By Matthew Shaw, Founder and Creative Director
Winter can be a truly magical time of year to host a wedding, but it brings its own considerations. Winter wedding planning means thinking carefully about the venue, the light and how your guests experience the day.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of winter weddings. There’s a lot of fun to be had with styling, aesthetics, and dining. I’ve outlined below some key considerations when it comes to planning one.
Winter Wedding Styling
At Sauveur we tend to avoid jewel tones and warmer colours and opt for something more striking, ethereal, and airy. It’s a wonderful antidote to the darker days.
Bolder bridal fashion and dress codes with heavier fabrics and patterns can then really pop against a brighter, more gentle backdrop, with colour brought into the design and lighting as the day develops.
There’s something about winter weddings that embraces traditional design. We love to go for crisp white tablecloths, silverware, and candles sparkling in cut crystal glasses, all captured by soft, flash-heavy photography.
For the after-dinner segment, think aged velvet drapes, neon signs, and cabaret tables with candle lamps. Whilst we love an ethereal feel, nothing beats retiring to a warm and heady after-dinner bar and dancefloor.
Choosing a Venue
A winter venue search can be very fruitful. You may find more availability outside the busiest wedding months, although festive dates can be in demand. A helpful consideration when looking for a winter wedding venue is whether it can host everything inside. This can remove the requirement for a marquee and the logistics that come with it. Marquee winter weddings are certainly possible, but you will need to consider ample heating and how guests reach the space.
I would always suggest visiting your venue when dark to get a taste for it once the sun sets. Venues can look very different in daylight and after dark, and you’ll want to make sure you’ve experienced both.
Budget
Budget is at the forefront of everyone’s minds when planning a wedding. Some venues offer seasonal rates, and suppliers may have more flexibility during quieter periods. Christmas and New Year can be a different story, so it’s worth checking your specific date before assuming there will be savings.
Consider the full picture, including heating, lighting and transport. An indoor venue may simplify some of these requirements, but every setting will be different.
As with any wedding, having a clear wedding budget from the beginning will help you decide where to spend and where to make adjustments.
Weather and Daylight
Of course, with winter comes the weather! In the UK, colder, darker and wetter conditions are important considerations when selecting venues, planning timings and working out how your guests move around. Planning for these conditions from the outset means the day does not depend on good weather. If you would like photographs in daylight, make sure there is time for them before the light goes.
Winter fashion also makes for a fantastic wedding dress code. Think black tie, heavier fabrics and warm winter colours.
Navigating Holidays
Whilst your guests’ diaries may be quieter during some winter months, you also have a holiday-heavy season to consider. Christmas and New Year can mean existing plans, travel and time away. When considering dates, it’s helpful to draw up a holiday calendar so you aren’t inviting guests when they may have left the city or country. Once the date and venue are confirmed, think about your save the dates and wedding invitations so guests have time to plan.
If you’re celebrating in January, consider guests taking part in Dry January and give the alcohol-free drinks the same attention as the rest of the menu.
Guest Experience
The overall guest experience is paramount in any wedding planning. We spend hours mapping out where guests are, how they get around, and how everything ties together to ensure a smooth day.
Winter requires particular attention to how guests move between spaces. Think about transport, covered routes and where people may find themselves waiting, so they are kept warm and dry.
And do not forget that your cloakroom will very likely be under strong demand!
For more on how we bring these details together, explore our approach as a luxury wedding planner.
Matthew
There’s something about winter weddings that embraces traditional design and we love to go for crisp white tablecloths, silverware, and candles sparkling in cut crystal glasses all captured by soft, flash-heavy photography.
