5 Benefits of Booking a New England Winter Wedding Venue
Published January 15th, 2023
Have you been considering booking a New England Winter Wedding Venue? A wedding during the snowy season is a brilliant – and beautiful – idea. This results in a memorable weekend for all in attendance. Here are five reasons why booking a New England winter wedding venue such as French’s Point in Maine will set your event apart:
1) THE PHOTOS Most wedding photos are filled with green foliage, flowers, and short sleeves – but there is intense, novel beauty in the alternative! Winter at French’s Point (and the surrounding area) is an absolutely stunning photographic backdrop. Imagine crisp, pure snow, rich seasonal accessories, and humidity-free air to keep your hair perfectly in place. A traditional white dress set on a backdrop of clean snow is a striking and elegant aesthetic, or a more unique colored wedding gown in contrast to the white snow. A special advantage of exchanging vows and capturing photos in the chillier season is that it’s perfectly compatible with tuxedos and other black tie apparel. Multiple layers blend much more seamlessly in crisp air, not humid, hot summer weather. Your guests and wedding party will be more comfortable, making for a happier event and more natural shots. A tip from our event team: Be sure to research the exact time of the sunset for the day of your event! Your photographer will want to capture the best lighting – often as the sun is going down – so it’s important to time your first look, ceremony, and reception around that window.
Photo by Greta Tucker Photography
2) THE VENUE Warm-weather weddings are often planned outdoors, which leaves the forecast as a huge risk for the big day. All of those hours spent planning and prepping are left at the mercy of the weather! However, with a winter wedding, you’re likely to plan for most, if not all of the events to be held indoors from the start. This reduces the impact of inclement weather and allows you to plan with confidence.
The interior of the Retreat House is rich, warm and elegant. The fireplaces are cozy and welcoming. The open-concept space on the main level, offers an ideal setting of intimate weddings of up to 100 guests. You can host your ceremony in the waterfront Conservatory, with 280 degree water views, or for the more adventurous, you can host your ceremony out at the gazebo. That makes for a VERY memorable experience for your guests. Servers greet guests with hot mulled cider for cocktail hour in the Lounge and Foyer Bar. Dinner is set in the beautiful dining room, with a roaring fire. Dance the night away in the Conservatory.
The sun sets earlier during the winter months, additional lighting & candlelight is often incorporated into winter wedding aesthetics. This offers an opportunity to create ambiance in an intimate and unique way, that offers guests a special experience and also transfers beautifully to photographs. Imagine strings of fairy lights, tiered candles, Edison bulbs, and metal lanterns to create depth and interest at the event and be captured in photos for decades to come.
3) THE VENDORS Winter weddings are considered the “off-season” for most vendors, which means that the florists, caterers, bakeries, event planners, and decorators that you want to work with will likely have much more open availability! Most couples tie the knot between late spring and early autumn, so planning your wedding in the winter reduces the number of other conflicting events & better availability for choice vendors. This also means that if a vendor has to cancel, you’ll more easily be able to find a replacement as most wedding vendors will have much emptier calendars! Booking a New England winter wedding venue also increases the likelihood of your vendor team being rested, organized, and genuinely enthusiastic about your big day. Fewer back-to-back events allow your team to slow down, focus on the details, and execute to the best of their ability.
4) THE GUESTS Increased availability applies in equal strength to your guest list. During warmer months, it’s nearly impossible to pick a date -– especially for the weekend – that’s not already booked! Less competition for preferred dates increases the chances of your favorite people being in attendance and reduces the chance of an awkward situation where guests are forced to choose one event over another.
Winter weddings allow much more flexibility for guests who have to make special provisions to attend. For example, a winter event creates availability for those with limited vacation days at their place of employment. Because summer is the typical choice for vacations, those who would like to attend your wedding might not be able to do so if they’ve run out of vacation days earlier in the year. It also eases the stress of childcare during busy summer months when caregivers have more tightly booked schedules.
When your wedding falls in the winter months, it is likely to be the only one of the season. This makes it feel more special, more novel & memorable, and gives attendees something exciting to look forward to during otherwise potentially slower months. Also, many guests have “Visiting Maine” or “Visit New England” on their bucket list, so many guests will look forward to your New England Winter Wedding!
Photo by Greta Tucker Photography
5) THE MENU Winter weather is much kinder to food! Hot summer sun is prone to melting buttercream icing, forcing fruit to lose its freshness, and wilting unprotected greens. However, in the winter, there’s much more room for creative menus, and much consistent temperature control, allowing for otherwise impractical foods to grace your guests’ tables. Think: hot chocolate stations, hearty soups and stews, root vegetables, seasonal baked goods and other comfort foods!
Photo by Greta Tucker Photography
Ready to plan your idyllic winter wonderland wedding at New England Winter Wedding Venue? French’s Point is the pinnacle in elevated event venues, open in every season with experienced staff and stunning grounds. Learn more about our grounds and offerings:
