Tips to planning an Autumn and Winter wedding

Fritha looked stunning on her big day

A few weekends ago I attended what was one of the most heartfelt, beautiful and relaxed weddings I have been lucky enough to attend. I was kindly asked by the bride, Fritha (you may know her from her wonderful blog TigerLilly Quinn) to photograph her day and it was a real privilege to be apart of something so lovely. With so many homemade touches, getting all her creative friends to make things and a wonderful and mild autumn day you couldn't of asked for anything better. I am also going to be attending another wedding next month and it's made me think about what it takes when planning a wedding in the colder months, in fact the first wedding I ever shot was on a very crisp morning in January a few years back.

I have found lately that when you reach a certain age, weddings start to crop up left, right and centre, not to mention baby showers and christenings. Sometimes certain weddings can all look the same, the term ‘cookie cutter’ comes to mind, but there are so many options out there to make your day truly yours.

I loved the relaxed atmosphere filled with laughter

Just think of your wedding day as one big party full of food, laughter and love; the sort of event you can easily host on your weekends, just maybe on a slightly larger scale, and with the all-important declaration of love too. I always find the more intimate and simple gatherings the most enjoyable and less pressure for everyone. This not only makes the whole scary world of planning a wedding easier to cope with by simplifying it to the basic facts, but means you end up investing in items you can use again as well as keeping your budget at a more realistic amount (I'm personally not a fan of the over the top, "look how much we spent" type of weddings)

Planning your wedding is simple, and all the tools are right there at your disposal. Pinterest is a hub of visual wedding inspiration whilst online planners like weddingsite.co.uk allow your super organisational skills to shine. If that wasn’t enough, here is a step-by-step guide on planning the big day in the easiest way possible…

Be Prepared 

Every bride and her guests need to be prepared any time of the year, but this is even more paramount when it comes to a winter wedding. Why? The unpredictable British weather of course!

Whether it is snow and blizzards or rain and wind, the winter months hardly have the best weather especially when it comes to planning something as important as your wedding day. You can already look up the weather for the year online and this will give you a rough guess on what to expect, however, you won’t get anything in-depth until too late. The easiest way to combat the fluctuating forecast is always having a Plan B! Do the “what if” game with your other half to establish how you would deal with certain situation if they were to arise. Make sure you can get to your venue in any weather, including snow, and if you are hosting drinks before or afterwards at your home make sure you have a full yellow grit bin in case you need to grit your driveway, walkway, and parking.

The lovely Lori handing out some delicious Portuguese tarts 

Dealing with the festivities

The weather, and the general festivities of this time of year, may also mean you get a few more “no’s” than what you were expecting. The easiest way to get those friends and family out into the cold and celebrating alongside you is to make your wedding as accessible as possible.

Keeping the location fairly local and easily accessible by many forms of transport will go a long way. Although remember, this is YOUR wedding. You shouldn’t need to totally change your ideas to cut off five minutes of a journey.

Another option is to head abroad. It isn’t as difficult as you think with more Brits than ever opting for winter sun. Many European destinations are pleasant this time of year going into winter with cheap and frequent flights and accommodation. Or why not considering further afield such as Asia, America and South America, with only your closest family and friends, this is also an easy way to combine your wedding and your honeymoon together, making it a viable and exotic option for some

I loved these flower centrepieces made by Jess from Along came Cherry 

The little extras

Autumn and winter is a fantastic time of year in the UK. Yes, the weather might not be perfect but there is so much to look forward to. Embrace the festivities with warm seasonal drinks such as eggnog and mulled wine, hearty roast dinners reminiscent of Christmas Day lunch and music to delight even the grumpiest of uncle’s.

This is especially true for the decoration. Whether you decide to opt for a warm colour palette of reds and oranges, bringing nature in with some holly table decorations or a winter wonderland of blues and icicles, this can really make your big day extra special.

These three steps are a great starting point but above all, a winter wedding can simply be the most romantic out of the entire year. The festivities of Christmas and the celebration of

This post contains an approved link but thoughts are 100% our own and all photos taken by me (Laura)