I originally wrote this post while I was photographing weddings in Northern Utah. At the time, I was thinking of all the absolutely freezing alpine sessions I had had that winter, but since moving south I've learned that Alabama can get surprisingly cold too, even if I'm not shooting weddings at the top of ski resorts very often! We've had an especially bitter couple days, so I wanted to share a little bit about how to stay warm during your winter wedding photos. My husband and I got married in February in Utah, and while we managed to get a sunny day, it was still ridiculously cold at both our bridal session and the actual wedding. Here are some tips I wish I knew!

For Brides:

1. Pick shoes that will keep you warm and dry. The longer your feet stay warm, the happier you'll be! (fun fact: you can get away with wearing your snow boots without anyone ever knowing depending on the kind of dress you get!)
2. Fleece-lined or wool leggings or tights. You can get them to match your skin tone if your dress is at all sheer, and they will keep your legs warm the whole shoot without messing up your look.
3. Consider warmth when choosing your dress. Some ideas to consider are: longer sleeves, longer dress, fewer sheer/open parts of the dress (open backs get cold quickly in the winter!), pockets that you can keep hand warmers in, or picking a dress that you can stylishly wear warmer layers with.
4. Speaking of wearing layers with your dress, wear layers with your dress!! Whether you opt for a wool coat, a fur wrap, a custom jacket or a shawl, I highly recommend at least bringing them along and wearing them between poses. But I have also seen plenty of fashionable brides who have managed the balance between being warm and looking nice still! If you need some ideas or inspiration, check out this Pinterest board :)
5. Bring gloves or mittens – again, even if you only wear them between poses, it will help keep your fingers from turning bright red so quickly!
6. Along those same lines: HAND WARMERS. Keep them in your gloves or your coat pockets and use them frequently. Also, did you know toe warmers are a thing?? Stick them in the bottom of your shoes to keep your toes from freezing off
7. Snuggle up! Couples shoots are awesome during the winter because your partner is always somehow warmer than you and because those cuddled up shots are the best ones. Be penguins.

For Grooms:

1. Wear a thermal shirt as your base layer! You can get them in white or gray if you're worried about it showing through your dress shirt, but it will help keep you much warmer than a thin suit will. You might even be able to get away with long johns under your pants as well, depending on their fit.
2. Bring hand warmers. Put them in as many of your pockets as you can get away with without them showing! You can also get toe/foot warmers and put them in the bottom of your shoes – which I highly recommend, since your fancy wedding shoes probably won't keep your feet very warm.
3. Ski socks. They're a ton warmer than normal dress socks and are way more fun to wear anyway!
4. Blankets. You can sit on them (instead of in the mud/snow), put your stuff on them to keep it dry, or wrap it around the two of you for some fun snuggled up photos.
5. Surprise your partner with a warm treat at the end! A thermos of hot chocolate or a trip to your favorite (warm!) restaurant for dinner will always go over well after a cold day.