9 Winter Wedding Decoration Ideas to Share the Holiday Season

A winter wedding is basically a personalized version of a winter wonderland. There’s something so peaceful and familiar about winter, something that makes people want to celebrate with their loved ones, which is why a winter wonderland wedding is always a welcome and celebrated concept. The festivities of winter don’t need to be reserved for just a Christmas wedding theme or New Years’ Eve theme—it’s always a great time to celebrate, and an especially romantic time to celebrate your winter wedding party with you and your loved ones. Looking for some winter wedding ideas? We’ve gathered some beautiful decor ideas to make the biggest day of your life a truly festive moment.

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1. Natural Elements

The most beautiful part of winter is that a dusting of snow only amplifies the beautiful shades of nature. Wrapping evergreen branches around large candles in vases can make a simple, yet stunning wedding tablescape, and the gentle scent of pine will become a natural fragrance for the day. Even the color green can be a gorgeous part of your wedding colors—going with deep, forest-y greens, gentle grays, and creams can make any wedding color palette.

If you’re looking to feature snowflakes without coming across as too kitschy or childish, incorporating a lace backdrop or tablecloth with a snowflake design can infuse a snow-like element without you having to go out in below-freezing weather.

Making wreaths out of vines, or having vines wrapped around large candelabras and mantles will make any event feel more rustic; and using wintery flowers such as heather, pansies, jasmine, and camellias are perfectly on-theme.

If it's in your budget, large, over-the-top trees can be a great wedding decoration. Whether they're large pine trees decorated with fake snow for the reception area, or a group of small, sparse trees without leaves decorated in hanging bulbs for the ceremony, trees are an important part of any winter wedding. (Just ask before you go digging up someone's tree, okay?) For a more budget-friendly option, branches and twigs can be spray-painted and turned into glorious and magical place card holders and table decor.

And, of course, you can't have a winter wedding without including a few pinecones here or there. They can be used as place card holders, or can be spray-painted gold, white, or silver and used as a decoration around a cake holder or hung from a ribbon as for chair decor.

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2. Playing With Fire

There’s a famous song that says something about “chestnuts roasting over an open fire,” and getting cozy by a fire is probably the most wintery activity ever—so, of course, why not incorporate flames, fire, and warmth into your cool, wintery wedding? If your wedding venue has a fireplace, you can absolutely use it for its practical use on the big day (if allowed). Otherwise, wrap it in greenery with winter wedding flowers, and then place candles along the mantle as a stand-out decoration or photo wall. Using candles at your wedding is a no-brainer, but for a winter wedding, a candlelit ceremony can bring visions of adventure and romance. Use candles to decorate the aisle that leads to a stunning floral-covered arch or have large groups of differing sized candles placed in the cocktail waiting room to bring about a gentle ambiance.

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3. Fabrics Are Important

When it comes to a winter wedding, the fabrics you use can reflect your theme just as much as a color palette or lighting. There’s nothing quite as wintery as velvet and satin fabrics—velvet screams holiday, while satin feels like gifts and holiday decor. Yes, you can use velvet as a fabric for your bridesmaids outfit, but why not consider a crushed velvet table runner or tablecloth or other linens in a deep burgundy or green for a truly dramatic moment on your wedding day? Satin or velvet ribbons can be wrapped around an invitation or used as a border for a place setting. Velvet isn't the most practical of fabrics, which is why it's great to be used for a special occasion, such as a wedding, when practicality gets thrown out the window.

Speaking of satin, ribbons are an essential part of any winter wedding decor, just as much as a decorative wreath can be. You can wrap ribbons around a candle holder, a vase, the pine of a wreath, and the chairs for your ceremony, or simply hang them from a makeshift arch. There's nothing quite as charming as a dainty ribbon looped into a bow and expertly placed.

Incorporating fur or faux fur (real or fake, that's up to you) into your wedding day can also be a beautiful way to bring the cold indoors. Whether it's forgoing bridal party bouquets for furry muffs, having furry rugs in your cocktail party space, or just wearing a furry drape for bridal photos, it's sure to be a success (and a warm one, at that).

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4. Twinkle, Sparkle, Shine

Winter wedding decor always needs a little shimmer and some jewel tones. A great, no-brainer decor tip for a winter-white wedding is to use metallics such as gold, silver, and copper in the wedding decorations. DIY copper carafes full of hot chocolate for a hot chocolate bar, gold candlestick holders surrounded by gold-painted pinecones, and silver ornaments hung from an elaborately decorated arch or fireplace mantle all add a whimsical touch to your winter wonderland.

You've got an abundance of ideas and concepts for the day, especially if you're keeping other colors in your big day far more neutral. Oversized feathers can also give some festive flair to your wedding decor that isn't necessarily winter-themed. Large white (fake) ostrich feathers can be a chair decoration or used in a large decorative photo backdrop.

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5. Winter Wedding Cake Topper

Whether you have a tiered cake or one that’s a different shape, embrace the winter wedding theme by adding cake toppers such mistletoe and ribbons, acorns, and snow ornaments, snow globes and more. You aren’t limited to colors but anything in earthy and festive hues with a pop of color or sparkle will do the job. You could also consider a snowman and snow woman with bride and groom placeholders or a penguin couple with scarves!

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6. Winter Wedding Table Setting

There is no end to the many combinations you can go with your winter wedding table settings. Think wedding reception tables in formal hues, classic wedding centerpieces bringing in the elements from the outdoors and even colorful napkins or special patterns signifying the winter season embroidered onto the cloth. You can also add seasonal fruits, herbs and flowers to the tale setting and choose tableware that goes with your winter wedding theme as well.

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7. Winter Greenery Ideas

While the winter wedding theme might want you sticking to greens and browns or silvers and blues, bringing in the greenery will make your décor stand out. Go ahead and add that Christmas tree for all to take their holiday pictures in front of if your winter wedding is hosted close to Christmas. Even your floral arrangements overall and the bride’s or bridal party’s wedding bouquet can have seasonal springs to add some charm.

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8. Winter Wedding Photo Ideas

Wedding photos taken in the winter add their own mystic to a wedding album but when you add the festivities then the celebration is amplified. Add these to your wedding décor for guests to enjoy and for your friend and family to celebrate your big day. These can be used all along the venue but especially near your guest book and your family’s table to add some more magic to the moment.

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9. Winter Wedding Invitation Ideas

You can have fun with a few different themes for invites if planning on a winter wedding. Go for a rustic wedding invitation if you have an indoor-outdoor venue or elegant wedding invitations for a formal seated dinner. You can also opt for minimalist wedding invitations or themed wedding invitations for a simple look and feel.

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