🎄✨ A Very Blotted Ink Christmas: Making Your Winter Wedding Feel Magical, Colourful & Full of Heart
Winter weddings don’t get enough credit — they’re cosy, dramatic, atmospheric, and full of tiny magical details that you simply don’t get at any other time of year. December light has its own glow, fairy lights feel extra sparkly, and every candid moment naturally looks warm and intimate.
If you’re planning a winter wedding, or if you’re a December bride (hi, you absolute festive queen), here’s how to make it feel truly magical — plus some of my favourite festive details that photograph beautifully every single time.
❄️ The Beauty of Winter Light (And Why I Love Shooting It)
Winter light is DIFFERENT.
It’s soft, low, and golden for more of the day — the kind of light photographers chase year-round.
That dreamy glow you see in “golden hour” summer shots?
In winter, it hangs around like a clingy best friend and I LOVE it.
This means:
Gorgeous backlight in doorways
Gentle shadows that flatter everyone
Lush warm tones even on frosty days
More romantic candids
Candlelit or fairy-light evenings that look like a movie still
If you’re having an indoor ceremony or winter portraits, don’t panic — I always hunt for pockets of natural light, reflections, and creative angles to keep things vibrant and colourful.
🎄 Festive Details That Photograph Like a Dream
Here are some Christmas wedding touches that never fail on camera:
✨ 1. Fairy Lights Everywhere
String them, cluster them, wrap them around beams — fairy lights create instant bokeh magic. They make every candid look dreamy.
🌺 2. Winter Florals
Think deep reds, berries, eucalyptus, pine, winter roses, hellebores.
Winter bouquets have this gorgeous, textural richness that pops beautifully in photos.
🕯️ 3. Candlelit Tables
Candles + reflective glassware = deliciously warm, romantic scenes.
I always grab detail shots because candlelight creates such a cosy glow.
💌 4. Velvet Everything
Bridesmaid dresses, groom’s jacket, hair bows — velvet brings that festive richness and soaks up the light beautifully.
🎁 5. Seasonal Styling Touches
Little things like:
Mini wreaths
Pine cones
Christmas tree ceremony backdrops
Mulled wine cups
Festive confetti (biodegradable, of course!)
These instantly give your gallery that “warm Christmas storybook” feel.
✨ How to Make Your Wedding Feel Magical in December
☕ 1. Embrace the Cosiness
Plan warm-up breaks, provide blankets or warm drinks, and lean into the season.
Those hot chocolate or mulled wine candids? GOLD.
🕓 2. Use the Light Wisely
Because daylight is shorter, it’s worth:
Having an earlier ceremony
Scheduling portraits in the brighter parts of the day
Considering a first look (if you're into it)
I’ll help guide timings anyway — December is all about being intentional with the light.
💡 3. Get Creative Indoors
Indoor portraits can be BEAUTIFUL.
Warm, romantic, sparkly, colourful — and you don’t have to freeze.
Doorway light, windows, fairy lights, reflective decor… December indoor photography is absolutely not second-best.
🎨 4. Don’t Be Afraid of Colour
Winter weddings don’t have to be all neutrals!
Red and pink? Beautiful.
Berries and emerald? Stunning.
Gold accents? Festive perfection.
Colour pops against winter backdrops, giving your photos that signature vibrant Blotted Ink style.
📅 5. Trust the Seasonal Magic
December weddings already have built-in atmosphere.
Venues are decorated, lights are twinkling, and guests are already in a celebratory mood.
Lean into it — you get so much for free this time of year.
❤️ A Final Little Love Note From Your Photographer
Winter weddings have a way of slowing everything down.
People cuddle closer.
Candles flicker.
The world feels softer.
And for me, capturing that warmth — that real intimacy — is pure joy.
If you’re planning a festive wedding, know this: it’s going to be gorgeous, it’s going to feel magical, and it’s going to photograph even better than you imagine.
And I’ll be right there in the glow (probably with hand warmers tucked into every pocket), capturing all the love, laughter, and fairy light sparkle.
