Martha Stewart Weddings

Winter Wedding Ideas for a Cozy, Festive Fête

By Sarah Schreiber
Updated October 02, 2019
Credit: Maddy Christina

Upgrade your cold-weather celebration with one (or more!) of these seasonal ideas.

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Credit: Maddy Christina

Winter is arguably the most underrated season for weddings. Most couples choose to tie the knot during the times of the year with warmer temps, and they'll plan garden- or beach-inspired affairs. A smaller handful, however, know the true warmth of a cold-weather wedding. There's nothing quite like a snowy backdrop or the rich, gem-inspired colors so often associated with the season.

If you want to bring wintry touches into your own celebration, but aren't sure where to start, let the following real winter wedding ideas be your guide. With Christmas-tree studded lounges, plaid chair adornments, and snowy outdoor (yep!) reception setups, these winter-inspired fêtes took the best elements of the season and reinterpreted them into fresh, inspired décor. Want to hold your early-winter wedding outdoors but fear your guests will catch a chill? Set up a blanket station at the head of the aisle so guests can stay warm. Choosing a ceremony venue with a functioning fireplace, so you can exchange vows with crackling firewood in the background, is another way to up the cozy factor.

Of course, there are more ways to winterize your wedding than just through décor. On the food front, opt for the classics. One couple kept guests happy and warm with a hot cocoa station, complete with white and dark chocolate options, and a toppings bar. And when it comes to dessert, a macaron tower, drizzled with chocolate, is the way to go. Ready to see even more ideas that are perfect for a winter wedding? They just might inspire you to plan your nuptials during the last quarter of the year.

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Wintry Place Settings

Credit: Brumley & Wells

Here's proof that your big-day details don't have to scream Christmas in order to feel seasonal. Berry-centric centerpieces, cool gray linens, and gold-rimmed glassware brought subtle festive vibes to this The Wells Makery and Celeste Green tabletop—without a whisper of green or red.

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New Year's Eve Invites

Credit: Ledia Tashi

Planning a New Year's Eve wedding? Bookmark this luxe invitation suite, which foreshadowed an event planned by John Campbell Weddings. The rich black paper, paired with decadent gold calligraphy, plays right into the holiday's rich palette.

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Burgundy Cake Accents

Credit: Erika Brown Photography

There's a simple way to transform a classic white wedding cake into one suited for the season—simply adorn the confection with a few dark-hued blooms (Flowers by Kim added burgundy mums and wintry foliage to this Christine Rocha dessert).

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Branch Bouquet

Credit: Rebecca Yale Photography

A branch-centric bouquet, like this one by Wild Bloom Floral, is about as winter-appropriate as it gets. Make like this bride and stick with all-white blooms as a nod to the season's signature form of precipitation: snow.

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Red and White

Credit: Asher Gardner

If you're drawn to the season's classic colors, feel free to incorporate them into your big-day design—but we'd suggest interpreting them in unexpected ways. When placed onto an otherwise all-white tabletop, red feels more upbeat than it would if it were paired with green elements. Faye & Renee ideated these boxed centerpieces, while Simply Sunshine Events handled the rest of this tabelscape's design, which featured pretty rentals from The Tabletop Company.

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Emerald Suit

Credit: Clay Austin Photography

Does your groom want his look to nod to the season? Show him this gentleman's look—his emerald velvet tuxedo jacket was perfect for his February nuptials.

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Neutral Cake

Credit: Mallory Dawn

Switch up the classic winter white wedding cake by involving another seasonal neutral, such as gray, into the design. Peggy Liao Cake added an accent tier in the hue and finished off the dessert with soft sugar flowers. I Love You More Events styled the confection on a matching cake stand and soft silk runner.

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Frosty

Credit: Taralynn Lawton

If we had to choose one word to describe this Roxanne Bellamy tabletop, we'd go with frosty. From the Nuage Designs slate gray velvet linens to the marble dinnerware via The Coveted Co. and acrylic chairs from Bubble Miami, everything about the setup speaks to a frosty wintertime event. A textured floral arrangement by Simple Florals, complete with bright white anemones and golden foliage, was the ultimate finishing touch.

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Burgundy Bridesmaids

Credit: Anya Kernes

These bridesmaids looked lovely in their burgundy dresses (yours would, too, should you decide to dress your best friends in the seasonal shade). Their simple white bouquets, created by The White Rose, offered another wintry touch: short red ribbons, that reinforced their garments' color.

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Pretty Purple

Credit: Charla Storey

Who knew that purple could feel so right for your winter celebration? The trick to making this traditionally-spring shade work for your end-of-year party is to choose a darker iteration of the shade, like plum. This subtly ombré tablecloth is the perfect example—the stormier lower half felt perfectly seasonal, especially when topped with Wedfully Yours' dynamic light-meets-dark centerpieces. Chic & Pretty Events designed this unique, colorful display.

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Wintry Ceremony Arch

Credit: Mustard Seed Photography

You can't go wrong with a green-and-white ceremony arch, like this one by Jenna Lynn Events, for your cold-weather ceremony. The combination pays homage to two major winter motifs: snow and pine.

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Mantel Design

Credit: Rachel Red Photography

You can reinterpret this mantel display in two ways: Use it as ceremony backdrop inspiration (exchanging vows in front of a lit fireplace covered in florals, an ornate gold mirror, jet black candles, and accented with a furry ottoman is a cool, wintry way to update a built-in venue feature) or simply let it guide a pretty design moment that marks a spot for your guests to take photos.

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Gold as It Gets

Credit: Lucy Munoz Photography

Focus on the latter half of another popular winter wedding color palette, silver and gold, when designing your own tablescapes. Brass-studded plates, mustard linens, white-coated gold flatware, and coordinating centerpieces via Siren Floral Co. helped create this sparkling scene, which was executed by Amorology.

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Cozy Accessory

Credit: Barb Simkova/Tara McMullen Photo

Need a coat or jacket that will keep you warm as you transition from ceremony to reception, but doesn't interfere with your overall look? Take notes from this bride, who donned a short faux fur jacket (in winter and wedding white, of course!) between both events.

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Lacey Cake Table

Credit: Dana Cubbage

We love this cohesive white-and-gray dessert moment from Pure Luxe Bride, complete with a charcoal-lined lace tablecloth via Nuage Designs, greenery-covered cake by WildFlour Pastry, Flora Wedding + Events' lush white blooms, and a luxe gold mirror. The most obvious winter touch? The cake's placement, which was set right in front of a fireplace.

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Aqua and Gray

Credit: Ulviyya Mammadova

When you think of the color aquamarine, what season comes to mind? Summer, probably—and understandably so, considering you spend a fair amount of that season on the beach. But believe it or not, aqua can work at a winter fête. All you have to do is pair it with a moodier neutral to bring the hue into the season, as evidenced by this Studio Chavelli invitation set.

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Emerald Lounge

Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

This wedding's luxe lounge proved that winter green looks just as pretty without its red counterpart. With an onyx coffee table, faux-fur pillows, candle-studded garland and lit-up Christmas tree, this side room was ready for cocktail hour.

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Cloche Place-Setting

Credit: Lori Blythe Photography

A mini Christmas tree, protected by a calligraphed glass cloche, is the perfect way to mark the bride's spot at the head table.

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Egg Nog

Credit: Annamarie Akins Photography

Your end-of-year celebration calls for a toast with a frothy egg nog cocktail—a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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Marble Wedding Cake

Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

This couple opted for a three-tiered marbleized wedding cake, embellished with gold foil—the prettiest interpretation of winter's favorite silver-and-gold color combination.

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Snowy Mantel

Credit: Emily Delamater Photography

For a snowy outdoor ceremony, a mantel can easily serve as your altarpiece. This one was dressed up with a pretty spray of blooms and accented with pine. Vintage brass vessels, farm quilts, antique baskets, and taper candles completed the look.

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Hot Cocoa Cart

Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

In addition to providing two hot chocolate flavors (white and dark), this couple also stocked this cart with flavored syrups and lots and lots of toppings. Do the same at your wintry cocktail hour—and encourage your attendees to serve themselves.

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Cozy Reception Table

Credit: Amy Nicole Photography

A fireplace backdrop, candlelit tablescape, lantern accents, and jade-colored rug are a surefire recipe for a cozy-as-possible reception.

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Floral Invitations

Credit: Lauren Fair Photography

This couple's invites prove that, even in the dead of February, floral invitations can still feel appropriate—the muted black-and-white tones kept the lily designs from looking too springy.

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Inside Out

Credit: Jordan Weiland Photography

Bring pretty indoor elements, like an antique serving table and rose gold chandeliers, outside for your outdoor wedding ceremony. This space was designed by Alexan Events.

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Winter Mix Bouquet

Credit: Cassidy Carson Photography

Shades of red, green, and white—winter's signature color palette—are foolproof adds to your bridal bouquet.

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Two-Horse Open Sleigh

Credit: Rebecca Hollis Photography

Looking for the ultimate winter wedding exit? Make like this duo, who left their chilly ceremony in an open horse and carriage and went on a ride through the snow before the reception began.

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Tartan Napkins