Celebrating your love for each other with your nearest and dearest is what every wedding should be about, which means your wedding guests play vital roles in making your big day extra special.
When planning your wedding, taking extra steps to keep your guests happy will make your big day magical not to mention memorable for all the right reasons.
Hosting your wedding in winter means there are a few extra things that you have to think about to cater to your guests throughout the day. Freezing, miserable guests aren’t exactly going to create the picture perfect wedding album you were hoping for!
The following cosy touches will help you keep your guests warm and happy while they wait for and watch you say “I do”, and dance the night away with you too.
Offer full disclosure with your dress code
Guests who haven’t attended a winter wedding before may need a little extra help from you when selecting their ensemble for the day. As well as providing the usual dress code on your wedding invitations and/or wedding website, be open and honest about the realities of dressing for a winter wedding.
Cosmopolitan offers some excellent advice for wedding guests dressing with the winter season in mind:
“The best winter wedding guest dresses perfectly balance formality, comfort and style. But finding a dress that does just this is easier said than done. With the temperature dropping, you’re likely wanting to reach for longer hems, billowing sleeves and higher necklines. The trick to nailing more sensible styles is to offset them with bold prints and vibrant hues.”
Have a cosy blanket or two to hand
Large, airy venues aren’t the most forgiving during winter, especially when wedding guests are pinned to their seats for the ceremony. Keep your guests warm at your ceremony and reception by providing super cosy blankets.
There are so many creative and elegant ways to display blankets at your winter wedding, and it’s a lovely touch that guests are certain to appreciate if temperatures do plummet on your big day.
If your wedding budget will allow, you could even use personalisation to turn blankets, hand warmers or other cosy extras into thoughtful favours.
Warm things up with some festive lighting
Despite the cooler temperatures and harsher weather conditions, marrying in winter offers a great opportunity to make your wedding day the intimate, magical experience that it should be.
One way many winter brides and grooms up the cosiness of their wedding venue is with festive lighting. Candles and log fires are simply beautiful options for adding warmth and romance to your wedding venue.
Winter isn’t the time to keep the outdoor beauty of your chosen wedding venue under wraps either. Outdoor areas can be made more inviting with a well-placed fire pit. You could even provide some marshmallows for roasting!
If open fires aren’t permitted outdoors at your wedding venue, why not hire heat lamps to keep guests warm?
Line your seats with faux fur
Whether you’re opting for a full-on winter wonderland theme; a rustic, nature-inspired scheme; or a decadent, jewel-toned affair, there’s definitely a place for a touch of faux fur.
Faux fur chair covers for ceremony and reception spaces are all the rage at winter weddings and will warm your guests no-end.
Serve up a few comforting treats
Designing your wedding food and drink menu with the season in mind is another must. You can work with our dedicated team of chefs and banqueting managers to impress your guests with quirky comfort dishes and provide a few warming treats to keep the chills at bay.
Bars stocked with hot chocolate (complete with whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles), warm apple cider, and mulled wine are also certain to go down well with winter wedding guests.
Discover the perfect winter wedding venue right here at Clearwell Castle by booking a private on-site viewing or virtual tour with us today.
