scheme. It's likely that their decorations are similar each year.
- Take advantage of after Christmas clearances. If you don't have enough time to wait, take advantage of before Christmas sales instead.
- Shop for bridesmaid dresses in the department stores during the holiday season. You're sure to find many appropriate choices for winter or Christmas themed weddings.
- Use blank Christmas themed cards (and your printer) for invitations. You can often find very good prices on cards in the after season clearances.
- Use a decorated wreath instead of a headpiece and veil.
- With Christmas weddings, you can forego most of the flowers traditionally associated with weddings...simply decorate with season appropriate greenery.
- Don't forget to look in the department stores for attire for your youngest attendants. Not only will you find appropriate dresses for flower girls and junior bridesmaids but you can also find holiday attire for ring bearers.
- Instead of more traditional ceremony programs, simply use a plain piece of paper (whatever type you prefer), roll into a scroll and keep rolled with Christmas ribbon or the miniature wedding bands.
- Use spray paint in gold or silver to dress up your wedding decorations. For example, a basket filled with gold painted pinecones and greenery would be beautiful.
- Use holiday music on tape or CD instead of hiring a band or DJ. If you want “live” music, consider carolers or a church chorus/choir.
- To save on venue costs (as well as to take advantage of clearances), consider holding your wedding a few days after Christmas.

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

Oh my gosh..you put so much info there!! NICE!!!!
BTW, my cape is being sent out on Monday..its diamond white velvet with the maribou trim...Im so excited!!!

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

I'm so happy for you! I hope mine comes shortly after that!!!!

Re: Winter Wedding Ideas

wow these ideas all sound so magical!
amazing