It’s hard to believe that we are already writing about winter weddings, how the summer has flown by this year! For those of you who are tying the knot in the final months of 2018 or early 2019, we hope you find these last minute planning tips helpful.

It’s all about planning for the weather!

Being realistic about weather expectations during the winter months means you will never be caught short on your wedding day. Here at Drangan Video, we provide wedding videography services throughout the year and have seen a huge increase in couples getting married in the later months, particularly during the Christmas season.

Planning for winter weather conditions well in advance will give you the peace of mind you deserve on your wedding day:

For the guests:

• Umbrellas at the ready – organise a surplus of umbrellas for any guests who may not have had the foresight to bring one to the ceremony or celebrations.
• Keep your guests warm – making sure your guests are comfortable and warm at all times will make a huge difference to your day and will make your guests feel extra special.
• Offering a hot drink on arrival – when your guests arrive at your venue, consider offering hot drinks such as tea, coffee, mulled wine, Irish coffees or hot whiskeys.
• If you have an outdoor area at your venue of choice, provide your guests with warm blankets to keep the chill out.

For the bridal party:

• The bride and the bridesmaids will need to be comfortable throughout the ceremony and the celebrations, so make sure you put some though into winter-ready accessories. Faux fur shoulder capes, boleros and custom designed jackets are all good options to keep the chill out.
• Don’t forget about the groom and grooms party, keep the guys warm by providing smart overcoats and attractive scarves. Most tux rental shops will be able to offer heavier suits or coats for the winter months.
• Bring an ‘emergency’ kit for the ladies. Cold winds and the likelihood of rain will mean you need to put a bit of extra thought into this kit. Include lip balm, hand cream, moisturiser, hairspray, makeup setting spray and anything else your bridal party may need in the event of bad weather.
• Keep your legs warm – Give your legs the love they need during this long day by wearing thick tights under a long wedding dress. If your bridesmaids are also wearing long dresses, provide them with high denier tights to keep those tootsies warm.

Cover all eventualities:

When planning your winter wedding, try to plan for every possibility on the day. Provide guests with clear directions to the venue and ask them to allow extra travel time in case of extreme weather conditions. Keep the extra travel time in mind for the bridal and grooms party too as icy roads or heavy winds can easily add an extra hour to a journey.

If you have a photographer and videographer booked for outdoor shots, keep in mind that this may not always be possible. Have an alternative indoor venue arranged for group shots, personal photos and videography. The great thing about a winter wedding is that you get to dress up all over again later in the year if you wish to get some shots in the sunshine.

Drangan Video provides wedding videography services 12 months of the year and is available to film weddings right across the country. Please feel free to pop over to our testimonials page where you can see a small sample of our work, should you wish to see further samples, do get in touch and we’ll be happy to give you all the information you need.

We’ll be covering more winter wedding tips over the coming months so keep an eye on the website and our Facebook page for updates.