Don’t be surprised if you have received an invitation to a wedding in November or December. Over the years, I have noticed that many couples are opting for winter weddings to take advantage of off-season pricing and more.

Is it truly worth it?

Well, I’m going to list some common concerns and pros and cons to consider when trying to decide on a winter wedding date.

Like the four seasons, there is a wedding season. Especially in Vancouver. Generally couples want to get married during the summer so that the weather is favorable, sunny and dry. These are the months when vendors and venues are harder to secure and are able to charge a lot more for their services. Having said that, those who opt for the colder months will find that they are able to save a pretty penny. If you’re on a budget, consider choosing an off-season month.

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Weather can be a bit of an issue in the winter months. Again, especially in Vancouver. There’s a 90 per cent chance that it will rain. Some of my couples have voiced their concerns about attire, outdoor pictures and just overall ambience being dull on a cold, wet day. I don’t necessarily agree with this. I feel that if you choose the right venue you’ll still have amazing pictures – if not better. It’s darker sooner so all your candles will actually look amazing during dinner as opposed to a summer wedding when the sun is still out at 9:30 p.m. As for pictures, have the pre-wedding shoot during the sunny and bright months. Incorporate your family into it and turn it into a pre-wedding fun day. Alternatively, you can always create a backdrop at your indoor reception venue which can be used as the “Photo Corner.”

Out of town guests

If you consider having a winter wedding, think closer to New Year’s or Christmas as most of your guests will already be in town. Just think of how grateful they would be for not having to book two trips. Get a room block for your guests so that they can enjoy some savings on the accommodations thanks to you! Not to mention that kids will be on school break as well during the Christmas months.

Extra setup and takedown time for your vendors

I remember setting up the decor for a client last year, her wedding was on Dec. 31 and we had unlimited time on Dec. 29 to setup and Jan.2 to take down. Let me tell you how much we loved her. Wait, we can’t because words can’t describe how much we loved her for that! Normally, during the summer months, we are competing with so many other bookings that we have to hire additional staff to get the work done in half the time. During this winter wedding, we had ample time and were able to charge a lower fee for setup and takedown because the labour involved was half of what it would have been during the summer.

Themes and uniqueness

Winter wedding themes can be anything but Christmas. Don’t shy away from using soft blue, whites, reds, greens, purples or any other color from the rainbow. If used properly, any color can be used for a winter wedding – especially if the tones being used are jewel tones.

Winter weddings are so much fun when thinking of favours. You can get so many meaningful things during the winter months or other amazing gifts such as pashminas or blankets. When thinking of decor and setup you can also play around with the theme. Consider benches covered with fake snow for your VIP tables or “snow” covered tables with lots of candles and pines? Okay, the pine cones might be a bit much for the fake snow…. now there’s a scene you don’t get to see often or in a summer wedding.

These are just some of the things to consider when considering when to host your big wedding.

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