Your Complete Guide on What to Wear for a Winter Wedding

One of the main challenges of a winter wedding is how to look stylish while ensuring you stay warm.

With the winter wedding season fast approaching, we wanted to pass on some advice from an experienced wedding professional who specialises in working in chilly climates, so we asked Cat Ekkelboom-White from Wild Connections Photography to give us her top tips on what to wear for a winter wedding.

From Wild Connections Photography…

When you think of a winter wedding, what locations come to mind? For me it’s either the snowy mountains of the alps or the frozen wonderland that is Lapland.

Which ever direction you go, one thing is almost certain. Where there is snow, it’s going to be c-o-l-d! I say almost certain, as last winter I photographed a ski wedding on a mountain in Austria in March where the outside temperature was around 18°C and guests enjoyed a few cocktails in the sunshine!

But for today, let’s talk about these really cold places, where temperatures can fall to double figures freezing.

Despite the inhuman level of coldness, winter weddings are magical and can be a totally unforgettable experience for everyone involved if you are prepared for it.

I’ll share with you my top tips for looking fabulous, and also keeping warm so you can have the most incredible winter wedding.

The Bride

The Wedding Dress:

Almost every bride dreams of finding her dream wedding dress, and a winter wedding bride is no different. When you are dress shopping, look for dresses that covers you up a bit more. Long sleeves, floor length and multiple layers of fabric will all help in keeping you a bit warmer whilst also looking gorgeous. A longer dress means you’ll have the option to wear some thermals underneath which you’ll be thankful for after the initial adrenaline of walking down the aisle wears off.

Extra Layers:

Make sure you have extra layers that you can also wear over your dress. Think knitted cardigans or faux-fur boleros can be a stylish accessory but for even more warmth, consider investing in a high quality insulated jacket.

Underwear:

Ok, let’s talk underwear for a second. Not those cute lace wedding night pants. I’m talking thermal long-johns like your mum used to make you wear. They aren’t attractive but they can be a real life-saver on a really cold day. Instead of one thicker thermal, opt for a few thinner layers made out of good quality fabrics such as merino wool or bamboo and you’ll notice the difference. I promise.

The Groom

I’m sorry boys, but it’s just so much easier for you. There are so many stylish options out there for men. You’ve got tweed and wool suits and flannel shirts. The look darn cool but they keep you really warm (see what I did there ???? ). You can also sneak a few layers of thermals underneath and nobody is going to notice. Score!

Everyone

Accessories:

Hats, gloves and scarves are not only super cute but they really do help with keeping you warmer too. Even if you don’t want to wear hats before the ceremony, consider bringing them along for later once the pictures have been taken. For warm fingers, swap gloves for mittens and for extra warmth, I recommend a pair of silk or wool glove liners for inside your mittens.

Shoes:

Ok, can we get serious for a minute here. At almost every winter wedding I photographed in 2017 there were guests in high heels, which really are not the most sensible footwear when you’re surrounded by snow and ice. And this was a big problem when it came to the group photos, as instead of being able to get a beautiful family picture with snowy mountains in the background, we had to pick a “safe spot” along the outside of the building that had been cleared of the snow, so that people in high heels could walk too it.

The best option here is to wear proper winter boots with a good tread on the bottom. There are so many really attractive looking ones on the market now too. Brands like Sorel are ones to check out.

Have A Change Of Clothes Available:

You simply must have a proper winter jacket to put over the top for the in-between times, and you might actually want to consider letting everyone change in to warmer clothes after the main events have taken place if you’re going to be spending more time in the cold. This doesn’t mean you can’t still look awesome. You could even get white and black/navy ski suits if you still want to stand out.

For more great Winter Wedding Tips grab your FREE Winter Wedding Guide from Wild Connections Photography. It’s jammed packed full of tips and tricks from winter wedding specialists in the wedding industry, including: