Ideas for a Magical Winter Wedding

• 

• 

10 Top Tips For Planning A Magical Winter Wedding

Imagine an abundance of twinkling candles and fairy lights, cosy log fires, warm colour tones, early sunsets and the golden hour photos – just some of the components for the most magical winter or Christmas wedding.

A wedding during the UK’s festive season, though, can also bring with it some challenges, as well as opportunities. So, we’ve come up with 10 top tips to help you make your winter wedding as magical as possible.

The early bird catches the worm

It’s true! Christmas and the winter months are a popular time for weddings and parties, so it is advised to plan ahead and book your ideal venue well in advance to avoid disappointment.
By securing your wedding venue with plenty of time, you’ll also be able to send out your Save The Dates – giving plenty of notice to your family and friends.

Beat the sunset

Winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere on the winter solstice; the day when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, making it the shortest day of the year. At this time of year, timing is everything.
With the sun setting as early as 4pm during winter, make sure the duration of the ceremony, photography and the reception are high priorities on your wedding checklist.
For instance, if you plan your ceremony for 2pm, as opposed to 3pm, then you’ll have more daylight to capture those precious photos.
Or, you could opt for twilight ceremony with drinks beforehand? A less traditional approach, this is a really lovely option for those who would love a cosy winter ceremony and, also, would like to make the most of the daylight for photos, followed by a more relaxed candle-lit ceremony later on.

• 

• 

Whatever the weather

A winter wedding can bring the uncertainty of weather, especially in the UK, although the same can be true for any time of the year. But don’t worry! If it’s forecast to rain, you can make the necessary preparations, so that you can get the most out of your winter wedding. Beautiful brollies, heel protectors and knowing how to hitch the train on your dress up, can all help to make your time outdoors stress-free and picture-perfect.

Travel time

Snow and frost create a pretty wedding backdrop but, remember, that the weather in winter can cause travel disruptions on occasion, so it’s worthwhile thinking about adding extra travel time between destinations. Choosing a venue that can host both your ceremony and reception can help by minimising the amount of time guests will spend travelling on the day.

Winter colour palette

Whatever time of year you’re getting married, you may find that you will end up reflecting the colours of the season in your day.
When planning your winter wedding colour palette, you’ll be spoilt for choice. It’s a great opportunity to introduce rich, traditional festive hues, winter pastels and dynamic metallics to add style and personality to your day.

Along with traditional reds, whites and greens, jewel colours look stunning at Christmas. Think deep berry reds, burnt oranges and golds for that pop of warm winter colour.
If you prefer a cooler look, icy blues, greys and whites are also fabulous colours for a Christmas wedding

• 

• 

Wrap up warm and snuggle up

There are some absolutely gorgeous sequin jackets and soft faux fur boleros available for you and your bridesmaids to team up with your dresses. Not only will they help you to stay toasty, whilst achieving the perfect winter wedding look, they also look great and super glamorous for the photos. And, of course, they can be worn again afterwards – everyone likes upcycling!
For the groom and groomsmen, they could opt for a thicker material for their blazers, such as velvet or tweed – perfect for the cooler winter days.
Don’t forget your wedding guests too; help them to keep cosy and enhance your winter wedding by providing blankets and hand warmers, which make excellent wedding favours!

• 

• 

Warm welcomes

Lanterns make wonderful warm features and are particularly inviting at the entrance to a wedding venue. Consider hanging some here, as well as placing them along the aisle and on tables as centrepieces. Paper lanterns can add a pop of colour and complement your wedding colour scheme.
Forget the champagne, why not treat your guests to a hot drink on arrival? Mulled apple cider, warm mulled wine, spiced cocktails and boozy hot chocolate make for excellent winter warmers. Just think, you could have a hot chocolate bar…mmm!

• 

• 

• 

Joy all around us

A magical Christmas wedding gives you a great excuse to go ‘mad’ and dec the halls with all kinds of festive décor.
There are so many options. If you are having a barn, or farm wedding, you could go for a rustic-luxe winter look with wooden ladders decorated with carved animals and lots of seasonal flowers and foliage. Or, a winter wonderland theme with metallic details including illuminated hanging lanterns, silver twigs, fairy lights and silver ribbon to give a wintry, glamorous feel.

• 

• 

O Christmas tree
Forget flowers for your ceremony and instead, decorate with Christmas trees, Eucalyptus garlands, festive wreaths and pinecones! They will bring that special something to your wedding, whilst creating a stunning seasonal backdrop.

Steps that sparkle

We’ve already mentioned how lighting can create a magical effect on your special day. But, another great use of lighting (and for amazing photos), would be to have sparklers instead of confetti. Hand these out to your guests and they’ll light the way as you begin your journey as husband and wife. Gorgeous.

• 

• 

Wishing you a magical Winter wedding

There’s no doubt about it. Saying ‘I do’ at this time of year can be utterly magical.
At our family-run South Farm, we are distinctly different, and no two weddings are ever the same. We have the most unique, picture-perfect farmhouse, rustic barns, stunning gardens and beautiful overnight accommodation for your magical winter wedding. Not to mention our homegrown, organic, seasonal, zero miles food and our expansive small-holding and gorgeous rare-breed animals.
Come and see it all for yourselves – we would be very happy to show you around!

For more information about South Farm – one of Country’s leading wedding venues on the borders of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, please visit our website or contact our friendly and dedicated team on 01223 207581.