Wedding planning Katrina Otter shares her top tips for choosing a winter wedding venues
With the shops now stocking mince pies, fewer daylight hours and temperatures dropping at an alarming rate it’s time to draw our attention away from summer weddings and focus on the winter season ahead.
Personally, winter weddings can be magical and utterly romantic – think warm cosy fires wrapped in toasty blankets, crisp blue skies, mulled wine, rich and warm berry tones with plenty of foliage and an abundance of candlelight.
There are of course some inevitable issues and factors that need to be considered when planning a wedding during the darker and colder months, especially when it comes to choosing the perfect winter wedding venue.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to share some tips and advice on what makes a good winter wedding venue, including some of my personal favourites in East Anglia.
What makes a good winter wedding venue
- A venue that is weather proof and warm (even having the option to bring in additional heaters) so that you and your guests will remain cosy and comfortable throughout the day
- A venue where the inside is just as spectacular and intriguing as the grounds and garden, especially as guests will be spending their time wrapped up indoors
- A venue that has plenty of indoor space and ideally a number of different rooms that are able to accommodate the various elements of the day i.e. separate rooms for a ceremony and reception
- A venue that offers plenty of onsite or nearby accommodation as guests are less likely to want to travel at the end of the evening
- A venue that will work with and compliment a winter wedding colour palette and can also accommodate candlelight and / or additional lighting
- A venue that isn’t too far from suitable transport and road links
Things to consider when choosing and booking a winter wedding venue
- Try to schedule venue visits and recces at a similar time of year to your wedding so that you’ll know what to expect on the day. There’s also less risk then of you falling in love with an element of your venue that might not necessarily be there during the winter months i.e. a rose garden
- Don’t be afraid to ask a potential venue about logistical issues and weather contingency plans
- Check out transport links to your venue and have a plan in place as a just-in-case
- Be sure to ask any potential venues about rules and regulations i.e. candlelight, especially if these are an essential element of your overall styling and design
- If possible, try to have your ceremony and reception in the one venue, or venues as close to each other as possible as this will make transport easier in case of bad weather
- Guest comfort and experience are key to a successful and memorable winter wedding so always bear these in mind when looking at potential venues and narrowing down suitability
- Have your wedding photographs in mind and think about suitability of backdrops for indoor couple and group photos
When it comes to finding the perfect winter wedding venue the great news is that there are plenty of gorgeous styles of venues in East Anglia that lend themselves beautifully to this season. From barns to country manors, tipis (yes tipis!) to city chic hotels, all of which form the perfect setting for a warm, welcoming and comfortable wedding.
Winter wedding venues in East Anglia
And finally, Some of my personal favourite…
- Hengrave Hall, Suffolk – Elegant, enchanting, exclusive with plenty of indoor space and sumptuous onsite accommodation
- The Granary Barns, Suffolk – The 18th Century flint Barn is the perfect mix of rustic and romantic with the original timber beams (and possibilities for additional lighting) providing the perfect backdrop for some festive seasonal styling
- Chaucer Barn, Norfolk – A home-from-home venue with a relaxed, rustic and unique vibe offering luxurious, comfortable and stylish informality in a tranquil and imaginative setting
- Bassmead Manor Barns, Cambridgeshire – Charming and elegant, this family-owned barn offers the perfect combination of history, heritage and contemporary styling
- Sibton Park, Suffolk – An exclusive-use luxury collection of manors, farmhouses, country cottages and follies
- Bruisyard Hall, Suffolk – A beautiful private estate in the heart of the Suffolk countryside and with under floor heating I’m sold!
So there we have it, my guide to winter wedding venues.
If you’re struggling to find the perfect venue and need some additional help then please do get in touch as I offer a range of support services, including wedding venue research.
Read more wedding advice from Katrina Otter
