How to Plan a Winter Wonderland Themed Wedding

Weave the elements of winter into your wedding theme.

When I think of a winter wonderland scene, I envision an old fashioned frozen pond with people dressed warmly in sweaters, hats, gloves and mittens ice skating on it. Snowmen have been built alongside the pond, icicles drip from the trees and it makes me want a hot cup of cocoa and a roaring fire to go home to. This is one nostalgic scene of a winter wonderland. You could take this scene and use the elements to create your own winter wonderland theme wedding.

Things You'll Need

• winter wonderland decor: snow flakes, mittens, ice skates, etc

Instructions

1. When planning your winter wonderland theme wedding, you can use fabulous winter elements, like snowflakes, icicles, ice skates and sleds in your decorations. You can create a nostalgic scene by using a dark blue and a light blue with a more country essence, or you could have a sleek and modern winter wonderland by just focusing on the metallic color scheme and using mainly the snowflakes and icicles. With the metallic colors, snowflakes and icicles, I envision a cool, modern and sexy winter wonderland. Any way you choose, your winter wonderland theme wedding will turn out perfect for you.

2. Decide on what type of color scheme and decor you would like to have. Pick out your color scheme: you could use dark blue, ice blue, white and silver or the variations metallic blues, silver and white.

   For decorating elements you could use any or all of these symbols of a winter wonderland: ice skates, frozen pond, ice sculptures, snowmen, snowflakes, icicles, mittens, hats, scarves, sleds, hot cups of cocoa.

3. Create savvy centerpieces.

   I've seen little sleds and sleighs at the dollar stores around Christmas. Get the plain ones that can be painted or decorated however you want and use them as centerpieces. You could place flowers or a candle inside each one.

   You could put large snow globes with a different winter scene on each table.

   A large glass bowl could be used with a tall pillar candle in the middle surrounded by blue, white and silver Christmas balls (take off the hooks).

   Mirrored tiles on the table with glass bowls on top filled with water and glass rocks (use ice blue and clear rocks to make it look like ice) and put a floating candle on top. If you do not want a floating candle, just use the glass rocks and nestle a votive candle in them.

4. Keep warm during your winter wedding. Winter fabrics are warm, thick and rich. You could wear velvet, perhaps not your dress but as capes and cloaks. Other warm winter fabrics include fur, thick satins, and knits (think a big warm fluffy sweater---you probably won't want to wear a sweater while getting married but as part of your going away outfit or used somewhere else in the wedding theme). You could wear your white dress and a dark blue velvet cape; it would be a stunning combination.

5. Select your favors. Here are some fabulous favor ideas:

   Make or buy mittens, fill them with candy and tie the opening with a ribbon.

   If you can't find enough mittens, you could use the stretchy gloves. They can often be found very cheap. You could possibly buy them in bulk. Fill them with candy and tie closed with a ribbon.

   Another idea is to use basic tulle circles in your wedding colors filled with candy and tied with a ribbon and personalized tag.

   You could also use other items from the theme and make them into favors--tiny ice skates, snowflake-shaped candy or miniature soaps, single packets of hot cocoa mix personalized with your names and wedding date (this could be easily accomplished by printing out big stickers and affixing them to the packets).

   Tiny snow globes would also be a unique favor idea for a winter wonderland theme wedding. I've seen little snow globes or even tiny snow globes on key chains. Check eBay and other places online.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep things simple yet elegant, don't get carried away with the abundance of theme-related material available to you.

• Several winter theme variations:

• Angel Theme: white and gold, soft and shimmery fabrics, glitter, feathers

• Christmas Theme: There are endless variations that could be used within a Christmas theme--Santa, sleighs, Christmas trees, candy canes, presents, Victorian Christmas, elegant Christmas, etc.

• Christmas Tree Decorations: lights, bulbs, ornaments, candy canes, presents

• Evergreen: Christmas trees, pine boughs, pine cones, wreaths, garlands, ribbons, mistletoe, holly

• Flavors of Winter: focus on foods and flavors (and scents) you would normally only find during winter, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, egg nog, hot spiced cider, fruitcake, thick soups, stews and chili, etc

• Hockey: for the hardcore hockey fans

• Ice Skating: ice skates, mittens, scarves, hats, frozen pond (ice sculpture)

• Log Cabin: moose, bears, natural wood, pine trees, dark colors like dark reds, greens, browns, and black, fireplace

• Presents: gifts, gift wrap, ribbons, gift tags---use all these items in your decorating

• Santa: red velvet, reindeer, sleigh, presents

• Skiing and Ski Lodge: skies, mittens, hats, scarves, fireplace

• Sleighs and Sledding: sleds, toboggans, horse drawn sleighs, mittens, hats, scarves

• Snow and Ice: snow, snow flakes, snow balls, icicles, ice sculptures

• Snow globes: falling snow, enchanting scenes, a different snow globe on every table as a centerpiece

• Snowmen: snowmen decorations and theme items

• Victorian: velvet, lace, ribbons, cherubs, old fashioned Victorian decorations and clothing

• Winter Elegance: the fabrics and styles of winter- velvet, fur, hand muffs, capes, dark colors

• Winter Plants: evergreens, holly, poinsettias, pinecones, nuts, cranberries