Congratulations! It’s time to make some decisions in planning your wedding.
Have you ever considered the beauty of a whimsical wedding with a winter backdrop? Are you looking for wedding inspiration? Where to begin? Wedding planning should begin with the need to research for information to find wedding ideas and styles.
The journey can be both exciting and stressful. So many decisions to be made and possibilities to be considered. Often, the wedding budget will be the determining factor in most other decisions. Unless you are one of the fortunate few whose budget is whatever you want it to be. For the average bride, there will be a budget, and as the saying goes, you will want to get the most bang for your buck. Having a wedding in the off-season months may assist with working within a budget without sacrificing too many desired amenities. According to The Knot, the most popular wedding months are June, August, and October. The study also showed January, February, and March as the least popular months for weddings. December wasn’t too far behind in terms of wedding popularity. In the Great Smoky Mountains, October is the most desired month of the year to be married, with the end of the month having the highest demand. November still offers some fall color in the mountain area, and fall foliage is in higher elevations. 
Scheduling your wedding date for a winter month has several advantages, especially in December in East Tennessee. Some of those advantages of a winter wedding include;
- Less humidity. This is a considerable benefit of winter weddings. In the south, the heat and humidity of late spring and summer months take a toll on the bride, her attendants, and the guests attending. An indoor ceremony and reception site may not experience the direct results of temps in the high 90s, but there is still the issue of humidity. Outdoor weddings need to be more aware of the effects of hot weather. Consider the carefully coifed hairdo, sprayed tans and airbrushed makeup, sweat running down the back of dressy clothing, and a buttercream cake melting in the heat — to mention a few direct results of hot weather and high humidity.
- Typically, less expensive. In off-peak months, wedding vendors are looking to generate bookings and will probably offer reduced prices. They may be willing to provide additional hours or other bonuses for booking in December through early March. The word that vendors will provide will almost always be the same quality, but the prices are set to motivate potential clients. Some vendors are willing to customize a package during slower months and days of the week.
- Winter wedding decor. One doesn’t have to have a Christmas wedding to take the opportunity to use the available textures and options found in nature. Evergreen boughs and swags of green garland harvested from the woods and forest. Holly leaves, berries, winter grasses, fallen branches, and wooden twigs can provide or supplement the decor of choice for a winter theme. Twinkle lights and flickering candles (think safety first), lanterns, and suspended glassware. Christmas decor, which lends itself to a festive and cozy winter theme. Much of what might be needed can already be found in the tubs of decorations bought from previous holiday clearance sales. The same choices for wedding decor can easily be transitioned beautifully for the bridal bouquet and festive wedding arch.
- Unique wedding photo opportunities. Snow or no show. Consider how enchanting a simulated forest (or actual forest) would be with assorted twinkling lights and a dusting of snow (real or fake)—the bridal party with matching woolen shawls and plaid fabrics for the groomsmen with festive ties and socks. You, as the bride, with a white fur muff and matching hooded capelet. If using an outdoor wedding venue, think about the option of a horse-drawn carriage and suspended lanterns — or even a hay wagon with bales draped in plaid blankets. It creates an image of wonder and romance in the mind of this wedding planner.
- Give Plenty of Notice to Guests. Make them aware of the chosen location and advise selecting wedding dresses or clothing.
- Book Your Vendors early and ask for off-peak pricing.
- Pick a Winter-Ready Venue. Some venues offer both inside and outside ceremony locations. Make sure your venue of choice has a contingency plan for cooler weather — including a snow or ice plan.
- Keep Your Guests Comfortable. Once again, advise your guests and vendors about the possibility of cooler weather. Perhaps, provide woolen scarves or plaid blankets as a wedding favor or a precaution.
- Remember to Consider Lighting. A wedding coordinator or venue owner should be able to make recommendations based on the month the wedding will be held. The timing will be necessary if you consider twinkle lights, led lighting, candles, etc.
- Opt For a Seasonal Menu. Yay! Consider hot beverages with topping options, such as a hot chocolate bar or apple cider.
- Incorporate Seasonal Florals. Consider the different ideas and wedding themes when choosing seasonal flowers: colors, textures, availability, and wedding theme. Use evergreen, pinecones, pampas grasses, wooden twigs, assorted colors of berries, branches, macrame, plaids — what you dream of as your wedding style.
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
As with every decision in your wedding planning, it will depend on each bride and groom. In all fairness to the discussion, a winter wedding may provide travel complications or the inability to get the time needed from work or school. There are so many decisions to be made and issues to be pondered. Consider the pros and cons and what your wedding inspiration and wedding theme will be. Examine the wedding budget carefully and constantly prepare for bumps in the road. From this wedding venue in the Smoky Mountains, winter weddings are gorgeous. For more information and ideas about having a winter wedding, https://www.brides.com/story/advantages-to-having-winter-wedding
