'Tis the season for stylish Christmas weddings

Christmas weddings are a joy. Everyone’s in a holiday mood, there are cosy log fires, glasses of warm mulled wine and you can have as many twinkling fairy lights as you want. And, if you’re lucky, you might even get a photogenic dusting of snow or a crisp frost.

What’s more, you can be as traditional or as non-traditional as you like. The decor can be full-on festive fun, complete with crackers, tinsel and turkey, or you can keep the tone seasonal but subtle. Think rich jewel colours, splashes of gold and a stylish bauble or two.

Dream dresses for Christmas weddings

Dress-wise, anything goes. It’s a fun time of year, so a vintage-inspired tea length will look amazing as you twirl to Christmas hits on the dance floor. Alternatively, a sophisticated classic A-line with full-length sleeves is perfect for a crisp winter morning. However, a sparkling ball gown, complete with faux fur wrap, is a great way to channel your inner princess and shine under the glittering decorations.

To inspire you, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite stylish Christmas weddings from wed2b brides. There’s a romantic castle, classic red and white colour schemes, festive fireworks and so much more, to help you conjure up a little of your own Yuletide magic…

Festive reds

Kelly and Findlay fully embraced their Christmas theme when they married at a Grade II Listed manor house on 28th December. “We went for a burgundy, cream and gold colour scheme with rich red bridesmaids dresses,” says Kelly. “Place names were candy canes and pinecones with each person's name handwritten on. The wedding cake was a rustic, naked cake decorated with forest fruits and pine cones.” 

“I wore a beautiful corded lace dress with sleeves by Anna Sorrano,” she says. “After the ceremony we were greeted with mulled wine as the harpist played by the roaring fire. The lights twinkled on the tree and it was magical. We also served a lovely three-course meal of pâté, lamb and sticky toffee pudding. Later, we had ‘wedding speech’ bingo cards and then a DJ who played all the cheesy tunes. Our first dance was to ‘Lover’ by Taylor Swift, mostly for the first line, ‘We can leave the Christmas lights up till January…’.”

A snowy castle setting

There was snow on the ground at Hannah and Declan’s wedding at a romantic Scottish castle, complete with twinkling Christmas tree and piles of presents.

“As it was December, we decided to go with the Christmas theme and I wore a timeless Anna Sorrano design in glossy Mikado that was just perfect for the time of year,” she says.

“We had robins as our cake topper, little Christmas parcels as name places and snowflake tree decorations as wedding favours. We also had a great band, Splendid Gentleman, who got the party going and had everyone up dancing.”

Understated seasonal style

If you'd prefer just a gentle nod to the season, then you'll love Natalie and Gary’s deep maroon colour scheme, which makes a stylish alternative to traditional bright reds. They married at Preston Mill, a converted water mill near Bath, and complemented the rustic setting with low-key festive elements, such as gingerbread house favours, a chocolate orange flavour cake and a tree decorated with chic white baubles.

Natalie also wore a stunning fitted sheath by The Signature Collection, which worked perfectly with the sophisticated colour scheme. Covered with floral lace and featuring a striking low illusion back, it also had a wow-factor Chantilly lace train that looked magical as she walked down the aisle.

For Stephanie and Theo it was all about a totally unique venue. They chose a breathtaking converted church in Edinburgh for their big day and filled it with candles, fairy lights and red roses to create the perfect atmosphere.

They also had navy bridesmaids dresses, which were a sophisticated contrast to the bold red flowers, twinkling lights and detailed surroundings.

Newlyweds Adele and David also chose a dark colour to balance out the bright colours of the season. Elegant black bridesmaid dresses and crisp white bouquets of roses and gypsophila offset their venue’s Christmas lights and colourful red and gold decorations.

The personal touch

Personalisation was really important to Charley and Hugh for their wintery day on Dartmoor. “I've always been really crafty, so took the time to make as many things as I could,” says Charley. “We collected the table decorations over the last year from charity shops, family members and car boots. We used glass and brass items alongside candles and fresh flowers to make it warm and inviting. Table names were our favourite places and we included a picture taken in each place. The navy and burgundy colours and cosy fires lit throughout the house all contributed to the winter wedding theme.” 

Go out with a bang

Lastly, one of the best things about winter's darker evenings is that you can make the most of a sparkler send off or even have a fireworks display, like Lindsay and Robert.

The theme for their day was luxurious burgundy velvets and gold, and the bride wore a stunning Mikado A-line with our suitably dramatic Empress Cape. They also made the most of the seasonal flowers available and lined the aisle with striking red poinsettias.

Later, after a church ceremony, Christmas cocktails and a festive afternoon tea, they ended the day with a huge fireworks display, to the delight of their guests.

Your very own winter wonderland

So, while most UK weddings happen between May to October, why not stand out from the crowd with a unique winter wedding like these brides? As you can see, it can be as stylish and elegant or as fun and Christmassy as you like, the choice is yours. Click here for more chic Christmas weddings or here to find the perfect dress for a frosty morning, cosy manor house or glittering ballroom. Then you’ll be ready to deck the halls in style… Merry Christmas!

If you would like us to feature your big day, like these lovely Christmas weddings, then please click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Your nearest WED2B is closer than you think, click here for your nearest store and here for what to expect when you visit.