Is there anything more glamorous than a white wedding? We doubt it! If you’re planning your nuptials in the gorgeous season of winter, you’re taking advantage of a period of opulence. It’s time to get prepared for sophisticated styles and twinkling trimmings. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite winter trends to ensure that your special day is dreamy and decadent.
The Winter Landscape
Winter wedding photos automatically have a dramatic flair from the snowy backdrop. Take advantage of nature’s gift by having lots of photos before your ceremony. The festive fun can continue at the reception if you provide photo booths, hats, scarves, and accessories for people as they arrive. A few minutes of posing in the brisk cold is merry and refreshing, especially if you have hot toddies available right after!
Black Tie Chic
‘Tis the season to be formal! Winter weddings encompass elegance more than any other season. Incorporate this dress code into your wedding for a knockout crowd. Since the pandemic ended (finally!), people have been taking advantage of any excuse to dress up and socialize. Give them a reason to shop or break out classic attire. Black tie is always incredibly romantic. This dress code also sets the tone for a lavish event: make sure your decor, menu, and entertainment are all just as fabulous!
Evening Start Time
An evening start time fits perfectly with your recommended dress code. Start your ceremony after 5pm, when it’s already becoming dark. Twilight is a stunning time for photography, too. Then you and your guests can light up the night with sparklers and fireworks. Fairy lights all around the reception hall, tall candles, and soft overhead lighting all work together to create that sense of wintry enchantment. Another (secret) reason we love to start the wedding festivities later in the day? Fewer hours and pressure of entertaining your guests!
Wintry Florals and Boutonnieres
We certainly love seasonal florals! While there may be fewer fresh flowers in local gardens, florists have greenhouses with everything from A to Z, and can capture a wintry feel with so many chic options. Ideas include pinecones, red velvet ribbons, pine needles, feathers, fake snow-covered blooms, and berry clusters. Let wedding magazines and Pinterest be a guide in finding something you love.
Bridal Capes
Imagine striding down a long hall in your striking wedding gown, with a cape flowing out behind you. You’ll look like a movie star! While faux fur shrugs, shawls, and lace sleeves are beautiful options, bridal capes are a show-stopping way to stay warm. A cape is buttoned or tied with ribbon around your neck, then curves out flat around your dress to whatever length you choose. We’ve seen lots of variations of a cape, including ones with crystals, feathers, pearls, and creative embellishments that make them even more glamorous. The best part is how easily you can take it on and off whether you’re dancing, posing for pictures, or feeling just a little cold!
Snowy Decor
Deck the halls with balls of holly, fa la la la la! Whether it’s Christmas time or the new year, holly and evergreens showcase loveliness of the colder months. Make a memorable setting through the plentiful decorating ideas of winter. Wreaths, clear ornaments with lights, brass accents, dried flowers, and glittering snowflakes can all be incorporated to add some scenic grandeur to your space.
Creative Seating Layouts
Who says you need round tables of ten? An exciting new trend has emerged where different table options have been utilized, making a floor plan more modern and the seating charts more interesting. Contemporary options include T, X, U, infinity, square, single-length, and double-width tables. Step outside of the expected with a few of these designs that keep the flow of the evening going and encourage attendees to mingle.
Salt & Pepper Diamonds
The world’s most popular seasonings are also the name of an eco-friendly, inexpensive style diamond. Salt and pepper diamonds have become increasingly popular, but not so much that the pricing is out of reach. According to gemologists, salt and pepper diamonds can be 60% less in cost than a traditional white diamond. What makes these gems different are the natural inclusions that are speckled throughout: black and white markings in the stone that make them completely one-of-a-kind and unique. Consider this style for your engagement ring or wedding band to save on spending and amp up the individuality of your jewelry.
Live Portraits
Immortalizing your wedding day through art is a keepsake you’ll always treasure. Find a local artist that specializes in live paintings and strike a pose to be captured in colorful paint. Do you prefer something a little silly for your guests? Hire a caricaturist so your attendees have a laugh and a personalized wedding favor at the same time.
Ready to find more inspiration for your upcoming wedding? Connect with our event coordinators at Crystal Gardens to plan your own winter wonderland!
