Planning Your Winter Wedding
As the nights draw in and cooler temperatures take hold, the season of winter weddings arrives and with it, an opportunity to indulge in rich, opulent fabrics, deep colours, twinkling lights and comforting, seasonal food! At Penshurst Place, you can indulge in roaring fires, floor-standing candelabras, incredible food, and the cosy, comforting feeling of our countryside home.
Penshurst Place is closed to the visiting public as of the end of October, which means that the House and Gardens will only be frequented by your guests, allowing you true exclusivity.
As dusk closes in and the days get cooler, there are a few things to keep in mind for your winter wedding that we can advise on, which will ensure you get the most out of your big day with us, including:
Timings
Penshurst Place has 11 acres of beautiful gardens for your photography, making it a truly unique Kent wedding venue. We can arrange for your photographer to visit ahead of your wedding allowing them time to plan the best places to capture your wedding photography.
For the day itself, we would advise arranging your ceremony time for earlier in the day than you perhaps would for a summer wedding, as this will allow you to secure gorgeous outdoor wedding photographs before sunset. Indoors there are still plenty of settings for further photography such as around the crackling fire of the Baron’s Hall, the interesting sandstone staircase which leads to the Solar, and if you’re marrying near Christmas time, in front of the dressed Christmas tree which we will decorate with fairy lights and an abundance of baubles.
If it helps with your planning, we would be more than happy to show you around Penshurst Place after dusk so you are better able to picture how it might look for your wedding day.
Décor
One of the most exciting elements of planning your winter wedding is deciding on your theme and décor! Whether you opt for a warm, luxurious feel, incorporating rich, earthy colours in heavy fabrics, or a frosty, winter-wonderland atmosphere with dashes of silver and satin.
Seasonal foliage, pine cones and eucalyptus will create a festive feel, teamed with deep red blooms or frosty whites and silvers. Christmas scented candles will also compliment the ambience and provide an elegant pop of colour for your tables. If you are heading in the direction of a Christmasssy wedding, you could even consider homemade mince-pies, festive biscuits or even personalised Christmas crackers as your wedding favours!
Outside of the festive theme, timeless colour palettes such as navy and copper or rose gold with deep red work well at Penshurst Place and can be used across centrepieces, chair ties and foliage.
The ceremony and reception rooms at Penshurst Place lend themselves perfectly to any number of decorative ideas. We’ve been running weddings here for over 25 years and can offer guidance and examples of previous themes should you want some inspiration.
Plan for the winter weather
whatever the weather or season, ensuring your guests’ comfort ahead of time will mean less stress for you on the day of your wedding. In the winter this largely falls on making sure you and your guests are warm enough In the colder weather, this can be achieved by:
• Provide a list of nearby hotels and B&Bs that mean your guests needn’t travel too far to see you.
• When deciding on your menu, perhaps consider incorporating hot cocktails and drinks such as spiced ciders, mulled wine or hot rum punches!
• Blankets and throws will be a welcome sight for any guests who may feel the cold more than others. At Penshurst Place we have a supply of these available to borrow.
• For dresses faux-fur capes are a popular choice for keeping any potential chills off your shoulders and look fabulous in photographs.
• For suits, a woollen material such as tweed is a great alternative in the winter months and layering with waistcoats always looks timeless and elegant.
Seasonal Catering
Cosy comfort food such as slow-cooked meat with seasonal root vegetables, or a delicious game centrepiece will be well received by guests on a cold day, alongside hot cocktails or perhaps a pimp your own coffee and hot chocolate station where guests can indulge in liqueurs whipped creams and marshmallows!
At Penshurst Place we benefit from sitting on 2,500 acres of countryside estate which provides inspiration for home-grown dishes, utilising amazing produce from local suppliers and producers to design a bespoke menu to suit your requirements. You will have a menu tasting a few months before your wedding, when our expert chef will be on-hand to offer advice and help you make your choices, whatever the season.