By Silver Star Event and Decor Hire

South Africa is known as a place of sunshine, sea and braai’s. And that is possibly also why our warmer months are traditionally wedding season. But, are brides losing out by not even considering getting married in winter?

“We have found that there is a bit of a negative feeling around winter weddings in South Africa,” says Maryke Minnaar, the owner of Silver Star Function Hiring. “But, there are many benefits to having your wedding in winter.”

The cost-effectiveness of winter weddings is probably the most beneficial aspect of these functions. There is lower demand, hence you will have more venues to pick from, and more available dates for your venue of choice.

Because the winter months are “out of season”, many venues and suppliers have special reduced prices on bookings and services.

However, that does not mean your wedding will have to look like a discounted function. A browse around platforms like Pinterest offers many magical themes for winter weddings. A very elegant trend for the 2017/18 wedding season is burgundy, navy and gold.

“In winter, you can have a more dramatic wedding, with darker and deeper colours,” says Maryke. “These colours and themes just don’t work as well in summer.”

“If you look at a rustic winter wedding, you can have a more intimate and cosy function,” she says. “If you add a fire basket or two in a more enclosed environment, your guests instantly connect more, because they form smaller groups around the fire.”

In the case of a rustic theme, you will probably also save on your flower expenses because you can forego flowers completely. Alternatively, you will pay less for your flowers – provided they are in season – because again, there is less of a demand.

Maryke’s favourite winter theme is Winter Wonderland. “There is something magical about Winter Wonderland weddings,” she says. “Even though we don’t really get snow in South Africa, you can recreate the feeling with the white flowers, crystal decorations and candles for lighting.”

Contact Silver Star Event and Décor Hire for advice on planning, as well as décor items for winter weddings or functions.