With summer over and autumn well underway, it’s time to look at the upcoming winter season – and the stunning winter wedding themes, catering and styles to go with it. There are multiple benefits of tying the knot during winter: lower costs for venue and other services, having more dates available for your dream wedding destination venue, and not having to bear uncomfortably high temperatures. The latter is a big advantage for those who can’t stand the heat and allows you to organize a black tie event where everyone can feel comfortable.
Ultimately, a winter wedding gives you the opportunity to create an original event as winter weddings have an unrivalled beauty, especially in Australia. Let’s see what are the main things to keep in mind when organizing a winter wedding!
What Makes a Winter Wedding So Great?
Winter weddings are a great idea, especially in Australia, where this season is mild in many regions, especially Queensland and the Whitsundays. A winter wedding should not be seen as a compromise, as it comes with a range of significant advantages:
1. Lower chances of rain
In Australia it rains less during winter months, which means you will most likely enjoy a crisp blue sky on your wedding day. Having a rain-free wedding day is always a winner, saving you the hassle of relocated indoors or having to fix your hair and make-up during the day.
2. Make-up stays put
No melting foundation and no sweaty clothes if you get married in winter! Everyone at the event will be cool, calm, and relaxed. Wedding fatigue is also more common during summer, and you can avoid it by getting married in a cooler season.
3. You can plan your wedding faster
With more venues and service providers having increased availability during winter, you will be able to get married sooner. Spring and summer is peak wedding season and venues can book out even years in advance – particularly if you are looking at weekend dates.
4. Reducing wedding costs
Winter months offer the potential for discounts along with more flexibility. Many vendors offer off- season discounts, allowing you to save $$$ and spend the money on your honeymoon or save it for your future together.
5. Guests are more likely to come
Summer tends to get consumed by plans, such as vacations, barbeques, and other events. Travelling to all these events can be quite exhausting. But if you invite people to a winter wedding, they will be more likely to have the availability and desire to come. They will look at your celebration as a much- needed getaway during the winter – more of a treat than a chore.
How to Style a Winter Wedding
Your winter wedding style will depend on your own personal choice and the region where the wedding takes place. When we think winter wedding we mostly think about:
Deep floral tones
Choose stunning flowers with deep, rich colors that create a beautiful contrast to winter’s cool tones. Softer choices like pastel tones are also a good idea if you don’t like bold colours. Dried flowers are another popular winter wedding trend – providing a rustic charm.
Generous Range of Wedding Flower Choices
Typical winter wedding flowers and foliage include roses, snow drops, tulips, orchids, chrysanthemums, lavender, lilies, eucalypts, and evergreens. Bonus: flowers stay fresh for longer as they do not have to suffer the excessive summer temperatures.
Wedding Centerpieces
Centerpiece ideas for the winter wedding season can include: white flowers, tall candles, cool eucalyptus, tea lights on beds of pine needles, pines cones, and use of crystals or gems to create a ‘frosty’ look. You can also incorporate winter aromas with scented candles, flower choices and essential oils.
Wedding cuisine
Winter weddings offer the perfect opportunity to serve comfort food. Consider options such as crisp pork belly or lamb shank with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables. You can design a cocktail menu that fits with winter too – using cranberries, pomegranates and any other fresh winter fruits that you like.
Clever Hair and Make Up for Winter
Keeping your hair and make-up fresh and in-place in the hot season can be quite a challenge. Lower temperatures, on the other hand, make it easier to keep your look fresh and unaltered. Winter make-up ideas include natural make-up, classic make-up, dramatic make-up, Smokey eye, and bold lip styles.
Since winter is notorious for drying out your skin, make sure your skin is moisturized and prepped before applying make-up so the artist’s work blends in perfectly with your skin. As for your hair, winter allows you to go for style choices such as elaborate up-dos, chignons, glamorous Hollywood hair and ringlet curls, without worrying that moisture and heat will ruin your hair.
What to Wear
Don’t let the colder weather stop you from rocking a glamorous bridal look. In fact, there are so many wonderful winter gown options. Winter wedding dress styles include long sleeve fitted dresses, fabulous ball gowns, lace details and faux fur wraps to keep your shoulder shoulders covered and cozy. Winter bouquet options also tend to be bolder in color, creating a stark contrast to the snowy white gowns.
Photography Tips for Winter Weddings
Photography is another good reason to take advantage of the winter wedding season, as the natural light during winter is vastly different to summer light. The light is less intense because the sun is lower, the days are shorter, and we are further away from the sun.
Light is softer and more flattering compared to summer months, with shadows on your face less prominent. The earlier sunset also allows for beautiful photography –in the evening prior to the reception. Be sure to remember how quickly the light disappears in winter so make sure you get your photo shoot done and dusted before it gets dark.
Winter in Australia – What to Expect
Winters in Australia are mostly mild, but the large size of the country makes climates vary considerably. In Australia you can have anything from a mild tropical winter in the Whitsundays to a white winter in the Australian Alps. The Whitsundays offer the perfect destination wedding location for those who can’t cope with spring /summer temperatures. Venues such as Villa Botanica close for a few months to avoid the wet season (Jan – March) , giving their couples a better chance of a dry and sunny wedding day they won’t forget.
The Whitsunday region, where Villa Botanica is located, is one of the most popular destinations for winter weddings. Weather here is sub-tropical, which makes resorts in the Whitsunday the perfect choice for a winter wedding that is cool without being uncomfortable.
Maximum winter temperatures are an enjoyable 24-25 ºC and winter months record the lowest rainfall. A winter wedding in the Whitsundays means you will feel comfortable from beginning to end, your plans will not be spoiled by bad weather, and you may also be able to stick to a lower budget due to potential winter discounts. Prepare a beautiful light jacket or wrap for the evening if your wedding takes place during the cooler months and simply enjoy the best winter weather on the entire planet!
Dreaming of an exceptional winter wedding? Your dream will come true at Villa Botanica, the luxury wedding boutique in the Whitsundays. Here we craft more than one hundred unique weddings a year, including during the winter season. The entire Villa Botanica estate is exclusively yours to enjoy for the whole day. We provide a dedicated wedding planner who takes you step-by-step through what to expect and the whole planning process, making sure to create a stunning winter wedding style.