Setting the trend with your winter wedding

Your wedding gown could be dressed up with a winter white furry coat

Winter and the Festive Season can be used an inspiration for a memorable wedding theme.

Take a theme

Consider a less-is-more approach to your colour palette — silver and white with crystal accents can add some serious glamour to your winter wedding.

Seasonal invitations could be white with silver snowflakes or a wedding invitation that has an embossed look of snow. The venue could be decorated with snowflakes and icicles, and mini wedding bells incorporated into your bridal bouquet.

The flower girl could throw a dusting of imitation snow on the ground and snow cones of confetti ‘snow’ handed to your guests. The bridesmaids would look beautiful in silver, champagne or ice blue with little touches of snowy looking white fur.

Your wedding gown could be dressed up with a winter white furry coat

Snowflake wedding accessories are a great winter wonderland touch for your reception, along with a snowflake winter wonderland wedding cake. It is even possible to hire a snow machine, ice rink and create a forest of trees if you really want to!

Black and white

The elegant black and white winter wedding is very classy and is a popular trend for 2009. Why not ask all of your guests to wear black and white while the bride stands out in a bold burgundy or sumptuous fabric. The theme could be continued by use of black and white photography, using projections of old cine film, or possibly a casino and black tie dress for all.

Calligraphy

Using stylised lettering or creating a monogram of your initials is a real growing trend.

The monogram, acting like a logo, is used to brand napkins, invitations, candles and tableware.

Using calligraphy on the wedding cake is becoming increasingly popular and a step away from the plain white icing, floral and chocolate indulgences.

Going vintage

This eco-friendly and vintage trend has seen us through 2009.

A vintage theme, or even just a couple of vintage touches is great for your budget but is also very hot for autumn/winter 2009.

Easy vintage winter wedding trends on a budget include borrowing family heirlooms, adapting previously worn family wedding dresses, vintage bridesmaid gowns and vintage glassware used as centrepieces on the tables at the reception, or vintage serving dishes.

The dress

Ballgowns and elbow-length gloves are back in style in 2009, and an autumn or winter wedding is the most appropriate time of the year to adopt this look.

The classic winter wedding ideas are usually focused around a winter wonderland theme, so a ballgown fits nicely into the opulence and glitter that is a winter wedding.

Beverage additions

A welcome additiion to autumn and winter bridal menus is the addition of hot chocolate with marshmallows, while winter Pimms, hot cider and other warm winter favourites are gaining in popularity.

You could serve up white hot chocolate in small espresso cups and eggnog in small punch glasses for your guests as they arrive.

Minimalist wedding cakes

Wedding cakes have gone through a series of trends in the last few years, in many cases being disassembled entirely.

The layered wedding cake is back and the current winter wedding trend is thankfully a little more budget-friendly.

Compact but ornate wedding cakes made up of just a couple tiers are one of the biggest trends right now, and are a great way to save money. These smaller cakes can be just as impressive and personal just like the cupcake trend, or the traditional larger cakes.

Play up the season with a white, vintage-style cake, dusted with edible silver powder. For accents, have your baker add a white sugar ribbon and crystal drops cascading down one side of the cake.

The flowers

Red roses, calla lilies, and amaryllis are decidedly winter wedding flowers, but if you step outside the box you will find a variety of options for winter blooms. Consider fuller flowers, such as white hydrangeas and soft ranunculus.

White boutonnieres can be handsome when they are accented with greenery, but they also look great with a simple white ribbon.

Add sparkle to your bouquet by wrapping the stems in ribbon embellished with crystals.

The decor

Go beyond glowing candles to add both warmth and romance to your reception venue.

If you want to heighten the drama, bring in the icy outdoors with ice-carved vases or decorations on your reception tables.

Have your florist fill the vases with tall winter-white branches and hanging crystals to reflect the light from the tables. Surround the centrepieces with votive candles, and top your tables with white table linens and frosted glass crockery.

The favours

Foodie wedding favours are always a hit, but if cookies or truffles seem passé, try new treat ideas to send your guests home satisfied.

Give out small packages of chocolate covered cranberries or roasted chestnuts.

Have your caterer set up a hot chocolate and marshmallow station or dispense lots of sweets.

The honeymoon

While many couples flee the cold weather for warmer and sandier honeymoon locations, a winter wedding can segue perfectly into a snowy escape.

Embrace the season and rent a cozy log cabin for a week in Lake Placid, or join the jet-setters at a luxurious hotel in Aspen for some serious skiing, wining, dining and snuggling.

Your own wedding website

On average 70 brides a day are signing up to Weddingpath.co.uk, which allows you to build your own free wedding website at the same time as giving you access to vast amounts of online information, including vendor’s lists and suppliers.

No invitation is complete without a web address these days!

You can use your website to give wedding guests maps, accommodation listings and transport — all with live links — as well as keeping a message board and a PhotoShare page where family and friends can add their pictures after the big day, giving the couple a unique keepsake album in addition to their professional wedding photography.

A black and white theme is on trend this autumn	Hot chocolate is a warming addition to any wedding in the cooler months

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