50 Winter Wedding Ideas: How to Plan the Ultimate Winter Wedding

The easiest way to create the right atmosphere for your winter wedding is to choose a venue that really lends itself to the season. An all-white ceremony or reception room looks so good dressed up for a winter wonderland theme, while a rustic barn can channel that elegant ski chalet vibe and the all fun of the apres-ski.

How gorgeous is the forest green and gold colour scheme on this acrylic wedding sign! A crown of dried florals really offsets the palette and sets the tone for the whole wedding as guests arrive.

Don't be afraid of black, it looks so chic against white and blush tones. This modern and minimalistic table setting is perfect for a couple who want a contemporary style for their winter wedding. Can you see the bauble place setting too? They would also look amazing in matte black with white calligraphy.

A fairylight wall makes such a romantic backdrop when it comes to the wedding pictures and it’s wonderful to look at too. Wrap fairy lights around bannisters and beams, put inside lanterns as part of centrepieces, hang from trees, or use them to line paths. If your venue are able to accommodate a wall of fairylights, it really does set the whole mood.

As chic as a pure white colour scheme looks, jewel colours are ideal if you want something more snug, relaxed and intimate. They bring so much warmth and richness to your table settings, so look for jewel-coloured glassware, velvet table runners, napkins and candles.

A blanket box at your wedding ceremony will go down a treat. Guests could be sitting for a while and will get chilly so put a cute hamper of blankets near the entrance - it's especially important if you have elderly guests.

With the dark pressing in outside, you need to make your reception room as warm and inviting as possible. A custom neon sign is a great way to do that and looks seriously cool.

DIY ice buckets make such a visual impact! You can freeze water with cranberries and rosemary sprigs into ice bucket shapes and serve your white wine in them at each table or the Champagne for your toasts!

Fresh fruits aren't right for a winter wedding as not much is in season. Instead, go for dried fruit as part of your centrepieces and place settings. Blood oranges work particularly well, but you could also use slices of dried pears and apples. Try combining them with hearty herbs and spices - a bundle of cinnamon sticks and fresh rosemary tied up with a slice of dried orange looks incredible as a place setting.

Pendant lights like these star-shaped ones make a great alternative to a traditional chandelier. They look fabulous in photos and have a very festive feel without being outright Christmassy. They'll look just as good at a celestial-inspired wedding in February as a Christmas wedding in December.

If you're obsessed with the soft blue Bridgerton vibe, you can still use pastels at a winter wedding even if you think they're more for spring. Use cooler, icy pastel shades mixed with metallics to make them feel more hibernal.

If there’s one thing that can add to a wonderful, wintry atmosphere, it’s a candle-lit room. Use lanterns filled with pillar candles to light you aisle and staircases. We love this look where the candles frame the altar where the couple exchange vows.

Instead of flowers, foliage make such a statement at a winter wedding and a hanging display is incredibly theatrical. It's a great idea for a high-ceilinged room as it makes the space feel so much cosier. Don’t forget to add a sprig of mistletoe here and there!

Lit fireplaces add warmth and cosiness to a room, but not every venue's fireplaces will be in case (or you might get lucky and not need the weather for a fire!). In that case, use the mantlepieces as the base for a romantic floral display intertwined with candles. These deep red flowers add a beautiful gothic vibe to your wedding venue but for something lighter, ask your florist to use pure white flowers.

Add a wintery wedding arch to your ceremony if you want to really impress your guests. This greenery-heavy one is the perfect addition to any winter wedding; after the ceremony, you can move it into your reception room and let guests pose in front of it. It could even be the backdrop to a DIY photobooth!

Pine cones are easy to get your hands on at this time of year and versatile. Use to hold flat place cards, heap in a bowl for a cute centrepiece or decoration around your cake. They look really good spray painted gold or silver.

Don't be shy about using lots of textures at a winter wedding. This beautiful table setting uses sheepskin as a table runner, but soft velvet, fluffy faux fur and fleecy tartan are all great alternatives. Your guest will want to run their hands all over them!

Your entertainment contributes to the look of your venue too, so think of who your hire as part of your overall aesthetic. A live swing band set up on a stage is infinitely glamorous and a solo saxophonist will be so much fun wandering around your reception room. A glitter station by the dance floor will become one of the favourite spots for guests.

If you want to take your entertainment even further, create a whole winter wonderland fantasy! Hire carol singers to welcome everyone to the ceremony and stilt-walkers in ice-themed costumes for your guests arrival. Set up the entrance way with pine trees and a fur coat for a Narnia-inspired take. Arrive on a horse-drawn sleigh. Project winter scenes onto your walls and decorate with ice sculptures and vodka luges. The only limit is your budget – heck, you can even hire your own ice rink!

Tropical, out-of-season flowers will need to be flown in and won’t look their best or be cheap. Embrace seasonal blooms for your bouquet and arrangements, and stick to classic whites and dramatic reds. Wintry foliage, like ivy, springs of yew, holly and hypericum berries look gorgeous in centrepieces and bouquets.

Winter is a great time to look at an alternative kind of confetti as dried petals don't seem quite right for the season. We love these biodegradable confetti canons that will make it look like you're walking through a cloud of snowflakes or we've even seen feather, leaves and herbs thrown! For a winter twist, you could give guests mini sleigh bells to ring as you walk out your ceremony or even knit lots of pompoms from wool and have them thrown instead. Just make sure to pick them up at the end!

Even if 'gothic' isn't your couple style at all, a moody set-up looks so modern and cool. Here it's been achieved with geometric black lanterns, trailing foliage and a beguiling floral selection with sultry dark reds, purples, black and stark white.

Sparklers are at their most dazzling against a really dark sky. Have your guests line up as the carriages arrive and light your path down to your car. It makes the most amazing wedding photos.

One of the most fabulous winter wedding colour schemes is classic white. This coach house has been filled with white blossom trees, fairy lights, candles, and white chairs. It’s a super glamorous look that's actually very easy to achieve. You can hire white furniture and artificial trees from a local event hire company and ask your florist to go wild with all-white blooms.

We love the rustic, inviting layout here – the vines wrapped around the wooden beams and scattered fairy lights really give it that winter wedding feel. Keep it unfussy (no tinsel etc) and let the ambience of the oak barn shine through.

Going back to the metallic glamour of winter – is there any prettier setting than this wedding ceremony? The gold chairs work beautifully against the white backdrop and that chandelier finishes the theme off perfectly! Use lots of dramatic burgundy and deep purple touches, like flowers and bridesmaid dresses, to really make the metallics sing.

If your wedding is around the Christmas period, why not use that to your advantage? Many venues will already have a gorgeously decorated Christmas tree so lean into that. Everything from the fairylit tree to the festive centrepieces and wooden chairs just screams winter wonderland in this set-up. You can go totally retro too if you wanted to add a twist – what about multi-coloured string lights, big baubles and stockings as wedding favours?

For a more modern vibe, go simple and striking with a white colour scheme and accents of contrasting green foliage. Keep your tables really simple and use branches, pampas grass and dried flowers for a contemporary feel. Splashes of emerald and gold can keep it fresh.

Whipped cream, crushed candy canes, crumbled gingerbread biscuits, flakes, marshmallows: have them all ready to top some creamy hot chocolate with. Fill a few large thermos with hot chocolate and let your guests warm up before or after your ceremony with a sweet cup. It's ideal for kids and you can secretly have a few tipples available for adults to spike theirs and add a different flavour, such as coconut rum, Grand Marnier, amaretto, brandy or salted caramel vodka.

Dainty canapes are lovely, but when it’s chilly outside, guests want comfort food. A cheese fondue or mini beef yorkshire puddings are perfect for canapes; a roasted joint, carved at the table, for the main; a sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Winner.

If hot choc isn't quite the vibe you're after, mulled wine is a great welcome drink.

Before your guests head off into the cold night, serve something warm and hearty at the end of the reception. A hog roast, bacon rolls, sausage rolls, burgers and cheese toasties are all ideal.

Rhubarb negronis, chai latte martinis, warming chilli picantes, and ginger margaritas all have that Christmassy-spice twist. Think of delicious wintry flavours you love and ask the bar staff to mix you something special: some of our favourite flavours include plum, cranberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange, rosemary, maple and pomegranate. You could also try a signature warm cocktail like a spiced apple hot toddy.

Easy to DIY, you can wrap up your own homemade mince pies, fudge, truffles, nougat or snowman biscuits as wedding favours. Otherwise hot chocolate mixes or s’mores kits are delicious for guests to take home.

Ok, we know we've kind of gone against the reasoning for having long sleeves (you'll stay toasty and warm) with the bride above, but how good does her dress look! Feathers and sparkles are ideal for a winter wedding dress and we love them on a long-sleeved look.

Layers and accessories will keep brides and bridesmaids warm. Capes look amazing (just check out Lily Collins' bridal cape) as does a faux fur stole, chic shrug, white tuxedo-style jacket, cool leather jacket or embroidered denim jacket. For bridesmaids, try a pashmina, capelet or bolero. Take it off inside and while you’re dancing so you don’t get hot.

Thick fabrics like velvet, tweed and tartan are warm and look incredibly chic on grooms and groomsmen. Dark hues are made for crisp weather, and patterns look fab at rustic weddings. if you want to stand out, icy blues and pale grey can look striking.

Winter weddings are all about drama and theatre, and nothing says that more than a statement train. Combine with the on-trend modern princess look (voluminous but light layers, statement sleeves, Bridgerton-style corset) and you'll be the belle of the winter ball.

Wear tights underneath your dress if your legs won’t be visible and get your wedding party to carry handwarmers to heat up icy hands before your wedding photos. Chelsea boots and warm socks are great for wearing through the day too and will save your feet from pain.

Look for crystals, beads and sequins that shimmer under your fairy lights for the wedding party. The sparkles really accentuate the winter theme and not to mention how incredible they look next to that show-stopping wedding dress.

If sparkles are a bit too much, stick to the darker end of the spectrum in winter. Navy bridesmaid dresses, bottle green and cranberry red dresses all look amazing. You need very few accessories with such rich, luxe colours and especially if they're in a gorgeous velvet fabric.

If you’re the kind of bride who wants to push boundaries with your wedding day look, why not dare to be different in a sharp suit or jumpsuit? More informal and relaxed, bridal suits are seriously bold and contemporary. You’ll glide down the aisle.

Winter groomswear doesn’t just have to be reflected in the suit you wear. For the ultimate seasonal buttonhole, make sure it has a sprig of mistletoe in it!

Jewel colours can be weaved into your cake too, like the statement flowers on top of this cake. They look wonderful against the buttercream pattern on the cake and the rustic log serving platter.

If you want to add some glamour to your winter wedding cake, why not opt for a white and gold style, just like this cake? The drip effect and fir and pine cone toppers make it the dreamiest choice for a metallic wedding cake.

If rustic is your theme, why not have a cake with a semi-naked finish, gold leaf and fresh eucalyptus leaves? It's a more subtle way of incorporating luxe gold into your cake while keeping it pared-back and natural looking.

Frosted fruits look incredible on white wedding cakes. The colours and choice of toppings is up to you, but figs, blackberries, cherries, pears and physalis are perfect. These sugar-crusted cranberries are a striking and appropriately seasonal option.

Winter suits lots of darker, moodier colours too, like forest greens, burgundy and navy. Bring them to life with a marble effect and metallic accents, like this striking cake.

If you're not cake fans, then a doughnut tower is a fantastic alternative. There's a single layer cake at the top so you have something to cut, but then you can fill up the rest of the tower with your favourite doughnut flavours. These krispy kreme ones will go down a treat with guests!

Winter is all about hearty food and comforting flavours. What better than the most elevated cheeseboard in the world - the cheese wedding cake! You won't be able to tear your guests away at the evening reception.

more

16 Biggest Wedding Money Wasters 7 Delightful Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding 10 Must-Have Wedding Photos See More See More See More Learn more

50 Winter Wedding Ideas: How to Plan the Ultimate Winter Wedding

1. Choose a Winter Wedding Venue

How gorgeous is the forest green and gold colour scheme on this acrylic wedding sign! A crown of dried florals really offsets the palette and sets the tone for the whole wedding as guests arrive.

2. Add Rustic Welcome Signs

3. Go for Modern Monochrome Table Settings

4. Decorate with Fairylights

As chic as a pure white colour scheme looks, jewel colours are ideal if you want something more snug, relaxed and intimate. They bring so much warmth and richness to your table settings, so look for jewel-coloured glassware, velvet table runners, napkins and candles.

5. Use Warming Jewel Tones

A blanket box at your wedding ceremony will go down a treat. Guests could be sitting for a while and will get chilly so put a cute hamper of blankets near the entrance - it's especially important if you have elderly guests.

6. Keep Your Guests Warm

With the dark pressing in outside, you need to make your reception room as warm and inviting as possible. A custom neon sign is a great way to do that and looks seriously cool.

7. Hang a Neon Sign

DIY ice buckets make such a visual impact! You can freeze water with cranberries and rosemary sprigs into ice bucket shapes and serve your white wine in them at each table or the Champagne for your toasts!

8. Make Your Own Ice Buckets

9. Use Dried Fruit for Colour Pops

Pendant lights like these star-shaped ones make a great alternative to a traditional chandelier. They look fabulous in photos and have a very festive feel without being outright Christmassy. They'll look just as good at a celestial-inspired wedding in February as a Christmas wedding in December.

10. Try Alternative Chandelier Lighting

If you're obsessed with the soft blue Bridgerton vibe, you can still use pastels at a winter wedding even if you think they're more for spring. Use cooler, icy pastel shades mixed with metallics to make them feel more hibernal.

11. Use Soft Pastel Florals

If there’s one thing that can add to a wonderful, wintry atmosphere, it’s a candle-lit room. Use lanterns filled with pillar candles to light you aisle and staircases. We love this look where the candles frame the altar where the couple exchange vows.

12. Have a Candlelit Altar

Instead of flowers, foliage make such a statement at a winter wedding and a hanging display is incredibly theatrical. It's a great idea for a high-ceilinged room as it makes the space feel so much cosier. Don’t forget to add a sprig of mistletoe here and there!

13. Add Statement Foliage Displays

14. Embrace Fireplaces

15. Marry Under a Winter-Inspired Arch

Pine cones are easy to get your hands on at this time of year and versatile. Use to hold flat place cards, heap in a bowl for a cute centrepiece or decoration around your cake. They look really good spray painted gold or silver.

16. DIY Pine Cone Centrepieces

Don't be shy about using lots of textures at a winter wedding. This beautiful table setting uses sheepskin as a table runner, but soft velvet, fluffy faux fur and fleecy tartan are all great alternatives. Your guest will want to run their hands all over them!

17. Mix and Match Textures

18. Add Wintry Entertainment

19. Create a Classic Winter Wonderland

20. Decorate with Seasonal Flowers

21. Throw Alternative Confetti

Even if 'gothic' isn't your couple style at all, a moody set-up looks so modern and cool. Here it's been achieved with geometric black lanterns, trailing foliage and a beguiling floral selection with sultry dark reds, purples, black and stark white.

22. Go Gothic

Sparklers are at their most dazzling against a really dark sky. Have your guests line up as the carriages arrive and light your path down to your car. It makes the most amazing wedding photos.

23. Have a Sparkler Send Off

24. All White Everything

We love the rustic, inviting layout here – the vines wrapped around the wooden beams and scattered fairy lights really give it that winter wedding feel. Keep it unfussy (no tinsel etc) and let the ambience of the oak barn shine through.

25. Rustic and Cosy

26. Metallic Glamour

27. Christmas Is Coming

For a more modern vibe, go simple and striking with a white colour scheme and accents of contrasting green foliage. Keep your tables really simple and use branches, pampas grass and dried flowers for a contemporary feel. Splashes of emerald and gold can keep it fresh.

28. Modern Winter Wonderland

29. Have a Hot Chocolate Station

Dainty canapes are lovely, but when it’s chilly outside, guests want comfort food. A cheese fondue or mini beef yorkshire puddings are perfect for canapes; a roasted joint, carved at the table, for the main; a sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Winner.

30. Serve a Roast Dinner

If hot choc isn't quite the vibe you're after, mulled wine is a great welcome drink.

31. Offer Mulled Wine Arrival Drinks

Before your guests head off into the cold night, serve something warm and hearty at the end of the reception. A hog roast, bacon rolls, sausage rolls, burgers and cheese toasties are all ideal.

32. Put on a Midnight Feast

33. Serve Signature Winter Cocktails

Easy to DIY, you can wrap up your own homemade mince pies, fudge, truffles, nougat or snowman biscuits as wedding favours. Otherwise hot chocolate mixes or s’mores kits are delicious for guests to take home.

34. Gift Festive Food Favours

Ok, we know we've kind of gone against the reasoning for having long sleeves (you'll stay toasty and warm) with the bride above, but how good does her dress look! Feathers and sparkles are ideal for a winter wedding dress and we love them on a long-sleeved look.

35. Wear a Long Sleeved Winter Wedding Dress

36. Layer Up

Thick fabrics like velvet, tweed and tartan are warm and look incredibly chic on grooms and groomsmen. Dark hues are made for crisp weather, and patterns look fab at rustic weddings. if you want to stand out, icy blues and pale grey can look striking.

37. Embrace Rustic Textures

Winter weddings are all about drama and theatre, and nothing says that more than a statement train. Combine with the on-trend modern princess look (voluminous but light layers, statement sleeves, Bridgerton-style corset) and you'll be the belle of the winter ball.

38. Have a Statement Train

Wear tights underneath your dress if your legs won’t be visible and get your wedding party to carry handwarmers to heat up icy hands before your wedding photos. Chelsea boots and warm socks are great for wearing through the day too and will save your feet from pain.

39. Sneak in Extra Heat

Look for crystals, beads and sequins that shimmer under your fairy lights for the wedding party. The sparkles really accentuate the winter theme and not to mention how incredible they look next to that show-stopping wedding dress.

40. Choose Sparkling Bridesmaid Dress

If sparkles are a bit too much, stick to the darker end of the spectrum in winter. Navy bridesmaid dresses, bottle green and cranberry red dresses all look amazing. You need very few accessories with such rich, luxe colours and especially if they're in a gorgeous velvet fabric.

41. Go for a Less Is More Approach

If you’re the kind of bride who wants to push boundaries with your wedding day look, why not dare to be different in a sharp suit or jumpsuit? More informal and relaxed, bridal suits are seriously bold and contemporary. You’ll glide down the aisle.

42. Wear a Chic Bridal Suit

Winter groomswear doesn’t just have to be reflected in the suit you wear. For the ultimate seasonal buttonhole, make sure it has a sprig of mistletoe in it!

43. Wear Seasonal Buttonholes

Jewel colours can be weaved into your cake too, like the statement flowers on top of this cake. They look wonderful against the buttercream pattern on the cake and the rustic log serving platter.

44. Single Tier Winter Wedding Cake

If you want to add some glamour to your winter wedding cake, why not opt for a white and gold style, just like this cake? The drip effect and fir and pine cone toppers make it the dreamiest choice for a metallic wedding cake.

45. Metallic Winter Wedding Cake

If rustic is your theme, why not have a cake with a semi-naked finish, gold leaf and fresh eucalyptus leaves? It's a more subtle way of incorporating luxe gold into your cake while keeping it pared-back and natural looking.

46. Rustic Winter Wedding Cake

Frosted fruits look incredible on white wedding cakes. The colours and choice of toppings is up to you, but figs, blackberries, cherries, pears and physalis are perfect. These sugar-crusted cranberries are a striking and appropriately seasonal option.

47. Fruity Winter Wedding Cake

Winter suits lots of darker, moodier colours too, like forest greens, burgundy and navy. Bring them to life with a marble effect and metallic accents, like this striking cake.