Katherine Heigl had one. Lady Gaga is rumored to want one. Holiday weddings come ready-made with magic, so it’s no wonder that some couples choose this special season for their nuptials. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, churches, hotels, restaurants — even the streets — are decked out with twinkling lights, lush evergreens and holiday blooms, creating an irresistibly romantic backdrop for a wedding ceremony.

“The holidays are so festive,” said Lisa Gorjestani of L.A.’s Details Events. “People are together, they’re celebrating, and the mood is already there.”This was definitely the case for a Christmas wedding she planned last December for Caitlin Justice, 27, and John Guthrie, 28, of Pasadena. “The bride has always loved the holidays,” Gorjestani said, “so for them, it was natural to get married during that time.” Among the details at the rustic Sierra Madre Congressional Church ceremony were a dozen Christmas trees at the altar and fragrant pine garlands draped down the aisle. “It was so lush and fragrant,” Gorjestani said.

The reception for 160 guests at the Langham Huntington hotel in Pasadena was a winter wonderland of white and glitter with dozens of flocked Christmas trees, one of which served as a “seating chart,” holding crystal ornaments personalized with guests’ names and table numbers for the reception.

“Go for the sparkle for a December wedding,” said wedding planner David Tutera, host of “My Fair Wedding” on WE TV. That could mean “cool icy blues and metallics,” he said, “or warm burgundy and copper, rather than the obvious red and green theme.”

Keep in mind

But while visions of sugarplums may dance in your head, there are important things to consider.

“First of all, you want to make sure that your guests can actually attend your wedding,”Tutera said. He suggested that couples avoid the closest weekends around Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s, “as people’s schedules are crazy and flights and hotels are not only expensive, but often booked.” Be sure to send out save-the-date cards at least six months in advance so your guests have time to make plans. Also, Gorjestani noted that holiday weddings often compete with holiday parties so it’s important to book your venue early.

While a wedding at a ski lodge may sound romantic, don’t forget that some locations may be difficult to get to in adverse weather. Tutera once advised a couple to reschedule their wedding when a blizzard hit, but they refused. “Driving conditions were dangerous, and in the end, only a fraction of their guests attended,” he said.

Also avoid destination weddings during the holidays. “Just because you want to travel, doesn’t mean everyone else does,”Tutera said.

Amy Chutikorn, 36, and Alfredo Gomez, 38, both of L.A., chose the 2009 Thanksgiving weekend wedding because of the logistical benefits that holiday affords. “It was all about family — and making sure they could be at our wedding,” Chutikorn said. They didn’t want those who didn’t live in their hometown to be forced to travel once for Thanksgiving and then again for their nuptials. Their wedding took place at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside during its annual Festival of Lights, when it is bedazzled with more than 3.5 million lights.

Creating the magic

Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t just the only winter holidays. Michelle Fournier and Jonathan Hurtig got engaged on New Year’s Eve of 2008, so for them, getting married on New Year’s Eve 2009 was sentimental. Their wedding took place at The Langham, Boston: “The hotel was decorated so beautifully, and the reception was spectacular, with tray-passed champagne, dancing, toasts and New Year’s hats and blowers,” Fournier said.

For the menu, Tutera advised couples to embrace comfort food such as roast turkey or goose, standing rib roast and Christmas pudding. And, he said, “you could have a field day with cocktails and desserts.” Candy cane martinis were a huge hit at one holiday event Tutera planned.

Embrace the holiday you’ve chosen in an elegant way with classic renditions of its music and favors. Even subtle details can speak of the season. For instance, Kristin Petrovich of Burbank, who married on New Year’s Day 2010, added jewels to her bouquet to give it a festive look.

In the end, Fournier and Hurtig’s Boston wedding worked out just as they had fantasized. As snow drifted down, they left in a romantic carriage. “What better way to start [out] our year — and our lives together?” asked Fournier.

— Jennifer Evans Gardner, Custom Publishing Writer

Introductory page photo:

- Cake Divas made this holiday wedding cake look like a stack of gifts. Photo by Red Loft Studios.

Photos from top:

- Guests picked “seating” crystals off a Christmas tree at Caitlin Justice and John Guthrie’s reception. Photo by Starla Fortunato, starlafortunato.com.

- Alfredo Gomez and Amy Chutikorn chose to get married during the Mission Inn’s Festival of Lights. Photo by William Kim Photography, Williamkimphotography.com.

 - This bouquet with jewels was created by Artisan Event-Floral-Decor for Kristin Petrovich for her New Year’s Day nuptials at the Parker Palm Springs. Photo by Jillian Bisinger Modern Photography, Jillianbisinger.com.

- Michelle Fournier and Jonathan Hurtig leave their New Year’s Eve wedding in a buggy. Photo by Christine Turano Photography, ChristineTuranoPhotography.com.

CUSTOM PUBLISHING

This page was edited and designed by the Custom Publishing staff of the Los Angeles Times Advertising Department. Questions or comments? Contact Darlene Gunther at 213.237.3133 or e-mail her at darlene.gunther@latimes.com.