With so many couples setting their hearts on a summer wedding, it can make finding the ideal reception halls that Toronto can offer, not to mention caterers, photographers, and entertainment, difficult. However, with four seasons in Ontario each offering its own charm and beauty, it makes sense to look at your options.
Winter weddings can be very romantic, with the white of snow, the elegance of unexpected fashion accessories, and the glamour of a wedding that no one will soon forget. As well, you have your pick of all the best vendors you need and, often, at a better price. In this article, we offer 15 tips for planning a winter wedding.
1. Create your ideal wedding venue
The ideal reception halls that Toronto can offer for winter weddings have cozy, romantic settings with roaring fires to welcome guests. Elegance and a hint of glamour can be combined with little rustic touches that set the stage for a memorable occasion. You can build on the winter theme, adding unexpected details such as a forest of wintery bare birch branches with white lights, or pretty evergreen trees in elegant urns. A staircase covered in fresh pine or cedar boughs and eucalyptus leaves is another feature that helps set the stage for your winter wedding.
2. Consider monochrome themes
Nothing is more elegant than all white themed tables, with white candles, white floral arrangements, white birch branches, and white linens. The white of winter inspires ethereal themes reminiscent of angel wings, snow, and the warmth of candle light.
3. Tie the wedding to a holiday
Consider booking your wedding close to the holidays. This brings deep meaning to your day, and includes honoured traditions of your families that can be incorporated into the event. Regardless of what you celebrate during the holiday season, you can use your cultural influences to create a truly memorable wedding.
4. Consider Valentine’s Day
Another winter holiday, nothing could be more romantic than a Valentine’s Day themed winter wedding. The charm of Cupid’s cherubs, lovely pink or red linens, floral arrangements, and the innocence of sweethearts and first loves all come to life with a Valentine’s theme.
5. Use lights
Winter is filled with sparkling lights, from wintry starry skies to shimmering fairy lights in the snow, and from flickering candelabras to elegant tea candles. You can really create a magical setting working with lights lining the aisle for your ceremony, over arches, at your tables, on the dance floor, or on the steps at your venue.
6. Add warmth
Consider the comfort of your guests and think of ways to keep them toasty warm. From an unexpected bonfire at the wedding venue to cozy blankets handed out at the ceremony, and from fun faux furs for photo ops to toques or mitts as a token shared at the dinner, little details that build on the cold winter night create a sense of love that envelopes your guests.
7. Incorporate ice
A winter wedding wouldn’t be complete without ice. Some wonderful decorative ideas include having your caterer create ice rings with cranberries or rosemary sprigs to serve things such as fruit or shrimp during the cocktail hour. You can also include an ice sculpture at the dessert table, or have frosted berries in your floral arrangements. To make things more fun, consider providing an ice luge for vodka, or using ice glasses for vodka shots to welcome winter-weary guests as they arrive.
Buckets made of ice can also be used for champagne or wine holders. Jack Frost is another inspiration. Consider using special fluted champagne glasses with a frosted effect, or frosted vases for floral arrangements on dining tables.
8. Use fruit
Fruit available in the winter months, such as pomegranates and blood oranges, are elegant and represent plentifulness. Including them in centerpieces or on your buffet displays in hand with lovely fragranced sprigs of rosemary and woody cinnamon sticks is slightly rustic, yet also quite elegant.
9. Embrace winter foliage
Nature offers stunning displays in the winter months with bright red or white berries on bare branched trees and bushes, pine cones, fragrant evergreen boughs, and shiny leaves of mistletoe. Although these might seem too “Christmassy” when combined with flowers, or including dried flowers, you can create stunning displays in massive urns or elegant vases for centerpieces.
10. Consider trendy dry flowers
Dry flowers are all the rage right now. Consider using dry flowers in your bridal bouquet, as boutonnieres, or for your brides’ maids. You can also mix dry flowers with fresh ones for a truly unique look. The toned-down colours of dry flowers are very elegant for a distinct look that is quite stylish.
11. Include unexpected accessories
Summer brides are limited in their accessories due to the heat. However, winter brides and grooms have limitless choices for exciting, very fashionable accessories. From white cashmere shrugs to faux fur stoles and fun white earmuffs to knee-high white leather boots, the sky’s the limit for the types of unexpected accessories you can use to glam up the wedding party.
12. Use texture
Winter provides the perfect opportunity to use texture to create stunning displays and décor. From faux fur throws tossed casually over the backs of chairs to fleecy plaid blankets folded near the fire, and from furry table runners to elegant velvet curtains hung in the venue to create private places for quiet conversation, you can really create interesting, comfortable, and elegant décor features that are unique and speak to you as a couple.
13. Get sporty
Active couples can have fun incorporating wedding activities such as renting a rink for a skating party between the ceremony and the reception. You can also simply use wintry sports items like antique skis, toboggans, pretty white skates, or snow shoes as little décor details to build on the winter theme.
14. Winter wonderland
Transform your venue into a winter wonderland with lovely trees covered in fairy lights, snowy details such as faux white fur blankets, ice sculptures, candlelight, and other lovely features from nature. Use plenty of green foliage incorporating pine and cedar boughs, eucalyptus leaves, and sprigs of fragrant rosemary.
15. Serve a hot beverage
Greet guests with warm mugs of hot cocoa from a station piled high with a selection of toppings or even a splash of liqueur. Marshmallows, chocolate flakes, whipped cream, and more can all be available for guests to stir up their own warm concoction when they come in from the cold. Mulled wine or cider can also be offered to help warm people’s hearts before the festivities begin.
Winter weddings are becoming more popular for couples looking to create a one-of-a-kind celebration that is truly memorable.
For more information about the reception halls that Toronto can offer for winter weddings, speak to our team at Château Le Jardin Event Venue today. Call us toll free at 1-888-517-0682 or contact us here.
