Planning a Winter Wedding | 10 Practical Tips

One of the things that I love about Colorado is that it’s beautiful year round, whether you’re searching for stunning yellow aspen leaves in the fall or sweeping mountain views in the summer. Deciding which season to choose can be the hardest part for some people, so I’d suggest checking out my post on choosing a season for your Colorado wedding to help you zero in on your preferences.

Getting married in the winter may not be the most obvious choice for everyone, but there are so many reasons to love it (think bluebird skies, fluffy white snow, snowcapped mountains, and cuddly fire places).

So if you’ve landed on winter for your wedding, here are 10 practical tips for making sure your winter wedding day is as magical and memorable as you want it to be.

Color adds fun

Whether you’re getting married in the mountains with lots of snow, or at lower elevations with dead grass and leafless trees, color can bring the joy and fun to a winter day. Against both of those backdrops, the right color will POP, which is always a welcome addition to photos.

Plus you can incorporate it everywhere. You can dress your wedding party in bright colors. You can dress yourself in bright colors. You can pull in bright and cheery flowers to your bouquet and reception decor.

However you decide to utilize color, don’t be afraid to go for it!

Layers matter (and can be hidden)

If you’re planning to spend some of your time outdoors during your winter wedding, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared with the right layers. Layers can either be carefully hidden, or they can be a part of your wedding look. Or you can utilize both to stay extra warm and cozy.

Luckily relatively thin athletic tights or pants can be worn under both pants and dresses, so it can be super easy to add a layer that no one will notice. Consider fleece lined leggings, thick socks in snow boots, and long sleeves.

You can also add layers on top, such as heavy (or stylish!) coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. I’ve even seen folks bring warm blankets to wrap around themselves between photos.

In super cold temps its important to prevent prolonged skin exposure, so be sure to bring the layers that will keep your hands, feet, neck, and shoulders protected.

Shoes aren’t just a fashion statement

In winter, shoes are your warmth, comfort, and safety so it’s important to treat them as such. If you’re getting married where there will be snow, I think snow boots are a must. If there is no snow, you can go for regular boots or closed toed shoes, but definitely skip the strappy heels unless you’ll be completely indoors. No one wants cold feet when you venture out for portraits!

In addition to boots in the snow, you might want to consider microspikes for walking around slippery surfaces. You’ll definitely want them if you’re planning to hike in the snow at all, but they can also be useful for trekking through the regular snow for photos.

Hand warmers can save your toes and fingers

I can’t say enough about hand warmers and recommend them to all my clients if we’re planning to shoot outdoors in the winter (for both engagement sessions and weddings!). They’re relatively inexpensive to buy by the box and can be tucked in bags to be used when needed.

If you know we’re headed out for photos, I would activate them about 10 minutes before we enter the cold. You can tuck them into your gloves, coat pockets, and the toes of your boots. Then be sure to stick your hands into your pockets and gloves frequently to quickly warm up the extremities that can go numb quickly.

Think about your guest experience

Getting married indoors in the winter is one thing, but if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony there are additional considerations to take for your guests.

For starters, it’s important to let them know what to expect as far as potential weather conditions, especially if they’re from out of state. I would send out a suggested dress code and reminder about your outdoor ceremony in your invites, as well as posting details on your wedding website. Recommend coats, hats, gloves, scarves, good shoes, and of course, hand warmers!

You should also consider a pre-ceremony holding area, where guests can gather indoors before the ceremony. You can include drinks and apps in this space, or just create a relaxing place where people can sit and mingle away from the elements. Then right before your ceremony you can invite everyone to sit, minimizing the amount of time that they are waiting outdoor.

Outdoor heaters can also be a good idea, especially if you’d like to allow your guests the option to gather outdoors during any part of the wedding day.

Carefully plan your timeline to take advantage of daylight…

Winter days are short. There is no getting around that. And that can make creating a timeline a little more tricky, especially when you’re trying to include a lot of photography before the sun sets, sometimes as early as 4:00pm.

From a photography perspective here are a few ways you can maximize our time for photos outdoors:

Plan for a first look, so you have time for couple’s photos outdoors before the ceremony.
Consider doing your family photos before the ceremony. This cuts out post-ceremony family photo time and can allow you to transition with your guests to cocktail hour quickly.
Take wedding party photos prior to the ceremony.
Plan your ceremony as late in the day as possible, but before the sun sets. That will allow you to take advantage of easier lighting conditions, whether you’re outdoors, or indoors with windows. Of course, if you do want to hold your ceremony after dark (or you don’t have an option because your venue doesn’t allow rentals during the day), I will bring along the lighting equipment needed to make sure your ceremony photos are still amazing.

…and build in enough time to take breaks to warm up

This tip applies mostly to pre-ceremony photos when you’ll be out in the elements as a couple, or with your friends and family.

If the temperatures are cold, it’s windy, or it’s not sunny (aka, no built in warmth), make sure you’re leaving your self extra time to stop and warm up. This might mean going inside for a bit before coming back out again. Or taking photos for 3-5 minutes, then slipping back in to coats and gloves for 3-5 mintues. All of that extra time can add up quickly, so make sure you pad your timeline to allow for that.

Remember, electronics die fast in the cold

If you’re relying on a phone set up to zoom your ceremony to your loved ones who can’t make it, remember you may need to bring extra chargers or charging blocks, as phone, camera, and other batteries die quickly in the cold. I’ve had my almost fully charged cell phone shut off completely in 5 degree weather during portraits. When it finally came back on 30 minutes later the battery life was about half gone and I had to find a charger later in the day.

*Don’t worry about my camera batteries though. In cold weather I keep immediate backup batteries close to my body to preserve warmth, plus bring extra chargers and plenty of back up batteries that I keep indoors with my gear bag.*

Think about your travel window

If you have out of town guests coming into Colorado during the winter, be aware that weather can be a big disruptor on airports and roads. I would suggest that your guests arrive at least 2 days before the wedding. That way, if their flight gets cancelled on the first day, they have at least one more day to try to make it to Colorado.

The same goes for traveling to the mountains up I-70. Storms can close the interstate without much warning, or they can make travel conditions extremely hazardous. It’s a good idea to travel in cars with 4-wheel drive, carry chains in your car, pack portable battery + jumper cables, and pack emergency supplies in case you get stuck on the highway for a long time. The National Weather Service has a great guide for the items you should keep in your car in the winter.

Plan fun winter activities

If you’re inviting your guests to come early to your wedding because of travel logistics, consider planning some group winter activities to do together.

Some ideas include the Ice Castles, sledding at the Colorado Adventure Park, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snomobile rides, or horse drawn sleigh rides. Plus you can always sit around cozy fires and soak in hot tubs or hot springs after a long day of fun activities.

So what do you think? Ready to plan a winter wedding?