A winter wedding is one of the most underrated events of all time. While most weddings take place between the months of May and October, if done correctly, a winter wedding can be the most breathtakingly beautiful wedding you’ve ever been to. What instantly comes to mind with winter is roaring fires, snow-dusted hilltops, twinkly lights and stunning fashion; we don’t think it can get more romantic than that. In order to help you plan during a rather chilly part of the year, we put together winter wedding planning tips to make your job much easier. 

Winter Wedding Planning

The Do’s:

1. Set a Date and Plan Ahead

   Setting a date well in advance will help your guests mark off their calendar during a rather busy time of the year for everyone. Holidays tend to book people up quickly, so planning ahead will ensure things run more smoothly. 

2. Create a Backup Plan

   We suggest having a plan B, C, D and maybe even E. This time of year can cause delays with flights or bad weather conditions for driving, and it’s always good to plan ahead for these things. With a much higher risk during this time of the year, we suggest planning ahead for every “what if” possible.

3. Warm Notes Throughout the Wedding

   When guests arrive, you will want to have warm touches waiting throughout the whole wedding. Have heaters set up throughout the event so guests can de-thaw the second they walk through the door. Have warm drinks and cocktails waiting when they arrive, so it’s an instant surprise and delight. This will help guests forget about the cold and focus on your special day.

4. Embrace the Wintery Décor

   While you don’t have to go overboard, we recommend embracing the season with deep wines for drinking, hot soup for an appetizer and crimson colors for the wintery ambiance. If you’re not sure how to bring this to life, this is the perfect place for a wedding event planner to step in. They can assist with bringing your winter wonderland to life.

5. Coat Check and Boot Check

   Having a place where guests can hang their coats and take off their boots makes your wedding that much more enjoyable for guests. Half of the fun of going to a wedding is getting all dressed up for the occasion. You would hate for everyone to have to wear their coats and boots the whole time because there is nowhere to put them.

6. Warm Offerings for Guests

   For an added bonus, have items that guests can put on to stay warm. Shawls, mittens, blankets, and hand warmers are all items you could have waiting at stations for guests to use throughout the event. This will prevent guests from second-guessing whether winter weddings are a good idea.

7. Set the Mood Lighting

   Finally, whether you’re looking at intimate wedding venues or large banquet halls, you will want to make sure you can set the mood lighting. Twinkly lights and warm lighting adds that much more to the ambiance. It takes away from the icy coldness, and adds warmth back into the event. 

The Don’ts:

1. Make Guests Stand Outside Constantly for Photos

   We know a photo is worth a thousand words, but you’re going to get a thousand words of angry guests if you make people stand outside constantly for photos. Mix up the setting and make sure you leave plenty of time for guests to warm back up.

2. Sacrifice Guests’ Comfort for Ambiance

   The last thing you want to do is get rid of heaters or baskets of blankets because it doesn’t quote on quote, fit the ambiance. This will make people miserable at your wedding and instead of focusing on your special day, they’ll be too busy trying to stop their teeth from chattering.

3. Assume a Winter Wedding is Cheaper

   While there are so many winter wedding ideas on a budget, don’t assume a winter wedding is cheaper due to the season. The holidays can be a busy time of year in general, and just because it’s not a popular season for weddings, it’s still a popular season overall. Working with an event management company to help negotiate the best deal for venues will work well in your favor.

If you find yourself looking for wedding venues in Los Angeles, we at Ovation Square are located in the heart of downtown Long Beach and would be happy to help you plan the winter wedding of your dreams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If I’m not sure what type of lighting I want, can you help with that?
A: Of course, planning the details to make your event come to life is what we do best. We can test out different lighting and setups to make sure it’s exactly to your liking.

Q: Is there a way I could make the heaters look better so it doesn’t ruin the ambiance?
A: If there’s a will, there’s a way. We can always try to make heaters more discreet or make them blend into the décor so they are not so obvious to the eye or in photographs.

Q: How far in advance do you recommend sending out invitations?
A: If your special day is close to the holidays, we suggest sending them out well in advance. 10-12 months should be a good window to aim for.