Helpful Tips For Brides Considering A January Wedding

It’s Our Anniversary, sis! My favorite day, better than Valentine’s day is our actual LOVE day!

No, seriously though, this blog post needed some serious updating by adding a ton of value for the brides out there.

There are so many details to consider when planning for a January wedding. I’ll tell you more about why I chose a January wedding

Keep reading and scrolling to get the details!

Winter Wedding Outside

3 years married today and I have to tell you that I still feel so strongly about our decision to have a Winter wedding outside.

One of the reasons why we opted for an outdoor wedding ceremony is because it fits our personality so much.

We both love being outdoors and imagining a wedding with no trees to look at was not realistic for us.

An outdoor wedding was a clear non-negotiable for us and prevented us from wasting too much time looking at other venues that didn’t feel like us.

Thank God for wedding magazines, it’s how we found our venue. You should definitely use them!

Diamond C Ranch Wedding Venue

One Saturday morning when we were looking through some wedding magazines, my mother-in-law came across this beautiful venue.

My husband had been quiet for much of the wedding venue hunt process but as soon as he saw the picture, he too wanted to schedule a tour.

Located in Myakka, Florida, the Diamond C. Ranch had everything we wanted in the venue. Literally, a dream!

A 5200 SF barn for a reception and a 240-acre property filled with lush oak trees was perfect for our romantic wedding.

A couple of days after scheduling a tour, we made our deposit and started aggressively saving for our wedding and home that was being built at the time.

Flower Arrangements For Outdoor Wedding Helpful Tip

When it came to the flower arrangements for an outdoor wedding, it was the easiest task for me to complete.

The colors that came to me right away were the colors I genuinely loved.

One helpful tip that I give to brides is to go to a Lowe’s or Home Depot to solidify the colors for your floral arrangements.

I know, I know it sounds ludicrous but the colors jumped out at me and it made planning out those intricate details for the wedding so much easier!

Might I add, stopping by a floral shop and letting them know your wedding colors, helps the florist out so much!

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Decorations

The majority of my inspo came from looking at “barn” style type weddings but with an elevated look.

Don’t get me wrong, if that entire theme works for you, no judgment but we wanted to put our spin on celebrating black excellence and love for our wedding.

Incorporating rustic that meets modern and ease was so important to me. I spent time writing out my ideas for days while going back and forth on Pinterest.

Don’t stay on Pinterest too long or it’ll dilute any original ideas for your own wedding.

Outdoor Wedding Aisle Ideas

If you’re like me, hiring a wedding decorator or designer makes perfect sense but if there is someone in your family that is just as talented, go for them.

We wanted simple touches to the wedding aisle decor outside because the trees were literally all the decor we needed.

For instance, I had my aunt make the bridesmaid’s bouquet to mimic my bouquet and she made the groomsmen’s boutonniere.

It saved us a ton of money and we allocated the money we saved on things like food and our honeymoon.

Outside Wedding With Lights

Now, I did not have a specific requirement about having lights around for the wedding but for the older members in our family, this was extremely appreciated.

Once the ceremony was over and everyone went inside the barn for the official Mr. & Mrs. announcement, to eat, mingle, and dance, some people lingered outside, and having a string of lights hanging from the trees made it so special.

Most outdoor venues will provide lights anyway but it doesn’t hurt to double-check.

 Wedding Venues That Allowed Outside Catering

In our southern upbringing, food is a big deal especially when you have professional cooks and catering companies that are in the mix.

So, we chose to have my husband’s family take care of the food and our loved ones serve and prepare the food the night of the wedding.

They loved helping us out and taking care of us in that way. It was like their gift to us.

Wedding Hairstyles For African American Brides With Natural Hair

As a blushing black bride, I wanted my hair out in a big purple fro.

I opted for some stunning ear climbers and made sure to showcase my crown by making a bold statement to wear my natural hair.

When searching for natural hair wedding styles, you’ll get some great inspiration on Pinterest.

As far as the bridesmaids go, I wanted them to be proud about wearing their natural hair as well while wearing beautiful deep eggplant color dresses.

On my phone, I had a folder created for each bridesmaid (10 in total) with a particular hairstyle I chose for them.

Word to the wise: try searching on Google or Pinterest for natural updos for a wedding or black bridesmaid natural hair.

Final Tips For Brides Getting Married In January

1. Have a go-to person that handles all emergencies

Whether they are big ones or little fires to extinguish, have someone there that anyone can go to if they need a question answered. So many brides still face being bombarded at their wedding reception and it’s not right. 

Brides shouldn’t know any of the drama that is going on that night, keep it away from them, and have a delegated person whom someone can go to.

2. Have your go-to person so you don’t get stressed out from hearing things you shouldn’t

When you get married, you shouldn’t be an ear to any mess or drama on your day.

You should definitely have a person you want to take care of anything that’s not worth your time getting involved in.

Whether that be your maid of honor, wedding planner, or cousin, just have someone on standby so you can enjoy your special day.