Getting married in the mountains is cool, but a winter wedding in the mountains is even cooler! Literally. As a local photographer from the Dolomites, I have put together a guide for winter weddings, so that you can plan your winter wedding in the mountains of Italy.
Period: When is it better to get married in winter?
That depends on your wishes. Beginning of December and March, April are generally the low season in all of the Dolomites. Therefore there are fewer people on the mountains generally. It should be noted that in December there are fewer hours of light and your day should start early if you want to enjoy it the most. Whilst March and April offer a lot of sun and also less cold.
The downside is that the snow is less & more muddy at the end of the season. A mountain winter wonderland mood is in the Dolomites from mid-December to the end of February.
Climate: What is the weather like in winter in the mountains?
While one might think that December is the coldest month of the year – it is the darkest, but relatively warm. The cold waves usually come around mid-January. You can also be prepared for -20° C. Especially when the weather is nice. So dress warmly! Here are the average winter temperatures in the mountains of the Dolomites.
December -5° / -10°
January -6° / -11°
February -6° / -11°
March -3° / -10°
April 0° / -7°
Clothing: what to wear for a winter wedding as a bride or groom?
The rule of thumb for wedding attire is always: more is more and the main thing is that what you wear’s keeping you warm. It’s easy to mess up your day with the cold. Above all, it is important to keep your hands and feet warm. Gloves are always very important, or at least hand warmers. Wool is the best solution. “Wool” everything you can!
Activities: What to do at a wedding in winter?
You can do a lot at your snow wedding, Alta Badia, Val Gardena & Co. offer so many activities in winter. From skiing to a couple massage.
Skiing in wedding attire can be a damn cool experience. But if you would like it romantically, a balloon ride, to dine on the alpine heights or to have a nice dinner in a starred restaurant could be something for you.
Schedule: How much time should you plan for a winter wedding?
As already mentioned, in winter it is important that your day starts early if you want a lot from it. So you can ski all day, for example, or plan enough time for the lunch break and ceremony.
It could be cool to spend the night in a hut and (almost) without tourists to celebrate your free wedding in the early morning or late afternoon. More on this in the locations. Also reads:
Locations: Where to get married in the mountains in winter?
The question of the questions: where you can find a location to get married in the mountains of Italy in winter! It is really beautiful everywhere here in the Dolomites. But here are a few tips from locations that I particularly like for a wedding in the snow and that are relatively easy to get to!
Col Pradat – Colfosco / Alta Badia
Here you can get married at an altitude of 2,030 meters. The view of Col Pradat is breathtaking! The Col Pradat ski hut is great for booking small events. Both the Chalet Rönn, which is also in Colfosco, but in the village.
You can get up and down either by snowmobile or by gondola. This hut also offers overnight accommodation.
Cherz – Corvara / Alta Badia
Cherz is a wonderful plateau where the view is very far, not far from Arabba and the Marmolada!
You can get up to the Cherz Hut, which is at an altitude of 2,080 meters, in very different ways: with a snowcat, if you spend the night at the top, with a lift on skis (However! The lift can only be used on skis / snowboards in winter!) or even by helicopter.
Dantercëpies – Wolkenstein / Gröden
The Dantercepies is at 2,300 meters above sea level with a panoramic view of Colfosco and Val Gardena. The sunsets are particularly beautiful to see up here. At the mountain station is still the Dantercepies Mountain Lounge.
Seceda – St. Ulrich, St. Christina, Wolkenstein / Gröden
With the Seiser Alm (Alpe di Siusi) and Pragser Wildsee (Lago di Braies), Seceda is one of the most famous places in South Tyrol and is located at an altitude of 2,500 meters. As opposite than in summer, a Seceda elopement n winter makes more sense, as there aren’t as many tourists up there as in summer. I recommend avoiding Seceda elopements in summer, especially in busy season. Seceda can be easily reached with lifts from all over Val Gardena. Here you can definitely celebrate a cool snow wedding for two! There are overnight accommodations in the Fermeda Hu .
Pralongià – Corvara / Alta Badia
On the Pralongià Plateau you are at an altitude of 2,157 meters, here you can see very far. The Pralongià hut offers overnight accommodation. In winter you can get up and down from Armentarola, San Cassiano, La Villa, Badia, Corvara, Colfosco by lift. What is also super cool in winter, there is a sledge run from Pralongià to Corvara – wouldn’t riding a sledge in a wedding dress also be cool? By the way, there is also a sledge run in San Cassiano, on the Piz Sorega, Alta Badia!
Edelweiß – Colfosco / Alta Badia
The Rifugio Edelweiss, at 1,824 meters above sea level, is just above Colfosco and can also be reached by lift, snowcat or a short walk in winter. What is special in the Rifugio Edelweiss is definitely the food in the restaurant “La Stüa”, which is hidden in the rustic hut. There is no overnight accommodation here.
Kronplatz – Bruneck / Gadertal / Olang
With an altitude of 2,275 meters, Kronplatz is in the middle of several ski regions, which makes it very special. From here you can reach Bruneck, Val Badia and Olang. Or, you can come up and down from all sides. Incidentally, there is the Reinhold Messner Museum and the AlpInn, Norbert Niederkofler’s restaurant. Kronplatz is definitely a great location for getting married in the snow.
Santa Croce – Badia / Alta Badia
Here you can get married with breathtaking views of 2,045 meters in altitude in winter. Even church. Next to the Santa Croce restaurant is a small, fine chapel where you can get married. In winter you can get up to Santa Croce by lift. The Rifugio Santa Croce also offers overnight accommodation.
Piz Boé & Vallon – Corvara / Alta Badia
Piz Boé and Vallon offer extremely beautiful and wide views for getting married on the mountain at an altitude of 2,200 – 2,500 meters. You can get up and down with the gondola. The “Kelina” restaurant in the Piz Boé Lounge offers gourmet cuisine for a romantic meal after your snow wedding.
Is it possible to legally get married outdoors in Italy?
Usually it is not possible to sign a legally valid document outside the registry office, except in places chosen by the municipality itself. BUT!! Fortunately, we have a celebrant authorized to conduct civil weddings anywhere in Italy! So you can get married in the middle of the snow and sign the documents there too! Which is great! 😀
You can contact Angela from Bespoke Weddings Italy and she will explain more about these outdoor civil ceremonies!
How do you get to the Dolomites in winter?
I wrote a very detailed, general guide on this.
The best way to get to South Tyrol in winter is by car. But here are more specific tips:
Cost: How much does a winter wedding cost?
How much a winter wedding costs depends a lot on what the couple’s heart desires. Here is an example of a week, 2 people and costs for a super small but nice winter wedding for two.
- 4-Star Hotel With Half Board: ≈€3000
- Skipass: ≈€580
- Skiv Rental: ≈€150 – ≈€300
- Eat & Drink: ≈€560
- Flowers: ≈€320
- Hair: ≈€100 – ≈€350
- Makeup: ≈€200 – ≈€400
- Wedding Planner: ≈€2800 – ≈€4500
- Photographer (Me): ≈€10.000 – ≈€14.000
A winter wedding in the mountains of South Tyrol costs roughly ≈€17.710 – ≈€24.010
can a consultation with me as a wedding photographer in the Dolomites be helpful? then contact me!
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