Tips and advices for a winter wedding in Florence

A charming setup for a winter wedding in a historical palace in the heart of Florence. Elegance and sophistication are the setting for this exciting wedding

When did you start thinking about your wedding? But, above all, “when would you like to get married”? Let’s bet: in spring or summer, also considering the beginning of autumn! Did we win the bet?

What if, instead, you could (or had to) consider the winter months? What scenario would you be presented with? Just darkness and desolation? Would it really be a “fallback” to get married in winter? Not at all, trust us!!!!

Winter weddings can be just as romantic, if not more so, than weddings celebrated during the typical Wedding Season (i.e. the period from May to the end of September). And we’re not talking about that “Christmas-y” feeling you always see on Pinterest: winter is not necessarily Christmas, let’s clear that up. That same sense of warmth, intimacy, and welcoming that warms the heart, or of sparkle and “preciousness,” emanating from gold and lights, and that so well ties into the collective imagination of Christmas, you can recreate and achieve in other ways.

What can help you, however, if you are seriously considering choosing winter as the setting for your beautiful day (let’s not call it “the most beautiful day” – there will be others, even better) is described here, summarized in what, in our opinion, you should take into account the most.

Location: it is always the “location” that generally wins out over everything else. It is usually the first thing being chosen, because everything else starts here: availability of a specific date, the number of guests you can invite, logistics – an aspect that all other vendors will have to deal with – the choice of everything else that will then have to match up with it in terms of colors, decorations and furnishings…

Keep in mind that some of the structures found in the countryside, which are routinely used for weddings, close in the winter. Also, since you cannot count on outdoor spaces, the capacity of the indoor ones is significantly reduced. And finally, think that if you got the impulse to get married on December 31 (we think it’s cool), costs would at least double. We’re not saying this to discourage you, but only to provide you with honest and sincere information. So what? Take into account that the ideal number of guests for a winter wedding is around 80-100 people and that, once the location is decided, winter helps you because you will surely have more availability to choose the day you prefer.

Photographer: forget about the golden hour. But if you’re thinking about a winter wedding, it’s likely that you’ve already done so. The sun doesn’t have the same power as during the summer months, and the days are mostly dark. What to do then? Choose a photographer who “loves” the dark!

Don’t skimp on the service: never do this, because photographs will likely be the only memory you’ll have of this day, and especially don’t do this if you decide to get married in the winter months. A wedding where natural light is scarce and candles are in charge, requires a professional with a capital P as well as someone who has a very sensitive and trained eye. Browse the work of photographers, look at their galleries: direct yourself towards someone who is familiar with slightly darker tones. And above all, don’t be afraid: “dark” doesn’t mean gloomy, or worse, ugly. Photos taken with little light can be infinitely suggestive. They are deep, intense, magical. And if you really can’t give up the light, you can always opt for a lunch, instead of an evening reception. Don’t underestimate how beautiful it can be: going against the flow is often a winning choice.

Catering: Winter has an edge over the Spring or Summer months!!!!! No negative note, no limitations and throw caution to the wind: you can freely choose the catering you prefer, because it’s very likely that suppliers will have ample availability for your wedding date.

Tandem Tips: have you found a location that also gives you the opportunity to use an outdoor space? Perfect: let’s use it!!! Perhaps for a toast immediately after your “Yes,” for a scenic cake cutting, or why not even for the ceremony itself (civil or symbolic ceremonies never last long). Afraid it will rain? Customized umbrellas, to give to your guests as gifts, and fear be gone!