The dos and don’ts of a winter wedding

While summer is traditionally wedding season, there’s something about a winter wedding that is enduringly romantic. From roaring log fires and decorated Christmas trees to frosty mornings and the possibility of snow, what’s not to love about holding your big day during the winter months? Prestwold Hall in Leicestershire is the most luxurious setting for a winter celebration. Our exclusive-use manor house provides a glamorous backdrop for your big day, with sumptuous antique interiors, plenty of real fires to cosy up in front of, grand architecture to bring the wow-factor and stunning grounds that look even more gorgeous with a crisp covering of ice. When it comes to planning your winter wedding, there are a few dos and don’ts worth considering to ensure your special day is memorable for all the right reasons.

DO…

Go for seasonal food and drink

Celebrate the season with a wedding menu filled with local produce and warming dishes. Winter weddings are an excellent opportunity to indulge in some festive fare, including cheese boards, mulled wine and rich, sticky toffee pudding. 

Think about the décor

A winter wedding gives you free rein to dress up your venue as much as you like. Twinkling lights, garlands, decorated trees and festive foliage are a chic way to add a seasonal vibe to your celebration, and the good news is at this time of year many wedding venues will have done the hard work for you. At Prestwold Hall you’ll be greeted with a luxe take on winter décor, with tastefully decorated trees, wreaths and lights creating a magical festive ambience.

Have fun with what you wear

Don’t let the dipping temperature stop you from having fun with your big day style. Feathered capes, faux fur coats and elegant long-sleeved gowns all look right at home in Prestwold Hall’s chic setting – as well as keeping you warm during those essential couple shots outside.

Consider the lighting

Whatever the weather outside, create a warm and cosy feel inside with plenty of soft lighting. Our grand chandeliers light up Prestwold Hall’s glamour dining room, while well-placed lamps bring a gentle glow to our beautiful stately home. 

Be flexible with your date

When planning a winter wedding, especially if you have your heart set on a December date, it helps to be a little flexible. Typically many weekends in the run up to Christmas and New Year get booked up early with other commitments, so if you want to make sure as many guests as possible are able to make your wedding, why not consider a mid-week or Thursday date instead?

Keep guests warm

The last thing you want is for your guests to make an early exit because they’re too cold to enjoy themselves. Prestwold Hall is grand, but it’s also incredibly warm and cosy, with roaring log fires and a welcoming bar guaranteed to make  guests feel right at home.

DON’T…

Make your guests move around too much

Whether it’s raining or just plain freezing outside, your guests will thank you if they don’t have to move from place to place for your winter wedding. Try and pick a venue that has everything you need in one place, like Prestwold Hall. Our Leicestershire venue has plenty of options for your civil ceremony, as well as church on site for religious services, and all the space you need for your wedding breakfast and evening reception. We’ve even got luxury rooms available to book the night of your wedding, so you can really make the most of your time with us.

Start the day too late

With the nights drawing in much earlier in winter, it’s a good idea to start your wedding day a little earlier than you might in summer. This gives you and your guests time to enjoy the grounds and plenty of opportunity for outdoor shots before the sun sets. 

Take too long on outdoor photos

While the winter light can create the most amazing backdrop in your wedding photos, you may want to pick a venue that has plenty of gorgeous indoor space for photos as well as beautiful grounds. Spending hours outside in the depths of winter probably isn’t quite how you imagine your perfect wedding to be, so talk to your photographer about how long you’re happy to be outside then head back into the warmth to finish off those couple shots.

Your winter wedding at Prestwold Hall

We love a winter wedding here at Prestwold Hall and offer the most luxurious of settings in Leicestershire for your big day. We’d love the opportunity to show you around our exclusive-use wedding venue, so you can really get a sense of how magical it is. If you’d like to book a viewing, or have any questions at all, just click here and we’ll get straight back to you.