Winter Weddings: How to Warm Your Frosty Celebration

Winter brings frigid days filled with snow and frost, but it can also create a stunning backdrop for a wedding. Mountains, national parks, and frozen lakes offer romantic, one-of-a-kind scenery. While winter weather can be challenging, thoughtful planning can keep everyone warm, comfortable, and ready to celebrate. Here are some ideas to keep the atmosphere and environment inviting and intimate, despite the freezing conditions, and to make the celebration memorable! 

Winter Wedding Outfit Tips: Layer Up to Stay Warm

When going out in the cold, it is important to stay warm, so wearing many layers of clothes is a practical way to keep warm and protect yourself from strong winds. However, the real challenge is keeping warm while staying comfortable and stylish all at the same time! Furthermore, you, your wedding party, and your guests will each have different styles to suit your respective roles. 

For example, you may want a cape, stole, or shawl that matches your gown. When fitting your gown, choose dress cuts made from thicker fabric and with more coverage, and consider getting a long-sleeve dress. For your dress’s fabric, velvet, wool, or silk is best for insulation and for keeping you looking stylish. If you are planning for an outdoor ceremony or photoshoot, having a nice fur coat that matches your dress can work wonderfully. Many brides also go for dress toppers or bolero jackets that can also be fitted to complement your dress. 

The wedding party can wear matching coats or jackets. They can also wear matching shawls or stoles, particularly when taking outdoor pictures with the bride and only the wedding party. The wedding party can also wear a midi dress with their coats over their dress that complements the bride’s gown without overshadowing the bride. 

For guests, you can include a list of recommended wedding attire or set a dress code to help guests choose attire that is both appropriate and fitting for the conditions and atmosphere. Guests should opt for long-sleeve dresses and wear a coat or jacket over them. Wedding guests can also bring scarves that fit the occasion and theme of the wedding. For shoes, guests should wear closed-toe shoes, such as pumps or elegant boots. Everyone can wear the lace wedding boots, as they let you look stylish while keeping your feet warm and letting you walk outside in the snow, whether it's walking down the aisle for an outdoor ceremony or just using the outdoors for your wedding pictures.

Keep Your Winter Wedding Venue Warm

Even when bundled up under many layers of clothes, it can still be chilly, especially with cold air coming from the vents or the wind, if you are doing an outdoor ceremony. Surrounding your venue with heat is the perfect way to keep everyone warm in a freezing space. Battery-powered space heaters, propane heaters, or patio heaters are ideal because electrical outlets may be limited at outdoor venues. Plus, space heaters are a versatile option for indoor and outdoor use, especially when indoor spaces feel just as cold as outside. Various outdoor venues provide propane or patio heaters for rent or include fire pits or fireplaces, offering a warm space for the wedding. Many rental companies also provide heaters. 

It is essential to check with the venues whether they provide heaters or fire pits, or whether indoor venues are heated. There are venues, such as barn venues, whose spaces are not heated or insulated, so it would be good to talk with the venue coordinator about what they provide to see if you need to provide your own heaters.

Provide Blankets for Guests at a Cold-Weather Wedding

Offering blankets to guests is an excellent option to keep them relaxed and comfortable. Guests can also take home the blankets as gifts. Fleece, plush, or sherpa blankets are best for winter conditions and environments, thanks to their warmth and lightweight design. There are many stores, both online and in-person, that sell blankets in bulk. There are different ways to set up blankets for guests. One way to offer the blankets to your guests is to place them, rolled, in a basket or tray at the front of the venue, for your guests to pick up. Another option is to lay them out or place them, folded, on the benches or chairs to add to the venue's decor, where the guests can use them as they wish.

When setting up the venue, battery-powered heated pads can also be effective and offered to guests to use to help keep them warm. By placing the pads on the seats, as with the blankets, you can provide guests with something to warm their seats and take them home as favors. Alongside heated pads to warm your body, hand warmers can be placed in your coat pockets or inside your coat. Hand warmers are small, affordable items that heat up quickly. You can either provide the guests with hand warmers or recommend that they bring them. 

Offer Hot Drinks to Keep Guests Warm at a Winter Wedding

While setting up for the wedding, offering hot beverages, such as cocoa, tea, or coffee, is an inviting option to help guests counter the cold. Preparing hot beverages and setting them up at the front of the venue can allow guests to pick them up as they come in.

Hot ginger tea, particularly with lemon and/or honey, is spicy and sweet, so it is perfect for warming your body. In traditional Chinese medicine, black, dark, and oolong teas are recommended for their nourishing and soothing properties and for their ability to increase body temperature. You can learn more about hot tea for weddings here. Mulled cider and spiced wine are also fun options for winter!  

Whether it's the sights or the holiday vibes, a winter wedding offers breathtaking scenery and a cozy, magical atmosphere. However, winter weddings in beautiful yet frigid locations can also present challenges. Thoughtful preparation ensures guests stay comfortable and engaged, making your winter wedding both magical and unforgettable.