How do you plan a wedding in the mountains?

A wedding in the mountains is planned in the same way as any other wedding – date, venue, accommodation, food – but with the mountains’ own unique characteristics: the drama of the seasons, guests travelling from afar, and nature as the celebration’s true centrepiece. If planned properly, it will be a wedding that guests will talk about for years to come. Here is the guide, using Sälen as an example.

Short answer: this is what makes a mountain wedding special

What sets a mountain wedding apart from a city wedding is the overall experience: in the mountains, you’re not just getting married for one evening – you’re bringing your loved ones together for a whole weekend. Guests stay together; the celebrations begin as soon as they arrive and continue through the ceremony, dinner and a long day spent together afterwards. The setting does half the work: snow-laden fir trees or the late-summer light of the mountain moors outshine most banquet halls, and the photographs take care of themselves. In practical terms, this set-up requires three things from you as organisers: accommodation that can house your guests close together, well-thought-out logistics for travel and meals, and a plan B for the weather. At Sälen, the infrastructure for all this is in place – exclusive houses for the entire wedding party, catering and chefs who come to the house, and a natural setting that provides the perfect backdrop all year round. Our page about weddings in Sälen shows how we support couples every step of the way.

Choose a season: a winter wedding or a bright summer weekend?

The mountains offer two completely different wedding experiences. A winter wedding is a dramatic affair: glistening snow, torches in the darkness, warm mulled wine after the ceremony and dinner whilst the snow falls outside the panoramic windows – a fairytale, quite literally. Bear in mind that winter requires more logistical planning (warm clothing for outdoor activities, transport in winter road conditions) and that peak season weeks mean higher accommodation prices and the need to book earlier. A summer wedding is all about light: an outdoor ceremony amidst the Midsummer greenery or the crisp air of late summer, mingling on the terrace by the light of midnight sun, and dancing until the mountain night never quite grows dark. June to September offer the greatest flexibility, usually better prices and easier travel for guests. In between, there’s the sunshine-guaranteed March of early spring and the blazing colours of autumn – underrated choices for couples who want the mountains more to themselves. Choose the season that suits you best – both have their charms, in their own way.

Wedding venue and function room in a mountain setting

The mountains offer wedding venues that no function room can match: a mountain peak with views stretching for miles, a clearing by a mountain stream, the terrace of your own home – or one of the mountain chapels for those of you who prefer a church setting. Civil weddings can, in principle, be held almost anywhere, giving you complete freedom to choose a venue that fits your story; book a wedding officiant well in advance and always have an indoor alternative ready in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. The reception venue is the next decision, and this is where a mountain wedding really comes into its own: a large mountain lodge that serves as the wedding venue, reception venue and accommodation all in one. You can set up long tables in the communal areas, dance in front of the open fire and avoid the hassle of transport in the middle of the party – guests simply take the stairs to their beds instead of a taxi. The character of the house sets the tone for the celebration: our houses can accommodate dinner and a party for large groups in a setting that’s already beautifully decorated by nature and craftsmanship.

Accommodation for wedding guests – bring everyone together

Accommodation is the logistical heart of a mountain wedding – and its greatest opportunity. When guests have travelled a long way, you want them to be close by: gathered in one or more houses next to one another, so that the whole weekend is spent together, from Friday’s welcome drinks to Sunday’s farewell brunch. First, do the maths: how many guests, how many nights, and who needs their own room? A really large house can accommodate the immediate families and closest friends, and for larger weddings, several houses are combined – exclusive accommodation for 30–50 people is designed for weekends just like this. Think about the layout: the bride and groom in their own quiet corner, families with children close to one another, and the party-goers where they’ll cause the least disruption. Send out accommodation details early, including the save-the-date – guests who know where they’ll be staying are more likely to accept the invitation quickly. And book well in advance: popular weekends, especially in winter, get snapped up a year in advance.

Food and parties: catering or a private chef

Catering for a mountain wedding can be organised in two ways, often in combination. A catering company delivers ready-made food to the venue – from buffets to plated dinners – and this is ideal when you want simple logistics for a large number of guests; our catering in the mountains creates menus to suit the season and the guests. The second option is the most luxurious of the lot: a private chef who prepares the wedding dinner on site in the house’s kitchen, using local produce and dishes that become part of the evening’s story – read more about dinner with a chef in the mountains. A common arrangement is a cooked dinner on the wedding evening and simpler catering or home-cooked meals for the other meals. Don’t forget the little touches that make all the difference: a welcome drink on arrival, midnight snacks after the dancing, and a hearty brunch the following day. You’ll be organising the drinks yourselves at your own home – plan your shopping in advance, ideally by car from Systembolaget well in advance of the weekend.

Budget and timetable for a mountain wedding

The budget for a mountain wedding has different priorities to that of a city wedding: accommodation is a larger expense, the venue hire is often a smaller one (as the house serves as both the venue and accommodation), and on a per-guest basis, the overall cost is often comparable – for a whole weekend’s celebration rather than a single evening. The major expenses: accommodation for the bride and groom and their guests, food and drink, wedding ceremony arrangements, photography, music and transport. Many couples ask guests to arrange their own accommodation, which changes the budget significantly – just make sure you’re clear about this from the outset. The timetable: start 12–18 months in advance by setting the date and sorting out accommodation (this dictates everything else), book the chef/caterer and photographer 8–12 months in advance, send out invitations with travel details no later than six months beforehand, and finalise menus, the schedule and a Plan B for the weather in the final few months. A week in winter during peak season? Allow extra time and budget. A weekend in May or September? The mountains’ best-kept wedding secret.

Summary – your path to saying ‘yes’ in the mountains

The steps to a successful mountain wedding:

• Choose the season first – whether it’s a winter wonderland or the light of summer, it determines everything from your clothes to your budget.
• Book your accommodation 12–18 months in advance: the house serves as a wedding venue, a function room and a hotel.
• Bring your guests together – a large house or several houses side by side make for a weekend spent together.
• Sort out the food with a catering service, a private chef or both – and don’t forget brunch the next day.
• Always have a Plan B in case of bad weather for outdoor activities, whatever the season.
• Calculate per guest and per weekend, not per evening – a mountain wedding is an experience in its own right.

And once the ‘I do’ has been said, the celebrations often continue in the run-up to the wedding as well – tips for activities for hen and stag parties We’ve put together a dedicated guide to the mountains. Tell us about your vision, and we’ll help you turn it into a weekend in the mountains that none of your guests will ever forget.