Winter weddings can be utterly magical and romantic, but there are a few inevitable issues that go hand in hand with weddings held during the darker months. If you’re having a winter wedding, don’t panic; all these problems are really small and totally avoidable with some preparations beforehand. Today we’ve gathered 20 simple tips and tricks to ensure your winter wedding goes off without a hitch. Pens and paper at the ready…

1. Invest in Winter Accessories

It will be cold so accessories will be important to keep warm. A faux fur stole, a veil, a cape or a chic cardie are all good options. Alternatively opt for a long sleeve wedding dress.

2. Velvet Chic for the Guys

For grooms and groomsmen a velvet blazer is ideal. It’s a nice thick fabric which will keep the guys warm, plus is perfectly on-trend.

3. Don’t Forget Beauty Prep.

Chapped lips and dry skin are inevitable come winter. Keep your lips moisturised in the run up to the wedding (I highly recommend Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream) use a good face moisturiser and have a chapstick in your clutch on the day.

4. Under Your Dress

If it’s very cold you can always wear thick tights under your wedding dress (as long as it’s long) – nobody will know! This goes for your bridesmaids too.

5. Consider Stylish Winter Footwear

Boots can be a stylish (and practical) bridal shoe option for winter weddings, especially if it rains.

6. Indulge in Some Glitter

You can’t get more festive than bridesmaids in glitter. Sequin or glitter dresses are always easy to find come winter, plus they look wonderful in photos.

7. Keep Your Bridesmaids Warm

Don’t forget your bridesmaids will be cold too! Make sure to have bridesmaid cover ups ready on the day.

Winter Wedding Venue Tips

8. Extra Travel Time

Bad weather means bad traffic, so give extra time for travel to your ceremony – no matter how near or far you are going.

9. Have Just One Venue

If possible have your ceremony & reception in the one venue, or venues very near to each other. This will make transport easier in case of bad weather.

10. Add Romance With Candles

It will be dark quite early. Embrace it with lots of romantic candle light in both your ceremony and reception space.

11. Winter Wedding Colours

Decorate in rich, warm tones of berry red, burgundy, black and gold. Add extra wintry romance with lots of natural greenery, or even a hint of tartan.

12. Coat Check

Make sure someone is in charge of taking coats at your reception and making sure they’re kept safe.

13. Keep Guests Warm

Consider making an effort to ensure your guests are kept warm and cheery once they arrive. A hot drink on arrival is a nice and simple idea.

14. Wintry Wedding Favours

Choose winter wedding favours. Blankets or pashminas, sparklers, cookies, mulled wine spices, candy canes or little bottles of Baileys are all cute and doable winter wedding favour options.

15. Winter Cake Toppers

For a subtle winter wedding touch get yourself a cute winter cake topper.

16. Venue Décor Check

Check if your venue has Christmas decorations in the room where your wedding will be. Do they have photographs of them from last year? Is it ok for them to take them down if they’re not to your taste?

Winter Wedding Photography Tips

17. All About the Timing

It gets dark much earlier in the winter so adjust your photo schedule for more light. Taking portraits before your ceremony is often a good idea. If you’re not sure how to go about this, just chat to your photographer. They should have a good idea of what will work.

18. Brollies for Rain

Have nice umbrellas on stand by for outdoor wedding photographs. These don’t have to be fancy – simple and clear can often do the job.

19. Don’t Ruin Your Heels

If you’re wearing heels, have another shoe option for your outdoor pics. You don’t want to be sinking into mud or snow in your Jimmy Choos or Valentinos!

20. Keep Hands Toasty

Ice cold blue hands are not a good look in winter wedding pictures, this is where hand warmers come in. Tiger, Urban Outfitters and Avoca usually have pretty options throughout winter. Alternatively get crafty with some DIY hand warmers.