While winter is typically considered an “off season” for weddings, there are many benefits and ideas that only come from a winter wedding.

Kim Lauffer, wedding planner for Nona Via in Iowa, shares her tips and tricks of the trade when it comes to planning a perfect winter wedding.

Don’t freeze your budget

Since people tend to stray away from the winter months, venues and vendors usually offer offseason pricing.

“Your venue may cost several hundred dollars less, which allows you more money to make your wedding even more spectacular,” Lauffer said.

Along with the lowered cost, the vendors and venues often have much more time to spend working out specific details, because they are not as swamped with other weddings as they are during peak times.

Deck the halls with decor

Whether you prefer something traditional or something a little bolder, winter provides plenty of glamorous options for the decor.

“The most common theme during the winter months is a winter wonderland with a variety of colors like silver, white, champagne, ivory and gold,” Lauffer said.

An easy way to complement the color theme is to use evergreen trees of varying heights or white bare branches as decorations. Lauffer suggested using these types of decor, if space allows, because it fills area that would otherwise be left open.

For a more modern bride, spice things up by adding some unexpected color to the mix.

“Although the monochromatic look is a very elegant one, try adding a splash of vibrant color to give it a touch of fun, like lime green,” Lauffer said.

Make your wedding party shines

With the winter season comes winter trends. Lauffer shared her insight into trends for the bride, groom and party.

“Naturally, in the winter months, you see less lace and more satin. What seems to be trending now is the more frills, the better,” Lauffer said.

The frills of the bride’s dress can add to the wintery look and theme.

Bridesmaids tend to dress formally in the winter and a recent trend has been toward the tea-length bridesmaid dress.

For the groom and groomsmen, Lauffer suggested straying away from black, as it can be a bit harsh with no natural lighting. Instead, opt for blue, grey or even white.

Stay merry

No matter the season, consider hiring a wedding planner for the big day. The hassle of details and worries will be lifted from your shoulders.

“No matter how well you have planned your time lines and every last detail, the last thing you want to worry about is the execution of those things on the wedding day itself,” Lauffer said.

While some brides worry about the expense of a wedding planner, it often ends up saving the couple money because a planner keeps track of the budget.

“A planner can help ensure that your late-night Web surfing ideas and purchases don’t turn your dream wedding into a tacky display of all of your ‘had to haves,'” Lauffer said.

Hiring the right wedding planner keeps your budget, theme and even sanity all in line.