Best Autumn & Winter Beach Wedding Ideas for a Coastal Ceremony in the UK

There’s something about a beach ceremony in the autumn or winter that just feels so perfect. Maybe it’s the way the sun shines off of the sand, or maybe it’s just the cozy feeling of being surrounded by your closest friends and family. Whatever it is, our beach wedding inspiration will help you pull off the perfect destination wedding in this gorgeous season.

Autumn & Winter Beach Wedding Inspiration

From finding the best ceremony venue, to choosing your decor and discovering the best time for taking your wedding photos, we have you covered right here in our latest bog.

Are Autumn and Winter Weddings a Good Idea?

Autumn and winter are perfect seasons for a wedding. The leaves are changing, there’s a crisp in the air, and it’s just so darn pretty. Plus, you are less likely to clash with guests’ holiday plans and you can often get your wedding photo package, transport and catering at a reduced rate outside of the peak times.

What Would Be the Dream Destination Wedding for Autumn and Winter?

There are many exotic get away destination wedding venues around the globe you can consider but it is worth remembering that Hurricane and rainy seasons vary between destinations and that if you are looking to get married abroad not all of your guests may be able to attend.

For Autumn and Winter beach weddings closer to home there are a range of stunning venues right here in the UK! Plus, we would always recommend you visit the wedding venue prior to booking it as you can’t always rely on the vendors photography.

Are Autumn and Winter Weddings a Good Idea?

Autumn and winter are perfect seasons for a wedding. The leaves are changing, there’s a crisp in the air, and it’s just so darn pretty. Plus, you are less likely to clash with guests’ holiday plans and you can often get your wedding photo package, transport and catering at a reduced rate outside of the peak times.

What Would Be the Dream Destination Wedding for Autumn and Winter?

There are many exotic get away destination wedding venues around the globe you can consider but it is worth remembering that Hurricane and rainy seasons vary between destinations and that if you are looking to get married abroad not all of your guests may be able to attend.

For Autumn and Winter beach weddings closer to home there are a range of stunning venues right here in the UK! Plus, we would always recommend you visit the wedding venue prior to booking it as you can’t always rely on the vendors photography.

What is the Best Month for Having an Autumn Wedding by the Beach?

September and October are great autumnal months for holding a beach wedding as the golden light will look stunning in your wedding photos and the weather at this time is usually quite mild.

What is the Best Month for Having a Winter Wedding by the Beach?

November or January are usually a good option for holding a wedding in winter as usually everything becomes more expensive closer to Christmas meaning your photography, reception hire and catering bills are likely to be larger.

Top Autumn & Winter Beach Destinations

With our selection of top autumn and winter beach destinations for your special day, you can find the perfect place to hold your wedding ceremony and party in style, whatever the season!

Top 5 Autumn / Winter Beach Destinations in the UK

South of England

Devon in the South of England is one of the best UK locations for a destination wedding. Here at Arches we offer a beautiful, and cost-effective wedding venue, that overlooks the dramatic Devon coastline so whatever the weather your wedding photography is guaranteed to be gorgeous.

North of England

North York Moors National Park has some of the most dramatic coastline anywhere in the UK. With deep blue and stormy seas getting wed in York in the autumn or winter months can be absolutely dreamy. For a unique wedding venue full of picturesque character and charm, check out Danby Castle.

Scotland

Isle of Arran has some of the most wild and beautiful scenery you could imagine. From quaint fishing harbors to rugged beaches, this island is the ideal location for an intimate costal wedding. For a dreamy celebration, check out The Boathouse at Dougarie.

Wales

Port Talbot is one of the hidden gems of Wales where any bride would be happy to walk down the aisle. With huge blue skies and unbroken sea views, this location feels like a destination wedding without the travel. For a magical and romantic setting, check out The Orangery.

Northern Ireland

If you want your wedding photos to look insanely beautiful then the Causeway Coast and Glens area of Northern Ireland should be on your list. Known the world over for its rugged beauty getting wed here is like a fairytale. For an exclusive and lavish affair, check out Marine Hotel, Ballycastle.

Top 5 Autumn / Winter Beach Destinations in Europe

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona boasts some of the best beaches in all of Europe—and its location makes it an ideal destination for those who want to combine their beach wedding break, with city exploration.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

This city is known for its stunning architecture, but it also has plenty of great beaches nearby so you can have your dream wedding on the beach as well as explore Croatia’s natural wonders.

Nice, France

The French Riviera is well-known for its fine weather and beautiful beaches, but it’s also known for its high prices. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, head to Nice which has plenty of gorgeous beaches nearby too!

Sicily, Italy

Italy is known for its romance, making it the perfect place for destination weddings. Take advantage of the beautiful beaches in Sicily, while also seeing some amazing places like the active volcano, Mount Etna.

The Greek Islands

The Greek islands make an ideal choice for winter or autumn destination weddings. The weather is perfect, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore beautiful ruins and delicious food.

Top 5 Autumn / Winter Beach Destinations Around the World

Bahamas
Crystal clear seas, blue skies and white sand make the Bahamas the perfect place for your beach nuptials, just make sure you don’t go during Hurricane season!

Hawaii
Famed for beautiful flowers, delicious cocktails and great food, Hawaii is both beautiful and welcoming making it a great choice for your nuptials.

The Maldives
With white sand beach surrounded by glistening blue waters and beautiful wild flowers The Maldives make for a photo perfect wedding destination.

Bali
Exchange your vows on the gorgeous beaches of Bali for a cost-effective and tropical wedding.

Winter Beach Wedding Ideas

Planning a wedding can be a bit of a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. From your wedding dress and wedding cake, to your venue decor and wedding photos, we’re here to help you through the process with our winter beach wedding ideas.

The Winter Wedding Dress

For winter ceremonies full skirts or sleeves are great options because they’ll help keep you warm. We often see brides including a cape too, to give them a little protection from the elements and to add drama to their photos.

Bride’s Makeup Ideas for a Winter Wedding

We often see brides opt for dramatic make up styles with silvers and glitters to add a touch of magic to their look. Brides getting married in the winter may also want to consider a matching umbrella to shield their hair from rain and wind!

The Winter Wedding Groom Attire

The groom can really go all out when it comes to wedding attire for a winter ceremony. For a timeless look, grooms can opt for a three piece tweed suit, with a pretty blue pocket square and winter flowers like thistles in the buttonhole.

The Winter Wedding Bouchet

It’s quite popular to use dried flowers for a winter beach wedding bouquet as this guarantees it will still look good by the end of the evening, whatever the weather. You can colour coordinate your flowers with your bridesmaids dresses to ensure your wedding photos look beautiful.

The Winter Wedding Invitations

You don’t have to go overboard with your stationery in order to make it clear that your wedding is going to be a winter wonderland. For a more subtle touch, try using frosted paper to give your invitations a wintry feel without being too literal about it.

The Winter Wedding Favours

Scented candles add a classic touch when it comes to winter themed favours but you could also consider home made hot chocolate mix, ginger bread cookies, and tying together spices like cinnamon sticks and nutmeg with ribbon then putting them in little jars.

The Winter Wedding Colour Scheme

Jewel tones like rich reds, mustards, and emerald greens are always a popular colour choice for winter nuptials and make your wedding photos look like a magazine shoot! Other colour schemes we see are Blue, Silver or Gold. Coordinating your bridesmaid dresses and flowers is a great method to keep your winter nuptials on theme.

The Winter Wedding Theme and Decoration

Flower arrangements with dried elements such as pine cones or driftwood can create a very bold and earthy styling to your reception space decor. Decorate your venue with romantic touches like string lights and storm lanterns with pillar candles to softly light your reception space with a gold glow that looks amazing in photos.

The Winter Wedding Reception

The safety and comfort of your guests should be a top priority at your winter beach wedding. Be sure to have plenty of heaters running to heat up the venue before your guests arrive, and why not have blankets available too for anyone one who wants to wrap up for additional warmth. You could even create a cozy outside area by setting up a bonfire so that people can enjoy the outdoors while still staying warm.

The Winter Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony itself can be simple or elaborate, depending on what you’re looking for. Some couples opt for a short ceremony with no flowers or music. Others prefer to have deeper meaning behind their ceremony by incorporating certain traditions or elements from their culture or religion. For example, the lighting of candles to symbolize hope and light.

The Winter Wedding Party

Your bridal party should help make sure guests are happy and comfortable. They can also ensure that your photography gets done by helping to herd wedding guests. And if something doesn’t go according to plan, you’ll need to them to be able to improvise quickly.

The Winter Wedding Food Menu

Planning a warm and hearty food menu to reflect your winter beach wedding is essential. You could start with a comforting chicken noodle soup that is perfect for a chilly day at the beach. For the main course, you could offer up a hot stew or some delicious grilled meats and seafood—and don’t forget about vegetarian options too! The warmth of a mushroom risotto is sure to tempt even the most adamant meat-eaters in your party.

The Winter Wedding Drinks Menu

A hot cocoa bar always goes down well at winter weddings. It also makes for a great photo opportunity on your wedding day. Warm and sweet hot buttered rum is the perfect wintery drink. And Apple cider sangria is great because it’s fruity and sweet without being too heavy on the alcohol.

The Winter Wedding Cake

Some couples choose to have a wedding cake that reflects the location of the wedding, choosing to have it decorated in a beachy vibe or wintery floral design. But cake by the beach can be challenging to manage if the weather is not great, so consider instead having a dessert table with hot sweet treats which would also look great in photos.

The Winter Wedding Guest Outfits

You’ll want to warn your guests to wrap up well so that they can enjoy their time at your wedding without worrying about being cold. A great tip is to wear layers so that if it gets too warm they can just take off their outer layer.

The Winter Wedding Outdoor Photoshoot Session

Doing photos outdoors can perfectly capture the dramatic natural backdrop of your beach wedding but you don’t want your photos to look miserable if all your guests are shivering so don’t keep them out longer than needed!

The Winter Wedding Honeymoon

With a wedding winter you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Start by celebrating your big day at a beautiful venue with the backdrop of the UK coastline, then head off on your holidays on a honeymoon to somewhere warmer like Thailand or Bali for the perfect winter season wedding honeymoon.

The Winter Wedding Hen Do

The winter inspired hen do is a great way to celebrate the bride-to-be. For lots of wintery fun, why not go ice skating? Or if you fancy something more active, the bride and her hens can try skiing instead!

The Winter Wedding Stag Do

Guys will love their stag whatever time of year whatever the location, so don’t let that stand in the way of choosing the perfect winter wedding venue!

Autumn Beach Wedding Ideas

Autumn is the perfect time for a beach wedding! You’re almost guaranteed beautiful sunsets and photo-perfect golden hour light, plus it tends to be the cheapest time of year for bookings. Planning your big day? Take wedding inspiration from our autumn beach wedding ideas below.

The Autumn Wedding Dress

For an autumn beach wedding, you’ll want to choose a dress that’s light and flowy—ideally with long sleeves, so that you can keep your arms covered during the ceremony. Add a splash of colour with sky blue shoes for a look that will pop, especially in your wedding photo.

Bride’s Makeup Ideas for an Autumn Wedding

For an autumnal makeup and hair look, be inspired by nature with subtle earthy greens or rich gold tones to give the bride a real sense of style.

The Autumn Wedding Groom Attire

Fall in love with grooms outfits inspired by the season, from soft blue suits to rich red buttonholes Autumn is the ideal time to be brave with masculine fashion.

The Autumn Wedding Bouchet

Choose red roses, golden accents and autumnal colours to add a touch of class to your autumnal wedding bouquet. Don’t forget to take a photo of the bouquet before the ceremony as if you’re exposed to the elements it might not survive.

The Autumn Wedding Invitations

Autumn wedding invitations are often printed with bright reds, golds, and oranges—colours that complement each other beautifully and make for a gorgeous invitation design.

The Autumn Wedding Favours

Consider fall-themed wedding favours like hollowed out pumpkins filled with sweets, maple syrup or honey in small glass bottles tied with twine, or acorns gathered from the ground and dipped in chocolate.

The Autumn Wedding Colour Scheme

For your decorations and bouquet, opt for a colour palette that includes red, orange, yellow, brown, and gold tones. These colours are reminiscent of autumn leaves and give your wedding a warm feeling. Blue is also associated with autumn and can add an interesting twist to your wedding decorating scheme.

The Autumn Wedding Theme and Decoration

Consider using seasonal flowers like pumpkins, acorns and pinecones as part of your decorating scheme and bouquet. Their earthy texture will remind everyone that fall has arrived!

The Autumn Wedding Reception

Make your reception photo-perfect with seasonal floral design, handwritten place setting cards and elegant silver or gold accents in the decor around the room. You can also take inspiration from nature by incorporating driftwood and sand into your designs.

The Autumn Wedding Ceremony

Autumn time is a perfect for a wedding. It’s that sweet spot between summer and winter, when the weather is still warm enough to be comfortable without being too hot or too cold. Arches offers you a breathtaking beachside ceremony venue which is perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies.

The Autumn Wedding Party

Your bridesmaids and the rest of your bridal party will have a lot of responsibilities on your big day, and it’s important that they’re ready for them regardless of the season. Tell them what’s expected of them and make sure they’re comfortable with their role. It’s also a good idea to ensure they have a list of emergency numbers—such as for the ceremony venue manager – and keep an eye on the weather app to make sure everything goes as planned.

The Autumn Wedding Food Menu

Comfort food is ideal for your reception, instead of light delicate meals opt for something warming like a hog roast which also makes for a great photo opportunity.

The Autumn Wedding Drinks Menu

Inspiration for the drinks menu at coastal destination weddings usually comes from tropical cocktails, but for a slight twist and some seaside nostalgia, why not candy floss topped Prosecco?!

The Autumn Wedding Cake

Your wedding cake is usually a central aspect of planning your special day, but keeping it simple and in line with your decor is often much more effective than having a hugely expensive cake. Whatever colours you choose for your Autumn wedding, make sure you integrate some elements to match the sweets with the wedding theme.

The Autumn Wedding Guest Outfits

Holding your reception near the beach can make it difficult for your attendees to plan their outfits. You should suggest that they avoid high heels as you they’ll sink into the sand. If they really want to wear them, they could opt for a wedged heel instead, or bring a set of warm and comfortable shoes to change when most needed.

The Autumn Wedding Outdoor Photoshoot Session

Autumn leaves, flowers and string lights are the perfect backdrop for romantic photography, plus contrasted with moody blue skies and sea views, an autumn wedding is the perfect place to create stunning wedding photos that are sure to be treasured forever.

The Autumn Wedding Hen Do

Autumn gives the bride and her hen have plenty of photo opportunities and outdoors activities such as pumpkin picking. Wherever you choose to throw your hen do, make sure you are in contact with nature for memorable photos.

The Autumn Wedding Stag Do

The autumnal season is filled with so many traditions and customs that can be brought into your stag do planning. you could even take inspiration from the season and go apple picking or carve pumpkins as part of your stag do!