How to plan an intimate Winter wedding
If you're dreaming of a wedding that’s romantic, meaningful, and full of personalised details, then a winter wedding might just be the perfect festive celebration. This season lends itself beautifully for intimate family weddings that feel atmospheric and magical.
Here’s my recommendations for how to plan an intimate winter wedding that feels warm, elegant, and full of personality:
1. Choose a cosy wedding venue
For smaller guest lists, the venue plays an even bigger role in setting the tone of your day. Think about the ambience and size of the rooms, does a quaint Cotswold barns have the right vibes, or a historic manor house with a home-away-from-home character? During your venue visits look out for features like open fireplaces, cosy dining rooms, and interior designs that make the space feel inviting.
We help our couples find a space that fits their wedding vision and budget, where guests feel welcomed the moment they step inside.
2. Lean into festive styling, but keep it refined
Winter doesn’t have to mean ‘Christmas’ with red and green (unless that’s what you’re wanting, of course). Elegant winter palettes like burgundy, gold, and soft ivory feel timeless while still in keeping with the season. Any colour palette suits a winter wedding, it doesn’t have to scream Christmas just because you are getting married in winter.
When styling a smaller wedding, layering is key. Use textures like velvet ribbons, taper candles, seasonal florals and personalised stationery to bring everything together. You can also play with natural elements like evergreen, pinecones, and wooden charger plates for subtle festive vibe for your tablescape.
3. Plan a slower, more thoughtful timeline
Winter weddings, especially in the UK, benefit from a slower pace throughout the day. With shorter daylight hours and colder weather, you want to create a timeline that feels relaxed and not rushed. That might be planning your ceremony in the late afternoon, sunset being the backdrop to your couple portraits or hosting a candlelit dinner with live music for an intimate and heartfelt reception.
Having fewer guests gives you more freedom to spend time with everyone so build in breathing room between each part of the day to fully enjoy the experience.
4. Curate a festive yet personal menu
Food can be one of the most memorable elements of an intimate wedding, especially this time of year. For a December celebration, it’s the perfect excuse to serve comfort driven, seasonal dishes, from hearty winter mains to hot drinks and festive desserts.
If you're working with a caterer, ask to create a bespoke menu that reflects the season while including your favourite dishes. Mulled wine or winter cocktails during the drinks reception, cheese boards during the drinks reception and maybe mince pies and sticky toffee pudding with brandy cream for dessert. You can go all out with the food and drinks you serve, so get creative!
5. Add meaningful festive touches
With a smaller guest list, you can lean into more personal, intentional details. Create bespoke place settings with handwritten name cards or wedding favours your guest just have to take home with them like mulled wine spice sachets, tree ornaments, or personalised bottles of a family favourite wine.
Planning your intimate winter wedding
We have planned many small, creative and elegant winter weddings that are meaningful, memorable and truly unique. The small guest list left room for deep conversations and space to connect with every guest throughout the day.
If you’re thinking about a winter wedding and want support with planning, design, or coordination, I’d love to help you bring it to life. You can get in touch here or explore our AMW wedding designs over on Pinterest to get inspired.
Photo credit: Kirsty Mackenzie