Weddings and events inspired by a favorite rustic ski lodge or alpine chalet have a key element…texture. Mother Nature plays a significant role in creating this aesthetic, from the snowy mountains and pine trees to the floral elements that bring any event to life. Additionally, ski lodges harbor warmth through fireplaces, wool and fur blankets, hot beverages, and the joy shared among friends and family. There is nothing like taking cues from apre ski and weaving them into the fabric of your very own wedding. At Flora D’Amore, we’re breaking down some of the best ways to bring that ski chalet design into any wedding or event venue.
Fabric Textures
Table linens, napkins, shawls, coats, suit jackets, and dresses for weddings all require a fabric choice. For an event or wedding with a ski lodge look and feel, fabrics with rich textures are the way to go. Tartan and plaid wool and fur are classic options for shawls and coats, velvet is elegant and warm for table linens, suit jackets, and dresses, and heavy silk fabrics are a timeless choice for nearly anything during the winter season. Layering these textures also makes a big impact. A wooden table paired with wooden chairs is nice, but imagine if those chairs had white, furry blankets draped over the backs, and the table had a dark green velvet tablecloth with ivory satin napkins, a plaid table runner beneath fresh greenery and florals, finished with the glow of candles. It would be truly luxurious and flawlessly capture the feeling of an alpine chalet.
Photography: Mandee Rae Photography
Wood and Pine Accents
One thing that ski lodges and chalets do well is bring the outside in. Wooden tables, chairs, benches, and decor like skis, sleds, and snowshoes are most common in these places, and they are usually items you can bring into wedding and event venues to achieve a similar look. When you gaze out the window of a lodge, your eyes will certainly be met with pine trees covering the mountains. This is another element to bring into your alpine chalet-inspired wedding or event. Of course, sprigs of pine and evergreens will make their way into floral designs, but you can also add these as accents on place settings, tucked into menus or napkins. For luxury weddings and events, bring in pine trees to adorn focal points throughout the venue, entryways, specialty tables, and the backdrop for the newlyweds, or to accent modern ski lodge decor around the room.
Photography: The Original Weddings
Neutral Color Palette
Modern, rustic aesthetics, especially for formal and special occasions, lean heavily into neutral color palettes. Creams, ivories, and tans are elegant and mirror the soft snow on the mountains and trees. Brown tones, from light to nearly black, offer a nod to the woods and the animals that wander and call them home. Greens, especially dark greens, reflect the pines. Finally, the soft glow of candlelight and string lights brings warmth, like a crackling fireplace or the stars and moon lighting the night sky after a day of skiing in the mountains. This simple alpine chalet color palette is very modern, very elegant, and very chic.
Photography: Luna + Lion
Winter Flowers
With the above color palette, textures, and accents in mind, it’s time to talk about the winter flowers that will transform your venue into a gorgeous lodge or chalet. Roses are high on our list, as they bloom in shades of white, cream, ivory, and the palest of pinks (like the color of cheeks that have been kissed by the cold wind). Anemones offer their delicate white petals and stunning contrast with dark centers that make us swoon. Amaryllis is another striking winter flower, with petals like stars that burst open like a firework. Whatever your favorite winter flowers are, accent them with lots of winter greenery, including cedar, fir, and pine, textures like pinecones, branches, and feathers, and berries, such as brunia, snowberries, and hypericum.
Photography: Arlene Chambers
Unique Floral Displays
Imagine these designs on tall pedestals flanking the room and creating new levels, perhaps during the wedding ceremony as well as the reception. Down the center of long tables, these winter blooms and stems can create a natural runner, with candles placed between the lush flowers to highlight their beauty. Round arrangements are a marvelous addition to specialty tables, like the welcome table, gift/card table, guest book table, memory table, hot cocoa station, and more. A luxury wedding might have floral chandeliers above tables or the dance floor, creating the illusion of tall mountain peaks. For the ceremony, a floral arch is always gorgeous, but if you want something different, a large pair of skis criss-crossed at the top with blooms will be showstopping. You can also incorporate flowers down the aisle, and of course, throughout the wedding party as smaller versions of a bride’s bouquet and a groom’s boutonniere.
Photography: Toni Christine and Alicia with Toni Christine
Modern Ski Lodge Decor
In addition to flowers, fresh pine, wooden accents, and a whole lot of warm, cozy textures, modern ski lodge decor also includes the details. We mentioned candlelight, but will you opt for brass taper candlestick holders, amber votives, lanterns, or something green and outside the box? We mentioned velvet table linens, but what about tying a skinny, chic velvet bow around napkins or the stem of glassware? Especially if you have access to a fireplace, consider chic, minimalist lounge furniture draped with white fur throws that invite guests to sit and chat over a glass of red wine or hot cider. If there’s an outdoor space, baskets with tightly rolled throw blankets for guests are a modern and thoughtful touch. No ski lodge-inspired wedding is complete without a pair of skis propped up near the welcome table or lying on their own table with pens, asking guests to sign and send well-wishes to the happy couple.
Photography: Fern and Flower Photo
There’s magic in a ski lodge-inspired wedding, where snow blankets the trees, candlelight dances across the room, and friends and family gather in elegant joy. With lush winter florals, natural tones and textures, and modern details, Flora D’Amore is here to bring the romance of a cozy alpine chalet to your celebration. It will be effortlessly elegant, wonderfully warm, and reminiscent of a winter getaway you wish would never end.
