Bridal Ideas for a Winter Wedding

Imagine a backdrop of freshly fallen snow through the window of the building the wedding ceremony is taking place, the sunlight reflecting the ice as if they were crystals. Picture yourself, the bride, wearing a dress that the Snow Princess in Russian folklore would envy. Getting married during the winter season is also more comfortable temperature-wise since the bride and groom do not have to worry about sweating heavily underneath their garments. There are many different ways to incorporate symbols and lore of the winter season into a wedding that takes place this time of year. Here are a few ideas as well as bridal dresses that a woman might decide to use on her special day:

Flowers. For the bride’s hair, add a wreath made of snowdrops (Galanthus). This pretty white bell-shaped flower is delicate and dainty, the perfect finishing touch for any hairdo. Of course, flowers are not just confined to the hair for a bride. The bouquet is also very important, especially when the time comes for the bride to toss it to those in attendence at the wedding. Here, the bouquet can be of any type of flower that grows during the winter season. Combine white flowers such as the evening snow flower (linanthus dichotomus) with roses or chrysanthemums for a striking contrast.

Bridal dress accessories. Try a small white fur stole draped around your shoulders. If the bride prefers fake fur to real fur, by all means go that way. To make the stole look like part of the bridal dress, a length of tulle or lace can be sewn to one edge of the stole. A tailor can assist with this part for a professional look. For the veil, sew on some snowflake sequins on the lace or tulle. Swarovski crystal beads can also be added in the center of the sequins for extra icy sparkle.

Jewelry. Both diamonds and Swarovski crystals sparkle for a bride, but for something truly unique, snowflake-inspired jewelry may be just the thing the bride wants to wear around her neck. This Winter Crystal Pendant from Camrose & Kross looks like a real snowflake that won’t melt against the skin. At $79.95, this is a piece that can be worn at future winter holiday parties. There is also a matching pair of earrings for $69.95. This is one demi-parure worth investing in. Brides who prefer something different to snowflakes can try the Swarovski Baroque crystal pendant from Silverland Jewelry for $29.97. What I like about this crystal is the star design which is cut into the crystal. The bride should look through every possible source (including local stores) to find the right jewelry to go with her wedding dress.

Wedding dresses. There are many beautiful bridal gowns that can be worn for a winter wedding, and of course they do not all have to be the traditional white. Ice blue is another common color for the season, as well as ice pink. Here are three of my favorite winter wedding dresses

This pretty dress called Ice Queen is available through Good Orient. Made of satin and organza with lace and embroidered flowers, the bride who wears this strapless wedding dress will definitely feel like a winter princess. At the affordable price of $393.28, other winter-inspired accessories can be added to complement this lovely dress.

As a color for a bridal dress, Ice blue evokes a fairy-tale winter wedding. East Bridal offers a strapless bridal dress of this color with exquisite decoration in the fabric. The organza overlay has embroidery throughout the fabric and is draped at an angle at the waistline. With a cost of $120.00, this wedding dress is a dream come true.

East Bridal also offers a different style wedding dress in the same color ice-blue that is also strapless but has a sweetheart neckline with plenty of crystal beads in the embroidery. The ruched waistline adds just the right amount of extra decoration in this dress. The bolero comes separately, but it adds a distinct winter-season style to it. Purchase for $130.00 from East Bridal.

Shoes. Think glass slippers in the Cinderella style, but there are many shoes decked in crystals that will look like fresh-fallen snow at the bride’s feet. This pair ofcrystal pumps by Rene Caovilla has a comfortable heel height of 2″, is made of leather and additional sequins on the front of the shoes for a rainbow effect. Available from Neiman Marcus for $1,275.00. If the bride has a certain budget for shoes, thrift and consignment stores may have something similar that is more affordable.