What’s a winter wedding like?
Many people gravitate towards a traditional spring/summer wedding, commonly know in the industry as “the wedding season”. At Petite Weddings we don’t really have a wedding season, intimate weddings we arrange for couples looking for a special day with a difference happen all year round, and often with pleasing budgetary implications too.
So what are the benefits of a winter wedding? Why book a winter wedding? How much is a winter elopement package? How much is a small winter wedding? We’ll answer these questions and more in this short winter wedding blog post.
Why book a winter wedding?
The reasons that we see couples opting for winter weddings are wide ranging. Some couples have a special anniversary in the winter months rather than the spring/summer. Others prefer the climate in Cornwall during the winter – this summer in particular has provided some interesting wedding cake and make-up challenges that go hand in hand with the hot weather we’ve enjoyed this summer! Sometimes it’s a matter of style and creating something unique, having your wedding “out of season” gives you access to a whole new look a feel – think winter flowers, foliage, moss and twigs, add fairy lights, furs, candles and sparklers. It’s certainly one way to make your wedding stand out from the crowd.
What are the benefits of a winter wedding?
There are many benefit to those who choose a winter wedding, so might say there are so many good reasons that it’s hard to understand why winter weddings are not more mainstream – I guess we shouldn’t shout too loudly about it in some ways as increased demand can mean increased price, so just keep these to yourself.
Here’s our complete run down on the advantages of winter weddings that we’ve seen couples benefit from:
Lower costs for like for like packages when booked in winter rather than summer. From our packages we can provide an example of a reduction of up to 75% in terms of cost at some venues. Definitely food for thought. In addition to this guest accommodation and travel by air or rail to Cornwall is also cheaper outside of peak season.
More choice on dates – as venues are not usually busy with holiday-makers you will find that they have more dates to choose from for winter weddings. In addition, if your venue is not exclusive-hire then your venue is likely to be quieter.
You are more likely to get your first choice suppliers for things like photography, hair and make-up, flowers and catering. You’ll also get a lot more individual attention as supplier work on small and larger weddings and are still impacted by the traditional “wedding season” – they will have more time for you ahead of your day in the winter months which only enhances your wedding experience.
Winter rates usually last from November through to late March excluding Christmas and February half term weeks (although these are still way cheaper than summer holiday prices). We do get more sun and milder weather than the rest of the UK in the winter months, and particularly in March, you can get lucky and have great weather as well as a great price. Obviously there are no guarantees when it comes to British weather. We’re still working on this!
Peace and quiet – lots of couples come to Cornwall for spring and summer weddings, often based on a love of the area forged from happy summer hols in the area as children. Lots of people still come on holiday to Cornwall in those very same months making for busier roads, packed restaurants and bars, busy towns and beaches. This bustle suits lots of people, but if you prefer traffic-free roads, deserted beaches and quiet towns where you can access the best restaurants then the winter months are worth considering.
With shorter days and colder climes you can be really creative with your wedding theme to fit the season. We’ve had candle lit ceremonies at dusk (mid-afternoon in the deep of winter), bride in red cloaks, beautiful ivy and moss table runners with snow drops, winter twigs and fairy lights, fur wrapped brides and roaring log fires. You can really make your day your very own winter wonderland.
Food and drink at a winter wedding can also provide a real point of difference – serve mulled wine/cider with warm mince pies and sausage rolls on arrival, for your wedding meal think hearty slow roasted meats and root vegetables, gluey sticky toffee pudding with warm custard followed by a cheese platter warm breads and port. Our chefs would be delighted to discuss winter menu ideas with you and can help you develop a menu to include all your favourites.
So how much does a winter elopement or small wedding cost?
It does depend in which venue, how many of you there are and what services you select, but as a ball park figure winter elopement packages start from around £1250 - £2500 in the winter months, with small weddings packages for say 12 starting at around £2600 - £4000. We can arrange winter weddings for up to 60 guests.
How do I find out more about winter wedding packages?
Just email Jane@petiteweddings.co.uk with a note of your preferred month(s), the number of guests including you and if there are any children their ages and any other preferences you have. I’ll come back to you with some fullycosted options with available dates for you consideration. Usually this is the starting point and we can re-work quotes where required until we have your package absolutely right for you.