Loading...

19 Jaw-Dropping Winter Wedding Destinations Around the World

January 6, 2020 | riley

Whether or not you’ve always dreamed of getting married in the snow, winter wedding destinations are some of our favorites. The images are stunning, the wedding gowns are gorgeous, and there’s something romantic about snuggling up after exchanging vows

For winter wedding couples, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite winter wedding destinations. From Colorado to Iceland to Spain, from the mountains to the woods to a ski lift, these wintry wedding spots provide epic views and extraordinary romance. Get ready to pack your parka because these destinations are sure to inspire!

Sugarloaf Mountain, Michigan

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a hidden gem and has amazing, unique, and easily accessible locations for winter wedding destinations. Lume Photography, a Junebug member, let us in on the secrets of her favorite winter wedding destination—Sugarloaf Mountain.

Sugarloaf Mountain is located along the shoreline of Lake Superior and it has surprising perks. Lume Photography let us in on the best secrets. “It’s only minutes from the charming city of Marquette where there are plenty of cozy accommodations, great restaurants, and things to do. There are a few different trails to get to the top, all with their unique advantages. The easiest hiking trail is only about 20 minutes and has stairs for easy access.

The views from the top of Sugarloaf are gorgeous. Especially in fall and winter. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for its record snowfalls, so you’re almost guaranteed a magical winter wonderland!”

Recommended Reading: Perfect Wedding Boots for Trekking

Switzerland Winter Wedding Destinations

Junebug member All You Need About wants to be sure couples know everything Switzerland has to offer. It seems that nothing is off the table in this winter wedding destination. Savina of All You Need About painted the perfect picture, “Switzerland offers the possibility of going up in altitude for photos, skiing, then meeting your guests in a mountain destination. With snowy toboggan rides and plenty of spots for cozy fires, Switzerland offers a bit of everything. 

Picture this epic winter wedding: your guests are seated and then you arrive at the ceremony on skis. After exchanging your vows, your first dance takes place on an ice rink—talk about a unique and romantic opportunity.”

image provided by Amulet Weddings and Events | photo taken by McWhirter Elopements

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

If you’re going back and forth on whether you want chilly weather or the perfect beach vibe, Junebug member Alex Krotkov Photography is spilling the secrets of Mexico’s best kept secret. Here’s what he had to say about Puerto Escondido:

“As a winter wedding destination, Puerto Escondido is one of those hidden gems of Mexico. It offers everything that a perfect winter beach wedding needs. From beautiful sunsets on gorgeous private beaches, to the delicious food, friendly people, a local airport, and amazing wedding vendors. Because Puerto Escondido is a hidden gem, it’s also much easier on your wedding budget than any other Mexican beach destination.”

Aspen, Colorado 

Junebug member Nikk Nguyen travels frequently to shoot weddings and he suggests couples dreaming of winter wedding destinations check out Aspen, Colorado. This is his review of his favorite Aspen wedding venue, The Aspen Meadows

“The resort offers a unique collection of breathtaking backdrops for any winter wedding destination. With its jaw-dropping mountains, pavilions, terraces, and classic ballrooms this resort offers a stunning variety of venus for the perfect winter wedding destination! Whether you’re looking to host your wedding outdoors by the magical mountains of Colorado or inside a breathtaking ballroom, Aspen Meadows is by far one of the most picturesque winter wedding destinations to choose from.”

Iceland 

Teri B Photography, a Junebug member, gave us the scoop on winter wedding destinations in Iceland. “Iceland has the Northern Lights, temperatures that aren’t too frigid, and enough diverse scenery to fulfill any type of look for your wedding day. Of course, long weekend destination weddings are ideal because they give guests time to celebrate you and have an adventure of their own. Based on how the horizon is positioned, that magic hour of sunset light can often last for hours in Iceland. This is a perfect opportunity for some of the most unique wedding photos you’d never capture anywhere else.”

Winter Wedding Destinations in Norway

Amulet Weddings & Events shared their favorite winter wedding destinations that are unlike any other. This Junebug member told us couples looking for the ideal destinations should look no further. We share their thoughts below. 

“If you’re looking for a winter destination like no other then look no further than Scandinavia. These parts of the world are rugged and offer a unique opportunity for a magical, adventurous wedding. Your options for winter wedding adventures are limitless and include the Northern Lights.

Whether you’re looking for private waterfront islands and cabins, luxury spas with treehouses, or glass igloos, these locations offer Viking tradition set against a wilderness of fjords and mountains. A winter wedding in Norway will be enveloped by jaw-dropping scenery, rarely-seen animals, and unique experiences—the only limit is your imagination.”

Looking for a venue to spark inspiration? Start by checking out Junebug member Lageret Events.

Recommended Reading: Long-Sleeve Wedding Gowns For Winter Weddings

Arctic Bath in Harads, Sweden

Talented videographer Maria Broström Studios suggested the Arctic Bath in Harads, Sweden and we’re inclined to agree. Check out these views! And if the views aren’t enough, they also offer Swedish massages, delightful food, and the combination of hot saunas then cold baths. As a winter destination, it doesn’t get much better. 

image by Maria Brostrom

Keep in mind that Sweden is chilly year-round, but in winter they regularly drop below -15° Celsius—or 59° Fahrenheit.

image by Maria Brostrom

Barcelona, Spain

Junebug member Just Married Barcelona has some local, expert tips about Barcelona as a winter wedding destination. She had this to say, “Barcelona has very mild winters with cool but sunny days allowing couples to still have their ceremonies and cocktail parties outdoors. The city isn’t as busy as it is in summer either which means you’ll have more venue availability at lower prices than in the busy season!” 

Scotland Winter Wedding Destinations

Wild Hearts Elopements—Junebug member and Scotland-based wedding planner—has us planning our own winter trip to Scotland with her description of its incredible offerings. She had this to say about Scotland, and two of its most majestic winter wedding destinations: 

“Scotland offers some of the most majestic winter landscapes in the world. With towering mountains, frozen lochs, and a good chance of snow, it’s a dreamy spot for wanderlust weddings. There’s also a chance to get up close with wild deer, roam around historical ruins, and cozy up by the fire with whiskey!

Crisp frost, misty mountains, and rich winter tones make the cooler months of the year perfect. This opens up the doors for your wedding style, too. Think stunning tailored tweed jackets, fur coats, and a classic red lip. On top of this, it’s a wonderful excuse to have at least two pairs of shoes—something for roaming and something for strutting in!” 

Glencoe Winter Weddings

“Glencoe in Scotland is famous for its incredible mountain backdrops. It was also featured in the James Bond film Skyfall, with winding roads and waterfalls around every turn.”

Edinburgh Winter Weddings

“The ancient city of Edinburgh offers an urban city backdrop for couples looking for a winter cityscape. With gorgeous cobbled streets, outstanding cuisine, quirky hotels, and bustling pubs to visit, there’s something for everyone.”

We particularly love the idea of hosting a winter destination wedding at Dundas Castle, a Junebug member venue. 

Dunskey Estate, Scotland

Yes, we just wrote about Scotland above. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight Dunskey Estate when they told us more about their effortlessly romantic wedding options. We share what they had this to say about their incredible winter wedding venue below.

image provided by Dunskey Estate

“Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn. Frankly, we cannot imagine anywhere more mythical and ethereal than the Scottish lowlands for a winter wedding. At Dunskey Estate, host your ceremony and melt into the ink-blue winter dusk at the Boma-inspired fire pit while the flames leap and crackle. Feel your heart soar inside your chest as you pass through the bare trees, up the main Dunskey drive, and through the slowly darkening fields. Your wedding photos, featuring stormy seas, windswept hillsides, and the coast of Dunskey Estate will possess unrivaled dramatic sublimity.

A true Edwardian castle, Dunskey is the epitome of magic and moody with its oak panel rooms, outrageous fireplaces, and enchanting chandeliers. We encourage couples to use our medieval chairs that were actually in the show for the most out-of-this-world enchantment.”

image provided by Dunskey Estate

18. Upstate New York Winter Wedding Destinations

Of course, New York has a plethora of winter wedding destinations available. Outside of the typical Central Park winter celebration, we love these northern New York locations. 

Lake Placid, New York

Junebug member Placid Planner loves this location for winter weddings. Lake Placid has its own claim to fame as well, it was the home of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. Bonus: there are four venues in this area that Elexis from Placid Planner thinks are amazing. Reach out to her in her Junebug member profile to learn more about them! 

Wolf Oak Acres, Fernbrook Farms, and Estates by Brophy

Speaking of Junebug members and wedding venues, these three venues offer everything from quaint elopement locations to Bridgerton-style wedding estates. Learn more about Wolf Oak Acres, Estates by Brophy, and Fernbrook Farms in their Junebug profiles. 

Park City, Utah

Photographer Nikk Nguyen had one more winter wedding destination to share—The Waldorf Astoria in Park City, Utah. He had this to say about this hotel venue, “This hotel stands apart from the crowd. If the classy, sleek, and elegant feel of this hotel isn’t enough, there are six incredible wedding venue options inside.

Weddings are complete with a sweeping grand staircase, presidential suite, grand lobby, wine room, pool deck, and two enchanting main rooms. It’s no wonder the Waldorf Astoria ranks top amongst the best winter wedding destinations.”

If these amazing locations and tips from Junebug’s wedding vendors have inspired you, check out these unique winter wedding ideas to add to your wedding mood board.

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings

This Yosemite Elopement Features Earthy Blooms and Amazing Views

January 6, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

Julie and Calvin’s bucket list included a trip to Yosemite National Park, so they decided on a Yosemite elopement to kick off their marriage on an epic adventure together! The couple spent over 10 hours with Rain and Pines and Henry Tieu Photography on the day of their elopement — and it’s one of the most incredible expressions of love of you’ll ever see. Julie, Calvin, and their rockstar team hiked and took in breathtaking views at every turn. It was a true sight to see and remember for the couple. Make sure to scroll to the end to see the totally rad GIF video Henry made for them! We now want GIF videos for every occasion!

The Couple:

Julie & Calvin

The Wedding:

Yosemite, California

We wanted to get married in Yosemite because it was on our bucket-list of national parks to visit. Calvin and I are both from the East Coast and before our wedding, we had never been to the West Coast. We talked about venturing out to California ever since we were sixteen. So when the idea came up, we thought, well how cool would it be to kick off our marriage by going on an adventure?

Have fun with it! Don’t overwhelm yourself with all the little details. Include your significant other in the planning process. Most people think that the bride makes all of the decisions for the wedding but husbands have opinions too. Also, your photographer is your most important vendor. Invest in your photographer! Find your photographer first. We found Henry before we even decided on a location, and actually, before we even knew that we were getting married, haha. We initially hired him for an engagement session, but then we threw our hands up in the air and said, let’s get married!

I will never forget the way the sky changed colors as the sun rose above the mountain peaks. I will never forget the stillness in the air and the sounds of the birds waking up with the rest of the world, as if to congratulate us. I will never forget the quiet moments we shared, soaking in those grand views of Yosemite for the first time ever as husband and wife.

Staying true to the vision we created together for our wedding day was most important to us. When you are planning a wedding, it is so easy to be influenced by others. At first, it was difficult to separate our own ideas from that of our friends, family and even the rest of the world. The pressure to achieve society’s expectations can really factor into your decision making, whether we wanted to admit it or not.

Making decisions together was easy because we both wanted the same thing: To celebrate each other and begin our biggest adventure as husband and wife by doing what we love most, getting lost in new places with views that will never forget.

On our wedding day, I surprised my husband with personalized socks that featured all three of our fur-babies. I will never forget the look on his face!

My favorite photo was one that our photographer took during our hike up to Taft Point. We were running around in the woods in full wedding attire and at one point, Henry told us to kick up dirt and then make out with each other. We did exactly as we were told and could not stop giggling. The outcome was far beyond what we could have imagined. In the photo, you could see the dust bouncing off of the light from the sun. Who knew that dirt could be so beautiful!?

Our photographer Henry was truly the star of our wedding day. His work is unbelievable. Because of Henry, we have the most incredible photos to re-live those moments all over again. Henry deserves all the credit because he also did a lot of the heavy lifting such as planning and logistics. Henry scouted the location, he drove with us for 8 hours, he spent the ENTIRE day with us, and not once did he complain or slow down. Henry is so energetic and fun, he made us feel so comfortable, which is incredibly important. We met our photographer the night before we got married, but he made us feel as if we had known him for years. He is more than just a photographer to us now, he has become a lifelong friend.

The Wedding Team:

Photography & Videography – Henry Tieu Photography
Event Planning & Floral Design – Rain and Pines
Ceremony Venue – Yosemite National Park
Reception Venue – June Bug Cafe
Stationery – Dear Darling Design Studio
Wedding Dress – Wtoo
Bridal Jacket – Dearly Threaded
Veil – Veils by Rebecca

 

Congratulations, Julie and Calvin! We’re forever grateful for your awesome team and Henry Tieu Photography who shared this epic elopement with Junebug! For more Yosemite inspo, we think you’ll love this Yosemite Valley Lodge wedding that pulled its color palette from the natural hues of Glacier Point.

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings

Whimsical Boho Oregon Wedding at Horning’s Hideout

January 5, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

When Shannon and Ian were planning their fairytale forest wedding, they took to Google to search for inspiration and fell madly in love with Horning’s Hideout! Shannon has a natural love for the environment, so it was important that the natural beauty of the venue shine through with minimal decor. Selva Floral Design did a magical job creating arrangements for the ceremony arch and reception area that complimented the enchanting forest vibes. If you love all things whimsical, we think you’re going to swoon over these photos by The Soft Season!

The Couple:

Shannon & Ian

The Wedding:

Horning’s Hideout, North Plains, Oregon

Wedding planning advice from the bride: Pick your memorable moments, everything else will fade over time so only focus on the things you want yourself and your guests to remember and highlight them in a way which resonates with you to make them uniquely yours and so looking back those moments will always bring joy. Additionally, have a vision and stick with it, by having a vision from the beginning it helped cut down on the stress. Lastly, love your wedding photographer and their style. Highly recommend using social media to your advantage and looking at different photography styles to narrow down what you would like.

I was inspired by Disney fairytale princesses. I am obsessed with my wedding dress, it was magical and made me feel gorgeous every time I put it on. My bridesmaids all chose their own dresses in shades of fire and our groomsmen were in bespoke navy suits.


SHOP THIS LOOK:

 

I wanted a fairytale forest wedding so I googled forest weddings, found the most gorgeous inspiration, geolocated it, found the blog it was on where it was tagged, reached out to the property owner at Horning’s Hideout, and the rest is history.

We had so many fun personal touches, because there are a lot of traditional wedding elements which I felt didn’t resonate with us so we put our own spin on them. We had our own version of vows.

We found it very important to maintain our vision for the wedding. We wanted to create a unique interpretation of traditional wedding elements done in a modern way which created a better atmosphere and flow through out the event. This wedding was our opportunity to thank everyone in our lives who had played an instrumental role in helping us get to where we are so we wanted to take some of the focus off of ourselves and instead create a memorable intimate wedding where each of our guests felt welcomed and appreciated.

The WEDTalks! In lieu of toasts (which are usually the worst), we had organized WEDtalks. The rules were simple; no inside jokes, no telling us how great/amazing/etc we were (we were getting married, we know this), and instead talk about something you are passionate about and leave us with an inspired call to action. They could not have been better! We first heard from the bride’s brother with a powerpoint on Genetics and what our children would look like, when your speaker shows that your one year old goldendoodle puppy is destined to be your child, you know the bar is set incredibly high and the speeches are going to be incredible. This was followed by a speech on how to cure a hangover from our Resident MD and then a Maid of Honor speech on perspective. We wrapped our WEDtalk adventure with a FREDtalk from the CEO of Beck on family and friendship that left everyone buzzing about it for the rest of the weekend.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – The Soft Season
Second Photographer – Courtney Meili Photography
Event Coordination – J29 events
Wedding Venue – Horning’s Hideout
Floral Design – Selva Floral Design
Catering – White Pepper Catering
Cake – DreamCakes PDX
Bar – The Tiddly Trailer
DJ – Event Team Entertainment
Stationery – Polka Dot Paper
Makeup Artist – Lauren Maher Makeup
Hair Styling – The Beauty Briar, Morgan Roberts
Wedding Dress – THEIA Couture, Louvienne via Lovely Bride
Groom’s Apparel – Idlewood Bespoke
Rentals – Party Place, Classic Vintage Rentals

 

Cheers to you, Shannon and Ian! We’re thankful for The Soft Season for sharing these gorgeous images from Horning’s Hideout with Junebug! Searching for more forest wedding inspo? We think you’ll love this rustic chic South Carolina forest wedding!

Sponsors
Email [email protected] to advertise on Junebug Weddings