Winter Wedding Ideas for Every Style This 2024

You’re getting married in the winter and have all the basics — the DJ is accounted for, your photoshoot is in order, and the venue has been selected. But you still feel like you’re missing something. Finding original winter wedding ideas that suit your event might be challenging.

You’re already a unique couple — only 11% of couples get married between December and February. As a result, you’ll probably get discounts with some of your vendors because you’re getting married during the off-season. Still, if you want a snow wedding that will stick in your guests’ minds, you can show off your style with some original winter flair

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5 Ideas for Your Dream Winter Wedding

Getting married in the winter is like a dream. The warmth that your family and friends provide complements the chilly weather. After reading these suggestions to kick your wedding up a notch, your biggest question will be whether to have your ceremony indoors or outdoors!

1. Stick to a Theme

One of the greatest winter wedding ideas is to take advantage of the holidays and model your special day from those cheerful times. If you’re looking for a theme you can adhere to and play up to the maximum, opt for a holiday style with the most decorative potential.

Ring in the New Year With a Kiss

What better way to celebrate the new year than with your new spouse? While late January weddings might not be everyone’s thing, you can have your first kiss as a married couple at midnight. Alternatively, you can get married on New Year’s Eve and party until midnight — when every couple can kiss their sweethearts!

Fill Your Guests With Christmas Cheer

Christmas has a built-in color palette of two easy-to-find colors — red and green. With gold and silver accents, you can make your wedding the event of the year and bring guests comfort. 

You don’t have to have your wedding on Christmas to have a festive wedding, either. You can bring in some extra anticipation for this upcoming holiday by blending it with your wedding!

Walk Down the Aisle in a Winter Wonderland

If you aren’t into theming your wedding around a holiday but still want to capture that winter element, consider having a “winter wonderland” theme with plenty of muted blues, silver, and white. Celebrate your favorite season with snowflakes and bare branches, finding beauty in simplicity and elegance.

2. Implement Cozy Features

Winter calls to mind moments of sitting in front of the fireplace, enjoying warm drinks, and cuddling under soft blankets. For some people, those things are the ultimate allure of winter. Why not use those features for your wedding in a unique way?

Offer a Hot Chocolate Bar

After your guests have been dancing for a while, they may want a warmer refreshment. It’s the season for hot chocolate and cider! Think about offering your guests a bar full of warm drinks halfway through the night. It would give them a sweet treat to sip on while also fitting the chilly weather outside.

Bring Blankets for the Ceremony

If your ceremony occurs outside, consider offering your guests fleece blankets. Older and younger guests may appreciate the small favor to keep them warm as they watch you exchange vows. You can find simple, solid blankets relatively cheaply — and you might be able to buy them in bulk. This set from Amazon includes 24 plaid fleece throw blankets — a perfect addition to your rustic winter wedding.

$96.00 on Amazon

Roast Marshmallows to Send Off the Night

If you can, you might find it beneficial to build a regulation fire pit at your venue for late at night when most of your guests have dispersed. Whether you’re roasting marshmallows or telling stories, sitting by a fire pit would be a great way to end the special night with the ones you love most.

Give Out Ornaments as Favors

Many couples are often lost on what to give out as a favor. Many personalized favors are discarded or eaten shortly after the wedding, so why not give everyone a Christmas tree ornament that will last for years? Your ornament could be simple and elegant from the front, and you could put your and your partner’s names on the back. It’s an instant souvenir that won’t simply take up space in your guests’ homes.

3. Decorate for the Season

Think about what kind of flowers best reflects the season. More readily available flowers in winter would be cheaper and easier to get. Poinsettias would be great for a Christmas wedding, but seasonal flowers such as white roses and Cymbidium orchids.

If you want a Christmas theme, you could make a gift tree instead of having a gift table. Instruct people to place their wedding gifts under a decorated Christmas tree to add a whimsical feel to your special day. 

On the other hand, if you’re hosting a winter wonderland wedding, add white branches, fog, twinkling lights and snow globes to your reception area for a showstopping event. The goal is to include relevant elements to make your vision come to life.

4. Dress to Impress

A bride has many options for their attire. In the winter, she has to balance comfort and beauty. Here are some wedding dress ideas for your December wedding:

Long-Sleeve Dress

Long sleeves allow less windchill to hit you, which is especially important if you’re hosting an outdoor winter wedding. Opt for a flowy, lace material to channel your inner Disney princess moment. 

Dress With Fur Shawl

Planning a forest-themed celebration or a rustic winter wedding? Take inspiration from this lovely attire, which consisted of a long-sleeved lace gown and a fur shawl. It gives bridal chic a new meaning. Opt for a body-hugging silhouette to balance the shawl’s bold aesthetics.

High-Neck, Long-Sleeve Gown

If you like European bride aesthetics, look at this gown for inspiration. This attire gives off Italian countryside vibes, but still fitting for an indoor winter wedding. You can opt for a two-piece ensemble to swap the ball or flounced skirt with a shorter one for your reception look.

Strapless Gown With Cape

For an all-regal, ice queen vibe, opt for a gown with a cape. Just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can’t rock a strapless outfit. Pair it with a sparkly or furry cape to give your gown a wintery vibe.

5. Adjust Your Menu

In the winter, warm foods are essential. Opt for richer and more savory foods if you want your menu to impress others and keep them thinking of winter. While fruits and ice cream might be popular for summer weddings, you can opt for roasted meat and cranberry sauce — or another dish you’re used to eating that time of year!

If you or your partner has a cultural food that’s eaten during the holidays, consider implementing it into your dinner at the reception or even as an appetizer during cocktail hour if you can. Upholding traditions celebrates culture and history, and including them in your wedding menu can help those from the culture feel appreciated and introduce your other guests to something new and memorable.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Weddings

Finding the right winter wedding ideas for your big day is easiest before you’ve started to plan too much. Once you have the bare bones down for your wedding day, hashing out the details, from a theme to the smallest decoration, is the next most important thing.

Keep your head up and explore every idea. There’s bound to be some part of winter that will make your wedding feel even more magical. Celebrate the happiest day of your life during the happiest time of the year, and you’ll have an excellent time!

Originally Published 11/15/2021 – Updated 11/29/2024