Wonderful Winter Weddings

Hawke's Bay is known for gorgeous weather, stunning vineyards and bountiful orchards; no surprise then it's a popular region for couples to tie the knot. Any Hawke's Bay event professional will tell you summer is 'wedding season'; venues are booked solid for the summer months, often years in advance. This has seen many couples opt for a less traditional but completely magical winter wedding.

 What could be more glamorous than a beautiful bride wrapped from head to toe in a hooded white faux fur coat which she drops to reveal a gorgeous gown encrusted with crystal diamantes, glistening in the soft glow of candle light? The winter bride has so many more options for her dress – thick satins and silks, faux fur stoles and wraps, long white gloves, furry mufflers or even cute, fluffy ear muffs! And long sleeve wedding dresses are even making a come back – think vintage lace and shimmering satins. And let's face it, what groom wants to stand in the sweltering Hawke's Bay sun clad in a 3 piece, black suit, without his sunglasses while he eagerly waits for his bride to make her traditional late entrance.

There are also lots of options for a warming winter wedding menu. Why not start the evening by serving your guests deliciously warm mulled wine along with yummy 'comfort canapés' like mini beef merlot pies or shot glasses filled with creamy tomato and basil soup. And now that informal receptions with fingerfood and standing room only are out and, according to theknot.com, sit down reception dinners are back in, you can go to town on scrumptious lamb shanks and rich beef stews teamed up with a glass of delicious Hawke's Bay Merlot, all served by candle light, of course.

And there really is nothing more romantic than the warm ambience of flickering candle light. With the sun setting earlier in winter you can make the most of candles, roaring fireplaces and twinkling fairy lights. And who doesn't look there absolute best in the gentle glow of candle light? Why not combine candles with one of theknot.com's Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2010 – 'Retro Chic'. A bride who recently tied the knot at Church Road Winery scoured most of the second hand stores and 'op shops' in the North Island for retro shot glasses and small drinking glasses to use as tealight candle holders. The result was stunning and easy on the budget.

If you are budget conscious, one of the major benefits of having your wedding in winter is that you can make a huge saving. Many Hawke's Bay venues offer discounts for bookings outside of the 'peak months.'In fact some venues, such as Church Road Winery, offer a whole package of incentives for getting married in the 'off season' – these include discounted venue hire, a complimentary glass of bubbly for each guest and a list of other discounts from recommended suppliers such as wedding accessory hire, photography, transport, flowers, spray tans and more.

Planning your wedding in winter can also mean that you get the venue and suppliers you really want. Many ceremony and reception venues, photographers, musicians and celebrants can be booked more than 2 years in advance for the summer season so avoiding these dates can mean the difference between booking the venue of your dreams or settling for second best! One thing that is a must for a winter wedding is an indoor ceremony option. While you may get lucky and get a stunningly sunny winter day, perfect for an outdoor ceremony, you also must have a Plan B. Church Road Winery offer three different indoor ceremony options for winter weddings, as well as many indoor photo locations, perfect for when it is blowing a gale outside.

And the last great thing about having a magical winter wedding – when all is said and done, you can then leave the wintery weather behind and jet off for a sun-filled honeymoon or even stay close to home and soak up the gorgeous scenery on a trip around the snow covered South Island!

Jodine Hansen – Event Manager