Outside Winter Ceremony

It's my dream that it snows a few days before my wedding, but it is miraculously about 60 degrees so we could get married outside in the snow. (With Missouri weather this is actually very possible in November) but I'm being realistic and we are going to get married inside with an outdoor backup if the weather is perfect. Your guests will not be comfortable outside, I'd do a wintery theme inside and take some pictures with FH outside in the snow instead!

I would hate it, personally. I love the snow, but when I'm bundled up and wearing a ton of layers - not something I would wear to a wedding.

Plus, my mom has MS and can't stand extreme weather. So on a logistical point, some guests simply can't do that and you'd be isolating them.

As a Wisconsin girl, this would be a no from me. I can tolerate walking places outside in the cold (with a few layers on), but once you're sitting/standing outside for awhile you'll need a few more layers than you had before in order to feel the same warmth you had when you were moving. If you were to do this at all, you would need to keep the ceremony short, and the guest list small. Keeping the guests list small shortens the amount of time needed to get everyone seated, and once everyone is there you would need to start right away to limit the amount of time everyone is outside.

Everyone else has a good idea of having it indoors in a place with large windows and having pictures outside.

Unless I was immediate family, I would not attend. If I didn't know it was outside and showed up, I would probably just go straight to the reception. I hate the cold and as someone already pointed out you are in Wisconsin which is known for being bitter cold. This would definitely fall under "Worst weddings ever/what were they thinking" It is fine if you want to have a big bay window with the outside/snow as your background or if you and FH want pictures in the snow but would not be okay to do to your guests.

Well for my mom she is allergic to the cold and breaks out in hives when it is too cold, so you have to keep in mind guests like that. Even though it isn't very common. I would definitely bring enough blankets for all guests and offer hot chocolate before the ceremony so they can drink it while the ceremony takes place. Or you could have it at a venue that has big windows and get married in front of them so it's like your outside but you're not.

If I was invited to a winter wedding outdoors (in the winter states), my husband and I wouldn't go. I'm sure it would be pretty but I'd rather be warm and at home in front of a fire.

Thank you all for the insights. It seems FH and I have quite a bit of figuring out to do.

The venue we are using does have an option for an indoor ceremony and it does have big windows all along the side but not behind where the bride and groom would stand. I honestly really don't want to get married inside as one of the biggest reasons we chose this venue is that the outside is so beautiful. So I guess that leaves us either the option of moving the date up some (we haven't booked the venue just yet so this wouldn't be a problem), or an intimate ceremony with close friends and family.

It just sucks because this is the one detail that I've always known I've wanted. The rest doesn't even matter as much to me (besides the necessities such as food, booze and dancing). Luckily we have time to think on this. Thanks again guys.

Do not have a winter outside ceremony. I saw photos of a winter wedding. They were ruined by everyone shivering and making weird faces.

The general rule I've heard on here is that an outdoor venue should be between 65 and 85 (without humidity, with shade) to be comfortable for guests. If you can make the outdoors between 65-85 in January (perhaps with blankets, heaters, a heated, clear tent), then I think it would be fine. Doing it straight up in 15 degree snow wouldn't work though. Maybe you could find a local wedding planner who has done this sort of thing before. We're doing an outdoor wedding and having a planner who knows how to make guests comfortable and deal with the weather has been such a relief for us.

I hate the cold and lose circulation in my fingers and toes very quickly to point where I am in pain. I would be very upset to attend a winter wedding outside with snow.

It would probably take me about 30-45 minutes to regain the blood flow to my fingers even with gloves on.

As PP's have said- large bay windows. I don't know if you've booked yet or not or where you are located but ski resorts are PERFECT for these types of things. Snowbird Cliff Lodge comes to mind.

Back to the gap question. If a couple implied that an entire day would be hosted, and then the guest arrive only to discover that they had several dead hours to fill, there's nothing wrong with them leaving. They RSVPd to a different event than the one that was being held. Maybe if they had known, they would have opted out of the first part of the day and attended the reception only (which is what I would do).