Winter is just magical, and so are winter wedding dresses. Well, what's so special about a winter, you ask? Falling snowflakes, crackling fires, Christmas. It's no wonder then, that you've decided to have a winter wedding because love and marriage are pretty magical concepts too. However, winter weather means more fabric and material attached to your wedding dress to keep you warm. And more fabric in the bridal world always means more money to spend. Until now. Yes, that's right - we've got the ultimate guide to the best cheap wedding dresses for a wintertime bride.
Plenty of celebrities have had a winter wedding, such as Amanda Holden and Kate Silverton. Kate Silverton, Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant and BBC newsreader, had proper snow on her wedding day in 2010, and according to her, it made the occasion even better.
Talking to leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched, Zoe Burke, remarked "Many venues are half the price if booked Monday - Thursday and a lot cheaper if booked off-season in months like December or January too. Everyone thinks they want this beautiful springtime or summer wedding, but autumn and winter weddings are just as special, and often less than half the price, saving a couple potentially thousands of pounds of wedding spend." So as well as being magical to experience, winter weddings can also be magical for your wallet.
So, if you're on the lookout for your dream winter wedding dress, look no further. We've taken inspiration from wedding dress trends across the internet and pop culture, for a wide range of high-street wedding dresses you can rock this winter. From Elsa, Frozen-inspired gowns, to Nutcracker-esque frocks, to something minimalist like a simple wedding dress with long sleeves to keep you warm. We've thought of it all.
SHOP: The best winter wedding dresses
Editor's Choice
www.asos.com
Unlike Elsa, we're not going to let this dress go. A fantastic affordable alternative to the rather pricey Disney Bridal Collection, this dress is fit for any Snow Queen. Any ASOS wedding dress is a win in our books.
Material: Lining 100% Polyester, Shell 100% Polyester
Sizes: 4 to 10
Best sequinned winter wedding dress
www.asos.com
If a dress this ethereal can exist for under £100, all those overpriced bridal shops really have no excuse. Glittering with sequins, the open back adds edge and dimension.
Material: Lining: 100% Polyester, Main 93% Polyester, 7% Elastane
Sizes: 10 to 18
Best mod winter wedding dress
www.frenchconnection.com
Mod fashion loves a short wedding dress, and we could totally imagine pairing this dress with a pair of Go-Go boots (perhaps not appropriate for a wedding though.) Best of all, "showcase statement faux fur trims in a timeless winter white tone."
Material: Shell 64% Polyester, 30% Viscose, 6% Elastane, Lining 100% Polyester, Faux fur trim 100% Polyester
Sizes: XS to L
Best art deco winter wedding dress
www.asos.com
Buttons here, buttons there, buttons everywhere. We're utterly obsessed with this twenties-inspired wedding dress, with blouson sleeves and a cheeky cut-out back. One customer says "I bought this dress for my wedding and this was simply perfect. Front cuts look stunning and the finish was good."
Material: Lining 100% Polyester, Main 100% Polyester
Sizes: 10 to 18
Best embroidered winter wedding dress
www.johnlewis.com
The embroidered flowers combined with polka-dotted tulle paint a picture of freshly fallen snow on a flower field. Monsoon bridal dresses are always a win.
Material: 100% polyester, Lining 100% recycled polyester
Sizes: 6 to 22
Best v-neck winter wedding dress
www.asos.com
If you want to show off what your mama gave you, go cleavage crazy with the Amelia Cutwork Embroidered Wedding Dress from ASOS. The beautiful Kimono sleeves add a touch of ethereal, and the lace detailing over the shoulders and back are magnificent.
Material: Lining: 100% Polyester, Shell: 100% Polyester
Sizes: 4 to 10
Best short winter wedding dress
www.wolfandbadger.com
If you loved Sophie Habboo's short wedding dress moment, then you'll love this mini bridal dress from Wolf & Badger. What's more, it comes with "a big bow to place in your hair or on the long detachable belt."
Material: Silk-lined
Sizes: XS to XXL
Best cottage-core/medieval winter wedding dress
www.johnlewis.com
If you love a bit of cottage-core or are going for a medieval or bohemian-style wedding theme, this Monsoon Lace Dress will surely call your name.
Material: 100% polyester
Sizes: 6 to 16
Best winter wedding jumpsuit
www.asos.com
If dresses just aren't your thing, you can spice up your winter wedding by stepping out onto the aisle in this beautiful Erin Off Shoulder Drape Wedding Jumpsuit from ASOS. The arms are our favourite part - so dramatic, in the best way possible.
Material: Fabric: 100% Polyester, Lining: 90% Polyester, 10% Elastane
Sizes: 4 to 8
Best reserved winter wedding dress
clubllondon.com
If you don't like to show a lot of skin, a winter wedding can be the perfect opportunity to wear more covered up, reserved wedding gear. This beautiful Padma Draped Bardot Maxi Dress from Club L London is reserved but does not compromise on style. The cape sleeves add a wonderful twist to this dress.
Material: Premium jersey in White (95% Polyester, 5% Elastane)
Sizes: 4 to 20
Best halterneck winter wedding dress
www.debenhams.com
If you can't resist a halterneck, the Coast High Neck Embellished Lace Wedding Dress is for you. Halternecks are so flattering for smaller chested women, and you get to show off your back in a sultry yet understated way. If you get chilly arms, opt for one of our cover ups below.
Material: Main: 100% Polyester. Lining: 100% Polyester
Sizes: 8 to 18
A wedding dress with a cosy cover-up
Why not team a traditional white wedding gown with a fun (faux!) furry coat? As well as being an ultra-iconic, ultra-fashionable choice that will have guests grinning from ear to ear, but you will be so cosy.
Best cropped winter wedding cover-up
www.johnlewis.com
If you don't want to cover up your dress so much, going for a balletcore-inspired bolero is an ideal alternative. Plus, this would jazz up any going-out dress post-wedding season.
Best winter wedding cover-up shawl
www.etsy.com
If you don't want a jacket and instead want to opt for a drape-able shawl to cover your shoulders, this wedding shawl from Etsy is perfect. You can choose from a variety of colours if you don't feel like white, and each shawl is made of a hand-woven alpaca blend. The finished weaving is then brushed repeatedly resulting in a luxuriously soft material. Unsure about colour matching or fabrics? You can even order fabric samples.
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Winter Wedding Budget
Did you know that 1,900 people are searching each month for a “budget wedding” in preparation for their winter wedding event? If you're also after an affordable wedding that is still just as memorable and magical as any other, then we've interviewed Hatton Jewellers, as well as eight other leading industry experts for their tips on how to save money for your wedding day.
Hatton Jewellers Ultimate Wedding Survey found that 30% of people are looking to spend less than £5,000 on a wedding, with more than half of Brits wanting to spend less than £10,000. In addition, 61% of Brits have already or are planning to reduce their wedding budget due to today’s financial climate.
So - how does one go about saving money on a wedding? It's no easy feat - but it is possible. Keep reading to find out how.
Wedding Jewellery
Chatting to Robert Cuomo, Managing Director of Hatton Jewellers, he said “For wedding day jewellery, ensure you choose timeless pieces that you will continue to wear past the big day. Gold earrings and classic pendant necklaces are easy to style day to day. Depending on your wedding dress, you may want to let your engagement ring and wedding band do all the talking. High neckline dresses don’t always need a necklace, so don’t add jewellery if it isn’t needed."
Wedding Cake
When discussing the topic of cake with leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched, Zoe Burke, she advised "Consider serving your wedding cake as dessert to cut the cost of an extra course or skip having a cake entirely if you’re not even big cake people. It’s your day, so make it about you, not what’s expected of you. Once you remove the pressure to book the things you think you should book, you’ll have an awesome wedding and you won’t resent forking out for the stuff that isn’t you.”
Wedding Flowers
“Make the most of your floral arrangements, and where possible repurpose/move designs from your ceremony to reception to get full use out of them. You don’t have to follow traditions, do your wedding your way even if that means no buttonholes" says Emma Richardson, Floral Designer at Rosemary Blooms. "Also, trust your florist. Don’t get hung up on specific flower varieties. Create a colour palette and let us curate the best combinations with seasonal flowers available to us that work with your brief. Even we have wonderful surprises with what’s available from our suppliers for that extra special touch. Freedom and flexibility create magic.”
Ruby Barry is a Product Writer for Closer Online, specialising in fashion and beauty. The team has nicknamed her “dupe queen”, as there’s not a product in the world she can’t find a cheaper alternative for.