Inspiration

If you're having a winter wedding, embracing the season is a great place to start when it comes to styling. But it doesn't all have to be Christmas trees, crackers and twinkling fairy lights. This fun and festive shoot from super-creative Charlotte at La Fete, shot at the dreamy Penton Park, shows that seasonal styling can still be fresh and unique. From the mitten shaped place-names, to the gingerbread house (!) the whole shoot is just pure joy.

Gingerbread House For A Festive Christmas Wedding

Charlotte Ricard-Quesada of La Fête:A winter wedding doesn’t need to be stereotypically Christmas-inspired. For this shoot, the inspiration was neutral and delicate shades, accented with pops of jewel tones and a mix of matte and shiny metallics. Glass domes were a simple yet effective décor component - I added character and a unique element by placing gingerbread houses, flowers/foliage or fairy lights under domes of varying sizes. I also love a snow globes, but was careful to ensure these matched the overall style and colour scheme. These are particularly great for table numbers or if you have a smaller wedding, why not customise them to your guests names and use them as place settings?

Snowflakes, Faux Fur & Puppies

Snowflakes can be included without looking cliché - make the most of their delicate shape by incorporating them in fabrics, such as chair backings, or place mats. Snowflake cut confetti can also substitute normal, circular confetti, and add a fun, seasonal theme to even the smallest of details. Faux fur is a wonderful addition and can be included as rugs and chairs, but also in the bride’s outfit, as a cropped jacket for example. The faux fur will automatically add a warm and cosy dimension to your day, but I’d advise choosing neutral/pastel tones in order to be an accent and not a main focus, also bearing in mind that brightly coloured faux fur can come across as much more artificial than it’s more subdued counterpart. I love including pets in weddings and dressing them up with a comfortable floral collar, inspired by the flower arrangements you have chosen. There’s nothing I love more for a winter wedding than a classically beautiful, almost sculptural dress. I’m a huge fan of calligraphied stationery all your round, but in order to make it more winter wedding-themed, I like to include seasonal touches such as snowflakes, stag illustrations or mitten shaped place cards. There are many ways to update a wedding cake to fit a winter theme, but instead, I chose to go with a modern take on a gingerbread house. Display it with smaller, dome covered versions for a whimsical and romantic effect. No wedding would be complete without a photobooth: why not create a winter inspired backdrop, complete with an antique sledge?

Flowers & Foliage For A Winter Wedding

A winter wedding doesn’t mean flower free: focus on seasonal foliage and accent it with berries, single flower heads and cinnamon sticks. You can easily create a custom wreath and let your creativity shine through. Hanging arrangements are also a crowd pleaser, so why not take inspiration from the ‘cluster’ aesthetic Ricky Paul created especially for our shoot? For the bouquet, contrast your streamlined dress with a wilder bouquet, containing foliage and flowers, but also feathers, berries and fine branches.

Penton Park Wedding Venue

Penton Park was a perfect winter wedding venue: traditional and classic, but also bright and suitable for me to add personal touches. The outdoor space is also fantastic for photographs: remember to take photographs outside on your special day, if the weather permits it! It may be chilly, but you don’t want to regret those few unique shots.
{Watch The Film}
Fern Godfrey

Written by Fern Godfrey

Planning & Styling: La Fete | Film: The Wedding Film Makers | Stationery: Louise Richardson | Flowers: Ricky Paul | Hair & Make Up: Emma Dallimore | Gingerbread House: Maid Of Gingerbread | Dog Collar: Cupid Collars | Chairs: Couture Chairs | Dresses: Brides Do Good | Shoes: Harriet Wilde | Rings: The London Victorian Ring Co. | Tableware: The Wedding Shop | Charger Plates: My Design Station | Vintage Furniture: Vintage Style Hire | Balloons: Bubblegum Balloons | Venue: Penton Park
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