A Christmas wedding has a feel all of its own: frosty mornings, early dark evenings and a room glowing with lights. Fairy lights are one of the simplest ways to bring that feeling into your wedding film, and they do more on camera than most couples expect.
Here’s how fairy lights look on film, a few ways to use them, and what to plan for when the days are short.
Key Highlights
- We don’t bring big lights, so the light in the room is the light in your film. Fairy lights make a real difference.
- Warm white lights look best on camera. Avoid mixing warm and cool white in the same space.
- In December the sun sets before 4pm in Yorkshire, so plan your photos and portraits around it.
- Your own Christmas traditions, from a family carol to a favourite dish, make the film feel like yours.
- Instrumental music lets your vows and speeches stay at the heart of a winter film.
Why Fairy Lights Work So Well on Film
Soft Light Without Big Lamps
On the day it’s just the two of us, with discreet kit and no big lights. We work with the light that’s already there, so the way your venue is lit shapes how your film looks. Lots of small, warm lights give a soft glow across faces, which is far kinder than one bright overhead light.
Warm Light for the Evening
In winter, most of your evening happens after dark. Fairy lights strung above the dance floor or along the walls let us film your first dance and the party without flash or harsh lamps. In the background they turn into soft circles of light, which is the look most couples picture when they think of a Christmas wedding.
Fairy Light Ideas for Your Christmas Wedding
A Canopy for the First Dance
A ceiling of lights over the dance floor is the one we’d suggest first. It lights you both gently, and it looks beautiful from every angle as we move around you.
A Backdrop for the Ceremony
A curtain of lights behind you during the vows gives a warm glow without taking attention from the two of you. It also works well for the speeches.
Paths and Exits
Jars of battery fairy lights or lanterns along a path guide guests outside after dark, and they make a lovely shot as you walk through together. Even a sparkler or lantern exit after the ceremony adds a softer, warmer light to your film.
Getting the Colour Right
Choose warm white lights wherever you can. Cool white and coloured lights can look harsh or blue on camera, and a mix of the two in one room is hard to correct in the edit. If your venue already has lights up, it’s worth asking which kind they are.
Planning Your Christmas Wedding Film
Plan Around the Daylight
In December the sun sets before 4pm in Yorkshire. If you’d like portraits outside in natural light, plan them for straight after the ceremony, or think about an earlier ceremony time. Our guide to planning your wedding day timeline has more on this.
Choosing Your Venue
Look for a venue that feels cosy after dark and has space for lights. Barns work especially well. A candlelit evening at Hazel Gap Barn is all about close, quiet shots in the warm light.
Bringing In Your Traditions
The small things your family does every Christmas are what make the film feel like yours. That might be a carol everyone sings, a dish your gran makes, or a toast that comes round every year. Tell us about them before the day so we know to look out for them. There are more ideas in our post on holiday traditions in wedding films.
Music for a Winter Film
We usually choose instrumental tracks, so your vows and speeches stay at the heart of the film. If there’s a Christmas song that means something to you two, tell us and we’ll talk about how it might fit. You can read more about how we use music in our post on editing, sound and storytelling.
A Real Winter Wedding
Abi & Luke married at Hedsor House on 7 December 2024, and Christmas ran right through their day. Instead of a seating plan, guests found their places on baubles hanging from the Christmas tree. The ceremony included a Scottish loving cup. Just as they were about to say “I do”, the power cut out. It came straight back on, but it made for a moment everyone remembers. After the speeches came sparklers and their first dance, then a festive espresso martini hour that kept everyone dancing late into the night.
Watch Abi & Luke’s wedding film to see how a winter wedding comes together on screen.
For more on telling your story in the colder months, read our post on winter wedding films.
Planning a Christmas Wedding?
We’d love to hear about it. Have a look at what’s included in our packages, or see more of our work as a Yorkshire wedding videographer. We’ve a few winter dates left, so get in touch with yours.
Any questions, just shout.
Julia & Cal
