Having a Winter-Themed Wedding Anytime, Anywhere

Have you always dreamed of a winter land wedding, but you think it too hard to plan because you live in a warm climate where it never snows and rarely gets cold? Living in a warm climate does not have to stop you from having the wedding you want. This will take some planning and preparation. But with a good imagination and creativity, you can plan a beautiful winter-themed wedding anywhere. Here are some ideas to get you started and well on your way down the snow-covered aisle.

Start by choosing your colors. Great colors to use for a winter wedding theme would be ice blue, deep reds, silver, gold, burgundy, or dark green. You can always use white to accent any of these colors.

A great combination for flower decorations are gardenias, red roses and babies breathe delicately wrapped with green ivy. Another flower combination that can be used are calla lilies with small clusters of deep colored berries. You can also use red and white carnations. Make small arrangements to hang on the ends of each pew or even on the backs of white wooden chairs.

Setting the scene for your ceremony: Sprinkle a heavy layer of fake snow along your aisle on top of the runner. Secure small clear Christmas lights on the floor along the sides of your aisle to highlight your walk way. To brighten up stairs, place the lights along the edges of each step. If the flooring is carpet, simply string the lights out along the length of the aisle. Carefully tack the cords of the lights to the carpet with a heavy duty staple gun. Be sure to have someone remove the all the staples after you are through using the space. Another suggestion would be to actually sew the cords of the lights into the loops of the carpet. Using a white embroidery thread and needle. Loop the thread around the cord then through a loop in the carpet fibers, tie the thread off tightly and snip the excess thread. You will have to do this every two feet of so to prevent the cord from curling up. If the flooring is a hard surface you can simply use extra sticky double sided tape or clear packing tape. It is also best to stretch the strands of lights out flat for a few days before the ceremony, this will give the lights time to uncurl.

Have your bridesmaids carry beautifully lit candles. You can search online for small candles made to look like snowballs. Dress the bridesmaids in flowing white dresses accented with ice blue, deep red or silvery trim.

Create a winter wonderland scene throughout the reception room. Use evergreen garland, clear Christmas lights, Christmas balls, lush velvet ribbon, snowflake ornaments and hanging icicle ornaments, to help create a winter scene in the reception room. Use strands of clear lights to cascade down from the ceiling lighting the room from above. Wrap strands of the clear lights throughout ficus or evergreen trees that are placed in corners and on either sides of the doorways.

Be creative: Use scene setters to create a background scene on the walls. Scene setters are huge rolls of thick paper painted as a scene. They can be tacked up onto the walls to create a back drop. Use theme decorations to carry out the winter scene through out the entire room. Here is a website that offers wonderful winter theme decorations: http://www.shindigz.com/catalog.cfm?cat=16707

Imagine dancing hand and hand with your groom on your wedding as the snow falls down around you. Some party equipment rental companies can supply different types of snow machines. They have ones that can be used indoors and outdoors. You can also choose to have the snowfall in a specific area or in the entire room. Here is a websites that gives information about the snow machines and other equipment that can be rented:
www.effectspecialist.com/snow.htm

If your wedding party is seated at a long rectangular table, try hanging long strands of evergreen garland to the edge of the tables. Wrap strands of clear Christmas lights around the garland to light up the table. Add beaded strands of pearls, hanging loosely below the garland.

Candle Centerpieces: On a clear glass plate or a small oval shaped mirror, lightly sprayed with spray on snow. Place a large pillar candle in the center of the table. Surround the candle with greenery such as ivy or evergreen. Tuck babies breathe or holly berries into the greenery.

Create a wonderful lighted centerpiece using small Christmas trees wrapped in clear Christmas lights. Spray on a mist of spray snow to give it a winter affect. Try sprinkling snowflake shaped confetti onto the table. Hang small icicles ornaments form the tree.

Shop at holiday Christmas store for specialty candles and other decorations. You can also purchase beautiful candles that have snowflake and other winter themed carvings on them. Use white table clothes with a second top layer of sheer fabric of a different color.

Create a lighted table setting for your wedding party: Secure strands of clear lights to the front of the table. Hanging down over the front of the table place the strands of lights in a random pattern. Place a white table cloth over the table and the lights. The lights will be able to be seen brightly from under the table cloth.

Use imitation fire places throughout the room to create a cozy warm feel, without actually having the heat from the fire.

Select wedding invitations that reflect the winter or holiday scene. There are lots of seasonal wedding invitations available. If you are adding a touch of Christmas to the wedding decor, try selecting your favorite Christmas cards as invitations. Use ones that are blank on the inside. Write your own message to your guest.

Select a wedding cake with white icing and fondant decorated snowflakes. Place beautiful Christmas ornaments on the table around the cake. Serve your wedding cake on elegant clear dessert saucers that have etchings of swirls and snowflakes. Use holiday linen napkins to help create the your winter scene.

Give your guest wedding favors that reflect your winter theme. Try decorating Christmas balls with a light layer of spray on glitter. Write your names and your wedding date onto the Christmas ball using acrylic paints pens. Give your guest glass icicles or snowflakes, attach a ribbon to the top. Attach a small tag to the ribbon thanking the guest for coming. Assemble small favor bags with great winter times goodies tucked inside, such as hot cocoa mix, tea bags, instant coffee bags and small fresh baked sugar cookies. You can also purchase votive candle holders with snowflakes etched into them to give to your guest.

Here are a some Internet sites that have items for a winter wedding:

http://www.bridalpeople.com/Christmas-winter-wedding/

http://www.balloons-galore.net/cat_winter.cfm

http://www.beau-coup.com/holiday_themed_favors.htm

http://www.packageperfect.net/storefrontprofiles/deluxeSFshop.aspx?sfid=105910&c=119318

http://www.com/party.htmlforeverwedstore

http://www.buyweddingfavorsonline.com/wiwefa1.html

If you are planning a wedding on a tight budget, keep in mind most of the items you will be using can be bought on sale at extreme discount prices just after the holiday season is over. Best of all, after the wedding is over you can keep the Christmas decorations for yourself to use at Christmas time in your own home. Most wedding planners will be glad to use things you already have to help you stay within your budget.