Wed in winter

COLD, dark, wet winter is not a time most people would choose to get married. We tend to associate weddings with spring and summer: sleeveless bridal gowns and delicate flowers; marquees and sipping champagne on the lawn.

But for many couples, a winter wedding holds its own charms - and benefits.

Movie stars Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas will be tying the knot in a lavish £1.2 million do in New York today.

But there won't be that many other brides and grooms joining them in matrimony this Saturday.

November remains one of the least popular times of year for people to tie the knot.

In York, there are half as many weddings in the winter as summer, says superintendent registrar Robert Livesey. November is particularly unpopular. "The last ceremony is at 3.30pm but we advise couples not to take that as it is pretty dark by that time," says Mr Livesey.

However, things pick up as Christmas draws closer, he said.

"In our office, we have a big Christmas tree at that time of year and the pictures look really lovely. People come from all over to get married in York, and some will want to come for a Christmas break here and get married at the same time."

A December wedding has its own appeal. Brides can wear luxurious fabrics while candles, roaring log fires and Christmas lights can add ambience to the occasion.

Cold weather need not cramp a couple's style - tennis ace Greg Rusedski and bride Lucy Connor tied the knot last December and looked snug, yes, but sophisticated and stylish too.

York couple Rachel and Richard Oates wed on December 12, 1998 at St Mary's Church in Kilburn followed by a reception at the Merchant Taylors' Hall in York - and have no regrets about opting for a winter wedding.

Rachel said: "We got engaged in June and didn't want a long engagement, so December was a perfect time. It also meant we had the benefit of a Christmas tree and roaring log fires at the reception.

"I had a wrap with my outfit, to keep me warm. But it was quite a mild day. With all the excitement, I don't think I would have felt the cold anyway.

"The atmosphere at the reception was fabulous. We had roaring fires, candles everywhere, and served mulled wine."

Another bonus of a wedding in the depths of winter is the chance to escape to the sun for two weeks afterwards.

"We had our honeymoon in Barbados. It was lovely and hot, and we spent Christmas day round the pool," recalls Rachel.

Steve Holland and Louise Ballard, from York, wed last December and pronounced it a wonderfully romantic occasion, despite a rain shower which forced them to have their pictures taken inside St Oswald's Church, Fulford.

Louise and Steve both love winter and chose their outfits to suit the season.

Louise says: "One of the reasons we like York is because of winter and getting married in York in wintertime seemed perfect. It wouldn't matter what the weather was like, we wanted it to be warm, cosy and romantic.

"I'm really pale, so I didn't want to wear an insipid colour or white. I chose a crimson shot with black silk dress and a red velvet jacket with a black hat. I think velvet is a really nice fabric to get married in and it suited the winter theme.

"Steve wore a bottle green three-piece suit and absolutely loved it!"

For Cathy and Arnie Russell, a wedding in January gave them something exciting to look forward to after Christmas.

"We had a really nice day. It was really cold, but bright, sunny and frosty," recalls Cathy, whose church wedding was followed by a reception at King's Manor, Exhibition Square, York.

Conscious of bringing colour to the winter event, she chose flowers with vibrant colours and put her bridesmaids in burgundy-red dresses.

"I wouldn't have chosen those colours in the summer," says Cathy.

When it comes to picking a wedding outfit for winter, brides can widen their wardrobe options.

Andrea Bambridge, who owns a bridal boutique in York's Goodramgate, says women can experiment with texture, fabrics and colours to create an extra-special look for their big day.

"People can wear wool, or wool and silk mixes, with fur trims. Alternatively, they can opt for layering, choosing a strapless body and fitted skirt, which is a fashionable look at the moment, but worn with a luxurious long coat," says Andrea. "They can wear rich, jewel-like colours such as claret, emerald or very, very deep creams," she advises.

Hats are another consideration - and not just for the bridal party. The bride and bridesmaids also can get away with wearing hats, which look particularly good with winter wedding dress designs.

Get Ahead Hats, off the A59 outside York, has a stunning collection of bridal headwear suitable for a winter wedding.

With many weddings now taking place at one venue, such as a hotel or historic house, many winter brides do not have to worry about feeling the chill.

Another plus about a wedding at the tail end of the year is that you may be able to get out-of-season prices for venue hire or even from photographers and caterers who will not be as busy as in the summer. It will pay to shop around and see if there are any offers available.

And a big plus about a winter wedding is that if you get a crisp, blue-sky day - then it's a bonus. After all, there are no guarantees that a summer wedding in the middle of June won't be a washout. But a snow storm in December will only enhance the magic of the occasion and create a winter wonderland for your wedding day.