All images are ©Copyright Niemierko and used with permission.

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Winter weddings are for me a celebration of love and light. With shorter days and darker evenings, bringing light into your styling will elevate your day. Creating a cosy, welcoming and visually stunning space will make your winter wedding truly unforgettable. There’s no better master of this than Mark Niemierko, leading UK wedding planner and London-based luxury event stylist. He’s a twinkling diamond in our industry, a warm hearted and supremely talented man – and knows a thing or two about styling a wedding in the colder months of the year.

 

While summer weddings suit a whimsical, playful floral style, winter is naturally more elegant and refined. Avoid importing flowers if you can, and consider more creative alternatives. A sprinkling of white and a generous foliage display can be wonderfully luxurious. With fewer flowers to choose from in the winter wedding season, it’s almost easier to consider your wedding look as a whole: think elegant styling and sophistication across everything. Quality over quantity, every time!

Elegant escort cards with quality calligraphy add class and style to a winter wedding. These are stunning, stuck to a mirror with custom wax seal stamps to match the lettering. The gold lettering and subtle flourishes are quietly beautiful.

Classic wedding colour trends for winter tend to include variations on berry reds and lush greenery alongside gold accents. But the one thing we all love about winter above anything else is pure snow – and I think that’s why white decor for a winter wedding is absolutely timeless. Think long taper candles, minimalist fonts for stationery, clear glass and luxury fabrics for your winter wedding tables.

Lighting is everything for a winter wedding. Do choose the best photographer you can afford, and one who’s enthusiastic about the light in your venue. And ask to see full portfolios of winter weddings in a venue similar to your own. Remember the natural light will fade from 3 or 4pm, so most of your wedding reception is likely to be in very low light. Giving your photographer a heads up if you’re going to be using hundreds of candles or other lighting will help them – and you – to get the very best images of your day.

The incredible attention to detail on this table from a wedding styled by Niemierko takes my breath away. Taper candles, perfectly aligned, and twinkling glassware make this wedding table look beyond amazing.

Winter weddings are becoming more and more popular. The last decade or so has seen a second wedding season emerge through the winter months. The period between Christmas and New Year is really popular, because it’s party season – and everyone’s in the mood to celebrate! So thrill your guests. Go above and beyond with the party – and plan the after party as well. Food and entertainment are a big deal at winter weddings (because lawn games are out, so guest entertainment’s on you!) – so make your choices count. Glitter balls non negotiable. 😉

Never choose a winter wedding venue which won’t allow candles. They’re your most beautiful option for romantic and flattering lighting. Choose elegant taper candles in holders, or flickering votives and delicate glassware to make the most of every last twinkling flame. A carefully curated display of candles can be a work of art and bring wow factor to your wedding. You’ll need a dedicated wedding planning team to make sure they’re lit at the right time and stay that way all night long!

Creative lighting for a winter wedding is where you can really make an impact. Take your cues from your venue, your wedding planner and florist, and from the world around you. Festive lighting displays in stately homes can spark ideas. Your wedding supplier team might help you create something incredible within your budget. These chandeliers by Niemierko are utterly captivating. I imagine they cost thousands – but if that’s out of your budget don’t despair: use this as inspiration for a display that will work in your venue, and for your wallets!

Consider a grand entrance for your reception and wedding breakfast. Lighting your wedding doesn’t mean every switch is on full, all the time. This photograph says everything about the impact of light in a dark space. A winter wedding is the only occasion where you can play with darkness to create beauty and drama. Again, if you’re planning to turn the lights down low for a grand entrance, it’s really important to let your wedding photographer know in advance!

Lighting works inside and out. There’s candles on tables, venue lighting and your own brought-in decor. Your venue may have its own lighting in the gardens but if not, could you add some? This could be as simple as fairy lights (the elegant ones!) or festoons strung along walkways. Uplighting can be stunning combined with candles to highlight an entrance – or perhaps your venue is one with a fire pit or a smoking area, which you can customise with lights of your own. (You will need to arrange this with your venue, as some will have lighting restrictions or avoid certain styles to protect nocturnal wildlife.)

I remember the first chat I ever had with Mark at Niemierko, where he told me about a wedding with no flowers, only candles. At the time, this absolutely blew my mind. But it made me think: there are no rules to weddings. You can create beauty in any way which works for you – and you can wow your guests and make an unforgettable day on any budget. (The smaller your funds, the more creative you’ll have to be – but that can be some of the best fun in wedding planning!)

One last word: all of these images are from weddings and events planned and styled by Niemierko. Mark is a luxury wedding planner whose services are so sought-after he takes on a very limited number of weddings each year – and his clients can afford the very best of everything. If you’re marrying on a more normal budget, please know that we’re showing you these images to inspire you to create something of your own, but never to make you feel you should overspend. Dream big, but scale back: smaller weddings are just as beautiful and special as lavish affairs, always.

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All of the images in this blog are ©Niemierko. A Niemierko wedding is a visionary event. Imagination is at the forefront of the luxury brand, and each wedding is planned around the couple, to reflect their personalities. As the UK’s number one wedding planner Mark Niemierko is something of a legend, planning just five weddings each year – each one an unforgettable experience for his couple and their guests.

About Mark Niemierko, Celebrity Wedding Planner

Mark Niemierko is widely regarded as Britain’s premier high-end social event and wedding planner, arranging weddings for high society couples from all over the world. He has planned Julia and James Corden’s Babington House nuptials, as well as both Rochelle and Marvin Humes’ original Blenheim Palace wedding in 2012, and their 10th anniversary renewal of vows in Lake Como in 2022. He has also overseen weddings with Royalty in attendance, such as Prince Harry.

Further reading:

Spring wedding inspiration: the most divine wedding colours, inspired by Niemierko

Summer wedding colour palette and floral ideas, inspired by Niemierko

The most elegant autumn wedding style ideas, inspired by Niemierko