If you’re planning a winter wedding and you’re a bride who loves all things Christmas, why not combine the two and have a fun and festive Christmas-themed wedding? After all, it is the most wonderful time of the year…
There are so many cheap and cheerful Christmas wedding ideas that can transform your big day into a winter wonderland. Here’s how to plan the perfect Christmas wedding without blowing your budget.
Christmas wedding colour scheme
This is the season of sparkle! Whether you embrace it with glimmers of gold amid a sophisticated claret and navy colour scheme or shimmering silver paired with leafy green, navy or the softest of pinks, winter weddings are destined to be glittering affairs.
Consider your venue when choosing colours for your Christmas wedding. If you’re marrying in a marble-filled country house, silver details will look particularly special.
Choose a converted barn, on the other hand, and the rustic setting will look nothing short of magical when decked out in glorious shades of burgundy and rose gold.
The Rustic Wedding Company; venue Weston Hall.
Remember that even if you won’t be spending much time outdoors, you’re still connected to it by the windows. Make a note of which areas of the grounds are visible from your reception room, then decorate.
If you’re going for a rustic Christmas theme you can really get involved in the DIY look for your decor. Pine cones, foliage and logs are a great way to decorate the venue at a low cost. You can also try candles and hanging lanterns for a warm and cosy feel, or silver twigs, fairy lights and silver ribbon to give the whole wedding a winter wonderland feel.
The Rustic Wedding Company; venue Weston Hall.
Christmas wedding flowers
Add some festive glamour to your wedding flowers by choosing from the vast amount of glitzy accessories that can be found on any high street at this time of year.
Remember, it is possible to add a wire stem to just about anything even ribbon, bows, gems and Christmas decorations – the possibilities are truly endless with this one.
The Rustic Wedding Company; venue Weston Hall.
Add some seasonal touches to your floral decorations by bulking them out with some red winter berries and roses.
Additionally, Fronds of fir or eucalyptus add a wintry feel to wedding flowers without feeling overly Christmassy. Look for a florist well versed in creating bespoke arrangements.
We also love the use of mistletoe and snow berries instead of floral buttonholes.
Christmas wedding decor ideas
If ever there’s an excuse for lots of sparkle, it’s a Christmas wedding. You can decorate your venue with lots of baubles, tinsel and glitter and it won’t cost a fortune.
Get the sparkle of snow by incorporating crystals into you floral decorations. These can be bought in bulk at any haberdashery and will look amazing in your centrepiece decorations as well as your bouquet.
You can also save money on your wedding decor by using things given to us by nature and spend a day outside looking for pinecones and unusual twigs for your wedding. These can be placed in large vases and used for gorgeous table decorations.
Look for sticks and twigs from willow trees, they are the best as they are durable and they come in all shapes and sizes.
There’s also the cheap option of turning your Christmas wedding into a winter wonderland with some snowflake decorations. They especially look great when incorporated into wedding stationery.
For quick and cheap hanging decorations grab some white paper, some scissors and make some snowflake decorations like you used to at school!
Add some finishing touches to your Christmas wedding by adding some holly wreaths to the venue doors. Maybe, add wreaths some to the top table to make it stand out.
Got any wrapping paper left over? Recreate Christmas morning and get your guests excited by wrapping their favours.
Christmas crackers can double up as wedding favours – and for those guests not wearing a hat, the paper crown is compulsory.
Traditional gingerbread or stollen also make great Christmas wedding favour ideas.
Or you could give your guests personalised baubles as wedding favours so they can take some Christmas cheer home with them.
Give your guests a warm welcome when they arrive at your wedding reception. You could choose hot canapés, serve minced pies or swap salad for soup starters. Church and barn venues can be particularly prone to feeling cooler, thanks to their impressive high ceilings and stone interiors, so guests will be especially grateful for these toasty treats.
When it comes to the main event, make sure it’s hot and hearty. From hog roasts to beef bourguignon, served with dauphinoise potatoes and all the trimmings, winter weddings are the perfect time to eat, drink and be merry.
Do so, and you’re certain to have delighted guests. You could follow up with a warm dessert, like sticky toffee pudding or freshly baked chocolate brownie, or add a final flourish with coffee and petit fours.
Why not keep your guests cosy with a hot beverage bar? Think hot chocolate, and warm mulled wine and hot apple cider will be a welcome treat at your venue and a lot less expensive than a cocktail hour. Decorate your station with DIY signs and simple foliage or lots more candles.
If you want the traditional welcome glass of champagne, why not add berries to each flute for a pop of festive cheer?
When you’re looking for venues for a Christmas wedding, check out ones that are particularly suited to the winter season – we’re thinking castles and stately homes that have big hallways dominated by an open fire place.
As your guests arrive at the reception, serve mulled wine in the warm and later on you could use this area as a chill-out area for offering tea, coffee, cake and maybe a nightcap.
Alcoholic eggnog or Baileys is also the perfect post-dinner drink. And if your venue has a Christmas tree, all the better!
Winter weddings are all about style and sophistication. There are plenty of ways to carry out this festive theme from modern metallics to old english berries incorporated into your wedding cake – or both.
Or if you’re more of a biscuit couple, why not have a wedding cake alternative and go for gingerbread house?
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about wedding cake sizes and servings
Christmas wedding cake toppers
When it comes to Christmas wedding cake toppers, metallic silver or gold textures are great for a touch of glitz, but if you’re opting for a more natural, rustic look, try incorporating flowers and foliage, wood tones and softer, lighter colours.
Traditional lettering of the bride and groom’s names is a popular and personal choice for many couples. Opt for playful, curly handwriting fonts with extra embellishments like snowflakes for a chic Christmassy finish.
Mistletoe is the epitome of Christmas, and what better way to represent marriage than with the one leaf that symbolises a kiss, on the top of your wedding cake.