My Winter Wedding : A Case Study

By the time Rachel Green’s fiancé, Charlie, popped the question she knew exactly what her dream wedding would look like. With a stunning winter theme designed to evoke the feeling of a crisp December day, we spoke to the happy couple to find out how a winter wedding can have all the warmth of a summer’s day.

Location, Location

“I knew just the place I wanted to get married and had already secretly looked into costings and available dates. Let’s just say Charlie took his time!” Rachel was fortunate in that her fiancé gave her free rein to plan her big day, so before long the venue was booked for a Saturday afternoon in December. “I was very keen to start the ceremony at about 5pm when darkness had fallen and the weather was crisp and cold. The venue had a beautiful staircase leading to an enormous room with a roaring fire – it couldn’t have been more perfect”, says Rachel.

Bottoms Up

Charlie took responsibility for sourcing the welcome drinks, which were handed round before the start of the ceremony and once it had finished. “We took full advantage of the winter theme and chose mulled wine and hot toddies, with hot chocolate for the kids. It was great to see our guests thawing out and begin to radiate a warm glow soon after they arrived in from the cold!”

Food for Thought

“We planned a hog roast for later in the evening when our additional guests arrived, and, given the timings, we opted for a relatively light meal following the ceremony”, explains Rachel. “We chose pumpkin soup followed by a really warming chilli. It wasn’t a traditional choice, but it went down very well!” The couple chose to serve mince pies for dessert, the entire menu designed to leave room for the magnificent hog roast they had planned to accompany fireworks later on.

Talk of the Table

Charlie and Rachel selected seasonal table decorations to create a magical winter scene. “We had poinsettias, holly and eucalyptus, and the florist made the most amazing arrangements for us”, says Rachel. “The red from the holly berries and poinsettias looked fantastic against the silver green of the eucalyptus; we were so pleased with the overall effect. It really was like a winter wonderland.”

Favour Flavours

Rachel’s choice for favours was both creative and delicious. “I always think of warm, spicy gingerbread when I think of wintertime so I ordered handmade ginger truffles and tracked down some perfect little boxes to put them in. They were warm and welcoming in accordance with the feel of the afternoon.”

Though Rachel and Charlie were lucky not to be bound by budget, you might be surprised to know that it makes economic sense to marry during the winter months. Venues tend to be cheaper and many will be adorned ready for Christmas, saving you the cost of sourcing your own decorations. Planning a winter wedding leaves you free from the worry about weather and temperature, too. Speaking of weather - isn’t it time you started thinking about those great winter honeymoon destinations?