How much money will a winter wedding save?

For some couples, bright and sunny weather is high on the wish-list for their perfect weather. However, consider a winter wedding and you could not only enjoy a new perspective on your wedding, but you could save yourself thousands too.

Many wedding venues will offer special winter packages, with some even offering wedding insurance, and the cost is often much cheaper than a mid-summer event. In fact, we compared the cost of similar weddings at 50 locations around the UK in January and in July, and the difference was impressive.

Opt for a winter wedding and on average you can save 20% on the cost of your wedding. That equates to an average saving of £1,650 based on 80 people attending.

That amount could be put towards the dress (the average cost of which is £1,378* – so you get a free dress essentially!), the honeymoon, or maybe the transport to your chosen venue. And with 720 Brits a month searching for ‘cheap wedding ideas’, according to Google, it appears we’re all looking for those extra savings.

It’s not just the money that makes a winter wonderland wedding appealing. Whether you chose a snow-covered country estate or an old-fashioned tithe barn with a roaring fire, there’s something a little more homely with winter weddings, that you may not be able to replicate in the glare of the summer sun.

So where can you save the most cash on your ceremony and reception?

Our study found the Italian Villa at Compton Acres in Poole to offer the biggest savings for a winter wedding. Bringing a bit of Tuscany to Dorset with an off-peak wedding at the stylish villa and elegant gardens and you can save 47% on the cost of the same event in the summer. That’s a saving of over £5,000!

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While you may miss out on some summer sun, that’s predominantly what’s different about the wedding packages. All the same benefits are included when booking for January as they are for July, except for menu tasting for the happy couple.#

But with £5k left in the bank, we think you might treat yourself to a meal at your venue-to-be before the big day is finalised.

The second and third biggest savers in our study also came in the southern half of the country. Following the Italian Villa in ‘runners-up’ spot for a cool saving of 47.1% was Three Lakes at Westmill Farm in Ware, Hertfordshire.

Spectacular views overlooking the River Rib and surrounding lakes mean the outside pagoda is a top choice for summer weddings, but with some cosy barns to take your vows, the weather doesn’t mean it’s only viable six months of the year.

Westmill Farm’s Winter Wedding Package is available at a very reasonable £2,760 for 60 people, each enjoying a two-course wedding breakfast, evening buffet with a glass of wine. Swap that January or February for a wedding in July however and the cost jumps up to £5,220 (based on the Gold package). Couples choosing a winter wedding won’t benefit from the complimentary welcome drink and DJ included in the summer packages, but the savings are still massive.

Perhaps the grandest of our top three is The Elvetham in Hampshire. The 19th century stately home complete with 35 acres is one of the premier wedding venues in the south and it’s easy to see why.

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Couples choosing the Seymour Package next summer for a Friday wedding will need to shell out £10,800 for 80 daytime guests, a price many will be willing to pay for such a special venue. However, compare that to the winter wedding offered by the venue with the same benefits and you pay just £6,500, a saving of nearly 40%!

There were many other venues in our research that showed huge savings when swapping a July ceremony for a January wedding. Just ask your preferred venue if they have any discounts available for booking in the cooler months and you could keep enough cash back to spend more on other areas of your day.

It might be wise to start by looking for a warm wedding dress!

* According to Brides Magazine

Planning your big day? Make sure you get your quote for Wedding Insurance as early as possible!