Planning for a small wedding at home and especially during the winter, requires a lot of preparation. A wedding ceremony ought to be fun, warm, and cozy, and the winter season does not exactly spell those things. So how do you ensure you have a great intimate at-home wedding despite the weather? Discussed below are intimate winter wedding ideas to incorporate into your home.
Update Your Flooring
During winter, most likely, your ceremony will be indoors. This is one of the major intimate winter wedding ideas you should consider to make your house look amazing. Get a carpet cleaner to remove all those minor stains and make the carpet smell fresh and clean. Another alternative is getting a new carpet, especially one that matches the theme of your wedding or the decorations you have chosen.
Also, you may want to consider switching to hardwood flooring as it can breathe some new life into the house. Hardwood flooring looks fantastic in any type of home. Most importantly, it has been designed in a way that instantly brings some additional warmth. The rustic feel and the natural earthly tones can perfectly complement any winter decorations you have chosen for the ceremony. Plus, you do not have to worry about it messing up the theme of your wedding. Wood flooring blends with a lot of colors, and most likely, it will fit right in. You can be sure your guests are going to be impressed once they step into your home.
Make Important Repairs
You need to ensure that your home is at its best for the wedding. Imagine looking back at your wedding photos and noticing that next to you is a chipped paint drawing attention from you and your spouse. Therefore, this is the time to consider home renovation as you look for intimate winter wedding ideas. Things like leaky faucets, creaky doors, and damaged windows are some of the affordable repairs you can consider. If your doors have seen better days, consider replacing them with new solid wood doors. Not only are they appealing, but they will add some warmth and earthly texture to your home. These renovations are pretty significant and can turn your home into a beauty. The key is in making renovations with the most impact, yet they are necessary. In addition, some of these repairs can take a day or two at most.
Get Your Roof Ready
Start by raking snow from the roof to prevent it from piling up. This can be a DIY project, or you can get roofers to help you with this task. This can also be a chance to check for damaged shingles and flashing and have them repaired before the big day. Another thing you need to consider is trimming the trees around the roof. This can help prevent roof damage, especially if it is windy. Even if you love trees, get a tree removal company to eliminate the overhanging branches. They pose a danger to the roof.
You may also want to add or upgrade insulation in the attic. Damaged insulation can contribute to ice dams. Hot air from your home rises to the attic space if there is insufficient insulation to prevent heat transfer. When the hot air meets the base of the roof deck, snow starts melting. At night, when the temperature goes down, the melting snow turns to ice. This is not a sight you want on your wedding day. The last thing you want to do on your roof is clean the gutters and downspouts so that they can drain any melting snow effectively.
Bring The Outdoors Inside
Using nature to bring the outdoors inside is one of the great intimate winter wedding ideas you can go with. Get pinecones, cute sprigs, flowers, berries, stones, rocks, etc. Flowers like poinsettias, holly, and pansies are just a few of the many beautiful flowers that bloom during winter. Combining these little accent details with other suggestive elements like hanging planters and having some fresh flowers on vases will transform your home for your big day.
For a focal point like where you will be exchanging vows, you want to ensure it is unique and beautiful. How about transforming the wall behind using plants? Cover the whole wall with plants, then add some lights for emphasis. You can then add a rug on the floor for the finishing part.
Decorate Using Fake Snow
The fact that you want to have a wedding during winter means you love snow. Therefore, when looking for intimate winter wedding ideas, this should also be on your list. Since you cannot bring in the real snow inside, some fake snow will come to the rescue. Get creative with places where you will be sprinkling the fake snow. For instance, the isle is a great place to spread the fake snow. You can also sprinkle it around the various decorative elements and many other areas. Not only does it make your home beautiful for the wedding, but you will get the winter feel you want for the wedding.
Spruce up Your Landscape
This is particularly important if you are planning to have a wedding ceremony in your backyard. Look at the space you have, then research which landscape design would suit your backyard. Having a professional landscaper visit your home and identify issues will help you know how to decorate. Landscaping preparations need to start early before winter kicks in. That means getting fertilizers to strengthen your grass, removing shrubs, painting the exterior, and doing whatever is necessary to make your home attractive. A landscaper can identify issues like uneven ground, unattractive gardening, or a sloped yard and help you come up with solutions. Ensure all guests will be comfortable, and everything will fall into place. Also, go with flowers that bloom during the winter for decorations.
Repair Your Driveway
There is no doubt that you want everything to be perfect for your wedding. That means you want to ensure there are no accidents or anything looking out of place. One way to do this is through driveway paving. If you use asphalt paving and notice that some parts have cracks or holes, address this before winter kicks in. Asphalt paving cannot be done in cold weather. Other types of paving are more accommodating, but you still want to take care of this early. Remember that you do not wish for guests to trip and injure themselves on a cracked driveway. Also, this being your big day, you want everything to look amazing. While at it, ensure that your garage door looks great as well. Old and worn-out garage doors are not a pretty sight in wedding photos. You have the option of repainting it or getting a new garage door. These small changes are enough to make a big difference.
Get the Right Lighting
Light is vital, especially during winter when natural light is limited. It adds warmth, sets the mood, and allows for great photos. Among your intimate winter wedding ideas, consider which lighting is suitable for the ceremony. You have multiple options to choose from, including string and fairy lights, real and electric candles, and solar-powered lamps and lanterns. It is better to limit the number of lights that need to be plugged in to reduce the chances of anyone tripping over wires. If you are planning to use bulbs, consider LED ones as they will save your electricity bills and the environment. For lighting pathways, use a lot of votive candles. They are beautiful and create a magical touch. For string lights, drip them over tree branches and around the property.
Apart from the lights themselves, do not forget to get extension cords of the right size. If you are trying to save, candles are affordable and elegant. Even better is that there is nothing like too many candles and you can place them wherever you are. When placing candles, consider a set of three in different sizes. They will definitely stand out. Also, do not forget to rent a backup generator. Even when you think your wedding is small, it can still strain your home’s electrical system. Most residential systems are designed to handle one family and not 40 of your friends. If you want to ensure you do not overwhelm your electrical system, get a backup generator. This way, you can get as many lights as you wish, hire a DJ, and do other things without a hitch.
Choose The Right Decor To Complement The Weather
When looking for intimate winter wedding ideas, a big part is choosing the right decoration. As you choose the theme for your wedding, some colors to consider include black and gold, burgundy, and berry red. Also, you do not have to focus solely on the holiday theme. However, you can also incorporate a few season elements in a sophisticated way. The key is to choose items carefully for a cohesive look. Do not try to overdo it. Less is more in this instance. Also, place decorations all over the property from the roof, door, fences. If you have neglected your fence, this is the time to get fence builders to repair it. Hanging some lights and decorative pieces on the fence is a great way to make your home stand out and put everyone in a celebratory mood.
When considering intimate winter wedding ideas, you should know that they will go well with natural elements, so getting birch tree branches and pine cones is excellent. It would help if you also tried some faux fur accents, as they will bring that winter twist to your day. Whichever lighting you have picked, one of the ways to amplify the glimmer is by using a metallic charger plate, mercury glass vessel, or strands of crystal, as they will reflect the light.
Ensure Guests are Warm and Comfortable
Warm guests equal happy guests. And one way to ensure they are warm is by adding a station for hot beverages. The upside of a winter wedding is all the sweet winter treats you can serve the guests and keep them happy. Having a hot cocoa bar is among the excellent intimate winter wedding ideas that will keep everyone satisfied during cocktail hour. Ensure you have several stations serving signature cocoa with toppings like caramel drizzle, candy canes, heart-shaped marshmallows, and anything else you want. You can also make foods that will warm your guests like soups, potatoes, and meats, then reserve the cocoa for dessert. To ensure the cocoa station feels in place, decorate the area with pictures of you and your partner and add other winter decor elements.
Another way to ensure your guests are comfortable is by offering customized blankets. Your guests will stay, but most importantly, they will feel appreciated. You can place the blankets on each chair or at the entrance for guests to pick them up as they come in.
Get a Statement Tree
Get a Christmas tree, but instead of decorating it with the usual Christmas decorations, use wedding decoration pieces. For instance, use a custom ornament displaying a romantic phrase or the date of the wedding ceremony. Having a Christmas tree at your wedding is dazzling, unique, and inviting. It can even add a fresh scent to the room, reminding people of the holiday season. Spread your fake snow under the tree and add some lights. You can then direct guests to leave their gifts under the tree. However, depending on the number of guests you are expecting, ensure you have enough space for the gifts to spread out. If you love the holiday season, your wedding will feel like a second celebration. Apart from the tree, you can set up a station where guests can decorate with ornaments. They can write a personalized message on these ornaments wishing the newlyweds best wishes.
Most people shy away from a winter wedding as they wonder how they will manage to pull it off. But there is no reason you and your partner cannot make things official even in the cold season. And now that you are aware of several intimate winter wedding ideas to use, nothing should stop you. Use these tips, and you will end up having the wedding of your dreams