Winter Wedding Love

Why Winter Weddings Are Incredibly Magical…

And Tips to make them a success!

Maybe it’s because we had (possibly) the last snow of the season here in April… but we’re already getting nostalgic for winter weddings! Let’s talk about winter weddings for a second, because we don’t think they get nearly enough credit.

Especially here in New England, Fall reigns supreme as a favorite for hosting weddings. But planning a wedding that will take place during the peak of peak season can add extra stress for sure! Conversely, winter is sometimes relegated to Plan C, like a consolation prize for people who couldn’t get the date they wanted in peak season.

In reality, some of the most breathtaking, emotionally rich, genuinely unforgettable weddings we have ever photographed happened in the dead of winter. And not despite the season, but because of it! There is something about a winter wedding done right that creates an atmosphere no other season can quite replicate. A warmth and an intimacy and a sense of occasion that makes the whole day feel like stepping into something truly special.

 

The Atmosphere is Unmatched

There is a coziness that comes with winter that you simply cannot manufacture in July. When it’s cold outside and warm inside, and when there are candles flickering and a fire crackling and the people you love most gathered close together, something happens to the energy in the room. It gets intimate. It gets real. People lean in. They linger longer. They hold their drinks with both hands and settle into conversations that go deeper than small talk.

That feeling is the essence of a great winter wedding. And it’s available to you for free, just by choosing the season.

 

 

The Décor Possibilities Are Dreamy

Winter gives you a visual palette that is genuinely stunning to work with. Deep, rich colors, like burgundy, emerald, navy, plum 😍 that would feel heavy in summer feel absolutely perfect against a winter backdrop. Lush greenery, berries, pinecones, candles everywhere, velvet textures, metallic accents, twinkly lights… the options are endless and they all have a warmth and richness that photographs beautifully!

And if you’re lucky enough to get snow? Well. The way snow reflects light, the stark beauty of bare trees against a white sky, the absolute magic of a couple laughing in the middle of a snowfall: whimsical and striking to say the least!

 

 

Peak Season Stress = Gone

One more thing worth mentioning: winter is off-peak season for many wedding vendors. Which means more availability and less need to book waaaaay in advance. If you’ve been stressing about locking down your dream venue or your first-choice vendors because everything books up over year ahead of time, a winter date might open up options you didn’t realize you had.

Let’s Talk About “Running Hot”

🫣 You put so much time and effort into making sure your whole crew looks their best on your wedding day. But those sometimes unavoidable high summer temps, when the humidity is popping off, can really put a DAMPer on the mood when you still want to get those iconic outdoor photos. No-one likes feeling damp!!

For those who run hot to begin with, it can sometimes get downright uncomfortable. Imagine instead ducking outside after you’ve been heating up on the dance floor to enjoy a moment (and an epic night photo) in the cool, crisp wintry air…. ahhhhh. Refreshing and invigorating.

PS – if you are still in love with the idea of a peak-of-summer wedding… consider bringing an extra shirt! Especially for the guys who might appreciate a fresh start before the reception begins.

 

Okay, Now Let’s Talk About the Pitfalls, And How to Avoid Them

We would be doing you a disservice if we only talked about the magic without being real about the challenges! Winter weddings require some specific planning considerations that couples don’t always think through. The couples who have the most enjoyable winter wedding days are the ones who thought about this stuff ahead of time.

Pitfall #1: Underestimating the Weather Factor

Winter weather is beautiful, but also sometimes deeply unpredictable. Snow can be a dream or a logistical nightmare depending on how prepared you are. Ice is nobody’s friend on wedding day. And a sudden cold snap can catch guests off guard if they didn’t know what they were walking into.

How to avoid it:

• Have a weather communication plan for guests. Let people know ahead of time what to expect: the venue, the temperature, whether there will be any outdoor elements. Nobody wants to show up in heels and a cocktail dress to discover there’s a walk across a snowy parking lot.  Suggest bringing layers in your invitations!
• Think about safe arrival and departure. Make sure your venue has a plan for things like icy walkways, parking lot safety, and how guests with mobility challenges will navigate the space safely.
• Build buffer time into your timeline. Winter weather can cause delays. Guests running late, vendors navigating tricky roads, a quick wardrobe malfunction from layers that need to come off. Give yourself more breathing room than you think you need.
• Know what your venue’s weather contingency looks like. Make sure you love all the indoor spaces that you might be using depending on the circumstances of the day. Know the plan before you need it.

 

 

Pitfall #2: Letting Guests Get Too Cold

There is nothing that deflates the energy of a beautiful winter wedding faster than guests who are genuinely, miserably cold. And it can sneak up on you.  What feels fine when you’re excited and moving around can feel very different to someone who’s been sitting still for an hour.

How to avoid it:

• Think about every transition point. Where are guests going from one space to another? Is there any outdoor exposure during those transitions? Are they covered in case of precipitation? How long will they be outside and how can you minimize it?
• Consider outdoor ceremony length carefully. An outdoor winter ceremony can be absolutely stunning, but it’s best to keep it moving! This is not the time for a forty-five minute ceremony with lengthy readings or musical interludes. Talk to your officiant about keeping things beautifully succinct.
• Provide warmth elements as part of the experience. Blankets draped over ceremony chairs, a hot cocoa or cider station as they walk in or at cocktail hour, and hand warmers in a basket near the entrance. These small touches show you thought of your guests and they turn a potentially uncomfortable situation into a charming, memorable detail. Plus, adorable photos.
• Make sure your venue is properly heated. This sounds obvious, but check, and check again. Large spaces can be tricky to heat evenly, and a venue that feels fine when it’s empty might feel drafty when the doors have been opening and closing all night.

Pitfall #3: Ignoring the Daylight Situation

This is one that genuinely catches couples off guard, and it has a direct impact on your photography. In winter, the sun sets early. Like, really early. Depending on where you are, you could be looking at sunset as early as 4:30pm. If your ceremony is at 4pm, you have almost no daylight left afterwards for daytime portraits outside.

How to avoid it:

• Plan your ceremony time around the light. We’ll talk early on about what time sunset is on your wedding date and work backward from there. A ceremony that starts at 1 or 2pm gives you a much more generous window for daylight portraits.
• Consider a first look. We’ve talked all about first looks in another post, but for winter weddings specifically, a first look can be an absolute game changer. Doing your portraits before the ceremony means you’re working with the best light of the day rather than racing against the sunset after.  It gives you more flexibility and control over your timeline if you don’t want to have an early afternoon ceremony.

 

 

• Embrace the darkness too! Winter evenings have their own incredible visual magic: candlelight, string lights, sparklers, or the glow of a fire. We know how to work in low light and we love creating those absolutely stunning after-dark images. We’ll talk more about what’s possible and the kinds of shots we can get in low light conditions.
• Build portrait time into the timeline deliberately. Don’t let portraits become an afterthought. We always want to carve out intentional time to make sure you are getting all the photos you want, at the time of day you want.

 

 

Pitfall #4: Forgetting About Your Own Comfort

You’re likely going to be wearing a wedding dress or a suit. You’re going to be smiling and greeting people and moving through your day, and in the middle of all of that, it’s easy to forget that you might also be freezing… or too hot if all your layers are on and the heaters are doing their job!

How to avoid it:

• Think about layering options. A beautiful faux fur wrap, a tailored coat, a dapper scarf, a snuggly knit off-the-shoulder cover up or shawl, a cozy bridal cape… there are so many stunning options that can keep you warm without covering up your look entirely. These are all easy on-and-off accessories that photograph beautifully.
• Consider your footwear. Heels and ice are not friends. If there’s any chance of navigating outdoor terrain, think about having a pair of warm, practical shoes or boots for transitions and saving the beautiful heels for inside.
• Bring hand warmers. Seriously. Tuck them into a bag, hand them off to your maid of honor, and pull them out between photos when you’re not being actively photographed. Your hands will thank you.
• Plan a warm-up moment into portraits. If you’re doing any outdoor portrait work, talk to your photographer about building in a warm-up break in your schedule. Ducking inside for five minutes between outdoor shots can make the whole experience so much more manageable and keeps the smiles genuine.

 

 

Our Honest Take

We absolutely love weddings in every season!! A spring wedding with cherry blossoms in full bloom is breathtaking. A golden fall wedding in the leaves is something special, and quintessentially New England. A summer wedding with long, warm evenings and fireflies flitting about is pure joy.

But there is something about a winter wedding that feels special. Something in the quality of the light, the richness of the colors, and the way a room full of glowing candlelight looks when it’s dark outside and everyone you love is gathered inside celebrating you.

Ready to Plan Your Winter Wedding?

If you’re considering a winter date and want to talk through what it might look like – timeline, lighting, what venues tend to work well, what to think about – we would genuinely love that conversation. We’ve photographed winter weddings in all kinds of conditions and we can’t wait to help you plan yours! ❄️✨

Dreaming of a winter wedding and looking for photographers who are as excited about it as you are? We’d love to hear about your vision. Reach out and let’s connect!