Planning A Christmas Wedding

It's safe to say that the whole RMW team are very excited about Christmas this year. Mariah has already been played, presents are being bought online as I type and I'm pretty sure that I can smell Baileys coming from the constant stream of hot chocolates that are being drunk... but it's ok it's Christmas! It's totally allowed. If you're getting married this season, then you've got DOUBLE the excitement so today on RMW we're bringing you a post all about the last minute things you need to consider if you're having a Winter Wedding. If you're getting married in the next few weeks or months - congratulations! It's a great time of year to tie the knot. Hopefully you've bagged a few out-of-season bargains and the soft winter light will be just dreamy in your photographs.

The Good Old Weather

Now is the time to go through you contingency plan, just in case the weather is bad. Torrential downpours, snow, high winds - anything is possible and could cause havoc with your setting up plans or even on the day. If your venue is potentially difficult to access - make sure that guests know an alternative route (delegate the actual communication of this to a Bridesmaid/Mum/Aunt who can ring round or email everyone).

But remember that even if the worst happens, things will be still be ok... Real Bride Sarah - 'We decided on tipis for the evening reception even though everyone said we were mad. It hadn’t snowed in Skipton in years so we planned around rain, hail and shine rather than snow. About a week prior to the wedding the weather forecast showed a snowflake – we couldn’t believe our eyes. We arrived at Eden after a long drive just as the snow started to fall. Chelsea, my bridesmaid who had travelled over from Australia had never seen snow before and the first step she put out of the door in excitement she slipped and landed flat on her back with snowflakes falling in her face...and so began the wedding week! The following day we woke up to a thick blanket of snow and we had calls from both Papakata and the toilet supplier to say that they were going to struggle to get to site to start set up due to blocked roads. We also had gale force winds to contend with which left Papakata and the caterers no choice but to batten down the hatches and delay the final set up to the day before the wedding. Those guys worked from 9am to 9pm for 2 days straight and we never doubted that they’d get it all done. Because of the rushing around we didn’t actually get to see the marquee in all its glory until we walked in on the night of the wedding – it was magical.'

Real Bride Katy - 'During the ceremony however the weather began to change – I could see VERY dark clouds rolling in and at one point even remember whispering to Richard ‘the rains coming’ and did it come! Our vows were accompanied by a cacophony of thunder rumbles and then the torrential rain began to pour. It was so loud on the glass roof of the conservatory that I do believe some people at the back are still unsure as to whether we are in fact married at all! Our plan was to exit the conservatory onto the patio for drinks outside the tipis but it soon became apparent that was not going to be possible (there was no way I was going to get my Suzanne Neville wet!) so we hastily made a quick change of plan and left the conservatory out into the adjoining visitors centre.

Moments after Richard and I had left the conservatory the roof began to leak considerably – right over the aisle that we had just walked down! Our guests had to hastily vacate their seats to avoid the several leaks which had sprung up around the conservatory. The next half an hour is something of a blur! Engineers were called and Wentworth staff went into full action mode – pretty soon the roof was fixed and the conservatory water tight again. “Never mind” I remember thinking – we can soon enter the tipi’s and continue the party in there! That was when my poor wedding planner Joy (what a day it was for her – testing her skills to the max! She was such a star!) and wedding co-ordinator at Wentworth – Henry (what a guy – amazing!) announced that the tipis were under 6 inches of water and completely unusable. This was the only time of the day when I felt my lip began to tremble but the anguish wasn’t for long as they informed me the entire wedding breakfast could be relocated into the conservatory, it was going to be a squeeze to seat over 100 people but they could do it! What a relief – our day was saved!'

Be Prepared To Compromise

If you've booked a florist, they will probably have warned you that your flower choices may be limited and that they can't guarantee exact blooms for your big day. Just go with it, trust their expertise and be prepared to received something beautiful. Same goes for food, although you will probably have made the final decisions a while ago, warm hearty food and drinks are always required at a Winter event - mulled wine, hot cider, a hot chocolate bar...just because it's 'warming' doesn't mean it has to be boring. (Hope you enjoyed the cringe rhyme).

Embrace The Season

Yes it might feel cliched when you're planning your wedding at the height of summer to have pine cones and lots of candles, but that's exactly what makes this time of year so special! Enjoy the festivities, make your event space feel cosy and inviting - there's a huge range of ways to style a Winter Wedding tastefully, with no tinsel or stuffed robins in sight.

Dress Accordingly

It will be cold. You'll need a jacket - it's an excuse to buy some fabulous faux fur or sequinned number as far as we're concerned! (Don't forget your Bridesmaids either). Shoe wise, have a super sexy pair obviously, but perhaps a sensible pair for walking around in, if needed. No one nails a ski boot quite like Real Bride Harriet.

Transportation

And lastly, if it's raining/snowing/drizzling remember that guests won't want to walk anywhere - consider methods of ferrying them from venue to venue if needs be. Yes, it's an additional expense, but they will thank you for it when their hair doesn't resemble a drowned rat. And to be honest, so will you! Is anyone getting married this winter? Do you have any tips other readers might find useful? We'd love to know!