We recently hosted the most beautiful winter wedding here at Harrington House in Hilton, in the KZN Midlands. It was probably one of the coldest days of the year that we have had so far, but the warmth from this couple shone through. To keep guests from feeling the bite, we hurried to light fires around the venue, which created a cosy and magical atmosphere too.
Winter weddings in Hilton can be truly magical, with the muted palettes, crisp air – and no rain! But, there is some preparation involved in keeping everyone warm and cosy. That’s why we’ve created this list of our 10 top tips for a winter wedding in Hilton:
#1 Be wise; accessorise!
Although you may not want to wear a ‘wintery’ wedding dress with more coverage or thicker fabric, there are ways of still donning the dress of your dreams while keeping cosy. Some trendy and stylish ideas include a cape, a faux fur stole or a chic cardigan. If it’s very cold, you can even wear tights under your dress, provided that no-one will see them and you remember to take them off before the garter toss!
#2 Veer towards velvet
For the groom, a velvet blazer is both toasty and totally on-trend. Using velvet fabric in your decor also creates a luxurious and warm feel.
#3 Winter-proof your look
Winter weather means drier weather, so be sure to keep your skin well-moisturised in the build-up to your wedding day and on the day itself. Have one of your bridesmaids keep a lip balm handy to prevent chapped lips. You can also use a spring water spritzer to keep your face looking fresh and dewy throughout the day or night.
#4 Don’t get cold feet
Having warm feet can keep the rest of your body feeling warm. Many brides these days are injecting some personality into their look with stylish boots instead of stilettos. If you’re not keen on going all-out cowgirl, look for closed shoes to protect your toes from the elements. Once the ceremony is over and the photos have been taken, you can also consider popping on some dancefloor-friendly white sneakers.
#5 Use just one venue
Having both your ceremony and reception at the same venue means less going outside and getting cold in and out of cars, and between locations.
Harrington House has a number of spaces that you can use for the different parts of your wedding day. We’re fortunate to have multiple indoor fireplaces and outdoor burners, keeping your guests comfortable, relaxed and toasty throughout your Big Day.
#6 Keep your wedding party warm
Your bridesmaids and groomsmen are a special part of your wedding day, so make sure that they’re able to keep warm too. If they’re freezing, it will show in your wedding photos – not quite the memory you’d like to retain! How about long sleeves for the men, and a cropped jacket or cape for the ladies?
#7 Add a touch of romance with candles
Because it gets dark quite early in winter, you can embrace this atmosphere and create a romantic setting by lighting candles in both the ceremony and reception’s spaces. Candlelight also creates a sense of warmth and cosiness.
#8 Go wild with winter wedding colours
Winter just screams for warm, rich tones like black, gold, berry red, burgundy and jewel tones. Best of all, these colours are certainly in vogue at the moment. Greenery, penny gum and seasonal flowers help bring your winter palette to life.
#9 Lose those winter layers later
As the dancefloor heats up, so will your guests! If you think that most of your guests will be wearing coats, it would be a thoughtful gesture to set up a safe coat check or a few coats stands on the verandah so that they have one less thing to hold and worry about.
#10 Blanket them with love
To keep your guests warm and cheery when they arrive, consider giving blankets as wedding favours. You can also greet them with a hot drink, like a decadent hot chocolate, gluhwein, tea or coffee (spiked with some Amarula, perhaps?).
At our recent winter wedding, guests were given S’mores kits – little packages with biscuits, marshmallows and chocolate, for guests to make their own tasty treats. With the fires around the venue, many guests chose to make their S’mores together and eat them at the wedding.
Let Harrington House warm up your winter wedding
Catering to a range of budgets and tastes, Harrington House may just be the venue for your winter wedding in Hilton! The best way to find out is to give us a call or pop in and see our beautiful new Hilton haven for yourselves. Get in touch with Jen and her team today: https://www.harringtonhouse.co.za/contact/.
