Winning With Your Winter Wedding

I was married in the winter, believe it or not, in the city of Chicago (yes, the same city with incomparable Snowpocalypses!). The first (and main) reason for this was that the venue of our dreams that my husband and I absolutely fell in love with was not available in the summer/fall months we initially desired…and we didn’t want our engagement to last another lifetime waiting for an opening! Finding myself in what I initially thought to be a disheartening situation, I quickly realized the amount of creativity and aesthetic license you gain when organizing a winter wedding. Drawing inspiration from anything from the winter color palette and the holidays to heartwarming cuisine and decor you can wrap yourself up in, there are countless ways to differentiate a winter affair from the plethora of spring and summer fetes you may think you crave.  I recently shared my insight with Cheeky Chicago in a column to showcase why you can actually say you’re “winning” when planning your winter wedding. Be sure to visit Cheeky Chicago the third Wednesday of each month for my latest advice

Create a Staycation Sensation!

We all know Chicago’s weather in the winter is not always the most desirable, but if you have your wedding at the Radisson Blu Hotel, your guests will hardly have to leave the premises to enjoy themselves. You can create your own destination-style wedding right here in your very own backyard. Start your staycation off with a rehearsal dinner at the remarkable Italian (hotel) restaurant, Filini, have movie night in their high-tech home theatre, boys night with a competitive game of pool in the pool room and end the evening with a night cap at the Filini Bar.

Before the wedding, your guests can get their sweat on in the 8,000 square foot, state-of-the-art fitness facility. Unwind with a soothing massage at the spa or work up a sweat in the gym, steam room or sauna. Other amenities include a basketball court, spinning equipment, cardio stations and an indoor swimming pool.

The night of the wedding, they will dance the night away under the “stars,” embraced by the glowing lights of the Chicago cityscape.

*Mention CheekyChicago when you contact Noemi Lopez at the Radisson Blu for more information.

Distinctive Décor

Brides, I can’t stress enough the importance of your bouquet – it’s in every photo! Make a statement! Embrace the winter and take advantage of unique bouquet decor options like feathers, crystals and winter berries that wouldn’t be suitable for a spring or summer wedding. Also, knock ‘em dead with distinctive table decor! With the rising popularity of anything sparkly, you can actually use this luxury décor style in a romantic candlelit room.

Here are some tips from one of my favorite florists, Jenna at Avant Gardenia, on how to incorporate floral and décor for a unique winter-style wedding and bouquet.

“Creating warmth within the space is the goal for winter wedding décor. Placing candlelight and lush blooms in other areas besides your guest tables – such as a fireplace mantle – achieves warmth and romance while pampering your guests with your attention to detail in setting the scene for the season. Brides are now using an abundance of candlelight in addition to their floral in order to create warmth and romance within their space. Another trend is adding crystal or “bling” wherever possible as it compliments the snow and ice outdoors and brings elegance and formality to the event.”

“A year-round trend for bouquets seems to be white and ivory floral; however, this simple color scheme is very versatile as it can be easily altered and transformed to compliment any season. A winter look can be achieved by adding lots of texture via specific floral mixtures as well as interesting greenery. For example, the smooth, sleekness of a calla lily can be paired with fringy greenery or frayed tulips and even winter berries. Other non-floral elements can always be added to bouquets and help to achieve an elegant winter feel. Things such as feathers, faux fur or crystals all can aide in making your winter bouquet unique and memorable. Stems can be wrapped with faux fur and/or crystal bands to make your bouquet a fabulous seasonal accessory for your big day.”

To help create your winter statement, Avant Gardenia is offering a FREE bridal bouquet for wedding packages over $2500. Just mention CheekyChicago.

Bling Out Your Wedding Paper

For those of you who love the bling bling, you’ll appreciate this! In the winter, you can bling out your invitations so they sparkle like snow! If you don’t like the rhinestone or buckle look, you can also accessorize your invitation subtly with glitter painted edges, glitter handmade liners and sparkly borders! Take advantage of these amazing details that Be U Brides can add to your invitation; it will sure make a shining first impression.

For 2013 brides, book your Invitation Consultation with Be U Brides for January 2013 and get $100 off your custom designed Invitation Suite. Just mention Cheeky Chicago.

Get a One-of-a-Kind Bridal Gown

Strapless, strapless, strapless… this overly popular style makes sense in the summer, but the winter allows you to be unique with your dress style… like the ever-novel idea of sleeves! I suggest heading over to Mignonette Bridal where the magnificent Kpoene will use her talent to create a breathtaking winter gown that will not soon be forgotten.

For 2013 brides, book by October and receive 10% off the total cost of your custom designed gown. Mention CheekyChicago when setting up your consultation.

Exceptional Accessories

The best part of a winter wedding is how you choose to accessorize! Boots, hats, fur coats you name it! I have included a photo from my own winter wedding with this adorable fur jacket that my grandma found while walking in the mall.

Comment on this post and I will tell you where it’s from!

One-Shot Winter Wonders

The real way you impress those bridal-blog-brides (and your friends and family) is with unique photos! What is more extraordinary than capturing a photo of you and your groom in the snow, by Lake Michigan all frozen and glistening, or under the lights of Michigan Avenue?!! Did I hear you say “winning?!?”

Mention CheekyChicago and Cage and Aquarium will offer $100 off your winter engagement shoot.

Why Workout in the Winter?

What? You’re afraid you won’t be able to loose those extra LBs before your wedding? With all of the planning and must-attend-to last minute details, who has time to workout? Unlike a summer wedding, in the winter you can actually use the “too dark and too cold” excuse to avoid hitting the pavement. Stick with the excuses and treat yourself to a Bioslimming Body Wrap at Cleise Brazilian Day Spa.

Bioslimming is more than a body wrap; it also boasts an array of additional therapeutic benefits as well as aiding in reducing the appetite and enhancing weight loss. It is chock full of essential oils, plant and algae extracts, and caffeine to fight cellulite and boost the body’s ability to metabolize fat. You will emerge from this detoxifying, slimming treatment with smooth contours and an energized composition. Cleise is the only spa in Chicago that offers this unique treatment (although it runs rampant in celebrity-ridden Cali).

Mention CheekyChicago and receive 20% off when you buy a series of five or more.

Register From the Comfort of Your Own Home

Ladies, how hard is it to get your hubbie-to-be off the couch on a Saturday afternoon to go register? Take advantage of the wintery weather and give in to your fiancé (he will love you even more, thus maybe scoring a second wedding band!) by registering from the comfort of your own couch. Visit Poladora.com, a unique, consolidated online registry (similar concept to the honeymoon sites) that allows you to register at a variety of stores around Chicago from the comfort of your own home.

Along with great dinnerware and home decor options from stores such as POSH and Crosell and Co., you can also register for food and wine from Provenance and other items like yoga classes from Yogaview or cooking classes from Centered Chef. Since Poladora is a consolidated registry, couples have the added assurance of knowing that they will not need to worry about returns and exchanges. Rather than being left with two bowls, a plate and three wine glasses, Poladora holds the gifts as a credit so couples can get what they really want by reallocating expenditures on gifts across all partner retailers on Poladora.com.

For CheekyChicago readers, Poladora.com is offering 10% off the gifts you receive up to $100 in value. Enter code “CHEEKY” when you register.

Extraordinary and Fabulous Comfort food

Who doesn’t love comfort food? Unlike a spring or summer wedding, comfort food is acceptable at a winter wedding. Do something unique and warm up your guests with a beer- pairing cocktail hour from Goose Island Catering. One of the many comfort food-and-beer-pairing appetizers they serve is a mouthwatering Winter Squash Bisque Soup and Cheddar Stick paired with a mini glass of Goose Island Mild Winter. Yum!

Mention CheekyChicago to receive 10% off your cocktail hour package from Goose Island Catering.

I hope that I have successfully convinced you to be extra exceptional by having a true Chicago winter wedding. Go outside the norm, embrace the awkward beauty of the winter months, and plan the most unique wedding of your dreams! If the reasons above have not yet persuaded you that your winter wedding will be a “winning” one, maybe the fact that you don’t have to worry about rain will help? You may even get lucky with a beautiful wintery snowfall.