Wedding in winter is fairytale beautiful, pleases with the absence of crowds in the registry offices and allows you to save – is it true? At least that’s how wedding sites are written, promising the brides incredible benefits of the holiday at this time of year. We decided to check if winter weddings are really that cheaper than summer weddings? For this purpose, we interviewed more than 100 wedding professionals, asking them one question – how does the price of your services differ in winter and summer? Having analyzed the answers, we are confident that we will not be able to save a lot of money on the wedding in the cold season. We’re telling you why.
Who can I get a discount from in the winter?
Wedding dress salons. Count on a discount of 20% to 50% when you buy a wedding dress in winter. One thing is that you have to buy it in November-December, while the shops are organizing sales at the previous season’s collections. Coming to get the outfit in January, there is a good chance to choose something from the newly received collection, discounts on which are not provided. Also in winter there are discounts on individual tailoring of dresses, they are much lower than on finished models (only 10-15%), but it is also pleasant.
Restaurants and wedding parties. Everything here is individual and depends on the position of the site. Besides, there are many factors influencing the readiness to give a discount: how fashionable and popular the place is, how versatile it is and is adapted for celebrations in different seasons. In most cases, it will not be a discount, but a reduction in the minimum amount of money for the banquet compared to the summer. When it comes to outdoor wedding sites, they usually close in winter.
Presenters, artists, stylists and make-up artists. These specialists are not as dependent on material prices as, for example, florists, so there is a chance to get a small discount. But you should know that the more popular a specialist is, the less chance he has of a price break, because even without them a professional has a lot of orders. In addition, during the New Year’s corporate period (December and part of January), a good host or artist may even request more for a wedding in winter than for a summer celebration.
Who won’t give you a discount in the cold season?
Decorators and florists. The prices of their work depend on the prices of flowers and materials, which change with the changes in the exchange rate of the euro, rather than the temperature on the street. Therefore, do not wait for discounts on decor and floristry, and if you want to exotic in the form of frankly seasonal flowers (such as peonies), prepare a purse. However, everything is not so sad, because there is one secret: because of the smaller workload, many decorators reduce the minimum budget with which to work. For example, if in the summer the decorator takes weddings with the budget for registration from 150 thousand roubles in the winter will undertake for action with the budget of 100 thousand roubles. This means that you can get a dream decorator for your wedding in winter who would refuse to do your celebration in the high season.
Invitations and accessories. There is no discount here because the price of design, paper and printing does not change from season to season. Moreover, if you suddenly want your invitations urgently, and in the yard in December, prepare to pay a double price – printing houses will be full of New Year’s orders.
Photographers. Unbelievable, but the fact is: very few photographers will give a discount on the wedding in winter. This is because, firstly, the photographer’s performance is the same regardless of the season, and secondly, the popular photographers took so many weddings during the season that in winter they are busy processing them. Look for beginners and inexpensive pros – if they are not loaded, they can reduce the price. Also, no one prevents you from trying your luck with a dream photographer, if he is interested in the idea of your wedding and go towards it?
The organizers. This is the case when you have to ask, because each organizer has its own position. Someone will give a discount of 20-30% on the organization, and someone will refuse, explaining that they do their job equally well at any time of year. There is also something general: most likely, a discount on the coordination of the wedding you will not be offered, because this service is already relatively inexpensive.
In what forms can I get a discount?
- The simplest and most obvious thing is that you’ll just get a discount. For example, the standard fee of the presenter is 50 000 rubles, but he will spend the wedding in winter for 40 000.
- The way already described in the part about decorators: reduction of the minimum budget with which the contractor works. This method works with decorators and florists, organizers and some restaurants.
- Freezing prices until next season. How it works – the contractor does not give a discount, he works with you at the price of the last season. At the beginning of next season, the price of his services will increase, so although you pay the same price as this year’s bride, it is lower than the price the bride will pay next year.
Wedding in winter and New Year’s Eve
If you decide to get married in the winter to save money, but are eager to celebrate New Year’s Eve or next to it, think again and again. During this period, the prices of restaurants, presenters, artists and some photographers will rise to heaven. You’ll probably pay more for the invitations and maybe the cake. It may happen that your New Year’s Eve wedding is even more expensive than a holiday in the middle of summer.
So, hopefully, you have understood: for a winter wedding to be cheaper than a summer wedding, there must be a lot of factors coinciding. We advise you to ask each contractor about the discount, because if he is interested in the idea of the wedding, you will meet even against the rules.
The Hearnes title photo
