Last December, Kira and Sean celebrated their winter wedding at the Jefferson Street Mansion, beautifully captured by A Perfect Impression Photography. Their celebration illustrates why Northern California is one of the best places to host a winter wedding.
With a temperate climate year-round, beautiful outdoor events are possible any month of the year. Winter months can be a slower time for many people, which means more friends and loved ones may be available to come together to celebrate the big day. There are also cost savings associated with a winter wedding, with lower venue rental fees and greater availability for in-demand wedding vendors.
While there are many great reasons to have a winter wedding in Northern California, there are also key considerations to prepare for, like the higher possibility of wet weather. When hosting an outdoor winter wedding, it is important to discuss the rain plan with your wedding venue. Wet weather can strike any time of year, so any wedding venue should have a game plan in the event of rain.
The Jefferson Street Mansion in Benicia, California, is known for its beautiful wisteria-draped ceremony arbor and expansive views of the bay. This wisteria is particularly beautiful in early winter when the changing golden leaves are sprinkled throughout the lush greenery, and the hills across the way in neighboring Martinez come alive with bright green flora brought on by the rain of the season. Here, in the event of a light sprinkle, guests are sheltered by the protective covering atop the ceremony site above the wisteria, which also shields guests from the sun’s rays during sunny weather. If there is heavy rain in the forecast, the ceremony can also be held in the venue’s tented pavilion.
Another weather-related consideration this time of year is lower temperatures. Here, communication with guests is key. Your wedding website can be a good place to include some FAQs about the weather and the venue to better prepare your guests. We recommend letting your guests know they are attending an outdoor wedding and that they should keep an eye on the forecast and dress for it. The Jefferson Street Mansion also has complimentary heaters in the tented pavilion, gas fireplaces in the mansion parlor rooms, and heating in the venue’s veranda room, where guests may gather prior to the start of the ceremony.
Shorter days and earlier sunset times are another consideration for a winter wedding. In Northern California, the sunset in winter can be as early as 5 pm. We recommend a ceremony start time of at least two hours prior to the sunset in order to have the ceremony in the light of day and leave enough time for photos. Doing a first look, where the couple sees each other before the ceremony, can also be a great idea in winter to get photos during the day if that is a priority. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a time crunch if you need to fit family photos, wedding party photos, and couples photos in the hour after the ceremony when most guests are typically enjoying cocktail hour.
Photography and capturing the memories of your wedding day are high priorities for most couples. Sometimes despite best efforts with the timing of the event and inclusion of a first look, the weather may not cooperate. As you can see in Kira and Sean's wedding photos throughout this post, it's beneficial to choose a venue with beautiful indoor settings and built-in décor, such as the Jefferson Street Mansion. Here, the high ceilings, rich drapery, and antique artifacts lend character and beauty to wedding photos without any additional client-provided décor or financial expenditure. Incorporating flexibility into your timeline is also helpful so you can dash out for some additional photos if there is a break in the rain. Working with the venue's recommended photographer is also a good idea since they shoot at the venue often and know all of the best spots for photos, no matter the weather.
Finally, your mindset and knowing yourself can be important aspects when considering a winter wedding. If you know it will be stressful to be unsure whether the rain will dash your hopes of the outdoor ceremony of your dreams, then deciding on another season could be the way to go.
THANK YOU TO OUR VENDORS!
Venue: Jefferson Street Mansion
Officiant: Officially Yours
Florals: A Love’s in Bloom
Cake: Old Towne Danville Bakery
DJ: iMobile DJs
Photography & Videography: A Perfect Impression