Copyright Los Angeles Times
Scrolling through Instagram recently, I came across a series of wedding portraits that stood out from what I usually see in my feed. It was a set of winter wedding portraits of a couple on a mountain covered with a carpet of snow. The images were enchanting, magical, and oh-so-romantic. While summer weddings will always be popular, there’s an undeniable soft and quiet beauty to a winter wedding. Of course, there are also a number of challenges that anyone wanting to marry in a winter wonderland will have to overcome. I consulted some industry experts to weigh in on the pros and cons of hosting your nuptials in the winter season. The Pros of a Winter Wedding More Venue and Vendor Availability for Winter Weddings One of the biggest advantages of hosting a winter wedding is that venues and vendors have more availability and tend to be more flexible. If you’re planning a winter wedding, you may not have to plan as far in advance as you would for a summer wedding. “Venues and vendors usually have much more availability in the winter months, making a winter ceremony and celebration much easier to book”, says McKenzi Taylor of Cactus Collective Weddings. “You may or may not find discounted rates during the slow season, but at the very least, you’ll have an easier time actually finding an open date.” Budget-Friendly Perks of Off-Season Winter Weddings Couples typically consider the winter months for their nuptials when they don’t want to compromise on their choice of venue and vendors but are on a tight budget. “One of the biggest advantages of a winter wedding is that you can often stretch your budget further,” advises Martina Asgari-Majd, founder of Parisa Social Events. “Many venues and vendors have more availability during the off-season, so you may find greater flexibility with pricing, packages, or custom offerings. It’s an opportunity to elevate the experience. Maybe you upgrade the menu, invest in more design-driven décor, or bring in that band you love.” Less Competition and Easier Guest Scheduling Come summertime, and people’s schedules are packed to the brim. On the other hand, the winter months are quieter (other than the Christmas holidays), and they give couples way more flexibility to host their wedding celebrations. “Since winter weddings are far less popular than spring, summer, and even fall, selecting a winter wedding date will mean less competition with other weddings,” remarks Kelley Nudo, client relations and operations director at Momental Designs. “Many of our couples express urgency in sending out save the dates to notify their guests of their wedding date because they have family and/or friends who are also planning weddings that could pose a scheduling conflict.” Creative Winter Wedding Décor Ideas and Inspiration Another advantage of winter weddings being less common is that couples and wedding experts have more room to be innovative and experimental with the décor and tablescapes. “A less predictable pro is the creative freedom it unlocks,” declares Amos Gott, owner and chief event architect at AmosEvents. “With fewer seasonal expectations, couples can lean into bold palettes, unconventional menus, and unexpected textures like mohair or lacquered branches. Winter gives permission to break tradition and design something truly distinctive.” Cozy Atmosphere and Intimate Winter Wedding Moments If you’re hosting a winter wedding, you can go all in for a cozy-chic vibe. Moreover, the warm and charming setting encourages genuine and meaningful connections between guests as well. “For me, the pros of winter weddings are that they look like pure magic. I often think of candlelight, fireplaces, crisp air, and a color palette featuring reds and greens, or ice blue, which makes every floral arrangement pop,” states Jaclyn Watson, planner at Jaclyn Watson Events. “Guests want to be inside for more extended periods, which naturally creates cozy, connection-filled moments.” Winter weddings also offer the couple a unique opportunity to craft dramatic and indulgent settings and menus that are awe-inspiring. “The season makes everything feel more intimate,” mentions Neha Varma, CEO of Amora Events. “Candlelights seem brighter, velvet and fur feel extra cozy, and every laugh or toast just hits differently. You can go bold with deep colors, moody lighting, and menus that feel indulgent in a way summer can’t match.” Winter Activities and Après-Ski Wedding Ideas Skiiers know that après-ski is one of the best parts of a day on the mountain. So who wouldn’t want to throw the après-ski wedding party of the season? If you and your partner love the cold season and the winter sports that come with it, a winter wedding would be perfect. “A cozy winter wedding is high on the priority list for some, usually having to do with a love of partaking in winter outdoor sports,” says Loni Peterson, MLS and owner of LP Creative Events. “Being able to host your wedding in the winter invites all your nearest and dearest to your favorite place and experience your favorite things as a couple, whether that is skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hot tubs, and who can forget a hot toddy at après!” Stunning Winter Wedding Photography and Fashion Inspiration Another pro of hosting a winter wedding is that you can be rest assured that your wedding photographs will be unique. Additionally, you can have fun with your wardrobe and wear heavy gowns and tuxedos that you wouldn’t dare to wear at a summer wedding. “Winter opens up a whole world of texture like velvet, faux fur, wool, shimmer, which you’d never pull off in a summer wedding. Those layers not only keep you warm, but they also photograph like editorial gold. If you want a wardrobe moment that feels bold, rich, and unforgettable, winter delivers,” mentions Natasha Cardinal, photographer at The Cardinals. The Cons of a Winter Wedding Travel and Weather Challenges During Winter Weddings Before deciding to host a winter wedding, it’s important to keep in mind that the weather can be unpredictable, and it could be difficult for some out-of-town guests to make it due to holiday conflicts. “The main challenge of a winter wedding is timing, as it often overlaps with the busy holiday season, which can make travel more complicated or expensive for guests coming from out of town,” says Francesca DiSalvo-Follmer, consulting partner at The Waverly. Also, your older, out-of-town relatives could have a tough time traveling, and unpredictable weather conditions could unravel everyone’s travel plans. “Travel issues could become a problem in the winter, maybe not for you, but for your guests,” adds Taylor, of Cactus Collective. “Fighting the elements gets harder the older you get, and could make travel impossible for the more frail individuals on your guest list. Of course, when Mother Nature packs a wallop, we’re all at her mercy, including the airlines, which might be forced to ground your important out-of-town guests.” Shorter Daylight Hours Mean Careful Timeline Planning If you’re planning a winter wedding, ensure that you follow your wedding day timeline strictly. Even a few minutes delay could mean that you miss your golden hour portraits. “Winter weddings are undeniably romantic and offer stunning photo opportunities that simply don’t exist in summer, but with shorter daylight hours, timing becomes key,” says Charles Guinto and Leo Cabal of The Lounge Booth. “Golden hour arrives earlier, and photographers must adapt to capture portraits before the sun sets. Also, indoor celebrations call for thoughtful lighting design—think warm tones, layered candles, and reflective textures like satin or glassware—to create that moody, cinematic atmosphere on camera,” they add. Extra Planning and Backup Logistics for Winter Weddings One of the biggest disadvantages of hosting a winter wedding is the unpredictability, which means that your planning needs to be top-notch, and you should always have a backup plan. If you would like to plan your wedding without the help of a wedding planner, then a winter wedding may not be for you. “Winter weddings and events always come with a higher risk and need to have more logistics planned in place,” mentions Peterson of LP Creative. “Winter weather is unpredictable, so you want to be sure you have plenty of time for a potential storm to close the mountain pass or an accident that will shut down the highway.” Guest Fatigue and End-of-Year Burnout Lastly, by the end of the year, some friends and family could be exhausted and may not have the mental and physical energy to fully enjoy your wedding celebrations. “A quieter con is the emotional bandwidth of your guests,” remarks Gott of AmosEvents. “Between year-end fatigue, holiday obligations, and seasonal affective shifts, some attendees may arrive a little depleted. That means your celebration has to work harder to lift spirits and create warmth from the inside out,” he concludes.
