Outside Winter Ceremony

I hate the cold and would definitely not enjoy sitting outside for a ceremony. I suppose if it were sunny out and snowy and weather conditions were just right, I would be okay for 25 minutes, but who can guarantee that? Outdoor wedding, hot or cold, are risky. I agree with others to have a venue with a great open view of the outdoors

I probably would not attend an outside winter ceremony. I HATE the cold. Does your venue have any sort of large open window inside? You could get married in front of a picture window so everyone can see the outdoors! And definitely incorporate winter into your indoor decor. You could always go outside with your FH to get your photos done!

@JessieJV fair enough. I still think being so annoyed that you would decide to leave and not even attend the reception Would be an overreaction though.

@Natalie-I have left receptions or not attended others because of things like gaps. If you are breaching etiquette in any way, I don't need to be a party to that.

JFC @Natalie, if a guest like her becomes ill due to the cold, why the fuck is it an overreaction if she decides to go home?

Not attending the ceremony if she is ill and it's an outdoor wedding in winter is obviously fair enough. skipping the reception (which is indoors and she has RSVP'd yes to) is not fair enough imo.

So if she still doesn't feel well, she should grin and bear it through the reception. Got it.

I'm always outside in the winter. I do a ton of winter hiking and snowshoeing and I would hate this. When I go out in the winter I'm layered up and moving around. It would be miserable to sit still in a dress, even with a winter coat over it, and non winter boots. (my heavy duty LL Bean boots aren't exactly the look I'm going for when I go to a wedding) Go with a venue where you can get married in front of a big window. You get your winter backdrop and guests are still comfortable.

As long as I am warm and covered (overhead canopy) I should be OK.

Nope, FH and I skipped out on a reception when we found out there was an unhosted gap. It was easier for us to get home. We'd been to the important part of the day.

@Gym rat that's not what I'm saying at all. Jessica said she has an auto immune disease that makes her extra cold, she has every right then not to attend an outdoor winter wedding ceremony and risk getting sick. I don't think she has every right to skip the reception she that would've hypothetically RSVP'd to though (which would obviously be inside.)

'Nope, FH and I skipped out on a reception when we found out there was an unhosted gap. It was easier for us to get home. We'd been to the important part of the day.'

So you told the bride and groom that you would just be attending the ceremony and not the reception?

I love this idea. Heaters sound good. I'd likely give out blankets too....red ones.

IMO this is ridiculous! Everyone will have something negative to say. Don't do it!

Nope, we were under the impression that everything would be hosted until we found out it wasn't. So we left before the reception with our regrets. We made it to the important part of the wedding. Also, if the couple wanted everyone to make it to the reception, they should have hosted their entire wedding. We weren't the only ones who didn't show at the reception.

ETA: don't breach etiquette, and your guests will be happy!

No way. People will be super annoyed. As others have suggested, just take pictures outside but don't subject your guests to it. We got married on 2/25 in Boston and were expecting to take some photos outside in the snow but I promised my family that I wouldn't make them go outside. It turned out to be 65 degrees and we did end up taking pictures outside with everyone. But the point is, you should be considerate to your guests and family and not make them be outside in the cold.

Well you were rude to do that too. You didn't show up to the reception that you had already RSVP'd to attend and the couple had (I assume) already paid for your meals. Two wrongs (or etiquette blungers) don't make a right.

I'm getting married in winter and chose my ceremony venue to have big windows right behind where FH and I will be standing and I'm crossing my fingers (PLEASE) that it snows, so we can have it as a backdrop. I never ever thought to take my guests out there. FH and I will be going out to take pictures after the ceremony though. He hates the cold but he loves me

No way. I'd decline my invite.

It's not over the top at all. It's supremely rude and self indulgent to plan this, and unless you're in an enclosed area (like an enclosed patio or a tent with sides, you have to be literally standing under one of those heaters to feel, well, heated. Your guests, if they even agree to be outside, will hate it. And that's a bad way to start a celebration you are presumably throwing for people you love.

ETD: this couple, who I adore, got married inside a barn during SnowTober a few years ago. They did one group shot on the porch, but we were so inside. It was fabulous.

We do elopements all winter long, but they are literally five minutes long. We all (as in all four of us) get out of our cars, say the absolute minimum of what has to be said, go back into the cars to sign the licenses and off we go. No seating, no heaters, no nothing.

Even if it's 40 degrees, it's going to be uncomfortable for everyone including you.

Move it inside. Find a place with a great view, take your photos outside if you want, but don't put your guests through that.