Planning Autumnal Weddings
Guest Blogger Ruby Clarkson discusses the key factors to consider if you are planning an Autumn wedding to ensure your big day is one to truly remember.
If you’ve always been a fan of the breathtakingly rich colours of autumn, the newly crisp temperatures that it brings, that cosy, comfortable and intimate sensation we feel as the nights draw in, and those deliciously warming foods we can enjoy, then autumn is a fabulous time for you to hold your dream wedding.
More unique and affordable than the summer, the later seasons of the year offer something more special, more romantic and more memorable than the other months.
You can choose from the stunning fruits, vegetables, foliage and flowers in season, feature glorious open fires, flickering candles, twinkling fairy lights and carpets of leaves and even venture outdoors to create the wedding of your dreams.
Here are our tips on how to plan and organise your autumnal wedding.
Choose the right venue
Make the most of everything that the autumn has to offer by choosing a venue that provides scenic views of the countryside, open fireplaces, gorgeous period features and allow you to take your wedding outside to enjoy everything that mother nature has to offer at this time of the year.
Considering our famous English weather, it’s also a good idea considering wedding venues with various spaces so that you can be as creative as you like when planning your wedding and have extra options if heavens open.
Make the most of your lighting options
Lighting plays a central role in an autumn wedding and can help turn up that magical and romantic feel, add warmth and depth to your wedding venue and create a dream wedding to remember.
If you’re holding your wedding at a venue that offers an outside space, you could hang fairy lights from the trees, surround the area with romantic candles and even hold the ceremony outside if allowed. If you’re staying inside, include roaring open fires, candles and other lighting features to make the most of the space and help your dreams come to life.
Pick your autumn colour scheme
When it comes to choosing the right colour scheme for the wedding, you can get inspired by the warm, earthy shades we see all around us, the deep, rich colours, the leafy foliage, and nuts and seeds such as chestnuts, acorns and conkers.
Consider including touches of those warmer shades such as deep red, maroon, burnt orange, golden yellow and deep emerald to add warmth to your space and encourage that intimate, cosy feeling.
Add extra glamour by including highlights of gold and copper throughout your colour scheme, then balance and brighten the overall seasonal look by adding selected ivory, champagne, cream and grey tones.
If these colour schemes aren’t in your vision, don’t be afraid to bring splashes of bright colours or even pastels into the colour scheme to inject an element of the unexpected into your wedding bouquet and arrangements
Select your seasonal wedding catering
Seasonal comfort foods such as pumpkin, sweet potatoes, swedes and turnips are in their abundance during the autumn months and work fantastically as part of your creative wedding menu.
Include fresh apples, blackberries, pears and other autumn produce in your dishes and you’re sure to create dishes that will wow your guests whilst also keeping their appetites satisfied.
Rich and satisfying soups work well as a starters, heavier meats like lamb and pork are great choices for a main course (with grilled aubergines with spiced lentils for vegetarians and vegans) and spiced deserts such as fruit pies, cinnamon doughnuts and hot chocolate with marshmallows round off the meal beautifully.
Your wedding cake can also be a tribute to the seasons by including autumn spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and plenty of dried fruits. If you’re not such a fan of these though, you could also consider two popular autumn wedding cake varieties; caramel or chocolate.
Choose the right flowers
Ask your florist which flowers are in season and you can add an extra touch of autumn chic to the occasion and create an unforgettable wedding bouquet or arrangement.
Include touches of those warm, rich autumnal colours and don’t be afraid to include seasonal foliage such as berries, leaves and acorns.
Great choices can include:
● Marigolds: you can find them in a variety of golds, oranges and reds
● Sunflowers: with their rich yellow, they’ll lift the colour scheme of any autumn wedding.
● Dahlias: deep maroon dahlias add richness to your bouquet.
● Garden roses: add richness, depth and a classic feel
● White hydrangeas: their antique feel and calm white add brightness.
Take perfect autumn wedding photographs
The natural late afternoon autumn light lends itself well to creating beautiful wedding portraits which capture perfectly the mood of the day and the naturally breath-taking backdrop of autumn foliage helps ensure some stunning photographs.
Ensure that when you plan your autumn wedding, you’re allowing enough time for your wedding photographer to capture everything perfectly. Bear in mind that the clocks do change at the end of October which will affect the light available for your photographs. You don’t want to find yourself rushing through one of the best parts of the day!
With its rich colours and seasonal produce, intimacy, warmth and romanticism and the unique opportunities for creativity that it offers, autumn is one of the best seasons to get married.
Ensure you choose a venue with indoor and outdoor space, lean on those seasonal colour, vegetables and fruits, make the most of the light, opt for beautiful seasonal flowers and your wedding will be just as perfect as you hope.