Winter Weddings

Winter weddings are the best-kept secret in wedding photography. The light is low and golden by early afternoon, blue hour arrives in time for your portraits, and every room glows with candlelight.

From an intimate December ceremony at a London register office to a New Year’s Eve celebration that runs past midnight, winter weddings have a mood that summer can’t match: velvet and faux fur, deep florals, fairy lights, fires and the cosy closeness of everyone you love in one warm room.

Why couples choose winter

• Light made for portraits. Sunset can be before four o’clock, so golden hour and blue hour fall right after your ceremony instead of during the party.
• Your first-choice venue, and your first-choice suppliers. Venues have more winter dates, and so do we.
• Better value. Many venues offer off-peak rates from November to March, and so do we.
• Christmas and New Year. Families are already together, and a wedding becomes the heart of the holidays.

How we photograph and film winter weddings

Winter asks more of a photographer. Interiors are darker and the day is shorter, so we plan your timeline around the light: portraits are scheduled for the best window, and we bring quiet, flattering lighting for the evening so your photographs never look flat or flashed. Our films are shot on cinema cameras that love low light, so candles, string lights and the dance floor look as magical on screen as they did in the room.

Snow is a bonus, never a requirement. Rain becomes reflections on London pavements, an umbrella becomes a portrait, and a frosty morning becomes the opening shot of your film.

A winter day, planned around the light

The most important thing about a winter wedding is when the sun goes down. In December and January, London sunset is around four o’clock, so a timeline that works in June can leave you with no daylight for portraits at all. A winter day often runs like this:

• Morning preparations by the window, where the soft winter light is at its best.
• A late-morning or early-afternoon ceremony, so you walk out married with daylight still in the sky.
• Family photographs straight after the ceremony, outside if the weather allows, or in a pre-agreed spot indoors if not.
• Portraits at golden hour and blue hour, just a few minutes each, before the light fades.
• A long, candlelit evening of dinner, speeches and dancing, with nothing left to squeeze into the daylight.

Practical winter planning

• Have a wet-weather plan. Ask your venue where family photographs can happen indoors, and keep a few clear umbrellas to hand. They make lovely portraits.
• Keep warm. A wrap, a coat or a faux-fur stole for outdoor portraits means you can stay out for the best light without shivering.
• Light the room. Candles, festoon lights and fires add warmth to your photographs as well as the room. Check what your venue allows.
• Plan holiday travel. Around Christmas and New Year, public transport runs reduced timetables and roads are busy, so allow extra time for guests and suppliers.

Winter wedding ideas we love

• A city ceremony at a London register office, then dinner somewhere candlelit.
• Country houses with open fires, deep-green garlands and a long, candlelit table.
• Winter Asian weddings: jewel tones and gold, with every event indoors and nothing at the mercy of the weather.
• A New Year’s Eve wedding with sparklers, a midnight countdown and fireworks over the river.
• A church wedding in the weeks before Christmas, with candles and seasonal music.
• A London city wedding with night portraits under the street lights.

What you receive

A sneak peek within days, your full edited gallery usually within four weeks, and your films within two to three months, depending on the season. Wedding photography starts from £830, wedding films from £1,430 and our simple film from £950. See all our collections.

Your questions, answered

Are winter weddings cheaper?

Often, yes. Many venues offer off-peak rates from November to March, and so do we. Get your price for your date to see our winter rates.

What time should our winter ceremony be?

For daylight portraits, aim for a ceremony that finishes by around two or half past two in December and January. We are happy to look at your timeline and suggest timings that suit your venue.

What if it rains or snows?

We plan for it. Rain gives reflections and umbrella portraits, snow is a bonus, and we always agree an indoor spot for family photographs in advance.

Will our evening photographs be dark?

No. We bring quiet, flattering lighting for the evening, and our films are shot on cinema cameras that love low light, so candlelight looks as warm as it felt.