When people think of weddings, they usually picture a sunny day in June with flowers blooming and bees buzzing about. Strapless dresses and simple shoes are on all of the guests. The air is scented with honeysuckle and jasmine. Nothing could be more beautiful, right? Some couples are just winter people: they prefer winter sports like hockey, football and skiing over summer sports. They like a good rousing snowball fight rather than a volleyball game. And for them, winter is the best time for a wedding.

Having a winter wedding will involve a lot of the same decisions that you would make at any other time of the year. You still need to find the perfect place, the perfect gown and the right bridal party. You still have to finalize the guest list and choose the right flowers, caterer and band. And, you will still have to come up with the right place for your honeymoon as well. (An advantage here: traveling during the winter might be a bit less expensive, depending on destination.

Winter weddings also may have some other considerations to keep in mind. These include:

1. Because winter weather can be unpredictable, have a back-up plan in place if a blizzard appears on your wedding day.

2. Make sure that you taken into account wet and dripping shoes and boots at the church, chapel or other location. Some venues will put down plastic runners to minimize damages, but others do not. Have a mat or something to at least slow the dripping and sloshing.

3. Make sure that there is a safe place for coats, hats, scarves and other cold weather gear when the guests arrive at the reception.

A winter wedding can be a very beautiful and magical experience. The decorating and color choices are nearly limitless. Consider adding white twinkle lights (very inexpensive and easy to find at this time of year) to the church and at the reception. The bride can come to the church, or the couple can drive away from it in a horse drawn sleigh or carriage.

In many cases the church will already be beautifully decorated with poinsettias and will only need a few bows in the right color to be perfect. If winter is your season, then yours should be a winter wedding. Just one warning, make sure that your guests blow bubbles or toss seed rather than lobbing snowballs as you make your way out of the church!