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17 Gorgeous Winter Wedding Theme Ideas

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As more couples opt for snowy ceremonies, winter wedding trends are on the upswing.

There’s something magical about pictures in freshly fallen snow and dancing the night away in a reception hall with beautiful snowflakes coming down outside.

Winter wedding ceremony

Even though summer weddings still wear the crown, winter weddings are more popular than ever. Getting married in the cold can make ceremonies and receptions feel more intimate.

The setting is breathtaking and adds something unique to your celebration. If you’re thinking of a winter wedding, here are some beautiful ideas to help you plan the perfect winter wedding.

The White-Out Wedding

You’ve heard of parties and picnics where everyone wears white, so why not do the same for your wedding?

How far you want to go will depend on how closely you follow traditions. Some people say it’s bad luck or inappropriate for anyone but the bride to wear white on their wedding day.

white wedding ceremony

If you want an all-white wedding, you can ensure that all the flowers, seating, decorations, and everything else are as white as possible.

The white accentuates the season. And, if you get snow, you’ll feel like you’re getting married in a winter wonderland.

Having everything white will make your wedding and guests feel a bit more glamorous.

If you really want to make things a celebration, then you can toss out tradition and ask your guests to wear white as well!

The Ski Lodge Vibe

Rustic ski cabins with banisters wrapped in lights and pine wreaths everywhere stoke an incredible ambiance worthy of the nicest wedding.

Plenty of upscale ski lodges do brisk business booking winter weddings, so you’ll need to book well ahead of time if you want to get a spot.

One great thing about booking your wedding in the winter at a ski resort is that catering will probably be fantastic!

People can also make a trip of things and come early or stay late to get plenty of runs in on the slopes.

Walt Disney Frozen themed wedding ceremony

Storybook Wedding

With winter weddings, you usually have more room to play with themes.

In addition, the cold weather and the holidays during that time of year put people in a festive mood, so you can go bigger with decorations and wedding activities.

How fun is it to build a wedding ceremony or reception hall that looks like something out of Disney’s Frozen or C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe?

You can create ornate centerpieces for your tables out of logs and seasonal winter flowers. Spray your pew decorations with artificial snow to make it look like you’re walking down a snowy tunnel.

You can even turn your reception into a snowy woodland where lights shine brighter and separate your wedding from the world outside in a way only a winter wedding can.

Walt Disney Frozen themed wedding ceremony

Make Great Use of Snowflakes

Snowflakes are unique and beautiful. They’re a great symbol of a new marriage, so you should make good use of them in your wedding decorations. You can use snowflakes on:

  • Invitations
  • Wedding Outfits
  • Tablecloths
  • Drink Stirrers
  • Napkins
  • Nameplates and more

People at your wedding will feel like they’re on a movie set, which will make your reception feel more special.

A Christmas Wedding

If you’re really into the Christmas holiday, you can make your wedding a Christmas theme!

Christmas weddings are easy because you know what to do. There should be plenty of tiny Christmas trees, eggnog, red ribbons, and all of the other wonderful trappings we love.

Of course, you probably don’t want to host your wedding on Christmas Day, but you can have it in the same week or the week prior.

Family and friends will love to come together to celebrate your wedding and Christmas at the same time.

wedding apparel against christmas street decoration

You can have themed activities in the holiday spirit with a Christmas wedding.

For example, you can have a large Christmas tree at your reception entrance where people can write well wishes on paper ornaments and hang them as they go in for the party.

A Light-Filled Winter Wedding

It’s hard to describe just how enchanting an outdoor wedding feels with lights all around.

Unfortunately, it’s going to be cold out in the snow for a winter wedding, so couples and guests will need to pack a nice winter coat.

red table cloth wedding reception dinner

However, the effect of light bouncing off of the snow and radiating all around makes your wedding more intimate than any summertime wedding ever could.

Use lights as a backdrop for your vows, and make sure there is a curtain of lights behind your table at the wedding.

Give your guests lights to hold and wave while they’re having fun on the dancefloor. It will be a night to remember.

Candy Weddings

One of the great things about winter holidays is all of the delicious treats everywhere. We get to eat candy canes, drink hot chocolate, and exchange cookies with friends.

Wedding banquet table

If you’re having a winter wedding, you can make it candy-themed by incorporating candy everywhere you and your guests look.

One terrific idea is to have a chocolate fountain or two for dessert at your wedding, where guests and any children there can choose from marshmallows, crisped rice treats, chocolates, cookies, and fruit.

Give away hot chocolate kits as a parting gift when guests leave the reception. You can really get into the candy theme because there is so much to work with.

the crisp morning of your winter wonderland wedding

The Christmas Morning Wedding Theme

Everyone loves the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning and opening presents with the kids.

You can duplicate that feeling by handing out cozy slippers for reception guests and having robes on hand for people who get a bit chilly.

Plan your seating areas to mimic the sort of intimate gatherings you remember from when you were a kid on Christmas Day.

Offer plenty of delicious mugs of eggnog and spiced apple cider to keep people nice and warm.

Beautiful nordic wedding ceremony decorations

Minimalist Designs for a Modern Wedding

Some people love the minimalism associated with Scandinavian designs. The people in these wintery countries love living and working in places with clean lines free from clutter.

Your guests may feel a little confused if they walk into a wedding with little in the way of decorations during the summer, but modern design tends to fit right in when it’s wintertime.

Keep things simple with white tables, plates, and candles. Of course, you can add green accents or red here and there, but that should do it.

This works best when you’ve got a great venue, so people will focus on the building and the ceremony rather than the type of centerpieces you choose.

Winter Cocktails

If you want a traditional wedding theme without going too overboard with the winter stuff, you can always make a single part of your wedding a nod to the season.

One good way to do this is by having a wintery drink menu for guests.

Slide glasses of champagne with a cherry on the wedding party

You can have all of the normal drinks and cocktails you’d find at a standard wedding, but you can also create signature drinks with cranberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other wintery ingredients.

Wear a Winter Wedding Dress

Winter clothes make winter more fun! You get more layers and can change up outfits better than in the summer when it’s easy to feel hot.

Winter wedding outdoors

You can wear a long-sleeved, full dress at a winter wedding much easier than at a summer wedding. Feel free also to put on an outer coat.

A winter wedding makes wearing a three-piece suit sound reasonable as well.

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking off a cape or a faux-fur coat as you arrive at your wedding, then a winter ceremony is for you!

Wedding decor for bride and groom

Metallic Themes

Metal themes can feel a little over the top at a summer or spring wedding, but it fits right in when things are snowy and stark outside. If you love metal chairs, tables, light fixtures, etc., then a winter wedding may be your best option.

You can choose metallic colors for your invitations. Go for things like gold chairs or silver wedding cake decorations. The metallic accents vibe off of the white of winter very well.

Beautiful laid table, decorated with forest theme

Dark Color Themes

Color is important in setting the mood at your wedding. Some couples spend months deciding what their wedding colors will be.

It establishes the tone for everything that follows, including invites, food served, lighting, clothing, and other decorations.

Winter weddings make it easier to choose rich, dark colors like purple, burgundy, mustard, and forest green.

The white outside and the rest of your winter theme create a balance with the dark colors, so they don’t feel overwhelming.

The Snow Bunny Wedding

We’ve already talked about hosting your wedding at a ski resort, but snow bunnies can take things further by making their love for skiing or snowboarding part of the wedding fun!

Pose for your wedding pictures on your board with your ski goggles on. Find a way to ski into your ceremony before your vows if you can.

At your reception, set up a projector that plays awesome stunts and ramp tricks while you’re eating dinner and having fun with your friends and family.

Celebrating your love for winter sports is a fantastic way to make things feel more casual at a formal wedding. It’s ok to play with traditional themes and have some fun on your wedding day.

Flannel Blankets and Jackets

Some couples have had excellent success incorporating flannel into their winter weddings.

Whether it’s wrapping a nice flannel jacket around each other as you recite vows or wearing flannel jackets in your wedding photos, it gives your wedding a rustic, classic feel.

Winter wedding photosession in nature

You can drape a flannel blanket along seating rows at your ceremony to keep guests warm if they get cold.

It’s a nice touch when people have to cozy up under a flannel blanket with someone they don’t know while they watch you get married. The blankets can bring people together and make your wedding feel more special.

Another idea is to ask the groom and groomsmen to wear flannel pocket squares. Or you can also order flannel napkins for your reception hall.

Make Use of Lanterns

Lanterns are a great addition to any wedding decor. For example, at a winter wedding, you can add lanterns to light pathways and create a special ambiance at your reception.

winter-wedding-with-altar-decorated-with-lantern

With lanterns, you can create an environment that feels like you’re all cuddled up in a log cabin while it’s snowing outside. It shrinks the size of your reception venue to bring everyone closer together.

Buy gold or silver lanterns to put in as many places as you can think of. For example, they can serve as centerpieces on your tables, decorate church aisles, and surround your guest book at the reception entrance.

Unique Winter Rides

If you’ve got the right venue, you can book a horse and sleigh to give guests rides around the area or transport them from your ceremony to the reception.

It’s a lot of fun for everyone; they’ll be talking about your wedding for years.

horses in sleigh ride in winter snowy

You may also want to get some snowmobiles at your wedding for your final sendoff or to give guests a unique winter wedding experience when they take a break from dancing.

Snow makes everything more fun. Just make sure there is plenty of hot chocolate or spiced drinks inside to get them warm once they’re done playing outside.

Final Thoughts

A winter wedding is a bold choice, but people love the way photos look in the snow and how warm everything feels when friends and family gather together.

If you’re lucky enough to have a white wedding, your setting will be stunningly beautiful as you recite vows and go through the rest of your wedding plan.

One thing to remember is that you’ll need to make sure all of your planning is tight and ready to go on your wedding day because there’s less tolerance for standing around waiting when it’s cold outside.

So put some tights on under your dress, tell everyone to bring a coat, and have the winter wedding of your dreams!

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