Winter Weddings

Winter weddings can be particularly gorgeous, in my opinion. Of course, I love Christmas, and everything that goes with it. They can also be extra stressful, since the holidays are already extremely busy. My daughter was married in December, just three days before Christmas, several years ago. One thing that helped, was incorporating all the beautiful Christmas decorations in the decor for the wedding. Using red, black and white for her colors made that simple and elegant. Creating winter scenes with deer and pine trees and lots of twinkle lights made beautiful back drops for photos.

Pine cones and green boughs are inexpensive, as are glass bulb Christmas tree ornaments. Tie everything up with red ribbons and add some candles... voila! Even mason jars can be made into beautiful centerpieces, or paper bags. Fill the bag with greens, spray the bottom with fake snow, tie with pieces of jute strung with bells or stars. The possibilities are endless.

A cocoa bar, popcorn bar and hot mulled cider are fun things to consider for refreshments. If you're feeding your guests, chili with Fritos, grated cheese and sour cream will warm their hearts and tummies. A cute treat is cupcakes with a candy cane stick with a little sign on it that reads, "North Pole." Top the candy cane with a red hot. Strawberries dipped in white chocolate and sugar to give them some sparkle are pretty and tasty.

For party favors, wrap match boxes with nice paper printed with "The Perfect Match." Or do small plastic bags filled with peppermint bark and tied with a ribbon and a sprig of green. For fun photos, have the groomsmen all wear Santa hats. A sign at the entry could read, "'Tis the Season to be Married."

And to relieve the stress after a long day of wedding planning, pop yourself some popcorn, and sit down to watch a Christmas movie with a nice cup of hot chocolate. Don't forget the marshmallows!