Are you considering a winter wedding? Here are 5 reasons to plan a winter wedding and hopefully I can convince you it’s a good ideas! Yes, a summer’s day wedding can be wonderfully romantic, but really, here in the UK nothing can be guaranteed. You may have gone to great lengths to recreate that dream of getting married outside but on the day, you could be forced to change plans at the last minute if the weather turns. A winter wedding, in my opinion, can be just as amazing. Here are five reasons why:

1. There is something so easy about planning a winter wedding – everything is planned for indoors, and the weather really can’t change anything! Do have an explore of your favourite venue and ask about their winter wedding options. What does the indoor ceremony room look like? Is there a good place for a confetti shot (this can often happen down the aisle of the ceremony room, and looks just as stunning as an outdoor confetti photo). Is there a larger room/bar area for the drinks reception? Where will the wedding breakfast be and where will the dance floor be?

2. The decoration options are just gorgeous – think Autumn colours and Christmas colours. Obviously include tonnes of fairy lights and candles. Scented candles like cinnamon or gingerbread will really enhance your venue and complete the cosy winter mood. Ask your venue if they put up Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree – they may do this anyway and this will be included in your wedding package!

3. It’s usually cheaper! Both for you as the wedding organisers, and for your guests travelling and staying overnight. Venues will often have off-peak rates available during the winter season. Guests will have greater choice about where they can stay overnight close to your venue.

4. Greater availability and choice – for all elements of your day, such as your chosen date, venue hire, caterers, music options and so on. Even for booking your winter wedding photographer – it’s definitely our quiet season and we miss weddings! If you are thinking of hiring a winter wedding photographer, do ask them about their options for flash photography. A darker ceremony room, or a wedding breakfast after sunset will mean that your photographer will have to use flash much earlier on in your day. There is nothing wrong with this – flash used well can really enhance a photo and still create natural looking photographs but do make sure your winter wedding photographer is happy and able to use flash – and that your venue allows flash (some churches do not allow flash photography during a ceremony for example).

5. Possible snowy portraits! It is still totally possible to have some outdoor portraits even on a winter’s day. You could be lucky and get some snow! Do remember that it gets darker much earlier in winter, so this is something to consider when planning the timeline of your day. Reserve an earlier part of your day to have your couple portraits taken. This could even be pre-ceremony if you wanted to go down the non-traditional route. Personally I love a sneaky pre-wedding photography session between the bride and groom! It can calm the nerves and give you some precious time together before the big ceremony and party.

This wonderful couple had their winter wedding at the gorgeous Broome Park Hotel in Kent on a rainy November day. I was lucky enough to photography their day. It literally poured with rain from first thing in the morning till the evening, but it didn’t matter as the venue is set up for an indoor wedding. There was beautiful ceremony room with a floral arch and candles. They had a great bar and reception area with log fires burning, and a warm marquee for the wedding breakfast. We still managed to get outside with an umbrella despite the rain for some amazing portraits under the shelter of the archways in the gardens, and had a drier moment later in the evening for some sparkler fun.

If you would like to know more about my approach to winter wedding photography then get in touch on my contact pages, and if you need more reasons to plan a winter wedding do have a look at this one at Tewinbury Farm here or at King’s Chapel in Amersham here.