Deborah Chan
December is a magical time to tie the knot, with its winter wonderland aesthetic and beautifully decorated venues. While it's considered the off-season for weddings, there are still some important things to consider when planning your special day. One of the most important factors is lighting, which can make or break your wedding photos. Natural light is often sought-after for wedding portraits, so it's crucial to plan your timeline around the sunset time. If you're having an outdoor ceremony, ensure you have a backup plan in case of bad weather. Embrace the season with your decor, opting for warm candlelight and fairy lights to create a cosy and festive atmosphere. With some careful planning and a touch of winter magic, your December wedding is sure to be enchanting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lighting and timing | Daylight, sunset, and natural light are important factors to consider when planning a December wedding. |
| Venue | Choose a venue that accommodates the ceremony and reception in one location, preferably with evergreen trees and winter decor for beautiful portraits. |
| Theme | "Winter wonderland" with cool white and blue shades or a Christmas theme with red and green shades and lighted trees. |
| Decorations | Fairy lights, candles, and light-up trees create a festive and atmospheric vibe. |
| Guest count | Opt for a smaller guest count to boost flexibility and streamline logistics, especially if there is a need to shift an outdoor ceremony indoors due to weather. |
| Timing | Avoid major holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Consider the sunset time and work backward when planning the ceremony and photo timeline. |
| Food and drinks | Serve hot food and drinks such as mulled wine or spiced apple cider to create a cozy atmosphere. |
| Contingency | Prepare for unpredictable winter weather and have a backup plan in case of last-minute changes due to inclement weather. |
What You'll Learn
Choose a venue with good natural light and wintery decor
When choosing a venue for your December wedding, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you have the best natural light and a wintry aesthetic. Firstly, consider the location and how it will be decorated for the season. December weddings are often held in venues that are already decorated for the holidays, so you may want to choose a place that aligns with your colour palette and theme. If you're going for a "'winter wonderland' theme, look for venues adorned with evergreens, holiday wreaths, and garlands. If you're opting for a Christmas-themed wedding, red and green shades with lighted trees and wreaths will create a festive and romantic atmosphere.
It's also important to consider the natural light at your chosen venue. To capture the best winter natural lighting in your wedding photos, look for venues with large windows that let in an abundance of daylight. This is especially important if you're planning an early afternoon ceremony, as the sun sets earlier in December. Working backwards from the sunset time, you can plan your ceremony to take advantage of the most flattering light. For example, if the sun sets at 7:15 pm, you might schedule your ceremony for 6 pm, ensuring beautiful lighting whether you're indoors or outside.
Additionally, consider venues that can accommodate both your ceremony and reception, reducing travel time for you and your guests in potentially cold or inclement weather. If you're set on an outdoor ceremony, ensure your venue has a backup plan in case of unexpected winter weather, such as a tent or an indoor space.
To enhance the wintry decor, you can add fairy lights, light-up baubles, and candles with wintery scents like cinnamon, mulled wine, or pine. These elements will create a cosy and romantic atmosphere for your December wedding while also providing ample lighting for stunning wedding photos.
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Plan the day's schedule around the sunset time
Planning a wedding in December? Congratulations! December is a magical time for a wedding, with a winter wonderland theme built-in. It's also considered the "off-season", so you're more likely to reserve your dream venue and date. Plus, you can expect lower costs and beautifully decorated venues.
Now, let's talk about lighting and sunset times, a crucial aspect of your December wedding day. Here are some tips to plan your day's schedule around the sunset:
Know the Sunset Time
First, find out the sunset time on your wedding day. This is a crucial piece of information that will guide the timing of your day's events. For example, if the sun sets around 7:15 PM, you may want to start your ceremony at 6 PM. That way, you'll have soft natural light during the ceremony, whether it's held outdoors or indoors with window light.
Plan Backwards
Once you have the sunset time, work backward to create your timeline. For example, if your ceremony ends at 6:30 PM, you can finish most of your photos before the light fades. You can then invite extended families and grandparents for a quick group photo while everyone else heads to the cocktail hour. These larger group photos can take 10-15 minutes.
Capture Sunset Portraits
After the ceremony, you can take a few sunset portraits around 7:10 PM, just before the sun dips below the horizon. These portraits will have a magical, golden-hour glow that will make your photos stand out. Then, after mingling at the cocktail hour for 30 minutes, step outside again for a few more portraits as the light changes.
Consider a First Look
Discuss with your photographer the possibility of a "first look" before the ceremony. This early reveal between the couple can make photo-taking easier and less stressful, ensuring you don't run out of daylight for photos. It's a great option, especially if you want natural light candids and portraits.
Embrace the Season
December weddings offer unique lighting opportunities. Embrace the season by incorporating ample candlelight, fairy lights, and even twinkling light-up trees and wreaths. Warm tones, white accents, and rich colours like rust-orange create a cosy, elegant atmosphere.
By planning your December wedding day around sunset time, you'll capture stunning portraits and create a memorable, well-lit celebration.
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Use candles, fairy lights, and mood lighting
December is a magical time to tie the knot and embrace the winter wonderland wedding theme. To create a cosy and romantic atmosphere, consider using candles, fairy lights, and mood lighting.
Candles are a great way to give your wedding an instant wintery feel. Opt for scented candles with wintery fragrances like cinnamon, mulled wine, or pine to create the ultimate winter wedding atmosphere. Wedding planner Ella Hartig recommends pairing tall candelabras with smaller tea lights to fill the room with romantic, flickering lights.
Fairy lights can also add a festive and atmospheric vibe to your December wedding. They can transform any venue into a winter wonderland setting and will look amazing in your wedding photos. Consider hanging fairy light backdrops or unique light installations above the aisle or altar for a stunning visual impact.
Additionally, embrace mood lighting to enhance the overall ambiance. Avoid colourful lights that may distract from the happy couple and instead, opt for white accents against rich, warm tones to create a cosy and elegant atmosphere.
By incorporating candles, fairy lights, and thoughtful mood lighting, you can create a romantic and enchanting atmosphere for your December wedding, making it a truly magical celebration.
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Prepare for unpredictable winter weather
Planning a wedding in December means accepting that some things will be unpredictable, especially the weather. Here are some tips to prepare for unpredictable winter weather:
- Choose a venue that can accommodate both your ceremony and reception, so that your guests don't have to travel to multiple locations in potentially cold or bad weather.
- Ensure the venue has a backup plan in case of inclement weather. For example, if you plan to have an outdoor ceremony, confirm that there is a suitable indoor space available if needed.
- Be mindful of the sunset time on your wedding day and plan your schedule accordingly. For a winter wedding, it is recommended to have a "first look" around 1 pm to ensure you have enough daylight for your wedding portraits.
- Add some winter weather emergency contacts to your phone, such as the closest snow plow service and how to de-ice guest paths.
- Consider the impact of weather on travel for your out-of-town guests. Keep them informed about any changes and provide them with updates on the local weather conditions.
- Embrace the season and create a cosy atmosphere with ample candlelight, fairy lights, and warm tones.
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Embrace the season with a winter wonderland theme
December is a magical time to tie the knot. If you're planning a winter wonderland-themed wedding, here are some ideas to embrace the season and create a beautiful and festive celebration.
First, consider the lighting and sunset time on your wedding day. Natural light will be important for your wedding portraits, so plan accordingly. A first look before the ceremony is recommended for winter weddings to ensure you have enough daylight for photos. Fairy lights and candles can also create a romantic and atmospheric vibe for your winter wonderland wedding. Use candles with wintry scents like cinnamon, mulled wine, and pine to enhance the winter wedding feel.
Choose a venue that accommodates both your ceremony and reception to make it easier for you and your guests, especially if there's cold or bad weather. Opt for a venue with lots of evergreens, so you have plenty of greenery in your portraits. If you're set on a Christmas-themed wedding, light-up trees, wreaths, and garlands will add a festive and cozy touch.
For your colour palette, cool whites and blues can mimic the snow outside and create a magical indoor celebration. Consider adding sweet bows to the back of your chairs, wrapping them like presents under the tree. A warm colour like rust-orange will help create a cosy ambiance.
Hot food and drinks will be perfect for your winter wedding. Serve decadent dishes like prime rib or herb-roasted chicken, and offer mulled wine or spiced apple cider to your guests to warm them up.
Finally, don't forget to send your save-the-dates and invitations well in advance if your wedding date is around a major holiday. Embrace the magic of the season, and enjoy planning your winter wonderland wedding!
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Frequently asked questions
December is considered the "off-season" for weddings, so you're more likely to reserve your desired date and venue. However, it's important to avoid major holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, so there’s no conflict for your guests. If you're set on a date surrounding a major holiday, send out your save-the-dates well in advance.
Opt for a venue that will accommodate both your ceremony and reception, preferably with ample evergreens on the grounds for beautiful portraits. If you're planning to get ready at the venue, too, this will make things easier for you and your guests, so you don't have to travel to various locations in potentially cold or bad weather.
A winter wonderland theme with cool white and blue shades or a Christmas-themed wedding with red and green shades are popular choices. Fairy lights, candles, and light-up trees can create a festive and atmospheric vibe. Hot drinks like mulled wine or spiced apple cider can also bring a touch of warmth and coziness to your celebration.
Look up the sunset time on your wedding day and work backward from there. For example, if the sunset time is 7:15 PM, you could set your ceremony for 6 PM, ensuring pretty lighting whether it's outdoors or indoors. Immediately following the ceremony, you can take larger group photos before the light fades. After mingling at the cocktail hour, step outside for sunset portraits, as the lighting is often magical at this time of day.
