Connection Photography, Morning Glory Farms, New Creations Flowers, Party Reflections
Fall and Winter Weddings are extremely popular for their cozy appeal and romantic ambience, but can come with their own weather challenges. As the evening events begin, the cold weather starts to set in. To keep your guests comfortable the entire night, we've included our top 15 coziest ways to keep everyone warm! Even if your wedding doesn't involve an outdoor setup, we'd still recommend scrolling through for cozy inspiration that your guests will LOVE.
1. Hot Cocoa Bar
Yah Photography
For an outdoor cocktail hour or reception, consider offering a festive hot cocoa bar with all of the accoutrements. Picture a steaming cup of hot cocoa adorned with crushed peppermint, Hershey kisses, marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, and chocolate wafer straws. There's nothing like a warm drink to make your guests feel cozy and welcome.
2. Fireplace Focal Point
Eggleston & Co., Morning Glory Farms, Ribald Events, Tree Bird Photography, Board and Batten Events, Willow Floral Boutique, Cooke Rentals, Evermore Event Rentals
When I think about coziness and warmth, I immediately picture a beautiful, inviting fireplace. Many venues offer fireplaces, so keep this in mind if you're looking for a fall/winter wedding venue. We'd suggest decorating your fireplace with on-theme florals and candles to emphasize the fireplace as a gorgeous focal point.
3. Outdoor S'mores
Yah Photography, Julia Laible Photography
Many outdoor venues offer a fire pit for your convenience, but this is an inexpensive addition if not. Your guests will love warming up by the fire roasting marshmallows for s'mores. S'mores are a popular dessert at weddings too, since not everyone loves cake!
4. Bundle Up With Blankets
Yah Photography, Makeup by Norelle B, Lily Greenthumb Florals
Everyone loves snuggling up under a warm blanket when it's chilly out, so why not offer them at your wedding? Consider providing a basket of blankets at your ceremony or reception for guests to grab. Smaller blankets are easy to purchase in bulk, so you could even give them out as favors.
5. Outdoor Heaters
This might come as a no-brainer to some, but space heaters are something we always recommend looking into. Even in a full tent, there may still be a chill in the air, especially without the sun shining through. Space heaters are a necessity in the colder months and guarantee your guests won't leave early due to the cold.
6. Cozy Candlelight
Yah Photography, Separk Mansion, Vintage Soul Floral Design, CE Rentals, Party Reflections
Candlelight creates a romantic atmosphere year round, but adds a cozy element to weddings in the colder months. Whether you choose floating candles, pillar candles, or candlesticks, your space will immediately feel warmer once the candles are lit. We always recommend our clients choose to incorporate candles into the table decor, amidst florals, signage, and other decor.
7. Full Walled Tent
Amanda Somerville Photography, Anne Springs Greenway, Creative Solutions
In the winter time, wind goes from a soothing breeze to a frigid force, especially in an open tent. If you're considering a tented reception, we'd recommend taking the extra steps for a fully walled tent: This will keep the wind out and the coziness in!
8. Cozy Drink Truck
Haley Lynette Photography, Detour Coffee Bar
For a unique drink experience, consider offering a coffee truck! The Detour Coffee Bar truck is local to Charlotte and offers coffee, tea, hot apple cider, and other cozy drinks for your guests' enjoyment. Not only is a coffee truck cute and fun, it's an easy way to provide warm drinks without a messy table setup. (Everyone spills sometimes!)
9. Put On Your Dancing Socks!
I'm sure you've seen the popular wedding trend of offering flip flops for optimum dance floor comfort, but what about when the temperature drops? If this takes off, you saw it here first - why not offer custom socks for your guests? These are great for keeping feet warm and as a fun favor for guests to take home!
10. Lounge Seating
Evermore Event Rentals, Kristen Privette Photography, The Mint Museum
Comfy lounge seating is the perfect addition to any wedding, but especially so this time of year. Consider warm pieces like suede couches, loveseats, and armchairs. Pair your seating with an elegant coffee table for a luxury living room feel. We'd recommend adding comfy pillows and blankets in complementing colors to promote warm snuggles for your friends and family.
11. Comfort Food
Connection Photography, Roots Catering
When curating your menu, consider including comfort foods to warm up your guests. Imagine grilled cheese and tomato soup, tiny cheeseburgers, mac and cheese bites, or a baked potato bar for a warm culinary experience.
12. Drink Tasting
Tyler James Photography
Alcohol is known for increasing your inner body temperature, so we'd recommend offering a bar of some sort. Whether you're offering a partial, half, or full bar, a drink tasting is a great way to warm your guests up, while offering a fun, luxe experience. You can work with your bar service to choose bourbons, whiskeys, or other liquors for guests to sample.
13. Ambient String Lights
Candle & Quill Photography, Ritchie Hill, Chelish Moore Florals, Megan Oliveri Beauty, CE Rentals
To give the illusion of heat, consider incorporating bistro lights into your reception site. String lights offer a warm ambience that makes any space feel very intimate, even when hosting 200 guests. We'd suggest discussing options with your venue to see what options work best for your day's budget and logistics.
14. Warm Drinks Before Ceremony
For years, weddings have only ever offered drinks and appetizers after the ceremony has ended. We're noticing a shift in this tradition, where more and more couples are offering drinks before the ceremony. In the colder seasons, we love the idea of greeting guests with hot apple cider, tea, and other cozy drinks to keep them comfy during the ceremony.
15. Non-Alcoholic Nightcap
Photography by Angela Tucker
At the end of the night, consider offering warm drinks as a portable take-home option for guests. Disposable portable cups are easy to customize with your wedding date, initials, or new last name! Guests will appreciate the gesture, as they venture out in the cold.