 |
Wedding
Trends: Off-Season Weddings
Brides
are saying 'I Do' to off-season weddings, velvet gowns & twinkle
lights |
Traditionally, from about May to October each year, the area’s wedding vendors,
churches, and banquet halls are hoppin’ with weddings. This is a given. For brides,
this means that if you're starting to plan less than twelve months before the
big day, you're going to have a tough time finding vendors and locations for
your wedding, that aren't already booked. SOLUTION?
Hold an off-season wedding! Brides have
once again proved that they love shaking things up a bit, breaking a few
traditions, and going for velvet gowns, winter twinkle lights, and the luxury
of easier wedding planning.
What
& when
Off-season
is the time of year when weddings are traditionally less popular, and vendors
have more availability to offer:
•
January and February OR
•
Any time between November and the end of March
However,
there are
some exceptions...
•
Christmas Party season (mid-November to Christmas Day) is super-busy with
corporate parties Vendors and venues are booked well in advance
•
Valentine's Day or Week (if you want a Valentine's theme, have your wedding
the week before or the week after)
•
New Year's Eve
Dressing
for winter
Trade
the summer strapless idea for a rich velvet wedding gown. Add faux fur trim
for an added elegant touch. Rent or buy a Snow White cape with hood for a
stunning winter look. Accessorize with winter muffs. Take advantage of the
Christmas-time sales in department stores, if you want to dress the kids in
red for a Valentine's or Christmas-themed wedding. Rich red apparel is
beautiful with white.
Winter
colours & themes
Colours
are rich in the winter… Burgundy, red, gold and white.
All the usual pale or pastels are definitely out for the winter, unless they
tie in with a rich colour. Many decorators are pros at tying in winter. "We
incorporate Christmas trees into our wrought iron gate backdrop, and 24 inch
sparkling snowflakes into the ceiling canopy. Christmas trees around the room
can be grouped together and accented with lights and fabric on the ground to
create twinkling snow."
Budget
savings
Some
vendors
(depending on their availability and type of service) will even give special
rates for off-season wedding dates. This is a great way to get more of the
people and packages you want, within your budget. These special rates usually
apply mostly in January and February, but some vendors offer these rates
between November and March as well. Hotels and reception halls love
being able to offer more flexibility in prices and space available in the
off-season.
The
benefits
Availability
of wedding services and locations is everything when you’re planning a
wedding. By
choosing a wedding date that does not land smack-dab in the midst of wedding
season, you increase your options ten fold. No
vendor on earth likes telling a bride that he/she is booked for their wedding
day, and so you'll rarely find one that wouldn't love helping you with your
winter wedding.
Flowers
may last longer because there is no heat, however at the same time, be sure
your flowers don't freeze if taking photos outside for a long period of time.
One
long-time DJ told us, "It’s
so much easier to plan a wedding in the off-season, because you don’t have
to fight to get the reception hall you want, the DJ, the photographer..."
He also says that any couple planning a wedding in a short period of time,
would have a much easier time in the winter. An
award winning-photographer just laughed and said, "Dress in long
underwear and boots! No one will ever know what's under that wedding
gown!"
Another
great point is that if you want to go somewhere warm on your honeymoon, it's a
benefit to get married in the winter. Why go from hot to hotter? Use your
honeymoon as your winter escape from the cold.
"A
benefit of off-season wedding is the lower costs, not to mention winter
pictures on a warm sunny day, make for great photos!",
says one limousine company.
A
wedding officiant also made a good point. "You'll find less people are on
vacation [in the winter]. More guests will be able to attend your wedding...
It takes a little more planning [for the weather], but then I have seen summer
weddings with huge showers and wind storms!"
The
disadvantages
Messy:
Transportation companies will warn of the risk of being a bit messier for the
chauffeurs and detail crews that clean up, but not as much for the actual
bride and groom themselves.
Cold
weather: Winter weather is always a consideration but at the same time,
nearly any vendor will point out that both summer and winter has inclement
weather. You can just as easily get rain, wind and heat stroke in the summer,
as you could get snow and slush and cold in the winter.
Related
Articles:
Planning
Index ~
Step-by-Step
Wedding Planning Calendar
~
Reception
Sites in Cambridge
~
Tips
on Choosing the Reception Site
~
Tips
on Choosing the Ceremony Site |
