Winter weddings can be both beautiful and economical. The summer and fall are your more traditional wedding times. But if you are on a budget, a winter wedding can be just as elegant without breaking the bank.
Cost varies based on supply and demand. In the winter, supply is high and demand is low. This means lower prices and more options for the bride and groom. Here are 5 Tips on how to have the Winter Wedding Wonderland.
First, pick an off season venue. Popular venue choices are historic houses or botanical gardens. They are in high demand during the summer and fall months. Keep in mind, beauty is beauty. Fewer couples are looking to book weddings during the winter months, which can save you some money. Many of these venues will offer lower prices during the winter months because of the lack of business. On top of that, the waiting list is probably almost nonexistent.
Second, use seasonal greenery instead of flowers. Flowers can be quite expensive. But greenery isn’t. During the winter months, you will find greenery in all sorts of shades and shapes. You can also use the greenery combines with candles for centerpieces instead of the more expensive floral pieces. Pine swags and holly berries combined with bows can make a festive and inexpensive centerpiece.
Third, inside weddings are a good thing. A lot of couples choose a summer time wedding so they can have an outdoor wedding. When having an outdoor wedding, you will experience a lot more added costs. You will need to rent a tent, fans, extra tables, chairs, port potties, lighting and a dance floor. A winter wedding indoors, these items are usually included in your venue price. There is no need to rent a dance floor. It’s already there. Lighting, bathrooms, and climate control are all within the venue.
Fourth, save money on the honeymoon. If you plan to travel via airplane to your honeymoon, buying your tickets in the fall can save you some money. Fall is considered an off-peak season for airlines and travel industry as a whole. More specifically, October is a great month to buy. It falls between summer and right before the holidays.
Lastly, you have more room to negotiate. Vendors who rely on weddings as their prime source of income such as; limousine drivers, photographers and videographers have so much less demand in the winter months, they are more open to negotiate. Remember, lower the demand…higher the supply.
Winter weddings may be a non-traditional choice, but it might be the perfect way to have a beautiful celebration on a smaller budget.
If a winter wedding is something you would like to consider, we here at Cole Drake are ready and willing to help. Cole Drake’s philosophy is more is just more…it’s NOT better. Over doing anything from food to event design is just overwhelming. Keeping things authentic to who you are as a couple is key. If you are already over the top…well, more is better for you and we probably are not the best option for your ostentatious, contrived overly priced day.
We are a dynamic team of planners in Wine Country with a combined experience of more than 20 years of wedding & event design/production, restaurant and hotel management. We are professed foodies with a penchant for using sarcasm and humor to navigate the planning process. Surrounded by the most inspiring vistas (in our humble opinion), the best cuisine (well-known fact) and the most creative people (they are nutty artisans who have more fun than should be legal) we deliver exquisite events and experiences that are keenly focused on alluring your five senses.
