for Your festive Ceremony
Festive Christmas Wedding Ideas & Tips
Dreaming of a white Christmas wedding?
We can’t say there’ll be snow, but we can promise exquisitely decorated Christmas wedding venues, dressed festively with trees, garlands and of course, plenty of mistletoe.
Country house wedding venues come alive with twinkling lights and roaring fires, while you and your guests enjoy hearty food and warming drinks among these most romantic of settings.
Make Christmas even more magical with a festive wedding.
Why Choose a Christmas Wedding?
Christmas is one of our favourite times of year to host a wedding, and it seems that many of our couples agree. Here’s why you should consider getting married at Christmas.
What Makes Christmas a Magical Time for Weddings?
The festive aesthetic, with all its candles, foliage and frosting, is naturally romantic. Christmas is also the season when people come together to share food, drink and celebrations – a wedding is a lovely way to make this family time even more special.
How Can the Christmas Spirit Enhance Your Wedding Celebration?
Decorating a country house for a winter wedding is pure pleasure. Whether you want a glittering winter wonderland or displays of traditional greenery, the finished effect is always breathtaking. Who knows – there might even be a sprinkling of real frost or snow in the grounds…
What Are the Benefits of a Winter Wedding?
There’s something particularly special about an English country house in the winter. Open fires and cosy lamps light up intimate rooms, while convivial company and fine food and drink warm the halls. With many weddings taking place during the spring and summer months, here’s your chance to do something a bit different with winter wedding ideas.
How to Plan Your Christmas Wedding?
Christmas is a busy time of year, so you’ll need to plan your festive wedding well in advance. Here are some tips from our wedding planning experts.
Venue and Décor
Choosing and booking the wedding venue should always be the first thing on your To Do list.
When you’re researching potential venues, find out about what décor is included, and whether the rooms will be dressed. For example, our country houses already have Christmas decorations (such as Christmas trees) in place.
Wedding Dress and Attire
The key to any winter dressing is layering, and the same principle works for wedding attire.
Add a shrug, cape or bolero jacket to your wedding dress for outdoor receptions and photography, which can easily be removed for indoor celebrations. For men, try a heavier-weight cotton or wool for your suit, or even go for fine cord or velvet.
Floral Arrangements
Festive weddings have a gorgeous floral aesthetic, from silver tabletop trees to traditional evergreen swags.
From frosted bouquets to sprigs to mistletoe garlands above the doors, you have a wonderful choice of seasonal floral arrangements at Christmas. Speak to the venue about what’s already in place.
Themes
The beauty of a festive wedding is that you can go as maximalist as you like with colours and décor!
Take inspiration from the venue, such as a winter wonderland theme in a wooded estate, or go for Victorian opulence if that suits the setting. Classic festive colour combinations (red and gold, green and gold, white and silver, cream and copper) will always work for a winter wedding.
Wedding Cake and Favours
A traditional wedding cake is very much like a classic Christmas cake, or you could swap it for something like a super-chocolatey Yule log.
Favours can range from pfeffernusse to homemade petit fours, or add some fun to the feast with Christmas crackers.
Music and Entertainment
Book your musicians and DJs well in advance as this is a busy time of year for them.
Decide how festive you want the repertoire or playlist to be. As a variation on the theme, research music that matches the period of your wedding venue, such as Tudor carols (and we do recommend those all-time Christmas classics to get your guests on the dancefloor…).
Photography
Again, photographers and videographers will need to be chosen and booked well ahead.
Take a look at their portfolios to see how they have shot winter weddings in the past.
Guest Comfort
How will you keep your guests comfortable in a cooler-weather wedding?
Thoughtful touches like hot drinks, undercover areas and plenty of heating are always welcome at a Christmas wedding. Think about the dress code before sending the formal invitations – will guests need coats or boots for any parts of the day?
What Are the Costs Associated with Luxury Wedding Venues?
Luxury does come with a price tag – but it is for a once-in-a-lifetime event…
What Factors Influence the Pricing of Luxury Wedding Venues?
- The location and setting of the venue
- Exclusivity of use, and how long for
- The number of guests
- The catering and hospitality
- Whether accommodation is needed
- Extras, venue styling & personalisation
Are There Additional Fees to Consider?
Speak to your wedding venue about what’s included in the price and what isn’t. For example, there will be extra fees for third parties such as the celebrants, photographers and entertainment. If you want to stay overnight (before or after the wedding, or both), there will be accommodation costs.
All-inclusive wedding packages will include food, some drinks and the costs of dressing the house. If you want to add unique touches or upgrade the catering and drinks offers, this will mean an extra cost. Sometimes, choosing the most expensive wedding package can cost less, as the luxurious elements are more likely to be included.
How Can You Budget for a Luxury Wedding Venue?
The key to planning a luxury wedding is to decide your priorities. An all-inclusive luxury wedding package should include everything you need for a showstopping wedding, but you can influence the cost by deciding what you want to add on top of that.
The venue cost makes up the largest proportion of your wedding budget; however, opting for an all-inclusive venue package is a good way to keep costs down, even at the most luxurious end of the scale.
How to Choose the Perfect Attire for a Christmas Wedding?
Think luxe and layers when it comes to festive wedding dressing.
What Should the Bride Wear for a Winter Wedding?
Stay snug while playing into that lovely winter aesthetic with faux fur and velvet touches. Detachable capes and Jane Austen-style bolero jackets are elegant ways to warm up a white dress while bringing extra colour and texture.
What Should the Groom Wear for a Winter Wedding?
For the groom, a denser wool or cotton suit will add a touch of breathable warmth, or again, embrace the festive feel of velvet or needlecord. Brocade waistcoats or richly coloured accessories will add an extra luxe detail.
How Can You Dress Your Wedding Party for the Festive Season?
Keep to the same principles for the wedding party’s outfits: warm, adaptable and embracing the winter aesthetic. You have a great opportunity to enhance the colour scheme of your wedding theme here.
What Accessories Are Best for a Christmas Wedding Look?
Think sparkles, metallics and luxurious fabrics like faux fur and velvet. If you prefer a more natural look, use evergreen foliage (ivy crowns can look fabulous)..
How to Create a Festive Menu for Your Christmas Wedding?
Embrace hearty winter food for a sumptuous festive feast.
What Seasonal Dishes Can You Include in Your Wedding Menu?
At Country House Wedding, our in-house Chefs create delectable seasonal menus, making the most of the rich local larders. For a wintry menu, stews, soups and home-baked pies are popular for the sit-down element of the reception, and you could even incorporate traditional Christmas dinner elements.
What Are Some Signature Christmas Drinks to Serve?
Mulled wine, spicy cocktails and luxury hot chocolate will keep your guests warmed up – and champagne is welcome at any time of year…
How Can You Incorporate Christmas Treats into Your Reception?
Trays of mini mince pies and petit fours or spiced biscuits like pfeffernusse or gingerbread, go down a treat at Christmas celebrations. Chocolates and candy canes at the place settings add extra little touches that enhance the festive feel.
Frequently
Asked Questions
If you’re thinking about having a Festive wedding,
here are a few things to consider.
What are the benefits of having a Christmas wedding?
Christmas is a naturally romantic time of year, perfect for a wedding ceremony with a sparkly aesthetic. It’s also more likely that your friends and family will be off work over the festive period.
How early should I start planning a Christmas wedding?
Well in advance – allow 18 months if you can. Venues, businesses and guests all get booked up quickly for Christmas.
What themes work best for a Christmas wedding?
Try a “Winter Wonderland” theme or a traditional Victorian Christmas. If you have a favourite novel or movie set at Christmas, incorporate elements of this into your design.
What are some essential elements to include in a Christmas wedding checklist?
An organised timeline is crucial, as are alternative wet weather plans. Book everything as far in advance as possible.
How can I make my Christmas wedding unique?
Every wedding is unique, but you can add personalised touches with your choices of music, theme, food and entertainment. Even details like wedding favours can be given a unique festive twist.
What colours are best to use for a Christmas wedding?
Try classic festive colours like red, gold and green, or go cooler with frosted neutrals. White and silver bring a winter wonderland feel, or warm up the metallics with rose and copper.
What should the bride and groom wear at a Christmas wedding?
Layers are important, so you can adapt for indoor and outdoor elements. Add winter details such as faux fur, velvet and rich colours.
What activities can I plan for guests at a Christmas wedding?
From traditional festive games to a disco, there are all manner of entertainment ideas for a Christmas wedding. Just always make sure there’s a backup plan for any outdoor activities.