1. Your Budget Goes Further 

A crucial factor in planning your wedding day is cost. It’s reported that the average cost of a wedding has reached an all-time high at £30,355 – up 12% from 2017! What’s more, a staggering half of all weddings take place from July to September. In addition to your own costs, you also need to consider accommodation and travel costs for your guests as well. Venues booked during the winter months are typically cheaper and quieter, which means you can have them for longer and when you want. Plus, you’re more likely to get the undivided attention of your wedding coordinator and not feel like you’re on wedding conveyor belt. Many venues will be decorated for the festive season too, which means one less thing to worry about.

2. Decor and Themes

Off-season weddings are magical and romantic. In fact, winter wonderland themed weddings are becoming increasingly popular and even on tighter budgets can look gorgeous. We love Becky Cigoy’s Winter Wonderland Wedding Ideas board on Pinterest, and with nearly 3,000 pins it’s a great place to spark your ideas. Or, you can go natural and produce beautiful nature inspired decorations and accessories. Check out these unique winter wedding ideas. It’s all about imagination – subtle moods can be created simply with nuanced lighting, candles or sparklers.

3. Honeymoons That Won't Break the Bank

Have you compared the cost of a summer honeymoon with a winter honeymoon yet? You might be pleasantly surprised. Our winter months generally match the most desirable weather conditions in top exotic honeymoon destinations such as the Maldives, Mauritius, Thailand and the Caribbean.The deals and availability are greater (especially if booked in advance) and the weather is pretty much guaranteed. You’ll also avoid the mad summer rush of the school holidays we experience here in the UK and scary hike in holiday costs. If you’re looking closer to home, you can find some amazing honeymoon breaks for a fraction of the price, especially if you’re looking at shorter breaks and city breaks. If you’re still in a sun-seeking mindset, Cape Verde averages 28 degrees – and the sea is only a fraction cooler. And It’ll take you just 6 hours (ish) to fly there from the UK. 

4. Time to Dress Up 

There’s no better excuse to go all out on your wedding dress than a winter wedding. There’s a world of colours, materials and styles for you to fantasise over. And for those a little self-conscious it’s the perfect opportunity to cover up – with warm wedding garb. From gloves to capes, to incredible natural winter wedding bouquets a winter wedding is an open door of possibility. Not into floral and pastel shades? Go bold in the winter, with colourful bridesmaid dresses and bridal gowns. The colours look fabulous against a snowy backdrop and create very classy photographs. Check out Brides magazine’s October blog 50 Winter Wedding Dresses for the latest winter 2019 collection – the dresses are stunning (honestly). Metallics, especially gold, give a feeling of opulence and add a touch of glamour. On the other hand, you could go for a white winter themed wedding? Winter is the season for gents to don a black-tie and ladies to swish in gorgeous gowns. A black-tie wedding is a very glamorous affair and provides the perfect excuse to dress up, remember George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s wedding reception in Venice?

5. Embrace the Weather

Yes! Embrace the weather come rain or shine. Everyone will be resigned to the fact they’ll need to be prepped for all weathers. Relief – no pressure for it to be sunny.

There’s something romantic about ushers guiding guests with umbrellas and taking coats. You can make it part of the theme of your day- it’ll be a talking point.

Or you could plan an undercover wedding, literally – this is where venues with a civil ceremony licence, accommodation and multiple reception rooms come into their own.

We love the summer, but heat plays havoc with makeup, hair, flowers, temperaments…it also makes for a very uncomfortable day for gents wearing suits. The colder weather in winter allows for hearty banquets and lavish dining, warming punches, mulled wine and festive cocktails.

Take advantage of the seasonally darker days too, by creating a cosy, candlelit, magical atmosphere and don’t forget fireworks – you’ll not have to wait long for a dark sky.

Winter Weddings in South Wales

Dare to be different and smart with your budget by booking a winter wedding. Court Colman Manor is nestled amongst the romantic and gentle countryside of South Wales, not far from Bridgend. Under winter’s frosts and golden light, there’s few country house hotels so pretty and few landscapes so inspiring. Court Colman has civil ceremony licence, choice of reception suites for 20 to 180 guests, fine menu options and 30 ensuite rooms with a range of Wedding Packages and Menu Options. The hotel also has a Bridal Lodge – Ivy Cottage, located on the Court Colman Estate for exclusive use by the bridal party. More and more couples are discovering how romantic a winter wedding is. It’s the real white wedding. At Court Colman, we’d love to dress up warm and host your special day – Book My Winter Wedding at Court Colman