London winter weddings at {10-11} Carlton House Terrace

We love weddings. Here at {10-11} we’re lucky that we get to be part of a huge variety of nuptials held at our Westminster townhouse throughout the year. Every season brings with it its own, unique benefits and we really enjoy the change in the look and feel of the celebrations as the months roll by.

Every couple will have their own reasons for choosing a specific time of year in which to get married. Their decision might be influenced by the availability of friends and family, when the school holidays fall, or – more likely – their vision of the aesthetic they want to achieve on their special day. It might be that a couple is drawn to the bright, fresh colours of spring flowers or that they love the idea of their photos being shot in the twilight of a long, summer’s evening. Or perhaps it’s the warm hues of the trees in the autumn that they feel will set the right tone for their celebrations.

But, it’s winter weddings we wanted to focus on today. Often the unsung hero of the wedding calendar, the London winter wedding is a trend we’re seeing on the rise, and we’re not surprised at all. We thought we’d take this opportunity to talk you through what we think makes a winter wedding so special and what our London wedding venue can offer couples wanting to tie the knot at this magical time of year.

Intimate London winter weddings for up to 50 guests 

For a smaller parties, we hold weddings for up to 50 people at Number 10 Carlton House Terrace. Couples will take their vows in the Barnard Room, a stunning space with soft pastel décor and huge, period windows which flood the room with natural light. The Barnard Room also has a beautiful, highly-detailed, painted ceiling that never fails to impress visitors.

Welcome drinks are usually held in the marbled foyer on the ground floor and dinner is served in the Radhakrishnan Room, which boasts double aspect views over The Mall and St James’s Park and imposing, high ceilings. After food and speeches, the revelry will continue in the Council Room, a grand, traditional space with highly polished, wooden floors, large chandeliers and original art works on loan from the National Portrait gallery.

All of the spaces involved in an intimate, winter wedding at our exclusive London venue work together to create a truly romantic occasion.

Winter London weddings for up to 100 guests

Vows for larger weddings are taken in the Music Room (up to 80 guests), one of our London venue’s most coveted spaces. Its Louis XVI style décor, popular in Edwardian times, gives the room a sense of grandeur and the sizeable, ornate fireplace at one end of the space makes the perfect focal point in front of which couples can exchange their vows. If your party is that little bit bigger, the elegant Beatrice Webb Room (up to 100 guests) is the perfect choice. This is also the space in which your dinner will be served and its then back into the Music Room for dancing.

Why winter?

We’ve found that one of the most stressful things for most couple getting married in the warmer months of the year, is trying to predict the weather. The beauty of having a winter wedding is that it’s unlikely to feature at all in your plans. Knowing that it’s definitely going to be cold means all of your elements will take place inside and there is no fear of the unknown. This also means your guests won’t need to worry about bringing layers in case the weather turns. {10-11} Carlton House Terrace is toasty warm in the winter, guaranteeing your guests’ comfort throughout proceedings.

Something else we love about winter weddings is the romantic colours that are traditionally used at this time of year. Deep reds, navy blues, lush greens, gold and white are all commonly found during the season. Paired with soft lighting or candlelight, we think the atmosphere at a winter wedding is unbeatable.

Catering at a London winter wedding

Our in-house caterers, Searcys, always curate their dishes with seasonality in mind, and their winter wedding menus are as delicious as they are refined. Couples get to choose from our chefs’ range of dishes, but if you have anything particular in mind, or any speciality cuisine you’d like to serve your guests, they love nothing more than to work with our couples to create something bespoke for your day.

Transport in Westminster

{10-11} Carlton House Terrace is situated in the heart of Westminster, so as you’d expect, is very well connected to an array of public transport options. It’s a short walk from Piccadilly Circus, Embankment and Charing Cross underground stations, Charing Cross and Waterloo overground stations and a fair few bus routes which run every minute from nearby Trafalgar Square. 

Special touches to make your winter wedding one to remember

We find it’s often the little things that make a wedding stand out from the crowd and a winter wedding has plenty of opportunities to make an impact. Here are some of the special touches we’ve seen that have really wowed the crowd and made fabulous photo moments.

• Late night hot chocolate station
• Candles and candelabras 
• Reams of festoon lights
• Mini pinecones instead of table confetti
• Fairy light wall
• Seasonal foliage chair decorations
• Faux fur blankets for cosy knees
• Herb-heavy centre-pieces – think rosemary, cloves and thyme
• Mulled wine for a pre-dance tipple
• Bracing outdoor photoshoot (keep your fingers crossed for snow!)
• Long-sleeved wedding and bridesmaid dresses
• Christmas cake for wedding cake

Get in touch about your London winter wedding

We have an in-house, dedicated wedding team who take great pride in every wedding we host. If you’d like to call them up to discuss your ideas and dates, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can reach them on 020 7969 5224 or via our online form here.