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C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
W W W . C H I C A G O W E D D I N G R E S O U R C E . C O M
42
B A N Q U E T S , R E C E P T I O N S , S H O W E R S & P A R T I E S
Maybe Hollywood movies have made
it appear that weddings only take place
on sunny days in the month of June,
but there are, in fact, 11 other perfectly
good months, and some of the best are
the coldest. Come rain, come sleet, come
snow, winter weddings have a natural
elegance all their own, and provide the
perfect backdrop for a romantic, intimate
celebration. You just have to take care of a
few details first.
The most important thing you have to
consider when having a winter wedding
is actually the same thing at the top of the
list when planning a summer event – the
location. Although you could still have a
partial outdoor event with a tent, the tent
would probably need to be
sealed, heated and have a
floor, which can really up the
cost, so most winter weddings
take place at indoor venues.
A perk, however, is that
winter months – November
to April – are generally
considered off-season,
thereby making some of
the high-end venues a little
more budget friendly. The
only exception is December,
a popular wedding month
when brides not only have to
compete with other brides for
venues and vendors but also
with corporations who are
having their holiday parties.
There are other considerations
to make, as well, if you select
a date during the holidays.
Save the dates are a must. Out
of town guests need time to plan ahead in
order to get flights and hotels during this
busy season. Be aware that people might
not be able to make it due to their own
family’s holiday traditions, or that bad
weather might downsize your guest list at
the last minute.
While there’s nothing you can do about
canceled flights, you can try to make
sure your guests make it to your wedding
once they are nearby. The biggest issue
is probably transportation. A sudden
snowstorm can grind things to a halt,
but people rarely cancel their weddings.
Provide transportation, pick a location
convenient to public transportation or
be prepared to pick people up, and add a
little extra time before the ceremony and
between events to allow for any late guests.
But once these practical details are taken
care of, it’s time to have fun with all the
possibilities for cold weather wedding
décor. Avoide trite clichés like icicles,
snowmen, snowflakes and fake snow, in
favor of a less literal, more sophisticated
scene that might include birch branches,
clear acrylic chairs and mirrored tabletops,
and drawing on a color palette that
combines white, clear and crystal with a bit
Food, flowers, fashion and more - here’s how to do it all when
the mercury dips
By Anna T. Hirsh
Weddings, Winter-Style