Winter weddings are a growing trend, particularly for those who wish to keep things intimate. Be it the golden light of winter, the heady combination of freezing weather and furs or even a few drops of snow covering the ground, winter weather provides a need for more intimacy. For us, these really are the most wonderful heart-warming occasions. You have a great opportunity to create a really different and distinct feel to your wedding that will make your day totally unique to the two of you, and a real stand out in people’s memories forever. What’s more, many venues offer cheaper rates in the winter months (typically Nov – March excluding school holidays).
In this blog we cover a few key questions that we get asked regularly as well as share images from Emma and Brantley’s wedding just before Christmas by Sarah of Checkered Photography at stunning Cosawes Barton, that is just perfect for winter weddings.
How do you decorate for a winter wedding?
We recommend candles, sparkly fairy lights, wood, foliage and berries as the perfect ingredients to create a wonderful intimate backdrop to your day. You can have a stylist bring this to life for you or you can DIY as this creative couple did. You can see the woodland feel that Emma and Brantley chose is simply gorgeous and provides a beautiful seasonal feel without looking tacky or too much. If you forage for your own foliage and berries this also makes this a very affordable yet stunning styling options. As you can see, the bride and groom are very much front and centre, yet there is a magical context to the ever-versatile wedding barn at Cosawes Barton. This self-styled set up is just to die for.
Other options you might want to consider are hanging foliage and berry displays from the ceiling, wedding wreaths, mini-Christmas trees lining your aisle, white confetti to look like snow, a dusk wedding ceremony so that you can string up external lights and maybe have a firepit going for warmth to provide a magical outdoors post-ceremony drink with your guests. You could use a gazebo or stretch tent to provide a sheltered space should the weather wet and furnish this with blankets and furs as well as a few comfy places to sit and relax together.
Which leads on to our next question…
How do you keep your guests warm outdoors at a winter wedding?
Realistically, you are not going to spend hours outside if you are planning a winter wedding, so the first tip is to keep the time outside activity-focused and not too lengthy. For example, you might choose to have 45 minutes of outside photography like Brantley and Emma did here. Or you could toast marshmallows on the firepit and have a sparkler tunnel, or perhaps enjoy warming drinks and canapes ahead of your wedding meal. As we’ve just mentioned setting up a tent or gazebo can help create a sense of intimacy as well as serve the practical purpose of keeping people warm – you may want to upgrade on a firepit and add outdoor heaters as well, or instead of. Snug blankets and furs are also perfect to have around for warmth and look great from a styling perspective.
Finally, warm drinks like mulled wine or coffee laced with your favourite tipple are also a great idea. Why not serve these with warm canapes such as pigs in blankets, sausage rolls and mince pies.
All of these options are possible at Cosawes Barton.
What shall we eat at a winter wedding?
Mid-winter is about warming indulgence and we suggest you have this as the theme for your menu.
Choose your favourite comfort food dishes – think warming soup and crusty bread, risotto or a warm salad as a starter, followed by slow cooked meats with roasted root vegetables with plentiful glossy gravy to bring it all together. Follow this with chocolate steamed puddings with real custard, apple pie and clotted cream or even a Christmas pudding with all the accompaniments. You don’t have to stay traditional to stay warm! One of the big advantages of a smaller wedding is that you have fewer palettes to satisfy. If you guests like it spicy then why no consider an Indian Banquet theme, or Thai party theme?
At Cosawes Barton you can choose to dine in your cottage (subject to size of party) or the courtyard barn, both of which can be styled to suit your colour palette or theme.
And so to bed…
After your meal, maybe some dancing (when rules allow) and singing, further drinking and a small bite (we recommend bacon rolls or pasties or similar warm for winter wedding evenings) you’ll be ready to retire for your wedding night. Cosawes Barton is perfect as you can have up to 18 of you stay in the three luxury cottages on site making everything super-easy and relaxing for all.
To find out more about a winter wedding (or summer wedding) at Cosawes Barton you can take a look here. You can see more of Sarah’s photography and her packages here.
