Want to have a winter wedding?
Here is your ultimate guide to a winter wedding in the Midwest! The weather can be unpredictable in the winter, especially Ohio! Sometimes winter in Ohio means -6 degrees and buckets of snow and other times you'll get a 50 degree winter day... The weather shouldn't stop you from having your dream wedding day, just like the Hillikers beautiful day! Check out our favorite go-to tips for a winter wedding
Bonus! Read more about the Hillikers love story and Big Day at the end of the blog!
Setting a Wedding Date
It is important to set a wedding date early so you can book the best vendors, have enough time to prepare, and give your guests time to save the date. A winter wedding is in the midst of a holiday season, so giving your guests time to prioritize your wedding date is important! Plus, this offers you more time to prepare your wedding day.
Finding the Right Venue
It is important to make sure your venue is equipped for a winter wedding. Some venues may not have heat or are geared towards a summery, garden party wedding. You want to be sure your venue fits your style, but also has the appropriate winter accommodations. A great question to ask your venue before booking your winter wedding is... will there be someone who will plow the parking lot if there is snow? Bonus points if your venue provides space for your ceremony and reception, to limit travel for your wedding.
Here are some of our favorite Ohio venues for the winter:
- The Village Barn (featured below)
- Everhart Gathering Place
- The Lake Erie Building
- Four Seasons Barn
- Camp Perry Lodging & Conference Center
- Sawmill Creek Resort
Dress Code
We love it when bridal parties are dressed in all black. Not only is black a timeless color, but it also goes perfectly with the winter theme. Plus, it's an easy color to layer, so you stay warm. Color trends come and go, but black looks beautiful forever!
Pro - tip for bridal party portraits outside: If you have long dresses, wear leggings and boots underneath, they will likely not be seen and will keep you warmer longer!
Tip for your guests at winter wedding: provide a place for winter coats for your guests! While puffer jackets and parkas are a must have for winter days, they look best kept in a contained space out of sight verses hung on the backside of chairs during your wedding.
OUtside PHotos
Location for your outdoor photos is key! We always recommend having your photos in a city location, since most blooms and trees are dormant in the winter. If you would like to have photos with greenery, look for winter foliage, like evergreen trees. Make sure to have a backup plan for photos if the weather doesn't cooperate. This is when having a beautiful venue comes in handy!
Choose a location close to home
Having a venue close to home is super helpful for family members if the weather is bad. Plus, family members may not need a hotel!
Choose your Vendors carefully
Having vendors that know how to work well in the winter weather is very important! As a wedding photographer in Ohio, we know how to prepare for the winter weather. If you are looking for a winter wedding photographer, you're in the right place. You can inquire with A. Faith Arts here on our website!
Mr. & Mrs. Hilliker
We are featuring the beautiful winter wedding of Bailey & Ian Hilliker! We are so grateful we had the honor of capturing their special day!
Vendors:
- Venue - The Village Barn
- DJ - Toast and Beyond Entertainment (Tony Miller)
- Videography - Wedding Stories in Motion
- Hair and Make up - Flora Salon
- Catering - Bogey's Smokin BBQ
Their love story (written by Bailey):
I know, I know you’ve all heard the story before of the high school sweethearts falling in love and marrying each other. But, that’s just what happened with the two of us! We started dating our freshman year of high school after Ian “casually” slid into my DMs. After some serious convincing to message him back, we clicked right away. We went on our first date in January of 2014, which was ice skating, and have pretty much been inseparable since. We have been doing life together from the moment we made it official on February 14th, 2014. From graduating high school together, going to The University of Akron, buying a house together and graduating from college, we have never stopped making memories. Ian asked me to spend the rest of my life with him on August 26th, 2022 with the sweetest proposal. We went to our favorite beach to look for beach glass, which we have been going to on date nights for years, and asked me to marry him. After the intimate proposal we were then surrounded by our family and friends to celebrate our forever. We are SO excited to officially spend the rest of our lives together on December 2nd, 2023. We can’t wait to be surrounded by our closest family and friends to celebrate our love story.
