Christmas Wedding Inspiration – Planning a Christmas Wedding

Do you love Christmas?   Are you dreaming not only of a White Christmas but a Wedding this time of year?
Planning a wedding any time of the year is special but a Christmas wedding has that extra special sparkle.
Its the most wonderful time of the year!
We always enjoy Christmas weddings, so festive,  and are looking forward to one soon.
Below are some handy tips and inspirations to consider when planning a Christmas wedding.

Festive Flowers

Holly and berries in your bouquet can add to the festive and elegant look. Teamed with white roses it looks so elegant..
Choosing seasonal foliage makes sense and should be reasonable cost as in seson
Bridemaids or brides in red look fabulous this time of year.

 

Have lanterns trimmed with holly and berries for bridesmaids to carry instead of bouquets

Timing of a Christmas Wedding

Remember daylight hours are less this time of year than summer weddings.  Are you drawn to natural light wedding photographers and want daylight portraits, then factor in the timing of your ceremony.
A ceremony timer of before 1pm is ideal to make sure you have time to enjoy (hopefully) some crisp winter sun hours.
if you want to check the sunrise and sunset times for any locations there are several useful sunset apps you can utilise.

Ok so you can’t have an early ceremony, perhaps registrars are booked up for your chosen time ideal time. Perhaps consider having a first look with your intended prior to the ceremony and having some portraits taken then.
Pixsmiths have captured several non-traditional weddings where couples have opted to walk down the aisle together and thus open to the idea of a “first look” beforehand.
In fact, they said it both helped to dispel with any nerves

Ok, so vision is for an intimate twilight candlelit ceremony,
Lots of candles add great ambience (if fire regs allow!)  but it takes skill to capture the ambient light and not ruin the atmosphere by over flashing.
Ensure your photographers are capable and have cameras and lenses suitable for this task – ask to see images from previous weddings.

The First kiss is always a memorable moment everyone looks forward to, but how extra special would it be under the mistletoe!
Ask Best men or even vicars (check out at your wedding rehearsal first) to hold up the mistletoe for the kiss shot

 

Also, consider inside options in case of bad weather.  Do you want that large photo of all the guests, does your venue have space for this? Get your photographer to suggest ideal locations for this.
If in doubt meet them at the venue for your pre-wedding chat and discuss options with them, especially if they have not worked at your venue before.

Save Money Midweek but Check Guest Availability

Midweek weddings are often a great money saver compare to weekend weddings, you can often save a good few thousand pounds at your chosen venue.
Its holiday time for many …but not for everyone! You may wish to check, however, that guests you really want to be there are available midweek and can book time off any work commitments.
See if the next day after the wedding falls on a  Bank Holiday….guests who may have to travel some distance may appreciate this  Also for those close by if its a late-night finish, the knowledge of a day off after is bliss!

Location of Venue

Snow, sleet, ice in December can always occur, so consider your venue in such weather conditions.   What will road access be like, is it in a rural setting and hard to get to?
Will you need snowshoes/boots to arrive if there is a heavy snowfall!
It may be romantic if snowed in – so check guest accommodation is available at venue or nearby that can be reached.

Inspiration from Venue Decor

Venues are normally decked out with Christmas trees and decorations, this time of year.
All cosy and inviting, log fires blazing. Make the most of those Christmas trees and baubles for your Christmas inspired images.
We loved this room at Inglewood  light colours and a big  Christamas tree – perfect for intimate shots and really add to the festive feel.

Use the Christmas season as inspiration to theme your table names, such as

Names of the Christmas Reindeer
Christmas Movies
Christmas Number One songs
Carols

festive table names ideas

How about little candy-striped sticks tucked into a napkin with a name tag.  A favour and place name in one.

festive wedding table decor ideas

Gather some fir cones and spray with silver glitter to hold your table place cards. Perfect for rustic themes.
Little touches which you can spend time on really help personalise your day, as well as saving on expensive decor.

Unleash your creative powers for making your own table plan with seasonal colours and decor – such as ivy and poinsettias
Cake topper inspiration –  snow-frosted tiered cakes with gingerbread house or sparkly snowflakes.

festive wedding ideas

Celebrate Christmas with Mulled wine and mince pies as canap[es for your guests
Invite Santa to hand out any presents during the speeches – yes we have had this for a bride who loved Christmas so much!
It was a big hit with the children’s kids too!

Wedding Favours

So much inspiration for festive favours, which will also decorate tour tables.
Christmas Crackers are obvious choices but think outside of the box too.
How about making your own snowflake soap. Enlist your bridesmaids to help and have fun!

So hope you found some useful tips for your Christmas wedding and some creative ideas for your Christmas Season wedding.
We have had a wonderful year and want to say a huge thank you to all our couples, past, present and future for their wonderful support
Whatever your plans have a very merry season and enjoy the wedding planning.

Merry Christmas, much love from Pixsmiths xx

p.s.  If you should get a special ring this Christmas, we would love to hear about your plans  or celebrate by booking an engagement session with us
We do love a bit of romance!