6 Advantages to Having a Winter Wedding
Wedding fever reaches a boiling point in the summer–literally. And while the in-heavy-demand, hazy summer days lend themselves to a bright and sunny wedding, that’s not the right fit for every couple.
If you’re looking for a mountain wedding in California or a rustic wedding with a little something special, think Winter Wonderland. But, if spring blooms and summer heat isn’t your style, we’re here to tell you that it’s time to think outside the box. Why not get married in a magical setting with a fresh dusting of pure white snow?
Here are six benefits to having a winter wedding that the happy couple shouldn’t ignore.
1.) More Venue Options at Better Rates
Let’s be honest: weddings are expensive. And while money shouldn’t be the biggest barrier to having the day of your dreams, starting your future together is a bit easier when you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars you don’t have.
One of the major benefits of booking a winter wedding is the price drop. Off-season weddings are a great way to save.
As long as you don’t book in December or February (highly popular for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, respectively), winter is the cheapest time of year to book a wedding.
Plus, since most weddings happen between May and October, booking your wedding in November, January and March is the perfect counter-strategy that allows you to take your pick of venues and have more choices for dates.
2.) Less Competition from Other Couples
Remember the last wedding season you sat through?
If you’re at the point in your life when your friends are getting married, you know the season we’re talking about. During the late spring and summer months, you’ve had six weddings packed into a short timespan. You adore your friends, of course, and you had a blast at their weddings, but there were just so many of them.
If you’re more of a solo spotlight kind of couple, winter is the time of year for you.
You won’t have to worry about friends having to choose between weddings, or having to make sacrifices based on what they can afford.
Plus, because winter is the holiday season, your guests are already in a party mood, but they won’t be partied out from other weddings. Your winter wedding will be the talk of the town because it’s a fabulous event, of course, but that nice three-month buffer between you and any other weddings and bridal showers definitely helps.
And if your wedding happens to fall when most people already have time off for the holidays, you have the freedom to book a midweek, midday wedding, which saves even more.
3.) Save on Out-of-Town Travel
The winter wedding savings extend well beyond the happy couple. If you’re planning on traveling to tie the knot (mountain wedding in California, anyone?) you and your guests can save on travel and accommodations by booking for the winter months.
Since summer is the time of year when school is out, most families prefer to travel between June and August. High demand means limited options and high prices.
During winter, though, school is in session and people are settled in for work. And that means that you and your guests can take advantage of off-season booking.
If you want to book a wedding near the holiday season and go from the wedding to a friends and family Christmas experience, that’s also a great way to make your wedding unforgettable (though it will drive up the prices a bit).
4.) Romantic Ambiance
There’s nothing quite like winter to add a unique, beautifully romantic ambiance to your special day.
Winter weddings are the perfect choice if your idea of romance is less airy, bright beach days and more rich jewel tones, candlelight, and coziness.
If you and your soon-to-be spouse love all things Christmas, winter weddings work perfectly with a festive color palette of reds, greens, and golds. For a trendier take on a Christmas palette, go for burgundy and sage.
Alternately, if festive isn’t quite your MO, jewel tones are perfect for winter weddings and add an aura of moodiness and drama (think cobalt blue, emerald, plum, and amber). It makes you stand out from the usual run of springtime weddings, and it’s the perfect complement to a warm, cozy winter atmosphere.
It’s also the perfect match for seasonal winter flowers such as anemones, amaryllis, and ranunculuses, paired with winter greenery such as evergreen wreaths and year-round showstoppers like calla lilies. No one will forget your bouquet toss–and everyone will be fighting for that beautiful bouquet.
5.) Freedom to be Less Traditional with Food
Another benefit of winter? You get to be less traditional with food.
If you love venues with adventurous, nutritious venues, you’ll like your options even more in the wintertime, when people naturally reach for warming comfort foods, like soups, root vegetables, and primal beef cuts. Or, if you’re not so much a beef crowd, invite your guests to warm up with a choose-your-own-toppings jacket potato bar.
More than anything, remember that winter is the prime season to get creative with hors d’oeuvres. Think mini-mugs of soup, mac and cheese balls, baked cheese appetizers, and mini chocolate lava cakes.
Why not play up comfort food with a hot chocolate and topping bar? Bonus points for spiked hot chocolate and calligraphed drink sleeves. Winter also lends itself to warm drinks, so feel free to break out the mulled wine and hot cider, but hearty drinks like dark beer or spiced rum punch also work well.
6.) Bonus (and Free!) Decorations
Finally, winter weddings come with the benefit of bonus decorations. After all, it’s the holiday season!
If you have your wedding in January, most bridal showers are held one month prior to the wedding, which means your shower can take full advantage of Christmas decorations at a beautiful venue.
Even if you decide to have your winter wedding around the holiday season, many venues will already be decorated for the season, which adds a little extra beauty and grandeur to the decorations you’ve already selected.
Plus, there are few better decorations than those provided by Mother Nature herself–snowy trees in a glittering winter wonderland, anyone?
Looking for a Winter Wedding in California?
If you’re planning your winter wonderland mountain wedding in California, we’re here to provide the perfect venue for the occasion. Pali Retreat offers lush accommodations surrounded by a rich forest of oak and pine tucked into the gorgeous California mountains. Click here to check out our available rental retreat spaces.