Getting Married in Lapland in March: Deep Snow, Returning Sun and the Last Weeks of the Ice Chapel
March is often the sweet spot for a Lapland wedding: snow without the deepest cold, real daylight and the aurora still possible. We are Joona & Alla, and Rovaniemi Weddings is our own wedding planning company. Here is what March offers, where it compromises and how to plan it for a trip to Rovaniemi.
March is the sweet spot of the Lapland winter wedding season. The snow is deep, the days are long enough for proper outdoor portraits, temperatures are usually less extreme than in January, and the northern lights are still possible. The Ice Chapel at the Arctic SnowHotel is open until the end of the season, and Elopement in Lapland, glass igloos and cabin weddings all work. Through our own company, Rovaniemi Weddings, we plan Weddings for 2 to 200+ guests. Book 8–12 months ahead, especially for February and March, start the legal paperwork three to four months before, and read Winter Wedding in Lapland for the full details.
Planned by Rovaniemi Weddings
Winter Wedding in Lapland
Winter season November to early April · March often the sweet spot for snow without extreme cold
- Why March Is Often the Best Month
- Light, Cold and Snow in March
- Venues That Work in March
- A March Wedding Day, Hour by Hour
- March Compared With January and April
- Styling a March Wedding: Palette, Flowers and Warmth
- Husky, Reindeer and Sauna: Ideas That Suit March
- What to Wear and What to Tell Your Guests
- Legal Steps and Timing
- Cost and Booking Ahead
- How to Plan It With Us
- FAQ
Why March Is Often the Best Month
Ask us when to marry in Lapland and, unless you want the deep polar night, we usually say March. The reasons are simple. The days are growing quickly, so you have real daylight for portraits and a ceremony that does not have to squeeze into a few hours. The snow is at its deepest, so the landscape looks like the postcard. Temperatures are usually milder than in January, though cold snaps still happen, so we still plan for the cold. And you can still see the northern lights, with the season running until early April.
March also has a softer feel. The light is bright and gold on snow, and the afternoons are long enough for a ceremony outside, a walk and photographs before dinner. Winter weddings in March are quieter than Christmas and New Year and less of a gamble than January with the daylight. For guests it is also an easier trip: they can enjoy the snow in bright light, and the days around the wedding feel like a winter holiday rather than an endurance test.
Light, Cold and Snow in March
By the equinox, day and night are about equal in Rovaniemi, and daylight keeps growing through the rest of March. Temperatures can vary from a few degrees below zero on a sunny afternoon to well below −15 °C on a clear night, so dress in layers. The snow cover is usually deep, though we never promise a particular depth, and a frozen lake setting is possible through most of the month.
Outdoor ceremonies are still kept brief, about 15–20 minutes, with warm spaces nearby and fire pits, blankets and heated drinks provided. Our guide to March light and snow is written for proposals, and the same conditions apply.
Venues That Work in March
March keeps almost every winter option open.
- The Ice Chapel. The chapel is carved each winter and melts in spring; March has longer days and softer light, and ice venues open roughly December to March. See Ice Hotel Wedding in Lapland and Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos.
- Glass igloos. Heated to room temperature, with February and March offering the most reliable snow and returning daylight. See Igloo Wedding in Lapland.
- Lakeside resort. Silver Birch Resort, where the frozen lake and the cabins give both indoor and outdoor options.
- Forest lodge. Invisible Forest Lodge for a glass-dome dinner among the trees.
- Fell-top and villa. Kurula's Resort at Pyhä and Arcticmint Villa by lake Norvajärvi, for something quieter and further out.
For a full comparison, see our venue comparison and Wedding & Proposal Venues in Lapland.
A March Wedding Day, Hour by Hour
Because the afternoons are long, March gives you a more flexible timeline than midwinter. This is a template we adapt.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Late morning | Dressing and make-up indoors |
| Early afternoon | Portraits on the snow in bright, gentle light |
| Mid-afternoon | Ceremony, outdoors for 15–20 minutes or in an ice or glass venue for 20–30 minutes |
| Late afternoon | Toasts, warm drinks, a husky or reindeer ride if you choose |
| Evening | Dinner, a heated space, music |
| Night | A few minutes under the aurora if the sky allows |
Our winter wedding timeline explains the logic hour by hour.
March Compared With January and April
If you are choosing between months, this is how we describe the three to couples.
| January | March | April | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight | Short, soft twilight | Growing fast, real afternoons | Long bright days, nearly 20 hours by late April |
| Temperature | About −10 to −20 °C, sometimes lower | Variable, often milder | Typically −5 to +5 °C |
| Snow and ice | Most stable ice | Deep snow, ice venues open until the end of the season | Snow usually well into April, ice venues closed |
| Aurora | Among the best | Still possible | Last chances early in the month |
| Feel | Atmospheric, candle-lit | Bright, gold, balanced | Spring light on snow |
March is the compromise that most couples are happy with. If you would like to read the neighbouring months, see our month-by-month wedding guide and our spring wedding guide, and Spring Wedding in Lapland for April and May.
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Winter Wedding in Lapland
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Styling a March Wedding: Palette, Flowers and Warmth
March styling is the easiest of the winter months, because the light is bright enough to show colour. We usually work with a palette of whites, silvers, greens and warm metallics such as gold and copper, with white roses, ranunculus, anemones, eucalyptus and frosted pine, and abundant candlelight, faux fur and velvet. Everything is made from high-quality artificial and preserved flowers, because fresh petals freeze in the cold, and arranged in our Rovaniemi studio so it arrives ready to place.
The styling can be as small as a hand-built wooden arch with seasonal greenery and a ceremony circle in the forest, or as full as aisle décor, table styling, centrepieces, a lounge area, signage and fairy lights for a larger party. Our guide to winter wedding flowers compares artificial and fresh in detail, and Lapland Wedding Packages lists the styling tiers.
Husky, Reindeer and Sauna: Ideas That Suit March
March is a good month for the activities that make a Lapland wedding feel like Lapland. A husky sled ride, usually 20 minutes to more than an hour, can take the couple together on one sled wrapped in reindeer hides. A reindeer sleigh ride typically lasts 15–30 minutes and suits a short, quiet ceremony. A sauna evening, with the Finnish tradition of cooling off in the snow, is a good way to celebrate with a small group. See Husky Wedding in Lapland, Reindeer Wedding in Lapland and Sauna Wedding in Lapland, and for a basic reindeer experience the cost starts around €400.
None of these needs to be big. A sleigh ride for two and a short encounter with the reindeer for photographs can be the whole programme for an elopement, and our reindeer sleigh wedding guide shows how.
What to Wear and What to Tell Your Guests
March is kinder than January, but you still need layers. A bride might wear long sleeves, a faux-fur wrap and insulated boots under the dress; a groom, a wool suit with a thermal layer. We like velvet, brocade and lined satin for the ice venues. Read our dress and suit guide.
For guests, the instructions are simple: dress in layers, wear warm boots, bring a hat and gloves, and expect a short time outside. Our guest guide gives a packing list. Add activities for the days around the wedding: husky sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, sauna and northern lights tours.
Legal Steps and Timing
Finland has no residency requirement and no waiting period for foreign couples. You apply for an examination of impediments through the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, which typically takes about seven working days (and can be several weeks for international applicants), at a fee of around €60. You will need valid passports, a certificate of no impediment from your home country, any divorce decree or death certificate if previously married, and certified translations into Finnish, Swedish or English, with an apostille where your country requires one. A civil ceremony is conducted by a district court judge or other authorised official, almost anywhere, in English. Start three to four months before. See Getting Married in Finland and our foreigner’s guide.
Cost and Booking Ahead
Lapland weddings run from about €5,000 for an intimate elopement to €30,000 or more for a larger event, with €10,000–€20,000 typical for 20–50 guests. A cabin or glass igloo for an intimate day costs roughly €500–€1,500; hotel or resort event spaces, €2,000–€8,000; full styling packages, €1,500–€5,000. Photography for a full day runs €1,500–€4,000. These are guides, not quotes, and our budget guide goes through them. See Lapland Wedding Cost too.
March is popular, so book 8–12 months ahead, especially premium venues like the Arctic SnowHotel. Plan a contingency of around 10%, and consider a weekday date, which can be easier for venue availability.
How to Plan It With Us
Rovaniemi Weddings is our own company. The path is five steps. Tell us about your day through Contact Rovaniemi Weddings. Consultation and estimate, in person or online. Agreement and deposit. Planning together, with every supplier sourced and booked by us. Your wedding day, when we install every detail and run the timeline. We reply within one business day. Look at Lapland Wedding Packages if you want to compare elopement styling and full planning.
FAQ
Is March a good month to marry in Lapland?
Often the best. Snow is deep, days are long enough for outdoor portraits, temperatures are usually milder than in January and the aurora season continues.
Is the Ice Chapel open in March?
Ice venues open roughly December to March, so March is possible, though the exact closing date depends on the winter. We confirm with the venue.
Will we see the northern lights?
They are possible until early April, but they cannot be promised on a given night.
How cold is it in March?
It varies, from a few degrees below zero in the afternoon to well below −15 °C at night. We plan for the cold and keep outdoor parts brief.
How far ahead should we book?
8–12 months, especially for February and March and for venues like the Arctic SnowHotel.
Can we marry legally in English?
Yes. A civil ceremony by a district court judge or authorised official can be held in English, almost anywhere in Finland.
Our Honest Final Word
March is the month we recommend to couples who want the snow and the magic of a Lapland winter, but also want to be able to stand outside for a while. It does not have the deep polar night or the extreme cold, and it keeps the ice, the fire and the aurora.
It is our own business, and we are glad to plan it. Write to us through Contact Rovaniemi Weddings, and begin with Winter Wedding in Lapland, Ice Hotel Wedding in Lapland and Elopement in Lapland.
Weddings and venues we plan in Lapland
Every option is planned, set up and quietly packed down by our own team, and nearly every proposal includes a photographer. Tell us your story and we reply within one business day.
WeddingsWinter Wedding in LaplandRovaniemi WeddingsSee more →
WeddingsIce Hotel Wedding in LaplandRovaniemi WeddingsSee more →VenueSilver Birch ResortLake Jyrhämäjärvi, Rovaniemi — about 20 km from Rovaniemi, around 30 minutes from the airportSee more →
WeddingsLapland Wedding CostRovaniemi WeddingsSee more →Rovaniemi Weddings is our own wedding planning and proposal design company — Joona & Alla, based in Rovaniemi. We plan, style and coordinate proposals and weddings across Lapland, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
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