Christmas weddings. Winter weddings. Snowy, elegant affairs! No, winter isn’t the most popular time to get married as you certified wedding and event planners know, but it has several things going for it. It’s less expensive. It’s oh-so-romantic to get married under snowy skies. And the decor can be natural and rustic or holiday-style and festive! Here are some of our favorite winter-wedding finds, from cakes to gowns to decor. We love this time of year! How can anyone be in a bad mood when they’re surrounded by snowflakes and twinkly lights?

1. superweddings.com; 2. dotcombride.com; 3. whitelacewedding.com; 4. blog.idoityourself.com

1. Allegro Photography of Boston (Amaaaazing vendor!); 2. The Knot; 3. Ritva Westenius Coutoure of the U.K.; 4. weddingsplendor.com

1. Martha Stewart; 2. Sugarlicious Cakes & Sugarcraft; 3. The Wedding Dish

Want more eye candy? Check out these beautiful winter-wedding roundups!
* Angela and David
* A gorgeous Christmasy, military-style wedding. Great pics!
* Bethany and Eric - Rustic in Vermont!
* Eve and Richard - Classy and sparkly.

What are your favorite, elegant touches for holiday weddings?

It’s easy to get carried away when planning a holiday wedding. Tons of expensive decor and flowers are easy ways to kill your budget. But holiday weddings can also be budget- and environmentally friendly. Here are a couple of ideas to “go green” from Kate Harrison, the author of The Green Bride Guide and LWPI’s partner for Lovegevity’s Green Weddings Course.

1) Choose a winter-themed invitation on recycled paper. (This cute invitation was found on etsy.)

2) Save money and decrease the footprint of your event by choosing a location that decks the halls with holiday splendor. Most hotels and historic buildings create elaborate settings for the holidays, which can provide a beautiful backdrop to your event.

3) Create your own winter wonderland using Christmas lights, ice sculptures, potted evergreens, flowering branches, pine cones, and bowls of nuts and cranberries. If you choose seasonal decorations for your wedding that can be reused you can let guests or the bridal party take them home as gifts. For example, wreaths make beautiful centerpieces when interspersed with soy or beeswax candles.

4) Hang recycled paper snowflakes from the ceiling or windowsills.

5) Serve seasonal dishes - like hot pumpkin soup, sweet potatoes and grass-fed organic steak. (Soup recipe available on epicurious.com.)

6) Give a winter- or holiday-themed favor. Organic cookies in the the shapes of snowflakes or trees, personalized ornaments, and small jars of locally made jam can all double as seating cards.

7) Use (or have your baker use) snowflake stencils and powdered sugar to create winter cupcakes. (Check out these amazing cupcake ideas - including stenciled cupcakes - at the food blog Kuidadore.)

Do you have more ideas for creating a holiday-themed green wedding? We’d love to hear them! Interested in signing up for Lovegevity’s Green Weddings Course? Find out more about the course here. You can register today! And if you need another push to sign up, how about a $100 back-to-school tuition discount? Just enter the code GBGWPI100 when you enroll.