Why winter weddings are totally underrated
There’s something about winter weddings that makes people tilt their heads like you’ve just suggested serving tequila shots at church. There’s a furrowed brow. A slightly confused, “But why?” And yet, here we are, making a case for the cool-season celebration.
Not because it’s quirky. Not because it’s cheaper (although, yes, it often is). But because winter weddings are a vibe.
Winter weddings just hit different. Venue: Stones of the Yarra Valley // Photographer: @studiodanielle.photography
Our 2025 Easy Weddings Industry Report revealed that only 4% of Australian couples choose to get married in June. July got just 3% of the vote, with August taking the head at 7%. This makes winter the least popular wedding season in the country… and also one of the most overlooked. Why? Because low numbers don’t equal low impact.
Winter weddings bring a different kind of energy: moody skies, luxurious food, better outfits, and venues that don’t book out a year in advance. It’s a quiet flex, if you’re paying attention. And if you’re not, maybe you should be.
Because maybe, just maybe, it’s time we stop assuming June through August should be reserved for hibernation. Here’s why more couples in Australia should consider leaning into the chill and hosting a winter wedding.
1. The weather is actually nicer than you think
Venue: Stones of the Yarra Valley // Photographer: @studiodanielle.photography
Venue: Stones of the Yarra Valley // Photographer: @studiodanielle.photography
Everyone talks about summer as though it’s the perfect wedding season, forgetting how frequently guests are sweating through their silk and mascara by 2pm. In contrast, Australian winters (especially in places like the Yarra Valley, Blue Mountains, and Adelaide Hills) deliver dry air, dramatic skies, and the kind of crispness that flatters both skin and wardrobe.
With winter weddings, you don’t have to check the UV index. Your foundation isn’t fighting for its life. And, your groom isn’t melting under five layers of suiting.
2. The outfits are just…better
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Summer brides get florals. Winter brides get fashion. Think structured silhouettes, long sleeves, velvet, capes, gloves, silk coats, boots… the works. You’re not confined to the breezy, strapless-and-stiletto energy that hot weather demands.
Grooms get the same luxury: double-breasted wool suits, layering options, texture and tailoring that doesn’t wilt in the heat. It’s giving editorial. It’s giving Pinterest but real. And no one’s shivering in chiffon or fainting from heatstroke.
3. You’ll actually get the venue you want
Now, let’s talk availability. Try booking your dream venue on a Saturday in March and see how that goes. You’re one of ten thousand brides trying to wedge themselves into high season.
Winter weddings? The odds are suddenly in your favour. You’re more likely to snag the exact date you want. You’re not competing with as many couples. And, you might even score it at a slightly lower rate without having to ask for a discount like it’s a garage sale.
4. Cosy feels without the cheesiness
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There’s an intimacy to winter weddings that’s hard to fake. Candles hit different. Fireplaces stop being décor and start being necessary. It’s warm lighting, heavier wine pours, slow dancing without sweat patches, and guests who want to stay close… because it’s cold, yes, but also because it feels good to lean in.
Winter weddings invite a different kind of mood. It’s less frantic; more deliberate. The energy is lower-key, but somehow more charged.
5. No competing social calendars
In spring and summer, you’re fighting hen parties, festivals, long weekends, and three other weddings in the same month. Everyone’s overbooked, overstimulated, and three Aperols deep by the time your ceremony starts.
Winter slows things down. People aren’t out of town every weekend. You’re not making anyone choose between you and Laneway Festival. Your event becomes the main event: and people treat it that way.
6. Winter menus bring the mood
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There’s something undeniably luxe about winter food. Think roast duck, truffled mash, molten chocolate, espresso martinis, and maybe even a little mulled wine (if that’s your thing).
Winter also happens to be the peak season for some of the most flavourful ingredients, like earthy root veg, slow-cooked meats, and hearty seasonal greens, making it a dream for chefs and food lovers alike.
While summer lends itself to light bites and spritzes (no complaints here!), winter gives you full permission to lean into depth and decadence. Guests stay cosy, well-fed, and – if you’ve done it right – emotionally attached to your caterer.
7. The light just works
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Winter light in Australia has a softness that lingers in the air with no glare, no squinting, and no rush to chase the sun. Golden hour arrives quietly in the middle of your reception, casting everything in that muted glow that photographers love. Every photo feels just that little more romantic.
8. You can actually dress the space
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Stay with us here. In the warmer months, florals have to fight the heat; candles melt. If you’re hosting a winter wedding, you can use velvet runners, moody blooms, dried arrangements, and dramatic installations. All these layers of texture that would look ridiculous in a summer marquee somehow seem to fit perfectly when the mercury drops.
All this to say winter weddings give you permission to go deeper in your styling. Think smoke-coloured glassware, dark berries, stone, brass, tonal layering. It’s not ‘winter wonderland’ in the Hallmark sense. It’s design-forward, contemporary, and completely unforgettable.
9. It’s not just cheaper: it’s smarter
Yes, you’ll probably save a bit of money. But that’s not the main point. The point is: your budget goes further. You can afford the better photographer. The extra course. The hand-dyed linens. The champagne tower you saw on TikTok.
Less money spent on peak-season rates means more freedom to curate the kind of experience you actually want.
So, why aren’t more people having winter weddings?
Weddings are still caught in the same seasonal loop, shaped by the assumption that warmth is a prerequisite for joy, that blue skies guarantee a good time, and that winter is simply too cold or too complicated to bother with. But when you look a little closer, those ideas start to unravel.
Winter weddings in Australia offers something different. It invites a slower pace and a shift in mood, creating space for warmth, texture, and considered moments. It’s not about following tradition or rejecting it, but about choosing a season that allows for intimacy, atmosphere, and a certain kind of beauty that feels effortless rather than expected.
Image by @danielturnerweddings at Warrawong Estate in June
So if you’re on the fence about hosting a winter wedding, here’s your sign: winter isn’t second-best. It might just be the best-kept secret in Australian wedding planning.
Planning a wedding can get overwhelming fast. At Easy Weddings, we make it simpler. With our Easy Weddings app, you can search suppliers, compare quotes, build your run sheet, and manage your guest list – all in one place. Download today.
